Even after giving himself the relief he so desperately needed, Nate’s sleep was restless. Partly because he’d had too many beers. Mostly because he kept remembering the way Suzie had felt in his arms, and that made him hard. And being hard led to obsessive thoughts of last night.

For years he’d dreamed of discovering whether her lips were anywhere near as soft as they looked, and whether she’d taste of cinnamon rolls, which was what her smell had always reminded him of. Now he knew, and the reality had been even better than his dreams. Whenever he closed his eyes he could smell her warm, irresistible scent. He felt again the way her lips had parted for him, the way her tongue had met and danced with his. And he could feel her hard nipples, pushing upwards and demanding attention from his fingers.

Just before dawn, he gave up on sleep and got out of bed to take care of his software instead of his cock.

Dalton, the resort owner, had agreed to bring the yacht into the wharf and meet him there at nine. Nate couldn’t start work on integrating his system until he was on board and could see exactly how the yacht’s existing navigation system worked, but there were plenty of tweaks he could make to it in the meantime.

By Wednesday, he wanted to have the software taking into account the movement of the water, the underlying current, and the force of the waves. While other auto-drive systems could only navigate threats they’d been programmed to recognize, Nate’s software was designed to learn. A nautical environment was totally different from a road, so it would need thorough testing. But he should be able to get it to steer safely around surface objects fairly quickly.

Nate made himself a coffee and sat on the veranda of his bure with his laptop. From there he could see over the water, a view that the dawn light made even more spectacular. He admired it for a few minutes before jotting down some notes on his software modifications. Then, as promised, he called Tristan back.

His business partner answered on the first ring. “I still want to sell,” said Tristan. “It’s too good a price not to.”

“You’ll change your mind. On Wednesday, I’ll live-stream the yacht sailing with our system integrated, navigating obstacles. Then we’ll talk.”

His business partner blew out a loud breath. “The car manufacturer is waiting to hear back from us. What about if we sold them some kind of licensing deal? I’m not sure they’ll go for it, but if we push hard, maybe—?”

“Once we hand over control, they’ll get to dictate how the system works in their cars. Remember that terrible interface that ruined our Journeyman software?”

“It won’t matter what they do to it, because the end product won’t be ours.”

“But I want to own the first car prototype to drive itself around a track at high speed. A regular car manufacturer will make a boring, safe car. We could make beautiful, sleek machines. Imagine us cracking open the champagne as the first commercial models rev their engines and blow a few eardrums.”

“You can’t seriously want to build our own cars? That would cost millions. There’s no way we could—”

“Maybe we could, if I can get our software to plug into a yacht’s navigation system. Imagine if we could sell something basic that sailors could use off the shelf. It shouldn’t be that hard. We could have something in stores within a year, and the sales could fund the rest of the—”

“A year?” His partner’s voice rose. “We don’t have the money to last that long. And I don’t want to gamble away millions just because you didn’t like what happened with Journeyman.” Tristan drew in his breath. “Besides, selling products is a whole new set of skills. And reclusive programmers don’t make the best company directors.”

Nate clenched his jaw. He wasn’t a recluse, just cautious about getting close to anyone, and for good reason. “Speak for yourself. This is exactly the kind of challenge I’ve been waiting for.”

“Is it because of all those glowing headlines you got? You need to prove they weren’t wrong about you?”

Nate bit back a sharp retort. Agreeing to a whole lot of media interviews after they’d sold Journeyman had been the best way to raise the profile of their new company. His business partner knew damn well he’d had to grit his teeth every time.

Maybe it was time for him and Tristan to part ways. Problem was, he didn’t have enough left in his bank account to buy his partner out. Not if the price was half of fifty-five million dollars. Three long years with no income and a team of programmers to pay had eaten up their Journeyman profits.

“There’s no point talking about it anymore.” Nate’s disappointment came through in his words. “I’m still going ahead with the test on the yacht. In the meantime, think about what you’ll accept for your half of the software, and I’ll figure out a way to get it.”

“Wait.” Tristan sounded startled. “We’re a team, Nate. You’re not really thinking about doing this on your own? Listen, if the test goes well… I’ll… well, let’s talk about it some more when you know for sure. I still think it’s crazy to turn down that much money, but if you really want to do it all ourselves, I’ll consider it. I don’t want to be the fifth Beatle, or the guy who started Microsoft with Bill Gates, then sold out of the company before it even got going.”

“The test will work,” Nate promised. And if it did, Tristan wouldn’t be able to say no. Although Nate didn’t like to get close to anyone, he and Tristan had worked together a long time. He’d be happier to stick with their partnership than he wanted to admit.

After hanging up, Nate pulled on a pair of board shorts, threw a change of clothes and a towel into a bag with his laptop, and rushed out. The wharf wasn’t far, but he didn’t want to keep Dalton, the owner of the resort, waiting.

He tracked across the beach, glancing toward the clump of trees that had been the site of last night’s mistake. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to see Suzie again. He’d be busy until Wednesday and with the wedding over, she might not stick around too much longer.

