Love Finds the One (Sully Point Book 2) (15 page)

"Sorry guys. My mind wandered--work, the charter
business."

"You won't have anything to worry about once the
tourists arrive. Captain Hank, and Joe, will be kept busy all summer,"
Frank said.

Julia looked confused. "Wait a minute--you don't take
people out? I thought you were the one to handle the charters."

"No, I own the charter business, but Captain Hank and
Joe are the ones who actually take people out. Unless there's some kind of
major screw-up or some special reason I need to go--then, of course, I'll be on
the boat."

"You own two businesses?"

"Yes."

"How many people work for you at the Bait and Tackle
shop?"

"Six during tourist season, four the rest of the time.
That doesn't include my accountant."

"I keep underestimating you. I think it's because I
heard about you for years as Holly's 'little brother,' which kept me thinking
of you as still in high school or something. Since I've been here you've been
nothing like what I expected."

Cody stared into her eyes and saw the warmth spreading in
them.

"Any dessert, son?"

"Ah...dessert?" His attention was completely
distracted by looking into Julia's dark blue eyes.

"Yes, you know, the sweet stuff we usually have after a
meal," Frank said slowly.

Cody turned to look at his father. "Funny man. No
dessert tonight. I forgot to stop by the bakery."

"No worries. I don't need dessert." He stood up and
patted a hand on his stomach. "Got to keep in shape. Why don't you two
take off? Go see a movie...or something. I'll clean up."

Cody glanced back at Julia who gave him a nod. "Come on
then, girl, let's get outta here before he changes his mind."

Julia laughed, and followed him through the kitchen and out
the door.

Chapter 6

They drove out to the beach house. Julia ran inside to grab
a few items to take to the boat. A toothbrush was mandatory. She quickly threw
clothes for tomorrow into her weekender bag, and she was ready to go. Cody was
waiting in the car.

"That was fast," he said as she got in.

"I was motivated," she replied with a smile.

He started the car and got them on the road. His hand
reached for hers automatically, and he felt the same connection as before, just
from touching her. "There's something about you, Julia, something I've
never felt before."

"And here I thought it was only me feeling that
way."

"I don't want to move too fast, but already I feel so
close to you."

"I've felt close to you since I first met you. There's
a comfort level between us that surprised me from the beginning."

Cody squeezed her hand gently while he watched the road
slipping by beneath them.

"Cody?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I should tell you. It doesn't really
make any difference to anything, but--well, we're talking about being close and
knowing each other, and I thought--"

"Go ahead, we'll handle it whatever it is."

"I come from a wealthy family. Like--stinking rich. My
father inherited from his father who inherited from his--well, you get the
drift. And then he--my father--went on and made his own bundle of money. Mother
made a name for herself, and her own money, with the agency. I grew up in a
mansion, a kind of compound actually, when I wasn't in Switzerland or other
places for boarding schools."

Cody mulled over this new information. Her isolation had
been even more than he'd thought from little things she'd said. "Let me
ask you something--did you ever enjoy having any of that money?"

"I probably enjoyed it in the sense that it was better
than being poor. And I don't want to sound like some poor little rich girl. But
no, I never saw it give anyone in my family any joy. Their lives, our lives,
were focused on making more money."

"If you leave the ad agency and start your own business
here, do you think they'll cut you off, financially?"

"I already supported myself with my salary. They had
stopped giving me money. I do have a trust fund I will come into when I'm
thirty. I usually forget that it's even there. It was set up for me by my
grandfather."

"If your parents didn't agree with your decision about
the computer business, there's nothing they could hold over your head to make
you do what they want, right?"

"Right," she said with a sound of relief in her
voice. "You're right. The most they could say would be they were writing
me out of their wills."

"And you'd walk away from the money they might leave
you, just like that?"

