Docked (19 page)

“That’s because there’s a whole lotta serious happenin’ there,” Lana twirls her finger in the air, “and apparently you’re just blind. That man looks at you like he wants to devour you. Ain’t nothin’ casual about
that
.”

“Of course he looks at me that way. He’s screwing me.”

“No, An. This look is…possessive. Like he’s marked you or something.”

“Wait,” Brie speaks up, “I’m still lost, though. You have this agreement to not see other people during your…fling, or whatever it is. So explain to me again why you’re seeing this Jonah dude?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Lana sighs and throws her hands in the air.

“I’m not seeing him, it’s just dinner and some drinks. I’m just not supposed to
see
, see him.”

“This was Tanner’s idea?”

“Not really.” My lips bunch as I try to recall the agreement. “It was more of an offer. He agreed to see me exclusively for the week, and he asked for the same from me.”

Brie gapes at me. “And he knows you’re getting together with Jonah tonight?”

“Yeah, he knows.”

“And he’s okay with it?”

“He’s totally fine with it. As long as my body is his and only his for the remainder of the cruise, he won’t object. Now will you two get your arses up so we can go? I told Jonah you guys were coming.”

Lana begins to whimper like a puppy. “Oh, but we’re so tired, An. We want to wear PJs, watch the Food Network, drink wine, and discuss our foodgasms. We’ve been out and about all week. It’s time to chill. You go have fun.”

“You’re seriously turning down a night out? Lana, Queen of Living it Up is turning down an evening at the Bordeaux Room?”

“
Meh
. I’m over it. A pint of German chocolate ice cream is calling my name. Brie,” she turns and carefully plucks the blueberry muffin wrapper from her hand, “put your hands up and step away from the muffin. It’s time to move on, honey.” She rises and trots over to the minibar, collects some paper cups, and begins pouring the wine.

“Aawww, we can’t do a girls’ night-in without her, Lana!”

“Oh yes we can,” Lana mumbles as she spoons a glob of ice cream into her mouth. She walks back to the bed and hands Brie her cup of wine, then sinks down again and digs into her ice cream. “Don’t feel sorry for her, girl. She’ll be getting the full treatment from Mr. Christensen.” Her eyebrows wiggle as she dives in for another scoop.

“I’m not seeing Tanner tonight.” I collect my clutch and brush my bangs to the side, moving for the cabin door. “I shouldn’t be home too late.”

“
Please
. Twenty bucks says you’ll wake up in Tanner’s bed tomorrow morning.”

Brie nods. “Anya, I gotta say, I have to go with Lana on this one. Make it forty.”

“Fine.” I purse my lips at them then turn for the door. “Be ready to pay up first thing in the morning, girls.”

“Ka-ching, ka-ching!” Lana blurts after me.

“Goodnight,
Lana Crawley
.” I turn and face them as I open the door. “Brie, make sure she doesn’t die from an ice cream overdose.”

“Oh my God!” Brie’s eyes get so big, I’m almost afraid for her. They might just pop out of their sockets. “That would be the very best way to go.”

“Right?” Lana shrieks, nudging her side. They tumble into a fit of laughter and I leave them to it, letting the cabin door close quietly behind me. What a bunch of crazies.

I don’t make it far down the hall before a voice approaches me from behind. Not just any voice. A smooth, charming, and very calculating voice. “How are you this evening, Miss Banks?” Tanner asks, coming up on my heels. “You’re looking lovely.”

“As are you, Mr. Christensen. What are you doing around these parts tonight?”

“Just doing my rounds.” He’s cool and indifferent, but when he sizes me up in a sly side glance, he gives himself away. “Please, allow me to escort you to your date.” He steps next to me, meeting my stride, and lowers his arm to my back, guiding me forward.

“I don’t think that’s necessary, Mr. Christensen. Thank you, though.”

“I would hate to see a beautiful woman such as you arrive without a man on your arm.”