Nate got to the wharf, shading his eyes as started toward the yacht. Without any breeze, the sea was flat and he was dazzled by the sunlight’s bright reflection. The yacht sat low in the water. Around 40 feet long, Nate calculated. A nice size.

Dalton was on deck, and Nate could hear the engine running. That was a relief. As the yacht apparently hadn’t been used for a while, Dalton hadn’t been sure whether it would start.

When Nate jumped on board, Dalton turned from where he’d been coiling a rope and gave him a nod. Though the man had mentioned he didn’t usually live on Lantana Island, he looked like he belonged here. His tan was deep, and he had visible nicks on his hands as though used to physical labor. A scar cut through one of his eyebrows, completing his rugged island look.

“Nice day to go out on the water,” said Nate over the noise of the engine. It had been far too long since he’d been on a boat. Though he was here to work, the feel of the deck moving a little under his feet brought back his only good memories of his time in Florida. His father’s yacht had been mainly for show, until Nate had arrived. It had become Nate’s escape, and the only place he had felt at home.

“You’ll need to run the engine for several hours to charge the battery,” Dalton explained. Don’t switch it off in the meantime, or it might not start up again.”

“Sure, I can run it all day. There’s no wind for sailing anyway.” Nate scanned the horizon. Not a cloud in the sky, and not much chance of any breeze. Probably a good thing, so he wouldn’t be distracted by the temptation to put the sails up.

All he needed to get the software integration working was a few hours under engine power. Once he had a baseline, he could do most of the software modifications on dry land before Wednesday’s final test.

“You said you’ve sailed quite a bit?” asked Dalton.

Nate nodded. “On my father’s 32-foot sloop. I have my Yachtmaster’s ticket.”

“Great.” Dalton waved a hand. “Then stay out as long as you like and I won’t send out the cavalry if you’re late back. There’s plenty of water in the tank and some tinned food in the cupboards. Just odds and ends, but enough to make a meal if you’re not fussy. Oh, and there are some fishing rods in the stern locker. Any problems, just hail me on the radio. It’s tuned to the station I monitor. If I don’t answer, try the coastguard on channel 9.”

“Mind if I unscrew the cover off your dashboard and hook my laptop up to the autopilot?” He’d explained about his software when he arranged to borrow the yacht.

“Be my guest. There’s a toolbox in the cupboard under the radio.”

“Thanks.” Nate grinned. “I’ll have to work on my software as I go, but I’m still going to enjoy this.”

“Rosa said she’d ask our chef to pack you some lunch. She should be on her way with it, and she can cast you off.” Dalton stepped onto the wharf and gave Nate a wave as he left. “Good luck with your test.”

While he waited for Rosa, the resort manager, to arrive with his lunch, Nate unscrewed the cover from the yacht’s dashboard. He was figuring out how he was going to connect his laptop into the navigation system when he heard a woman’s voice on the wharf. It was Rosa. But she wasn’t alone.

Suzie.

His heart somersaulted as he took her in. Her hair looked even redder in the sun than it had last night. The glower on her face was just as fiery.

Damn his heart. It shouldn’t leap at the sight of her, it should sink. Or even better, just keep beating like it was supposed to, and keep its opinions to itself.

The white dress Suzie was wearing clung to her curves. Perhaps in a dark room her dress could be considered clothing, but the bright sunlight turned it transparent enough that he could make out the shape of her limbs. On the wharf beside her was a suitcase.

“Mind if I ask you a favor?” said Rosa with a smile. She was a slim, athletic-looking woman with a basket in her hands that probably held Nate’s lunch. Pretty, for sure. But next to Suzie’s blazing red locks and white-clad curves, she all but faded away.

“The ferry’s not coming today and Suzie needs to get to Port Denarau to catch her plane home,” said Rosa. “Would you please take her there on the yacht?”

Great. With such an important job to do, the last thing he needed was to be stuck with the one woman guaranteed to drive him crazy.

“Can she catch a water taxi?” he asked.

Rosa shook her head. “They’re fully booked. The only way she’ll make her flight is if you’ll help. If you go right there, it should only take three hours. You could drop her off by lunchtime.”

Suzie curled her lip. “Believe me, I don’t like it any more than you do. But I can’t miss my flight. I have to get home.”

It didn’t help that the swooping neck of Suzie’s dress kept drawing Nate’s gaze. The way the fabric cradled her breasts reminded him of the way his hands had cupped them last night and that was the last thing he’d wanted to think about today. But it would be childish to refuse. He could survive her company for three hours.

Nate sighed. “Fine.”

Rosa’s face lit up, while Suzie shot him a look so full of daggers he was surprised not to feel them slice into his flesh.

“Thank you,” said Rosa. Then to Suzie, “Here, let me help you with your suitcase.”

Nate took her bag as they handed it over the rail, then accepted the basket from Rosa. Peeking in, he saw wrapped sandwiches, pastries, fruit, bottled water, a couple of orange juice boxes, and half a dozen cans of cola. He took both the suitcase and basket down to the yacht’s saloon, then came back up to take the steering wheel. “Can you cast us off?” he asked Rosa.

