going to shower.”
Maria says something in what I’m assuming is Portuguese, which has Alek laughing. That laughter is usually reserved for only me.
“Ella—” Alek starts, noticing I’m unhappy that I woke to some naked woman making breakfast for him, but I ignore him and make my way downstairs.
Mumbling under my breath about how I hate the world, I angrily rip off my clothes and step into the shower. Alek is merely playing along because he is a master manipulator and knows he can use Maria to his advantage. But it still pisses me off that every woman—or man for that matter—with a pulse has to flirt with Alek.
I’m suddenly hit with an idea.
Once clean, I dry off and quickly change into my swimsuit. I tie the sarong around my waist and slip into my gold sandals. Using my large sunglasses as a headband, I style my hair into a messy bun. I want it to appear like I didn’t go to any effort, but I have, and the reason is because Alek said he needs to know where we are, and I plan on finding out.
With Maria openly flirting with Alek, I can’t imagine her relationship with Rodrigo is rock solid. So I plan on playing her at her own game.
Spraying some perfume along my neck, I apply some sheer lip gloss and pucker my lips. It’s time to lose the company because this yacht is only big enough for two.
I venture upstairs confidently, taking great joy in seeing Alek do a double take when he sees me. I lower my sunglasses as I walk toward the front of the yacht, ignoring Maria whose ass is now exposed to the sun.
Rodrigo is sitting on the lounge on his yacht, legs crossed as he drinks a coffee. I casually grip the railing and tip my head back, jutting out my chest. It has the desired effect.
“Good morning,” Rodrigo shouts while I wave.
“I don’t suppose you have any real coffee over there?”
“Of course. Want to come on board?”
Lowering my sunglasses, I look over the top of them and give him a sassy wink. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He stands eagerly. “I’ll turn off the engine and come get you.”
But I shake my head. “It’s okay. Just slow down. I’ll swim to you.”
We’re not traveling fast, so swimming won’t be a problem. I wonder how Maria got over here.
Rodrigo nods and walks toward the helm. I turn and smirk when I see Alek scowling. He wouldn’t look like he sucked on something sour if he didn’t care. There is hope.
“Slow down the yacht. I’m going to swim toward Rodrigo.”
“Are you mad?” Alek whispers, grabbing my bicep as I pass him.
“It’s kinda full up here,” I quip, grinning. “You need to know where we are. I’ll find out.”
“You don’t know what’s over there,” he argues, keeping his voice low.
“If it means not having to see Maria’s boobs ever again, then I’ll take the risk.”
Standing on tippy toes, I kiss his cheek. It was meant to be a ruse to conceal what I want to say, but the current which sparks between us reveals it’s so much more.
“What am I looking for?” I ask, focusing on the mission at hand, and not how my body responds to his.
He grips my waist, drawing me into his chest. Being pressed together this way has every part of me melting against him. “The navigational panel or chart plotter will have the coordinates. Try to memorize them. Even if he tells you where we are, these coordinates will confirm if he’s telling the truth.”
I forget that we’re talking and can only focus on his fingers around my hip, squeezing gently. A shiver passes over me, and I know Alek feels it. His hot breath bathes my neck, and I whimper, suddenly scorching all over.
He lowers his lips and kisses under my ear softly. “Сладкая, так бы и сьел тебя.”
Groaning, I arch my neck to the left, granting him all the access he wants. I love when he speaks Russian to me. He sounds utterly sexy and sinful, and it turns me on.
My body responds how it did the other night, and I feel empowered. This is my body, mine alone, and I refuse to get lost to the ugly past where it wasn’t mine. I won’t let my demons win.
“Navigational panel. Coordinates. Got it,” I say breathlessly, clutching Alek’s shoulder to stop myself from toppling over.
This is the first time we’ve touched each other so openly, and all I