Darker (27 page)

I want to make love to her.

On my boat.

It will be another first.

Caressing her face with the tips of my fingers, I slowly move them down to her chin, her neck, and her sternum to the first closed button on her blouse. Her eyes never waver from mine. “I want to see you.” With my thumb and forefinger, I undo the button. She stands absolutely still, her breathing accelerated.

I know she’s mine to do with as I please. My girl.

I stand back to give her some room. “Strip for me,” I whisper. Her lips part and her eyes blaze with desire. Slowly she brings her fingers up to her next fastened button, and at a snail’s pace undoes it, then moves at the same infuriating pace to the next one.

Fuck.

She’s taunting me. Minx.

When the final button is undone she pulls her shirt apart and shrugs out of it, letting it fall to the floor.

She’s wearing a white lacy bra, her nipples taut against the lace, and she’s a fine, fine sight. Her fingers run down past her navel and toy with the top button of her jeans.

Sweetheart, you need to take your shoes off.

“Stop. Sit.” I point to the edge of the bed and she complies.

I fall to my knees and undo the laces of first one and then the other sneaker, pulling them off, followed by her socks.

I pick up her foot and kiss the soft pad of her big toe, then graze it with my teeth.

“Ah,” she breathes, and the sound is music to my dick.

Let her do this her way, Grey.

Standing, I hold out my hand and pull her up from the bed. “Continue.” I give her the floor and step back to enjoy the show.

With a wanton look at me, she undoes the button and tugs down her zipper at the same slow pace. She hooks her thumbs into her waistband and slowly shimmies out of her jeans, sliding them down her legs.

She’s wearing a thong.

A thong.

Wow.

She unfastens her bra and slides the straps down her arms before dropping it on the floor.

I want to touch her.

And I clench my fists to stop myself.

She slips off her thong and lets it fall to her ankles, where she steps out of it and stands before me.

She is all woman.

And I want her.

All of her.

Her body, her heart, and her soul.

You have her heart, Grey. She loves you.

I grab the hem of my sweater and pull it over my head, then my T-shirt. I slip out of my shoes and socks. Her eyes never leave mine.

Her look is scorching.

I move to undo my jeans. She puts her hand over mine. “Let me,” she whispers.

I’m impatient to get out of my jeans, but I give her a big smile. “Be my guest.”

She steps forward and slips her hand over the waistband of my jeans and tugs so I’m forced to take a step closer to her. She undoes the top button, but she doesn’t undo the zipper. Instead, her intrepid fingers meander from the zipper to trace the straining outline of my cock. Instinctively, I flex my hips, pushing my erection into her hand. “You’re getting so bold, Ana, so brave.” I cradle her face with my hands and kiss her, easing my tongue into her mouth while she places her hands on my hips and circles her thumbs against my skin, just above the waistband of my jeans.

“So are you,” she breathes against my lips.

“Getting there,” I answer.

She tugs down my fly, pushes her hand inside my pants, and takes hold of my cock. I growl in appreciation and my lips find hers as I fold her in my arms, feeling her soft skin against mine.

The darkness is gone.

She knows where to touch me.

And how to touch me.

Her hand tightens around me, squeezing hard, and her hand moves up and down, pleasuring me. I tolerate a few moves, then whisper, “Oh, I want you so much, baby.” I step back and remove my pants and underwear and stand before her naked, ready.

Her eyes scan my body, but as she does that
v
appears between her brows.

“What’s wrong, Ana?” I ask, and gently stroke her cheek. Is she reacting to my scars?

“Nothing. Love me, now,” she says.

Embracing her, I kiss her with fervor, my fingers tangling in her hair. I’ll never get enough of her mouth. Her lips. Her tongue. I walk her backward and gently lower both of us onto the bed. Lying by her side, I run my nose along her jawline, inhaling deeply.

Orchards. Apples. Summer and a mellow fall.

She’s all of those things.

“Do you have any idea how exquisite your scent is, Ana? It’s irresistible.” With my lips, I trace a line down her throat, across her breasts, kissing her as I go, breathing in her essence as I travel down her body.

“You are so beautiful.” I suck gently on a nipple.

She moans and her body bows off the bed.

