warn you, I’m calling my assistant and giving her the details, including the name of your boat.”
Derek raised his brows, a look of amusement on his face. “Smart idea.”
Thia raised her head, trying to look aloof. The effect was difficult to pull off with her hand cupping his manhood. “Well, I just want you to know, until that night with you, I’ve never done anything like that before, not even before I was married. I mean get drunk, go home with a stranger. July thinks she’s my mother and she read me the riot act. I’m telling her the name of your boat and where we’re going.”
Derek skipped over the security measures and got straight to, “You’re married?”
“My husband died about a year ago. You’re the first man I’ve had a second date with since then. Even so, I’d just met you and I still can’t believe I let you–”
Derek put his finger over her lips. “Did I tell you? You look pretty in that outfit.”
She looked at him and blinked. He must think I’m an idiot. “No, I don’t believe so.”
“You do, and everybody who sees us in Monterey is going to think I’m robbing the cradle.”
The cab pulled to the curb. He paid the fare then picked up Thia’s bag, getting out on the driver’s side of the cab. Taking her hand, he led her down the dock. At the end rested a large cabin cruiser. She kept expecting them to turn toward one of the smaller boats but he seemed bent on going to the cruiser. She looked at Derek in amazement. “Who are you?”
“Don’t you know? I’m the man you’ve been dreaming about.” He smiled and turned away.
Thia reached in her bag and pulled out her cell phone. July’s number came up on her phone log. Her finger poised above the “call” button. She thought of what her friend’s reaction was bound to be, and what Derek had just said about being the man of her dreams. She sighed and chose another number from the call log. Three rings and her own answering machine picked up.
Chapter 4
Thia felt like an idiot talking to her answering machine, but as long as Derek didn’t know, she was covered. This was just an emergency precaution, anyway, and she wouldn’t really need it, would she?
“It’s ten-thirty Saturday morning and I’m at
China
Basin
about to leave for Monterey. The boat is called As You Wish and uh, the owner is the artist I met. Derek Anderson is his name. He’s about six three, blond, tan, athletic, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the most beautiful green eyes you’ve ever seen. No tattoos, and, uh, I kind of have a reason to know.
“If something should happen—and it won’t—you have all the info you need to track Derek down and rip his balls off.” Thia heard a strangled chuckle come from behind her. “And, uh, that’s all,” she said. With a deep breath, she disconnected and took Derek’s hand to board.
“Let me show you around,” he said. He pointed to the bow. “Upper deck.” Nudging her gently toward a passage he added, “Down here is the lower deck.” They went down several steps into an extremely plush galley and lounge. The hardwood floor shone like a new car. The galley cabinets boasted burled wood and the countertop was black marble. Plush leather couches extended down the other side to a booth and table.
“This is luxurious. I hate to say it, but it’s almost bigger than my condo. This is yours?” She knew she sounded like an unsophisticated groupie, but she was stunned and couldn’t hide it.
“Yes, but not just for pleasure, I live here, too. Over here is my stateroom and up there in the bow is a second stateroom.”
“For me?”
“If that’s what you really want.” His tone was suggestive, his look questioning. After waiting several seconds for her response, he said, “I’ll put your bag up there.”
“Yes, thanks.”
Thia relaxed for the first time since she’d woken that morning. How surprising. She had her own room. He hadn’t automatically
Derek raised his brows, a look of amusement on his face. “Smart idea.”
Thia raised her head, trying to look aloof. The effect was difficult to pull off with her hand cupping his manhood. “Well, I just want you to know, until that night with you, I’ve never done anything like that before, not even before I was married. I mean get drunk, go home with a stranger. July thinks she’s my mother and she read me the riot act. I’m telling her the name of your boat and where we’re going.”
Derek skipped over the security measures and got straight to, “You’re married?”
“My husband died about a year ago. You’re the first man I’ve had a second date with since then. Even so, I’d just met you and I still can’t believe I let you–”
Derek put his finger over her lips. “Did I tell you? You look pretty in that outfit.”
She looked at him and blinked. He must think I’m an idiot. “No, I don’t believe so.”
“You do, and everybody who sees us in Monterey is going to think I’m robbing the cradle.”
The cab pulled to the curb. He paid the fare then picked up Thia’s bag, getting out on the driver’s side of the cab. Taking her hand, he led her down the dock. At the end rested a large cabin cruiser. She kept expecting them to turn toward one of the smaller boats but he seemed bent on going to the cruiser. She looked at Derek in amazement. “Who are you?”
“Don’t you know? I’m the man you’ve been dreaming about.” He smiled and turned away.
Thia reached in her bag and pulled out her cell phone. July’s number came up on her phone log. Her finger poised above the “call” button. She thought of what her friend’s reaction was bound to be, and what Derek had just said about being the man of her dreams. She sighed and chose another number from the call log. Three rings and her own answering machine picked up.
Chapter 4
Thia felt like an idiot talking to her answering machine, but as long as Derek didn’t know, she was covered. This was just an emergency precaution, anyway, and she wouldn’t really need it, would she?
“It’s ten-thirty Saturday morning and I’m at
China
Basin
about to leave for Monterey. The boat is called As You Wish and uh, the owner is the artist I met. Derek Anderson is his name. He’s about six three, blond, tan, athletic, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the most beautiful green eyes you’ve ever seen. No tattoos, and, uh, I kind of have a reason to know.
“If something should happen—and it won’t—you have all the info you need to track Derek down and rip his balls off.” Thia heard a strangled chuckle come from behind her. “And, uh, that’s all,” she said. With a deep breath, she disconnected and took Derek’s hand to board.
“Let me show you around,” he said. He pointed to the bow. “Upper deck.” Nudging her gently toward a passage he added, “Down here is the lower deck.” They went down several steps into an extremely plush galley and lounge. The hardwood floor shone like a new car. The galley cabinets boasted burled wood and the countertop was black marble. Plush leather couches extended down the other side to a booth and table.
“This is luxurious. I hate to say it, but it’s almost bigger than my condo. This is yours?” She knew she sounded like an unsophisticated groupie, but she was stunned and couldn’t hide it.
“Yes, but not just for pleasure, I live here, too. Over here is my stateroom and up there in the bow is a second stateroom.”
“For me?”
“If that’s what you really want.” His tone was suggestive, his look questioning. After waiting several seconds for her response, he said, “I’ll put your bag up there.”
“Yes, thanks.”
Thia relaxed for the first time since she’d woken that morning. How surprising. She had her own room. He hadn’t automatically
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