"Like you said, what enjoyment has the money ever
brought me? My relationship with my mother is twisted, and I've lost my
relationship with my father. Money was no help there. No, there's nothing they
can say to stop me. Plus, there is a certain amount of freedom in the thought
of just walking away from it."

Cody said, "The main thing is you being happy with
whatever decision you make--whether you start a computer business or not."

Julia turned in her seat to look at him. "Does the
money make you feel weird? I mean, one day I am going to have access to the
trust fund. It's not a small amount."

"I think I already knew you came from a well-off family.
I don't think money defines people. I think what a person does with their
wealth is what matters. With wealth comes a certain responsibility I believe.

"For instance, take Sam and Anna. Now he'd already made
a fortune before he met her. He has a number of scholarships set up around the
country at colleges for low income students who want to be writers. Once Anna's
paintings started selling like hotcakes, she set aside a part of her profits to
buy art supplies for schools that can't afford them any longer. She believes
strongly in exposing children to art at an early age."

"You know, I haven't got a clue what charities, or
things like what Sam and Anna are doing, that my parents might be involved
in--if any. They never talked about charitable giving when I was living at
home. Sam and Anna sound really special."

"That they are. I'll be glad when they get back
here."

They arrived at the parking lot next to the docks.
Retrieving her bag from the back, Cody walked around the car to throw an arm
across Julia's shoulders for the walk to the boat.

"Tell me you have coffee for in the morning," she
said suddenly.

He chuckled. "Of course I do. And I might even have
some frozen cinnamon buns in the freezer. Almost as good as when they're fresh,
when you reheat them."

"Good. Lately food has become a priority to me, in case
you hadn't noticed."

"I have noticed. You're looking healthier too."

"Is that your way of saying you noticed I gained
weight? It's okay--I know I was too skinny when I got here."

"All I know is you're looking good to me."

"Good answer." She laughed.

They entered the boat and Julia spent some time looking
around while Cody poured them snifters of cognac.

"It's all compact, yet it still feels roomy to me. And the
bathroom is quite large--totally unexpected."

"You remember when we talked about the Travis McGee
books? I bought this boat off a guy who was trying to live out the fantasy. He
ran out of money and decided to give up and sell. The good news for me was, he
tried to copy what he could from the book descriptions of the boat. The end
result was that I ended up with a large bathroom and a great shower."

They sat on a built-in couch and sipped their drinks.
"Ooh, it's been a while since I had cognac," Julia said. "I used
to drink it on the rocks."

"You're kidding."

"No, it's true. And you don't have to say I was
spoiling the drink."

"I'm just trying to figure out why you would drink it
on the rocks in the first place, like a regular drink. Cognac is to be savored,
sipped, the fumes inhaled--but I'll forgive that perversion if you promise you
no longer drink it that way."

"Yes, I gave it up. One too many horrific cognac
hangovers."

He had an arm along the back of the couch and was running
his hand along her shiny black hair. She tilted her head back, so his hand was
cupping her head.

"I do love the feeling of your fingers playing with my
hair," she said softly.

His hand moved her closer to him as he bent to kiss along
her jaw, slowly making his way to her lips. She moaned. He gave a low, rich
laugh. "We've got all night. I don't plan to rush this."

"Wow," she whispered, as his lips touched hers.

Cody wanted to give her a night of pleasure like nothing
she'd experienced before. As he felt her pliant body beneath his hands, he
suddenly was sure he was in love with her.

* * * *

Julia woke up hearing the shower running in the bathroom.
She snuggled down deeper into the bed, covered by a sheet and a heavy quilt. It
was warm and cozy and she was drowsy and utterly satisfied with life. Cody had
taken her places last night she'd never known were possible. She'd finally
passed out, held in his arms. Nothing in her life before had prepared her for
what she was experiencing with him. Physical pleasure, yes, but it was more
than that. It felt like something destined, meant to be. The more time she
spent with him, the more it felt like he completed her.

Which, on one level, was a bit scary to her. She'd never
trusted anyone like she was trusting Cody. There was still fear he would
somehow betray that trust.