The sound makes me harder. “Let me hear you, baby.” I cup her breast, then move to her waist, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin under my fingers. I move past her hip, her ass, down to her knee while I kiss and suckle her breasts. Holding her knee, I hitch up her leg and curl it over my hips.

She gasps, and I revel in her reaction.

Rolling over, I take her with me so she’s on top of me. I hand her a condom from the side table.

Her delight is clear and she scoots down so that she’s sitting on my thighs. She grabs my erection and leans down and kisses the tip. Her hair falls, forming a curtain around my cock as she takes me into her mouth.

Fuck. It’s erotic.

She consumes me, sucking hard, skimming her teeth over me.

I groan and flex my hips so I’m deeper in her mouth.

She lets me go, tears open the foil packet, and unrolls the condom on my rigid dick. I hold out my hands to help her balance, and she takes them both, and slowly, oh-so-slowly, sinks down on me.

Oh, God.

It’s so good.

I close my eyes and tip my head back as she takes me. And I give myself over to her.

She moans and I place my hands on her hips and move her up and then down as I push up, consuming her. “Oh, baby,” I whisper, and I want more. So much more.

I sit up so we’re nose to nose and I’m cradling her ass with my thighs, and I’m buried deep inside her. She gasps and grabs my arms as I hold her head and stare into her beautiful eyes, eyes that shine with her love and desire.

“Oh, Ana. What you make me feel,” I say, and kiss her with unbridled passion.

“Oh, I love you,” she says, and I close my eyes.

Ana loves me.

I roll her over, her legs locked around my waist, and look down at her in wonder.

I love you, too. More than you’ll ever know.

Slowly, tenderly, gently, I start to move, relishing every treasured inch of her.

This is me, Ana.

All of me.

And I love you.

I place my arm around her head, cocooning her in my embrace while she touches my arms, my hair, and my ass with her fingers. I kiss her mouth, her chin, her jaw. I push her higher and higher until she’s on the brink. Her body starts to tremble. She’s panting, she’s ready.

“That’s right, baby. Give it up for me. Please. Ana.”

“Christian!” she cries out as she comes around me, and I let go.

THE AFTERNOON SUN FILTERS
through the portholes, casting watery reflections over the cabin ceiling. It’s so peaceful out here on the water. Maybe we could sail around the world, just Ana and me.

She dozes beside me.

My beautiful, passionate girl.

Ana.

I remember thinking those three letters had the power to wound, but now I know they also have the power to heal.

She doesn’t know the real you.

I frown at the ceiling.
This thought keeps plaguing me. Why?

It’s because I want to be honest with her. Flynn thinks I should trust her and tell her, but I don’t have the nerve.

She’ll leave.

No.
I banish the thought and enjoy lying with her for a few more minutes. “Mac will be back soon.” I’m sorry to have broken the peaceful silence between us.

“Hmm,” she mumbles, but her eyes open and she smiles.

“As much as I’d like to lie here with you all afternoon, he’ll need a hand with the dinghy.” I kiss her lips. “Ana, you look so beautiful right now, all mussed up and sexy. Makes me want you more.”

She strokes my face.

She sees me.

No. Ana, you don’t know me.

Reluctantly, I clamber out of bed, and she turns and lies on her stomach.

“You ain’t so bad yourself, Captain,” she says with appreciation as I dress.

I sit down beside her to put on my shoes.

“Captain, eh?” I muse. “Well, I am master of this vessel.”

“You are master of my heart, Mr. Grey.”

I wanted to be your master in a different way, but this is good. I think I can do this. I kiss her. “I’ll be on deck. There’s a shower in the bathroom if you want one. Do you need anything? A drink?”

She’s amused, and I know it’s at my expense.

“What?” I ask.

“You.”

“What about me?”

“Who are you and what have you done with Christian?”

“He’s not very far away, baby,” I answer, and anxiety knots like ivy around my heart. “You’ll see him soon enough, especially if you don’t get up.” I smack her ass so that she laughs and yelps at once.

“You had me worried.” She feigns concern.

“Did I, now? You do give off some mixed signals, Anastasia. How’s a man supposed to keep up?” I give her a swift kiss. “Laters, baby.” I leave her to get dressed.

