Brenda Jackson - Eternally Yours

He watched as she turned to leave. He couldn't help but notice how the sleeper she wore clung to her body, accentuating her shapely hips and tiny waist. He had a feeling he was in for a long, sleepless night.

“Don't tell me we've finally done something that's tired you out,” Clayton said, grinning. He handed Syneda a cold can of soda. “I was beginning to think you were blessed with never-ending energy.”

Syneda took the soda and flopped down in the nearest chair. “Shopping always tires me out,” she replied after taking a sip of the drink. She set the can on a nearby table and began removing her sandals. “The stores at that mall were wonderful. Just look at all this stuff.”

“I'm looking,” Clayton replied, glancing around at the bags and boxes littering the floor. “Have you forgotten that I helped you carry most of it?”

Syneda smiled. “I really appreciate you being with me. I couldn't have purchased nearly as much stuff had you not been there.”

Clayton glanced around the room shaking his head. “Yeah, your Master Card company should thank me profusely. I wonder if they'll be willing to give me some kind of a kickback since you spent a fortune today.”

Syneda laughed. “I doubt it.” She stood to collect her boxes. “Do you mind if we order out tonight? I don't think I have the energy to get dressed to go anyplace.”

“That's no problem. What do you have a taste for?”

“How about lobster?”

“That sounds good to me. I'll order delivery from a restuarant nearby.”

“Thanks, Clayton, you're such a sweetheart.”

Less than an hour later, a just-showered Syneda stood leaning against the railing on the terrace enjoying the view of the ocean. Clayton had left her a note saying he was going downstairs to the pool for a swim.

From her position on the terrace she could see him below, and for some reason her eyes kept straying toward him. She became entranced by the movement of his muscular legs as he dived into the pool, by the firmness of his stomach beneath his swim trunks and by the mass of dark hair covering his chest. He looked tough, lean and sinewy. His powerful well-muscled toast-brown body moved through the water with easy grace.

“For heaven's sake, what am I staring at?” she exclaimed in dazed exasperation. “You would think I've never seen a good-looking male body before.” And what really bothered her was the fact the body she was ogling belonged to Clayton.

She forced her gaze to move from the pool area back to the view of the ocean. But as if they had a will of their own, her eyes strayed back to Clayton time and time again, and each time she felt a flutter deep in the pit of her stomach. He might be downstairs swimming in the pool, but she was upstairs swimming through a haze of feelings and desires that were almost drowning her.

Knowing the only way she would be able to stay above water and stop looking at him was to move from her present spot, she walked over to stretch out on the lounger to take a nap.

Syneda had nearly dozed off to sleep when she heard Clayton return. She opened her eyes to find him standing next to the lounger. She couldn't help but let her gaze settle on the line of body hair that tapered from his navel into the waistband of his swim trunks.

“Did I wake you?” he asked, stretching down in the lounger opposite hers.

She pulled herself into a sitting position. “Not really. How was your swim?”

“Super. It relaxed me tremendously,” he replied.

And it unsettled me, Syneda thought.

“What's on the agenda for tomorrow?” he asked.

Biting her lower lip, she looked away. “I thought I would give you a break and make it a do-your-own-thing day. That way you can be free of me for a while.” And I can be free of you to sort through all these strange feelings I'm beginning to have, she thought.

“I like having you around.”

“Oh,” she replied. Her eyes were again drawn to the thick mat of hair on his chest. Awkwardly, she cleared her throat. Her eyes met his. “Well, then, let's not make any plans. We'll let it be a whatever-happens sort of day.”

“All right.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the terrace enjoying the ocean view and trying not to let it be obvious that they were also enjoying the view of each other.

Later that evening after enjoying a superb lobster dinner, they sat around on the floor drinking the remainder of the wine.

“You have butter on your nose.”

Syneda twitched her nose. “I do?”

Clayton laughed. “Yes, you do.”

When Clayton reached over to wipe it off, their gazes locked and held for several seconds. A mite too long to be at ease.

“Thanks, Clayton,” Syneda said awkwardly, taking another sip of wine. Her mind was clouded with uneasiness. For crying out loud, Syneda Tremain Walters, pull yourself together. You're acting like a bimbo. The man is Clayton, for Pete's sake. You know, Lorren's brother-in-law, the one who changes women as often as he changes socks, the one who has a case of condoms in his closet, and the one who is definitely not your type.

“Here's something we can do tomorrow night.”

Syneda glanced up to find Clayton looking in the entertainment brochure. “What?”

“Take a cruise around Anastasia Island aboard the Rivership Romance.”

Syneda almost choked on her drink. “A romance ship?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you want to do something like that?” she asked. A shadow of caution touched her.

Clayton shrugged. “Because it sounds like fun, and we are here to have fun, aren't we?” he asked, his voice carefully colored in neutral shades.

“Yes, but we'll be out of place aboard that ship.”

“Why?”

“Because most of the people there will either be married or lovers.”

“And you'll feel out of place because we're not either of those things?” he asked, regarding her quizzically for a moment.

“Won't you?”

“Nope. It wouldn't bother me at all. But since it evidently will bother you, forget I suggested it.”

Although her misgivings were increasing by the minute, Syneda felt like a complete heel. The last thing she wanted was to be a bore, especially after he had been nice enough to invite her on this trip with him. “We'll go.”

Clayton shook his head. “We can do something else.”

“No, I'm fine with going.”

“Are you sure?”

“I'm positive.”

“All right. I'll make reservations.”

Syneda stood quickly, collecting her empty wineglass. She smiled down at him, although inwardly she struggled with uncertainty. “Well, I guess I'll retire early. It was a tiring day.”

Clayton couldn't help but look up at her. His eyes scanned her, beginning with the polished toes of her bare feet to the golden-bronze hair atop her head. He met her eyes. He could almost drown in them and wondered why he had never felt like doing so before. Then there was that cute little dimple that appeared in her cheek each time she smiled. Why did he suddenly find it totally alluring? His senses began spinning. The scent of her perfume seemed to float around him. It was as sensuous as he found her to be. He inhaled deeply as a need as primitive as mankind touched him. “All right, Syneda. I'll see you in the morning,” he replied huskily.

Syneda took a deep breath and feigned a yawn. “Not too early though. I can barely keep my eyes open so I may sleep in late tomorrow. If I'm not up by the time you want breakfast just go on without me. I'll grab something later. Good night.” She hurried off to her bedroom.

As soon as she was in the privacy of her bedroom, Syneda rushed into the connecting bathroom. The reflection staring back almost startled her. Her features were basically the same, except she had gotten a little browner from the time she had spent in the sun. But that wasn't the only noticeable difference. Her eyes were glazed with a look that definitely spelled trouble. What bothered her was the fact Clayton Madaris was the one responsible for that look being there. And to make matters worse, she would be spending tomorrow night with him on board a romance cruise ship.