Surprise Seduction (29 page)

At least, not with her clothes on.

He planned to sail through Boston Islands National Park.
 
She would love the lighthouses and wildlife.
 
Maybe, next weekend they could go out further for whale watching.

Next weekend.
 
Just how long would this relationship last?

He’d surprised himself agreeing to her terms of fidelity.
 
Never had he made that promise to anyone.

That worried him.
 
He’d never been with a woman worth taking that step.

With Adrienne, there had been no choice.

He caught her looking at him and grinned.
 
“Having fun?”

“This is fabulous.
 
I can’t believe I’ve never done this before.
 
I was afraid I’d get sick when we first left Long Wharf, but this is wonderful,” she gushed.
 
“How can you stand not going out everyday?”

He smiled at her enthusiasm.
 
“I don’t go out as often as I’d like.
 
Especially during the winter months, but I usually take a few weeks off each year and sail down the coast.”

“Sounds like heaven,” she commented so low he could barely hear her.

“It’s a great trip.”

“Do you go by yourself?”
 
Her hazel eyes took on a blue hue as clear as the sea behind her.

“Usually.”

“You never take anyone with you?”

“My dad once, but that didn’t work out.”

“Why not?”

“Because he kept wanting to stop in at every port and pick up women.”

“Your dad?”
 
Her eyes widened.

“Yep.” He didn’t elaborate.

“Guess you get it honest,” she mused.

“So it would seem.”

She wrapped her arm around him.
 
“Have I told you how much I’m enjoying today?”
 
She smiled beguilingly at him.
 
“I think a few weeks aboard Sinbad sounds like heaven.”

“Are you hinting for an invitation?” he teased, glad to have their conversation about his father end.
 
After the words were out, he realized he really would like her with him.

He’d never taken a woman on that trip before.
 
It had been a time for him to let loose, enjoy nature and life at his own pace, free from the pressures of running a major corporation like Weston.

Another person, even a sexy female, would have been an unwelcome intrusion.
 
His experience with his father had taught him that.

“No,” she quickly assured, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.
 
“I’m sorry if that’s what you thought I implied.”

He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her lips.
 
“Who knows, maybe we can convince George to give you some time off, and you really could go with me.”

“Where do you go?” she asked.

“Usually down to Florida and The Keys.
 
I spend some time there and then sail back up the coast.”

“And you live here on the boat?”

“Yes.
 
When we get further out in the harbor.
 
I’ll finish showing Sinbad to you.”

When they’d first boarded the ship to store the bag of food he’d brought, she’d shown curiosity, but he’d rushed her up to the pilothouse.

His double berth stateroom provided too much temptation to stay below.

That evening Chase docked the sixty-foot Sundeer in his reserved spot on Long Wharf.

He hadn’t tired of Adrienne’s enthusiasm for the ocean.
 
The brisk air paled in comparison to her freshness.
 
The boat had sailed around several of the thirty-four islands in the park during their day at sea.
 
She’d asked him so many questions about the islands that he’d heard himself promise to take her out on one of the guided tours.

He intended to make good on that promise.

She came up behind him as he secured the yacht.
 
“Chase?”

He double-checked to make sure he’d done everything, before turning to her. “Hmm?”

“I don’t want to go back to your apartment.”

God, but she was beautiful standing there watching him.
 
She’d gotten cool in the evening air, and he’d gotten her a jacket from his stateroom.
 
It came down mid-thigh on her jeans, swallowing her whole, but he thought the image of her standing there with the wind whipping her hair and plastering his jacket to her outline the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

“You want me to take you home?”
 
He hadn’t considered not spending the night with her.
 
He shouldn’t have taken it for granted that she’d want to spend the entire weekend with him.

With Adrienne, he should know better than to assume anything.

She shook her head and smiled sheepishly at him.

Light from Boston’s busy Saturday night cast reflections over her face, illuminating the desire in her eyes.

“You want to stay here?”

Please say yes.
 
Please say yes.

“Yes.”

Chase released the gulp of air he hadn’t even realized he held, and took her in his arms.

Adrienne lay in Chase’s arms listening to his heart beat beneath her cheek.

She loved him.

Even though she didn’t know what his involvement with Drew was.

Had he done anything illegal?
 
She hoped not.

She hadn’t been able to find anything incriminating in the boat.

Her heart kept screaming that he wasn’t involved.

Reason said he could be.

It was possible he had made those calls.
 
Was playing both ends to ensure he kept his position of power.
 
Was that so wrong?

No.
 
If that’s all he was doing, she could forgive him, although she had a hard time thinking of him as spineless.

Chase wasn’t a spineless kind of man.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make the idea of him in league with Drew to fit.

Chase was too ethical.
 
A man of strong principles.
 
She
knew
he was.
 
She’d watched him in action, seen the pride he took in doing things the right way.
 
He had morals.
 
He wouldn’t sell out to Drew unless he believed it truly in Weston’s best interest.

He wouldn’t.

She ran her hand over his smooth chest.

She’d taken a major risk by going to his apartment this morning.
 
A risk with her heart that she might shouldn’t have taken.

But she’d realized that despite what George had discovered, she did trust Chase.

Tuesday night when she got back from Chicago, she would tell him everything.

“Chase?”

His breathing didn’t change.

“I love you.”
 
She closed her eyes, and cuddled next to him.

“This weekend was unbelievable,” Adrienne told Chase as they stood outside her apartment door late Sunday evening.

“You’re sure you won’t stay the night with me?”
 
He sat her bag down on the floor and pulled her to him.

“Behave.”

“I’m on my best behavior.
 
Just be glad I didn’t do what I really wanted to.”
 
He mischievously waggled his eyebrows.

“Chase,” she play-scolded.
 
“If I stayed with you, neither of us would make it to work tomorrow.
 
Or worse,” she giggled.
 
“Everyone would want to know why I was walking so funny.”

“If you stay with me tonight, you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.
 
I want you that much,” he growled.

She moaned, burying her face against his chest.
 
His natural allure mingled with the scent of the sea, reminding her of just how much he’d wanted her all weekend.
 
How much she wanted him.
 
Still.
 
“That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is the cold shower I’ll be freezing my butt off in when I get home.”

“I’m sorry.”
 
Not really, though.
 
She wanted him to want her with every fiber of his being.
 
So much that he’d never get enough.

He kissed her temple.

“Don’t be.
 
This weekend was worth a dozen cold showers.”
 
He grinned.
 
“Hell, after this weekend, I shouldn’t need a cold shower.”

“You’re right.”
 
She put a tender kiss on his mouth, wanting to taste him one last time before this magical weekend ended.
 
Tomorrow was back to reality.

In so many ways.

She hadn’t told Chase that she’d taken tomorrow off to fly to Chicago.
 
Too many explanations would have been required.

He’d find out soon enough that she came with more baggage than he could possibly imagine.
 
Part of that baggage being an ex-fiance whose engagement ring she still possessed.
 
Somehow, she didn’t think Chase would understand about Roger.
 
At least not while she still had the ring.

She had to deal with her stepfather and Roger before she told Chase the truth.

“I’m going to miss you tonight, Adrienne Morris,” he told her.

She wanted to hear her real name on his lips.
 
She wanted him whispering how much he wanted Adrianna Morrigan.

“Not as much as I’m going to miss you,” she whispered back unable to meet his gaze.

Guilt.
 
That’s what she felt.

Tomorrow she’d set the record straight in Chicago.
 
Then, fly back to Boston and tell the man she loved that on the day she’d met him, everything out of her mouth had been a lie.