Freshwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story (11 page)

"But what about Grace and Avery? Grace has a test on Monday, and..."

"Grace said she could handle it. Plus, I got her a babysitter for Sunday evening so she can study. Grace said it was fine. She wanted you to have a good time." Robbie handed off my suitcase off to a uniformed man who hurried it off into the plane.

"I am going to kill you both," I said, a grin betraying the obvious lie. This was the best surprise I had in a long time. "So where are we going?"

"I can't tell you if I'm dead," Robbie teased. I gave him a playful shove and he wrapped his arms around me, his body solid and strong. I was happy in his arms. We could be going anywhere, but if I was with him, I didn't care.

"All right, keep your secrets. I'll find out soon enough." I gave him a playful glare, his green eyes laughing. He leaned forward, kissing me gently. I closed my eyes, letting his kiss envelop me. Wherever we were going, I was already in paradise.

"Sir, are you ready to depart?" the pilot asked, sticking his head out of the open plane door. Robbie released me reluctantly, lipstick smeared across his lower lip. He grabbed my hand and together we entered the airplane.

It was easy to forget that Robbie was a billionaire. Stepping onto that airplane, though, I knew I was going to enjoy the perks of dating a billionaire.

Comfortable leather couches sat in cozy positions where I was used to rows upon rows of chairs. A big-screen TV dominated a wall, and I could see a fully-stocked bar. It was like our own little club house. This was what I imagined Air Force One must look like. Only nicer.

I picked a loveseat to sit down on as Robbie stowed his travel bag. An attractive stewardess smiled politely, asking me what I would like to drink. I glanced at Robbie and he nodded for me to get whatever I wanted.

"I'd like a Naughty Shirley Temple, please," I asked. The stewardess cocked her head, confused, and Robbie laughed. He thumped ungracefully into the seat beside me, placing his arm over my shoulder.

"She wants a Sprite with grenadine and vodka," he told the flight attendant. Her eyes lit up and she nodded.

"Anything for you, sir?"

Robbie glanced at me and smiled. "No, I'm good. Thank you."

I snuggled into his arm, the smell of leather and Robbie filling my nose. It was a wonderful scent. He kissed the top of my head gently, a smile caressing his handsome features.

The stewardess was back in a moment, drink in hand. A pink umbrella with a maraschino cherry decorated the glass and I grinned like a kid.

"Thank you. Do you know where we are going?" I asked her, keeping my voice innocent.

She gave me a wide smile and shook her head. "Nope." The lie was obvious, but I didn't push it. Robbie gave me a squeeze with his arm.

"You want to know now, or do you want it to be a surprise?" he asked. The engines began to hum a low, rumbling song as they powered up for takeoff. I sipped my drink and thought about it for half a second. While the surprise would be fun, the anticipation was killing me.

"Now. Definitely now," I answered. He laughed.

"We are going to Key Island in the Caribbean."

I recognized the name. "Isn't that where your brother met his wife?"

"Yup," he said. He brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from my forehead, tucking it gently behind my ear. "We are staying at my friend Owen's place."

My brows creased together. While the name sounded familiar, I couldn't place it. Just because I read the tabloids to keep tabs on Robbie, didn't mean I actually paid attention to them.

"Owen Parker," Robbie said in response to my questioning look. "He was the best man at Jack's wedding, and he has this amazing place on the beach. It's got its own private dock, so I've been interested in buying it for a long time, and he's actually thinking of selling it to me."

"So it's a working weekend?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at him. He laughed.

"You got me. My secret dream to be a real estate mogul is now out in the open."

"Why is he selling it? It sounds like a great place." I closed my eyes, letting my head rest against Robbie's shoulder. The plane started to move.

"His wife is pregnant with their firstborn. She hates flying, so it's hard to get to the island." He shrugged and kissed my head again, smoothing the hair he'd disturbed with his fingers. "Besides, they are running a bed and breakfast in Iowa, his wife's home state. They are super happy out there, and they don't need to fly out to some lavish beach house."

"Hmm," I murmured. The roar of the engines and Robbie's gentle fingers in my hair were lulling me into a delightful sleepiness. "I think we are going to have a wonderful weekend."