Mac arrives five minutes later, and together we get the dinghy fastened onto its rig at the stern.

“How was your friend?” I ask.

“In good spirits.”

“You could have stayed longer,” I say.

“And miss the trip back?”

“Yes.”

“Nah, I can’t stay away from this lady too long,” Mac says, and he pats the hull of
The Grace.

I grin. “I get it.”

My phone buzzes.

“Taylor,” I answer, and Ana opens the sliding doors to the saloon. She’s holding her life jacket.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Grey. The apartment is clear,” Taylor says.

I pull Ana close and kiss her hair. “That’s great news.”

“We’ve been through every room.”

“Good.”

“We’ve also been through all the CCTV footage of the last three days.”

“Yes.”

“It’s been illuminating.”

“Really?”

“Miss Williams was coming through the stairwell.”

“The fire-escape stairwell?”

“Yes. She had a key and climbed all those floors to get there.”

“I see.” Wow, that’s some climb.

“The locks have been changed and it’s safe for you to return. We have your luggage. Will you be coming back this evening?”

“Yes.”

“When can we expect you?”

“Tonight.”

“Very good, sir.”

I hang up and Mac fires up the engines.

“Time to head back.” I give Ana a swift kiss and strap her into her life jacket.

ANA IS A KEEN
and willing deckhand. Between us, we hoist and stow the mainsail, the headsheet, and the spinney while Mac steers. I teach her how to tie three knots. This she’s not so good at, and I find it hard to keep a straight face.

“I may tie you up one day,” she promises.

“You’ll have to catch me first, Miss Steele.” It’s a long time since anyone tied me up, and I’m not sure I’d like it anymore. I shudder, thinking how defenseless I’d be against her touch. “Shall I give you a more thorough tour of
The Grace
?”

“Please, she’s so beautiful.”

ANA STANDS IN MY
arms at the wheel, just before we make the turn into the marina. She looks so happy.

And that makes me happy.

She’s been fascinated by
The Grace
and all that I’ve shown her. Even the engine room.

It’s been fun. I take a deep breath, the salt water in the air cleansing my soul. And I’m reminded of a quote from one of my favorite books—
a memoir,
Wind, Sand and Stars.
“ ‘There is a poetry of sailing as old as the world,’ ” I murmur in her ear.

“That sounds like a quote.”

“It is.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.”

“Oh, I adore
The Little Prince.
”

“Me, too.”

I pilot us into the marina, then slowly turn
The Grace
and reverse into the berth. The crowd that gathered to watch has dispersed by the time Mac jumps onto the dock and ties the stern lines to two dock cleats.

“Back again,” I say to Ana, and, as usual, I’m a little reluctant to leave
The Grace.

“Thank you. That was a perfect afternoon.”

“I thought so, too. Perhaps we can enroll you in sailing school, so we can go out for a few days, just the two of us.”

Or we could sail around the world, Ana, just you and me.

“I’d love that. We can christen the bedroom again and again.”

I kiss her under her ear. “Hmm, I look forward to it, Anastasia.” She squirms with pleasure. “Come, the apartment is clean. We can go back.”

“What about our things at the hotel?”

“Taylor has collected them already. Earlier today, after he did a sweep of
The Grace
with his team.”

“Does that poor man ever sleep?”

“He sleeps. He’s just doing his job, Anastasia, which he’s very good at. Jason is a real find.”

“Jason?”

“Jason Taylor.”

Ana’s smile is tender.

“You’re fond of Taylor,” I observe.

“I suppose I am. I think Taylor looks after you very well. That’s why I like him. He seems kind, reliable, and loyal. He has an avuncular appeal to me.”

“Avuncular?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, avuncular.”

Ana laughs. “Oh, Christian, grow up, for heaven’s sake.”

What?

She’s scolding me.

Why?

Because I’m possessive? Maybe that’s childish.

Maybe.
“I’m trying,” I respond.

“That you are. Very,” she says, looking toward the ceiling.

“What memories you evoke when you roll your eyes at me, Anastasia.”

“Well, if you behave yourself, maybe we can relive some of those memories.”