“I will have a man on my arm shortly.” I chance a smile as I peek up at him, expecting to find the same, but instead his eyes have darkened, the blue deepening.

“Note I said a
man
, Miss Banks. Not a boy, a man.” He leans down to speak closely in my ear, nodding politely at some passerby. His hand presses down on my back, the pressure firm and commanding. “Don’t play with me, Anya.”

“Isn’t that what you want? To play?” I bat my eyes innocently, but there’s nothing innocent brewing in my crafty brain tonight. I’ve learned that it’s much too fun to toy with Tanner like this. Now that I know what gets under his skin, I simply can’t deny myself the pleasure of pissing him off. He might own me in bed, but here, on neutral ground, I have full permission to reign supreme. Maybe I was right.

Maybe Lana really has been rubbing off on me.

Smugness radiates from me right now, but the truth is, now that Tanner’s hands are on me, all I really want is to be his. I would gladly let him whisk me away into a utility closet somewhere if it meant the chance to submit to his dominating ways. They really have become addictive, and I’m afraid my body will go through some sort of withdrawal once our little arrangement is over. I wonder if a rehab exists somewhere for Tanner Christensen’s ex-playthings. I wonder if such a hell exists.

“Just for that, Miss Banks, you’ll be on your knees this evening,” he whispers darkly, sending shivers down my neck.

I smile sweetly. “I won’t be seeing you this evening, Mr. Christensen. I have a date, remember?”

“Oh, you’ll be seeing me.” He laughs lightly, so damned amused with himself. “You’ll come running when your date with Junior is over. And your mouth will water.”

“I hope your hand is free tonight,” I quip, turning so my lips brush the edge of his jaw. “Otherwise you might be awfully lonely.”

He groans and gives me a sharp tug, diverting me to the left, around the first corner at the end of the hall. “You’re going to be late.”

“What? Tanner, no! My dress!” He slips a key card from his pocket and moves me toward a door on the right, and I realize my dreams have just come true. Tanner Christensen, in the flesh, is shoving me inside a utility closet. I’m inwardly cheering him on, but I don’t dare verbalize it for the man. No way am I giving him the satisfaction he’s craving.

There are no words. He hoists me up and slams me against the wall, and a mop handle thumps to the floor next to us. He kicks a bucket out of the way and shimmies my dress up my hips. His mouth hits mine like fire, razor sharp, and his fingers find my clit, rubbing in measured, even circles.

“I’m sending you to him wet and satisfied,” he exhales into my mouth. “Do you want that?”

I moan against his tongue.

“Say yes.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry about your dress. You’ll take care of me later.” He leans and nips at my collarbone. “Ladies first.” I suddenly wish I could take care of him now, on my knees, just as he warned, but I am pretty glad I’ll be able to keep most of my dress intact. “Go ahead, Anya. Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to make me come.”

“Like this?” He slides his fingers deep, watching my reaction. “Or with my mouth.”

“Like this.” I tilt to meet his hand.

“Don’t you love my mouth?”

“I love your mouth.”

“But?” He pushes higher and swirls his thumb.

“But I want to taste it right now.”

“Good girl,” he whispers, then moves in to attack me with a kiss. His heat weighs down on me and his fingers get busy, rolling and pumping, alternating their rhythm until he’s worked me higher and higher, bringing me to a ledge.

I don’t last long.

It seems my body’s been craving him all evening. He smothers my shout and waits as I blast off, then plummet back to Earth, letting me ride his hand until he’s taken every last drop of my pleasure.

“Tanner,” I sigh, slumping against his shoulder, “I think I love you.”

His body goes stone still and his arms turn rigid against me. The dazed look in his eyes shifts. They are filled with clarity…then fear.

I let out a winded laugh and smack his shoulder. “Kidding, Tanner. Kidding.”

He exhales heavily and rakes a hand through his hair. His eyes are darting everywhere as he works to resume his cool. “There would certainly be worse things in the world, Miss Banks.”

My jaw drops.