"Me too," Robbie whispered as the plane lifted into the air. "Me too."

T
he island was more spectacular than I could have dreamed. I kept my face pressed up to the window like a child as the town car drove through the island streets and up to the beach mansion. As the driver pulled into the rounded driveway in front of the impressive house, I pinched the inside of my arm to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Robbie glanced over with a frown at the slight yelping sound I made, but I just grinned at him. This was no dream.

The car parked and I stood in front of the house, just taking it all in. The air was humid and rich with the smell of the ocean and plant life. After the reds and golds of the trees up North, the lush greenness, even in the dark, was almost overwhelming. Night coated the island like a blanket, but spotlights illuminated the big house with white columns and a red tile roof, making it seem welcoming and warm.

"You ready for a nice little cruise before bed?" Robbie asked, taking my hand as I stood looking at the house. I turned toward him, my brow furrowed, and he smiled. "I did promise to take you sailing today."

I laughed. A slight breeze played with my hair, and I felt the need to be out on the water. It was a perfect evening for sailing; the stars were twinkling brightly in the sky, and the moon was just rising over the horizon. I kissed Robbie's cheek and then took off running.

Robbie was hot on my trail as I followed a small path of sand around the side of the house. I came around the corner and stopped dead in my tracks at the view. The ocean stretched out before me with thousands of stars mirrored in its shimmering depths. Robbie giggled as he dodged past me, running quickly down to the dock. He jumped easily from the small, wooden dock into a suspiciously familiar boat bobbing gently in the dark waves.

I sprinted after him, my steps falling with hollow thuds on the wood out to the boat. I slowed my steps long enough to untie the boat and then leapt aboard
Avery's Hope
. Robbie turned on the engine, carefully guiding us out onto the ocean. I took off my shoes, reveling in the sensation of the sea air across my bare skin and my toes on the deck. My normal sailing shoes were back in my bag at the house, but for now, barefoot was better than any shoes I could have wanted.

The water was dark blue with tips of silver moonlight. The waves caught the sparkles of the stars and the entire world felt like a giant reflective jewel. The air was cool enough to be comfortable and smelled fresh and clean like only open ocean air could. I took a deep breath and the air revitalized me after the long flight.

The shore was a faint line on the horizon when Robbie turned off the motor. I went to prep the sails, but Robbie grabbed my hand instead.

"You ready for dinner?" Robbie's eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"Dinner?" I asked. I hadn't even realized that I was hungry, but my stomach suddenly growled an answer for me.

"Wait here," Robbie said, letting go of my hand and ducking down into the hold. I could hear him opening and closing doors and cabinets, so I sat down on the bow of the boat to wait. After a moment, he emerged and sat across from me, setting a platter of food between us. The food was arranged in beautiful patterns that I knew Robbie would never have taken the time to make.

"You had this whole thing planned, didn't you?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Yup," he replied with a cheesy grin. I laughed and peered at the plate, trying to decide what I wanted to eat first. There were fried plantains, jerked shrimp, fresh fruit in neat squares, and little tiny bite-sized versions of what appeared to be key lime pie. I popped one of the pies into my mouth, enjoying the sweet and tangy flavor.

"What else do you have planned?" I picked up a shrimp and ate it slowly; the spices of the jerk seasoning were spicy and delicious.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Robbie answered with a sly smile. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight. I laughed and kept eating, knowing I would enjoy anything Robbie had in store.

We ate in comfortable silence. The food was delicious and I was hungrier than I had expected. It felt wonderful just to be with Robbie, to have the moonlight and the ocean and only him. The boat rocked gently, caressed by the waves. It was like old times with Robbie, only better. His smile in the moonlight sent my heart to fluttering. Anything could happen out here, and I had high hopes for the evening.

"You were hungry," he observed. He smiled as his eyes followed my fingers to my mouth as I licked the last of the key lime pie from them.

I giggled and glanced at the plate. Together we had cleaned it to nothing but crumbs, and I was considering using my tongue to get those last little morsels. I felt perfectly full and very content.

