Alicia
When I got to the dock, Ryan was there looking even better than he had in the restaurant. As he helped me onto the boat I saw his friends watching me so I gave him a hug. I was supposed to be his date, after all. “How long have we known each other, anyway?” I whispered. My arms fit perfectly around his shoulders, and his hands felt warm and strong on my waist.
“Two or three dates,” he whispered back, kissing my ear, and then my neck.
Heat zinged through my body. I could feel he was hard. I pulled him toward me and felt myself getting a little wet in response. He smelled like sunscreen and almonds, and he was full of an intense energy. I felt it from my head to my toes, as if he’d plugged me into the wall. When I pulled away, he was smiling. I wanted to immediately hug him again, which in my imagination led to some other physical contact. I forced myself back to the present; the last thing I wanted to do was look like a nymphomaniac and airhead.
Ryan introduced me to his friends. While the boat pulled out of the slip, I struck up a conversation with two women who were as much into yoga as I was. While talking to them, I kept an eye on Ryan. He was so easygoing. I didn’t know exactly how rich he was, but the boat was enormous—easily the biggest on the water—and the women wore expensive jewelry with their tiny bikinis. I knew I didn’t really fit in, but as a server I’d learned to make small talk with almost anyone. I wondered if I’d get time alone with Ryan. Watching the wind blow through his hair as he navigated the boat, I hoped so.
After about an hour, everyone stopped wandering around the boat and we all settled in our groove. I sat next to Ryan after he dropped the anchor. I played the part of a besotted new date excellently. It wasn’t hard. He told a joke and I laughed and put my hand on his knee. I left it there. He glanced over at me, and I winked at him. He bumped my knee with his, and another shot of energy burst through me. I thought for a moment about kissing him, feeling his lips on mine here on the boat in the sunshine and lake breeze. I imagined him slipping his hand up my dress, and then leading me to his stateroom.
“I’m going to get another drink,” I said, standing. “Does anyone want anything?”
“Alicia works part-time as a server at Afternoon Delight. Have a seat, sweetheart. I’ll get your drink.” Ryan stood and took my glass. “Same thing?”
I nodded and smiled, enjoying the scenery around us—the blue sky, bluer water. In the far distance, the land broke the horizon, separating the two blues of sky and water, but here, everything was together.
While Ryan fetched my drink, I fielded compliments from his friends who had eaten at AD, and answered questions from those who hadn’t. It occurred to me I might wait on them in the future. Ryan saying I worked part-time wasn’t lost on me. Perhaps it was simply an assumption, but it made me nervous. Would he like me if he knew this was my full-time job?
I stopped my thoughts right there. Alicia, he hired you for the day. You are not dating him. You’re working right now. That’s it. I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them Ryan had returned with my drink.
“Thanks.” I forced a smile.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, sitting next to me. “You’re doing great. I mean, it’s really awesome that you were able to come. My friends really dig you.”
“I’m good, just, maybe a little seasick is all. A little headache,” I lied.
“Do you want to go lie down for a while? It’s better to nip those as fast as you can. Do you want some Dramamine?”
“Maybe I should go lie down. Just for a few minutes.”
“That’s a good idea,” Ryan agreed. “I’ll take you downstairs.”
He stood up and reached for my drink. Whether his friends thought I was tired or thought we were going to have sex, no one acted as if it was strange that I was going to go lie down in the middle of a party. Ryan grabbed my hand and walked me down the stairs to the main level of the boat. He turned to me at the bottom of the stairs and pulled me against him in a hug. The heat of his body pressed against mine took me by surprise.
“I said this already, but I really am glad you came. And not just because it kept me from being the only single guy here.” His vivid, blue eyes seemed to glow in the room’s dim light. “I think you’re really beautiful. And this dress is amazing. I should have told you that first thing.”
He moved closer, and I held my breath. I looked into his eyes. He still had his arms around my waist and my hands rested on his shoulders. He leaned down and kissed me softly. I felt the heat from his kiss go straight between my legs, and my body responded immediately. I kissed him back a little harder, urging him to keep going.
Moaning softly, he pulled his lips from mine and nuzzled against my neck. “You have been the nicest surprise.”
“Not that we’re going to, but if we do sleep together, you cannot pay me,” I said half-jokingly, but I meant it. I wasn’t a hooker, and I damn sure wasn’t about to become one—no matter how hot the guy was.
“We can negotiate our terms sometime later; I’m busy right now,” he whispered. He kissed me again, his tongue exploring mine. He pressed against me and I felt his thickness through his shorts. I moved my hips, slowly grinding against him. He groaned, then pulled back, grabbing my hands from around his neck.
“You go lie down and I’m going back upstairs,” he said, his face flushed. “We’ll continue this later when we don’t have a boatload of potential voyeurs. How does that sound?”
My heart revved with excitement—he wanted more.
I grinned. “That sounds very reasonable, Captain Ryan.” I kissed my thumb then ran it gently over his lips. Grinning, he reached into his shorts to adjust himself.
“Very hot,” I teased.
He winked at me again, amusement dancing in those incredible blue eyes. Ryan led me to a room at the end of the narrow hall and opened the door. The cabin was lit only by the sunshine from a small window above the bed.
He kissed my forehead. “I’ll check on you in a bit, sweetheart,” he said and closed the door.
I relaxed on the bed and decided a nap wouldn’t be a bad idea. I definitely had interesting things to dream about.