He straightens his tie and fidgets with his belt, then works to shimmy my dress back down my thighs. “Stunning, as usual,” he comments, grinning easily. It’s genuine, but something about it is off kilter, as if he’s not entirely committed to the expression.

I pick my jaw up off the floor and hurry to find my compact in my clutch. I do a quick check to make sure my hair is in place and that my bangs are behaving. My rosy red cheeks jump out at me and butterflies flounce around in my stomach like kids in a bouncy house.

He watches me check my reflection. “Now that I’ve taken care of you, I believe it’s time to deliver you to Junior.”

“His name’s Jonah.”

“Jonah, Junior, same thing.”

I close my clutch and let him lead me out of the closet and back into the hall. My body is still buzzing, cheeks still warm. As Tanner guides me into the elevator, I suddenly wish I hadn’t agreed to dinner with Jonah. I wish I hadn’t led him on at all. But how was I to know what awaited me with Tanner? I’d met Jonah first, after all, and I hadn’t expected any of this. Now I was simply being a tease, and that was a role Lana knew how to play out, not me.

When we arrive at the Bordeaux Room, Tanner makes a show of locking my arm in his, holding his head high as we enter through the main doors. His casual-yet-refined presence turns heads the moment we arrive. Staff members jump to attention, the women stare, and when Jonah stands from the reception area to greet me, he seems to shrink before Tanner’s intimidating shadow.

Tanner notices. He smiles.

“Jonah, was it?” He extends the same hand that was just between my thighs, and I quickly untangle my arm from his.

“Yeah, good to see you again, man.” Jonah gives him a quick shake, looking more than just uncomfortable. He’s completely perplexed. I don’t blame him.

“Tanner offered to escort me to the restaurant,” I say, moving to step next to him.

“Oh, that was nice of him.” Jonah takes my hand and glances up at Tanner.

“Anything I can do to make my guests’ sailing experience more pleasurable.” His eyes twinkle as he looks to me with a wicked tip of his lips. I want to stomp on his fancy, leather shoes.

“Well, thanks again, Mr. Christensen,” I say, linking my fingers tighter with Jonah’s. Tanner doesn’t miss the contact, but his observation is fleeting. He cordially taps Jonah on the shoulder and turns to leave.

“Enjoy your meal. I suggest tonight’s house red. It’s superb.” Smoothing his tie, he makes his exit, and I finally exhale. I don’t think I have since we walked through the restaurant doors.

“He’s mighty…friendly,” Jonah comments, leading the way to the hostess station. “I’ve seen you around with him quite a bit. Is he a good friend?”

“Something like that. A business acquaintance.”

“Ah, right. The magazine review.”

“Yeah, I’ve been interviewing him for the feature.”

“Well,” he runs his thumb up and down mine, “enough of that. You look incredible. You hungry?”

“Starved.”

The hostess greets us and summons a waitress to show us to a table. We order drinks and chat about the menu. The energy between us is noticeably different than our last run in. It’s abundantly clear Jonah feels slighted by my arriving with Tanner on my arm, and in his defense, he has every right to be. I only wish I didn’t feel so distracted myself. Since Tanner whisked me away into that utility closet, my mind’s been drifting, replaying the feel of his hands on me, and his words.

There would certainly be worse things in the world, Miss Banks.

“Anya?” Jonah’s voice cuts in.

I focus on his face. He’s really miffed now.

“Sorry, you were saying?”

“Do you know what you’d like to order?” He gives an irritated nod to the waitress standing at our table. She’s waiting patiently, pen in hand. Damn. I didn’t even notice her return to take our order.

“Oh. Yes. The ginger glazed mahi mahi, please. Thank you.” I hand her my menu and slide my napkin on my lap, then take a big gulp of red wine.

Jonah orders the same and inhales sharply, crossing his arms to lean forward on the table. “So, Anya, can I be straight with you?”

I dab at my mouth with my napkin. “Go for it.”

“I’m not sure what I’m doing here.”

“What you’re doing here?”

“I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a total jackass, but…”