She looked up, and watched him walk toward her, towel
wrapped around his waist. Suddenly, worries about trust went out the window,
er, porthole.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" he asked.

"You."

He smiled and walked to the closet. "How do you feel
this morning?"

"Better than I have in my whole life."

Grinning at her, he dropped the towel and she watched him
get dressed. "Why are you wearing clothes so soon?"

"Gotta open up the store. I neglected to get anyone to
fill in for me this morning. I just have time for a cup of coffee and something
to eat--if I hurry. I hate to open up late."

"Guess I'd better get up too," she said as she
threw back the covers. It delighted her that Cody stopped dressing to stare at
her naked body as she walked across the room. "Be right back." In the
bathroom she smiled at herself in the mirror and found her bag with jeans and a
New York Giants sweatshirt and got dressed.

When she arrived in the kitchen, Cody was pulling cinnamon
rolls out of the microwave. "Those smell delicious."

Cody turned to look at her. His surprised face had her
puzzled. Then he said, "You're a Giants fan?"

"When I have time to be, which isn't often. A holdover
from when I was a kid and used to watch games with my father."

"I'm a Patriots fan myself. We're on opposite sides on
this one."

She bit into a roll and muttered, "That will be
fun."

He had on tan chinos and a cream-colored pullover sweater
with cable knitting. She set her food down and went to stand in front of him.
Reaching out to brush his dark blond hair back, she said, "You look far
more delicious than any breakfast roll. I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me too," he said with feeling. "What are
your plans for the day?"

"Not sure yet. Computer business stuff. Maybe we can
get together this afternoon?"

He put his arms around her and pressed his body against
hers. "Sooner, if I can figure out a way."

She whispered, "Yes, sooner." The kiss between
them soon had her heart racing, as desire for him flooded her body. She wondered
how she'd make it until this afternoon.

He pulled away first. "Ah, woman, you tempt me too
much. I'm out of here, before I decide to close up the shop for the rest of the
month."

Laughing, she ran her hands down his arms. "Okay, go
and leave me all hot and bothered."

He glanced at the watch on his wrist and said, "That's
it." And with one move he had her over his shoulder as he walked back to
the bedroom with her squealing in surprise.

As he left her dazed and thoroughly satiated a bit later, he
said, "I'm late, but it was worth it." She watched him walk out the
door and rolled over beneath the covers. The man was incredible, she thought as
she fell into sleep.

When she woke for the second time that day, she got up and
dressed quickly. She felt energized and ready to take on any challenge.
Somewhere in her sleep, she'd made the decision to see the office space Frank
and Mrs. Gilchrest had mentioned. She gathered up her things to leave and then
remembered her car was back at the beach house. About the time she was going to
call Cody about it, she noticed a note propped up on the counter. She smiled
gleefully as she read it. CORVETTE IS YOURS FOR THE DAY. The keys were by the
note. Perfect.

She'd taken test drives in a Corvette before, but to have
access to one for a whole day was a dream. The car was wonderfully fun on the
curvy road back to the beach house. She'd decided to change to more
business-like attire. Not a business suit, God forbid, but nicer pants and a
better top than her sweatshirt. After reaching Mrs. Gilchrest by phone, the
plan was made to meet at the bank in an hour.

Julia was not surprised to see Frank outside the bank when
she arrived. He, however, looked shocked when she got out of the Corvette.

"Julia--what are you--Cody let you drive the Corvette?"

She bobbed her head. "Sure, he left me the keys to use
it for the day. Is that a big deal?"

Frank ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, it is, because
he never lets anyone, not even me, drive that car. I never thought he would.
Hmm."

"What?"

"Just how serious are you guys getting, Julia?"
Frank said with a chuckle.

She didn't reply, wondering about the answer to that
question herself. Mrs. Gilchrest came out of the bank right then, saving Julia from
giving Frank a response.