"It was delicious. I think those fried plantains might be my new favorite food," I said. Robbie laughed and picked the plate up before rising. With confident steps, he padded down into the galley, and I could hear the clank of the plate against the sink as he took care of putting the dish away.

I stood, rolling my shoulders as I walked to the rail of the boat. The dark water sloshed rhythmically against the hull, and I could feel the tension in my shoulders melting into the night. A small smirk crossed my face as I heard Robbie come up behind me.

"Hey, look down there. I think I see some sort of fish," I said to him, pointing at the navy blue water. He leaned out across the railing, searching the water with his eyes. I felt him stiffen as I pushed his shoulders, but it was too late. He toppled into the water with a splash. "Yup, I definitely see a Robbie-fish!"

"Hey," he spluttered, coming to the surface. "You know, you're supposed to wait at least twenty minutes between eating and swimming!"

I laughed and went to the rear of the boat to push the steps into the water. Robbie swam with strong strokes to meet me.

"Help me up," he dared, reaching up his hand with a grin plastered on his face. I hesitated for only a second, ultimately deciding I should keep with the tradition. He pulled me into the water easily, and I laughed as I went under.

The ocean was as warm as bathwater. I surfaced, kicking water at him. He raised his arm to block the spray, but then roared and started swimming for me. I shrieked and swam away, kicking my legs and swinging my arms as he chased me through the warm waves.

Robbie was always the faster swimmer, and it was only a matter of minutes before he finally caught me by the aft of the ship. His hand wrapped around my ankle and he dunked me under with a swift downward pull. I shook my head free of the water as I emerged, opening my eyes to find him close enough to kiss. The moonlight caught the gleam in his eye as he pulled me closer to him, holding onto the boat to keep us both afloat.

"Kiss me," I said with just a hint of begging. I licked the salt from my lips. His mouth curved up into a smile and he tipped his head to the side, bringing his lips to mine. His tongue was salty with the ocean water as he tasted me, our lips dancing in the dark. Heat began to burn in my core. I didn't want to wait any longer. I wanted Robbie more than I wanted to breathe.

We broke from our kiss and I climbed up the ladder and back onto the deck of the ship, leaving a trail of water behind me. Robbie was hot on my heels, his hands grabbing the ladder's rungs just as my feet left them. I could sense his eyes on the bottom of my body as I climbed the ladder, and I liked the way that made me feel.

When I reached the deck, I quickly wriggled out of my wet sailing leggings. I tried to pull the skintight shirt over my head, cursing the wet fabric that was now sticking to my body. Just as the fabric was directly over my eyes, I felt a pair of hands run their way up my body. I shivered, the air sucking the heat from my wet skin as his fingers sent shocks of electricity through my body.

I recovered quickly. "Aren't you being a little presumptuous?" I asked, a smile on my lips. I couldn't tell if he could see that I was joking, but the last thing I wanted was for him to stop.

My hands were still stuck in the shirt on my head, and one of his hands moved to the middle of my back. He continued to stroke my skin, his other hand going to the shirt. He lifted it up over one ear and whispered softly in my ear. "I very much doubt that."

His hand moved up to my hands, stilling them and keeping me entangled in the shirt. I felt him move around to the front of me. His hand was still on my back, cradling me as if he were dipping me on the dance floor. His maddening contact was teasing me, and I felt my sense of touch begin to heighten the longer my eyes remained covered.

"You know, I thought about the last day we spent together for a long time," Robbie said.

"Me too," I agreed, surprised I could speak any words at all.

"I'm sorry that it took such a boneheaded move from me for us to get back together, but I feel like this was meant to be."

My heart raced faster and my breath caught in my chest. I thought of that time, eleven years ago, when I had my first taste of Robbie.

He moved closer to me. I could feel the drops of water falling off his shirt and onto my skin. "You stole a kiss from me, and I almost missed my chance to kiss you back. Then you went away, and a piece of me has wanted you ever since.
Pined
for you, even."

The confession was a little startling, but I let his emotions wash over me in waves, afraid to even speak because of the chance of ruining the moment. Maybe I hadn't pined for Robbie Saunders, but I had never forgotten that magical kiss.