Authors: Collette Scott
“But we’re supposed to have fun.”
“Yes,” she said nodding. “We’ll have lots of fun in the morning. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we’ll have turkey for dinner.”
“Will Uncle Devvie be there, too?”
“I would think so.”
“Good,” she said smiling happily. “I like Uncle Devvie a lot.”
“I’m glad you like him, Hannah. He’s a nice man who likes you a lot.”
“He likes you too. I want him to be my new Daddy.”
Diana froze. “New Daddy?”
“Yes, can he be my new Daddy?”
“Jeez, Hannah, I don’t know.”
“But I like him. He’s not mean.”
“Mean? What do you mean by that?”
“Uncle Devvie makes you smile and doesn’t yell at you like Daddy did.”
Diana glanced out the window, too stunned to answer. Fortunately for her, Hannah did not press the issue. Instead she dug into her meal and devoured it in record time.
“That was a yummy hot dog,” she said as she smothered a burp.
Although she smiled down at Hannah, Diana was concerned with her growing attachment to Devlan. It would be okay for the child to enjoy Devlan, but for her to say she wanted him as her Daddy, well that was worrisome. Fathers could not be replaced that quickly, and despite what had happened in the past Peter was her father and always would be. Did Hannah want to replace him because of the way he had treated her mother? The concern would not leave her as she settled Hannah in the pink and white stateroom, for she realized that she had not considered the impact a new man would have on her daughter’s life before now.
The room was small but perfect for a child Hannah’s age. Devlan had obviously been hard at work to charm her yet again, for the second twin bed was loaded once more with several toys and games to keep her busy during their time at sea. On the desk next to the TV/DVD player stood a small stack of movies, and there were coloring books and markers on the blotter.
Although Hannah was wild with excitement, Diana was able to calm her down long enough to prepare her for bed. While they were eating, the stewardess had unpacked Hannah’s belongings and placed them neatly in the dresser across the room. Once Hannah had located her nightclothes, Diana tucked her in with a quick story. With promises of great fun in the morning, the door was shut soundly and the light switched off.
Hannah’s words still rang in her head as she returned to the main deck. There was no one around as she made her way to the back of the ship, and briefly she remembered hearing how discreet servants were. Appearing magically when they were needed, yet nowhere to be seen when they were not. A strange feeling of authority filled her. There were servants here to answer every one of her needs. She was with a very powerful man, a man who paid these people to cater to her. She could so easily take advantage of that. According to Kathy, most of Devlan’s acquaintances did - everyone except for Devlan. As she had seen with her own eyes, he had been able to retain a humbleness that seemed so out of character for his lifestyle, and he treated everyone with respect. It was merely another of the many wonderful qualities that made him so special, so unique.
Careful,
the voice in her head warned her.
Devlan was waiting for her in the back of the ship. His dark hair was slicked back, still damp from a recent shower, and his jeans were slightly wrinkled from being crammed into a suitcase. Coupled with his short-sleeved casual shirt and sneakers, he had the appearance of being an ordinary man even though they were on a huge yacht off the Hawaiian Islands.
“Would you like one?”
He held a beer in his hand, though there was a bottle of wine on the seat next to him. It rested on a tray in a bucket of ice, with two crystal glasses arranged with a red rose. Her heart fluttered in her chest when she saw the romantic arrangement.
“No thank you, but I might try the wine.”
Devlan gracefully poured her a glass and pressed the stem into her cool fingers. “So I see Hannah’s all set. Are you ready for your tour?”
Diana took a long sip of the red liquid for courage and almost purred at the smooth, buttery taste. “Yes, sleeping like a baby. Ooh, this is good.”
His eyes crinkled when he smiled and nodded his agreement. A lock of his damp hair fell forward when his head dipped, and she noticed that he seemed to have the thickest hair she had ever seen on a man. She had the urge to run her fingers through it again, but he beat her to it by pushing the wayward strands hastily back.
Dragging her eyes away, Diana took a deep breath. They were almost completely alone now. Mike had long since retreated to his room, and the crew had all gone about their duties. That left just the two of them to enjoy the silence of the ocean. It was a strange feeling, one that left her feeling heady and reckless.
Off in the distance she could see the lights on land. There were many different colored lights at varying elevations, giving it a kaleidoscope effect. Hotels and houses, restaurants and shopping plazas well lit within the tropical paradise.
“Which island is that?”
“Oahu,” he said, coming up beside her. “Tonight we’ll sail up to Niihau and start our tour there. Niihau is privately owned, but we can see it from a distance. Then this week we’ll keep heading south until we reach the big island.”
Diana nodded and again stared out at the lights. Excitement filled her as she stared out at sea. She had always wanted to travel, but never in a million years had she dreamed of being in a situation like this. This was a dream. It had to be. And with every passing day she was growing more and more frightened of waking up.
Devlan’s hands came to rest on her shoulders, and for the first time she took the initiative and leaned back against him. Yes, there were many worse places to be than being held by Devlan. A warm feeling filled her heart, and for the first time in so many months she felt happy.
“You want to take a look around, or are you too tired?”
“Tired? I slept on the plane, remember. I could dance all night,” she joked.
“That could be arranged,” he said, pointing to the full entertainment center.
“I was kidding,” she said with a light laugh. “Maybe another time.”
Taking her hand, he gave her a slight tug. “Come on, let’s start top to bottom.”
She smiled and followed him up the stairs to the helipad and then up one more flight to the bridge. A gasp of pleasure escaped her when she saw the large covered spa directly across from the wet bar. Plush seating and lounge chairs were also deftly placed for comfortable sunbathing.
