Emilie Rose - Payback Affairs - Shattered by the CEO

She held her breath as the Jet Ski shot over the crest of a wave and splashed down again. Exhilaration made her pulse race, intensifying her other senses to the tang of salt on her lips, the warmth of the sun on her skin and the tease of wind in her hair. The vibration of the machine beneath her and the feel of the man behind her made her … well, hot in a way that the sea water spraying over her skin couldn’t cool.

A horn sounded, signaling the end of their hour on the personal watercraft. Disappointment sagged through her. She wasn’t ready to go in, wasn’t ready to share the man or the machine with other people on the tiny island or go back to work. She could happily ride for hours longer in the aquamarine-blue water with Rand’s arms and legs wrapped around her.

As if he sensed her reluctance to return Rand transferred his hands from her torso to flank hers on the handlebars. She instantly missed the heat of his palms. He throttled them down and made a wide U-turn toward shore. She couldn’t believe he’d let her drive, but he’d insisted she learn.

She leaned back against him to catch her breath. Despite the life jackets separating their bodies, she couldn’t be more conscious of every hard, muscular inch of him behind her and the strong arms bracketing her.

“That was fun,” she shouted over the engine’s rumble as she tilted her head back onto his shoulder. “And we survived without Jaws coming up to eat us.”

“You’re not out of the water yet,” Rand growled in her ear, then sank his teeth into her neck in a love bite.

She squealed and squirmed then twisted on the wide, cushioned seat she straddled to look at Rand. The wicked grin on his tanned face made her breath hitch and her heart squeeze.

This was the man she’d fallen in love with. The one who played as hard as he worked.

Her laughter died and her smile wobbled. “Thank you. That was great.”

His smile faded and tension invaded his features. Her reflection stared back at her from his mirrored sunglasses, but she’d bet if she could see his eyes, she’d see the barriers drop back in place, as well. “You’re welcome.”

He guided the craft into the cove, where they would be anchored for the next group, and fell in line behind a dozen other riders.

She faced forward again and burrowed deeper into the arms surrounding her. “But you really blew your cover when you flashed your KCL ID and commandeered a ride when you weren’t registered for the excursion.”

He shrugged against her back. “The attendant probably won’t talk to anyone on the ship, but it doesn’t matter if he does. I’ve seen what I needed to see.”

Her breath snagged. Did that mean they’d leave the cruise early? She didn’t want to fly back to Miami from Nassau tomorrow. She wasn’t ready. She wanted her three nights. “Like what?”

“That’s strictly need-to-know information.”

She bristled. “We’re a team. You said so.”

“And KCL is an information sieve.”

“I’m not part of the gossip mill. I never was.”

An employee came forward to anchor their ride, temporarily stilling her protest. Rand climbed off and waded toward shore. Tara followed, collected her beach bag and towel and stomped after him. He led her to the closest bar and bought a couple of bottles of water using his cruise ID/charge card/room key.

Glancing longingly at an unoccupied hammock as they passed, Tara followed him toward an empty pair of lounge chairs tucked beneath a shade tree. She dumped her stuff beside the chair and sat. Maybe she could nap in a hammock later. The ship wouldn’t sail until after tonight’s luau. They had hours left on the island. Unless Rand had a helicopter swoop in and take them home. She knew Everett had sometimes done that because she’d arranged the flights.

She accepted the bottle he offered. “Rand, how can I help you if you keep me out of the loop?”

He glanced pointedly at the guests in nearby chairs. “You can help by remembering this is a confidential investigation.”

His abrupt tone made her hackles rise. She gritted her teeth and sipped her water. Trust. It all went back to trust—or the lack thereof. She hadn’t earned his. Yet. But she would.

She set her water aside and dug a bottle of sunscreen out of her bag. She’d been good about slathering it on, but her fair skin could only handle so much sun and most of the excursion activities were held out in the open. The cloudless cerulean skies might be good for business, but not for her pale complexion. Rand, on the other hand, had already darkened several shades.

The urge to press herself against his warm, tanned skin gnawed at her. “I don’t suppose I can talk you in to hula lessons later?”

“If you insist.” No smile accompanied his words. The fun, playful guy had vanished. Rand set his water on the table between them and rose. He snatched the lotion bottle out of her hands and made a circular motion with one finger. Tara turned her back. A shiver she couldn’t suppress rippled over her in anticipation of his hands on her skin.

Rand straddled the chaise behind her. His legs flanked hers as they had on the Jet Ski, but this time without touching. She regretted the scant distance.

She heard the snick of the cap, smelled the coconut-scented sunscreen and then his hands settled on her shoulders. The lotion was cool, but his hands quickly warmed the cream and her as he slicked it over her back, arms and shoulders.

His fingers dipped beneath the edge of her bikini bottom just above her buttocks and her breath stalled then quickened. He dragged a finger along the elastic. “You’re burning here.”

Her breasts tightened and her core heated. She considered leaning back against his chest so he could reach her front, but the other sun-worshippers were too close. Instead, she gave in to the temptation to stroke his hot sun-baked, bare thighs. The wiry hairs tickled her palms and his muscles turned rock-hard beneath her hands.

He caught her wrists and returned her hands to her lap, then dropped the sunscreen bottle between her legs. Disappointment slid through her.

“You can do the rest.” His voice sounded huskier than usual.

She twisted to look at his face, but he rose and stalked back to his chair. He was always putting distance between them. However, the ridge in his trunks as he eased onto the lounger told her what she needed to know. Touching her hadn’t left him unaffected. Good.

She was tempted to suggest they return to the ship and the privacy of their cabin to try and alleviate their mutual hunger, but she’d seen a side of Rand today that she’d begun to fear had vanished forever. She was determined to lure the fun-loving man out again.

“Want me to do your back?” Her palms tingled in anticipation.

“No.” That hard, bitten-off response carried the sting of rejection, but she’d made too much progress in the past hour to give up so easily.

“I bet you know all the good hiding places on the island,” she prompted.

He gulped his water instead of replying.

“We could find one.”

She couldn’t see behind his glasses, but his sudden stillness, the flare of his nostrils and the thin white line forming around his mouth was hard to miss. “You’re the one who said we have a confidence issue with KCL employees. Getting caught banging my PA in the lighthouse won’t improve it.”

She flinched at the crude statement, but acknowledged he had a point. Her gaze shifted to the black-and-white diamond-patterned lighthouse looming over the island. Too bad. She would have liked a private tour of the tall structure … and anything else Rand had to offer behind the thick, sturdy walls.

Forcing her eyes back to Rand she decided to aim for a less sensitive subject. “It must have been fun having an island as a playground when you were growing up. Did you and Nadia and Mitch come here often?”