“I’m ready to go,” she said.
Dimitri looked down at her sharp business outfit, complete with her new, sexy heels and almost groaned out loud. The idea that he was finally getting her alone, well almost alone, and away from business was a heady aphrodisiac. He wanted this woman more powerfully than he’d ever wanted any other woman. But he still had to move slowly. She had no idea about her own self worth and appeal. He’d start showing her immediately.
“Great. Let’s get going,” he replied, putting a hand to the small of her back to lead her out of the room.
“Oh, let me get my bags,” she said quickly, trying desperately to suppress the shiver of excitement that charged through her system at Dimitri’s warm touch on her back.
He grabbed her hands and pulled her back to his side, shaking his head. “No. This will be your first lesson. My driver is right outside. He’ll bring down your bags.”
Helen’s soft blue eyes stared at him uncomprehendingly for a long moment before she nodded her head. “If you say so.”
“I say so. Come along,” he said. He hadn’t missed the shiver at his touch and instantly his body reacted. He was going to have to do something soon. He wasn’t sure how much longer his body could take this continuous state of arousal when he was around her. Or not around her, he reminded himself. Just thinking about Helen could snap his body to attention. And he thought about her a lot.
Helen preceded him out of the apartment, his hand touching either her back or her arm gently but the heat was so intense, she felt as if she were being burned. The long black limousine that was waiting out front was already attracting attention from the early morning pedestrians out walking their dogs. She smiled to the few she knew before ducking her head into the back. She took a seat on the opposite side from Dimitri, her back toward the driver. “So what time is our flight?” she asked, laying her hands on her lap in an effort to hide the shaking. When she realized she looked nervous, she changed her mind and opened her planner and picked up her pen, ready to take notes on whatever he might toss at her.
He pulled the daytimer from her lap and tossed it onto the seat next to her. The pen followed. “We aren’t flying,” he said and took her hand to pull her into the seat next to him. He didn’t continue to touch her, but he didn’t move away when her shoulder touched his arm.
This new position made every cell in her body shiver with excitement. She wished she could sit back on the other side, away from him but she couldn’t do that without looking silly. “Oh! Well, how are we getting there?” she asked, pressing her hands on her lap to hide the shaking, then balling them into fists when they still showed her nervousness.
Dimitri looked down at her, hearing the trunk close shut indicating that her bags were stored away already. “We’re going by ship,” he explained.
That definitely surprised her. Why on earth would they be going by ship? She knew of course that he built ships and transported material in them, but she never imagined she would be one of those items en route. “Ship? I….I don’t think I understand.”
He sat back and stretched his long legs out in front of him and leaned his head back against the plush, black leather seat. “I’ve decided to take a long overdue vacation this time around. We’re taking this trip slowly. I have four friends who will be traveling with us. I believe they’re already on board.”
Helen’s mind worked quickly. “This wouldn’t happen to be your yacht, would it?” she asked, biting her lip as the anxiety of traveling in such luxury hit her full on.
“Yes. Is that a problem?” A horrible thought occurred to him and he lifted his head to look back down at her. “You aren’t afraid of water, are you?” he asked, seeing the fear in her eyes but not understanding it.
Helen saw the concern come into his eyes and shifted quickly to reassure him. “No, no! Nothing like that,” she answered. “It’s just that…” How could she tell him her feelings about being in such opulence? Of course, his office was impressive and she’d heard about his home but she’d never been inside that penthouse, turning down the nice holiday invitations she’d