As Rosa untied the mooring lines, he gaze kept going to Suzie. She looked like she was deciding whether to abandon ship at the last minute.

“You two have fun.” Rosa threw the lines aboard.

Nate put the yacht into gear and felt his spirits lift as they pulled away from the wharf. He hadn’t sailed for far too long, and had all but forgotten how much he loved the feeling of freedom. Blue ocean stretched endlessly ahead, with no roads to restrict him.

Bliss.

He glanced at Suzie, who was still staring back at the wharf as though judging the distance to swim ashore. Almost bliss, he amended, hating the way he couldn’t stop staring at her curvy, tanned body. That ridiculous white dress may as well not exist for all it covered. The sooner they got to Port Denarau and she was out of his life for good, the better.

Suzie stepped down from the deck into the cockpit, but she didn’t say anything, just went past him and down the steps into the saloon. The yacht’s interior was comfortable, with leather bench seats and a dining table in the saloon, a serviceable galley for food preparation, and two decent-sized cabins with double beds. Perhaps Suzie would stay inside for the entire trip and he could forget she was there.

But a couple of minutes later, she came back into the cockpit holding a tube of sunscreen. She’d changed her clothes. Instead of the white dress, she had a sarong wrapped around her.

She stopped for long enough to fix him with a glare so fierce it could have singed all the hair from his body. “If I have to spend three hours trapped with you, I’m going to pass the time by sunbathing. I’ll be up there.” She nodded to the front deck. “If I fall asleep, please wake me when we arrive.” She stalked toward the bow and stopped in front of the cockpit. With one swift motion, she pulled off the sarong. Underneath, she wore a lime green bikini. If you could call such tiny scraps of fabric a bikini, that was. It hid nothing.

Shit.

Last night had been dark, but the feel of Suzie’s body, and what he could see of it, had driven him mad with lust. Now his gaze could linger over every gorgeous curve, his hunger for her surged stronger than ever.

She had a tattoo on her shoulder: a crescent moon surrounded by a constellation of stars. A simple design, but beautiful. Her belly button was still pierced. He remembered her turning up at school one day with her white school shirt lifted and knotted around her waist to reveal a sparkling stud. The first teacher to spot her had sent her home in disgrace. But not before the entire school had seen her piercing. All the girls had wanted to be her. All the boys had wanted to have her.

Suzie squeezed a handful of sunscreen into one hand. She glanced quickly over her shoulder as though checking he was watching. Then she smoothed the cream slowly over her belly.

Nate swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. The stainless steel had been cool a moment ago, but now it felt warm.

Taking her time, Suzie rubbed the sunscreen in. Her hands swept slowly from her breasts to her thighs, following her curves. The show she was putting on had to be for Nate’s benefit. She must know full well how desirable she was and her performance was designed to taunt him.

If she wanted to arouse him, he wouldn’t let it work.

But as she squirted sunscreen straight from the tube onto her cleavage, Nate couldn’t stop a groan. And watching her push the edges of her bikini top aside to massage in the cream, he had to adjust his shorts.

She was deliberately torturing him. When she bent to give her legs a second coat and presented him with the delectable rounds of her buttocks, Nate knew it for sure.

He gritted his teeth. She must have felt how painfully hard she’d made him last night. So she knew the effect her display would have on him.

Her body double-coated, Suzie finally put the sunscreen down. She stretched, rotating to show off every angle of her body, then lay face down on the deck. Her ass was towards him. To make sure they weren’t about to hit anything, he had to scan the sea in front. Which meant for the next couple of hours at least, he’d have to keep staring at her gorgeous butt positioned in the center of his view.

Nate pulled at the front of his board shorts, trying to make more room. But when Suzie spread her legs wide enough that he could see the scrap of fabric between her thighs, his shorts stretched to breaking point.

“No,” he whispered. “Stop that, you heartless succubus.”

He shifted gingerly in his seat, his balls starting to throb. He had two choices. Either he could stride over and rip that tiny bikini off her, or he could find a way to distract himself.

His software. Of course. He’d connected his laptop to the yacht’s navigation system. Now they were underway, he should be collecting data for the tests he was going to run, and making the changes needed to get the boat’s autopilot to steer itself around obstacles. That’s what he would have been doing if Suzie hadn’t wiped all coherent thought from his mind.

Scanning the sea first to make sure there was only clear water ahead, he bent over his laptop and started modifying his code. Each time he glanced ahead, he saw Suzie’s glorious ass. She’d probably fallen asleep.

Once he had some basic tweaks in place, he plotted a course out of the main channel, letting his system take over the controls. Safer to find an out-of-the-way place with nobody around to run the first collision test. Last thing he wanted was to freak out any spectators. And when the time came, he’d need to wake Suzie to warn her.

Nate’s eyes traced the curve of her buttocks and for the hundredth time, he adjusted his shorts.

Come to think of it, did he need to wake her?

She’d be furious to discover he hadn’t dropped her off before running the first of his tests. Maybe he should save himself the grief and leave her sleeping.

And if she happened to wake in the middle of it? Would it be so bad if she got a little fright?