“This is very private.”
“Yes, to everything but airplanes.” His eyes spoke volumes when he turned and gave her figure a sweeping gaze. “And Hannah.”
She laughed. “Ah, you learn quickly.”
Taking another sip of her wine, she noticed that Devlan had carried the bottle in his free hand as soon as he lifted it to top off her glass. He winked at her playfully.
The next deck sported the motor boat as well as two jet skis and other assorted water game equipment. There was also an outside dining table. Not accustomed to eating in such a formal setting as earlier, she delightedly planned on sharing her meals with Hannah there instead.
Beyond the table was a set of doors which Devlan led her through. On the other side was an enclosed lounge, with plush blue carpeting and mirrored ceilings. The long bar was fully stocked, yet Devlan made no move to stop and refill his drink. Instead he placed down his empty and reached for another glass.
“Let’s finish this off, ok?”
Once he poured himself some of the wine, he again refilled her glass. She watched him with a wry smile. If she did not know any better, she would swear he was trying to get her drunk. But she did know him better and appreciated his attempt to put her at ease.
She smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
Further down, the salon on the main deck sported a plush white carpet and attached wall to wall seating strewn with billowy pillows. There was a full entertainment center, and the mirrored bar had brass trimmings and full backed stools.
“There’s a library of movies on board for Hannah,” he commented as they passed.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
He smiled. “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. There will be times when she’s bound to be bored.”
In the corner behind one of the pillars she found a writing desk with an ocean view. A full computer was in sleep mode. It was so easy to imagine Devlan in this setting, entertaining high-powered officials of all nationalities here.
“This is just fabulous,” she teased. “You can watch television while you work.”
“There’s more,” he announced proudly.
Passing the galley and stairs to the crew’s quarters, they went back to the round dining room, now in darkness, and again her breath caught at the night view. The ocean was a pool of ink, with gentle waves stirring against the bow of the ship. Off in the distance she could see the land, still an oasis of glittering lights, and smaller craft tethered closer to shore. High rises and smaller homes dotted the landscape as far as she could see. It was so different from the peaceful solitude on the ship.
“This must be spectacular in the daylight,” she murmured.
“It is,” he said with a nod. He followed her gaze to look out at the lights. “I love it here.”
“How long have you owned this yacht?”
“Four or so years. I really don’t get to it all that often, maybe once or twice a year. It’s an expensive toy, but I keep it because I still have hopes of using it more often.”
She walked to the windows and leaned forward to get a good look. Devlan followed, wearing a smile of pure delight. Embracing her from behind, his chin came down on the top of her head. He inhaled deeply, and then let it all out in a deep sigh. Together they gazed at the island in the distance, their silence peaceful and serene for the first time.
The wine was working its magic. Despite her nervousness, she could not help but begin to relax. He noticed immediately and slowly turned her around to the circle of his arms.
“I’m glad you’re here, Diana,” he whispered. “I’m glad to have you and Hannah on my boat.”
“Me too,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Good.”
Smiling impishly, she glanced up at him. “After all, it’s a good experience for Hannah. She’s never been here before.”
Chuckling, he pulled her even closer. Her hips brushed against his thighs, and she could feel the hard strength there. Ever so slowly his hands began to trace the outline of her back. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.
“Ever since our disastrous first date I’ve been planning this trip,” he continued, his hands sliding lower then back up again.
“You have?”
His mouth was mere inches above hers, and she almost stepped on tiptoes to reach it. Yet his hands felt so good that she did not want to disturb their wandering. As if reading her mind, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. Heat filled her belly, and her muscles tightened in answer to his teasing. She angled her chin higher, but Devlan did not deepen his kiss. Hovering over her mouth, his voice took on a deeper pitch.
“Yes. And I’ve imagined a million times throwing you on that very table and making you scream with pleasure.”
Inhaling sharply, Diana opened her eyes and looked at the polished table. For a moment erotic thoughts and scenes filled her mind. Images of them together with their limbs entwined caused her stomach to lurch violently. Then she glanced up and noticed the ceiling for the first time. Set inside a slight depression was a large, round mirror that ran the full length of the table. Biting her lip, she turned back to Devlan. His eyes were dancing, and he gave her his wide boyish grin. Unable to resist, she laughed.
“God, I love it when you laugh,” he said earnestly.
Gathering her hand in his, he led her down the circular stairs to the stateroom deck. She began to feel nervous again, unsure what he planned to do with her but knowing without a doubt she did not want the night to end.
At the bottom of the carpeted landing they came to the junction of the staterooms. Hannah’s room was to their right. There was no noise coming forth and all seemed settled for the night. Devlan looked at her questioningly. In the dim light in the narrow hallway he seemed taller and more sinister, and her breathing became shallow and quick. One of them would have to make the move to end their prolonged chess game of avoidance. She just did not know which one of them would.
“All that’s left are the staterooms,” he said softly.
“I’ve seen Hannah’s, but I’ve no idea where mine is.” Her voice trembled slightly, though from fear or excitement she did not know.
“Where do you want it to be, Diana?”
Her heart, previously beating fast, began to pound in earnest in her chest. He was leaving it all up to her this time. It was time to choose. Surprisingly, she wanted to scream at him to stop being so considerate and take control like he always did. That way, when all was said and done she would have someone to blame other than herself. However, despite the desire illuminated in his smoky gaze, there was absolutely no force coming from him.
“I don’t know.” She bit her lip. “I’m so confused. I just wish you’d help me.”