INVITING FIRE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #6) (13 page)

A hotel spread across the hillside and down to the beach like an octopus. There was a helicopter pad along one of the tentacles. Daniela headed right for it.

L
enox was wearing tan linen pants that pressed against him in the dying wind of the rotating blades. His white shirt whipped around, rising up and exposing his abs for a moment. He crossed toward the helicopter as the blades came to a rest, ducked down and reached out to open my door. "Welcome," Lenox said with a smile, offering me his hand. "I hope that we will be able to fulfill all of your needs during your stay." I slipped my palm into his, using him to climb down from the helicopter. It was practically a meditation not to pull a Lindsay Lohan.

Blue leapt out next to me and reached for a deep stretch, which turned into a big yawn. Lenox offered me his arm. Behind him was a glass building, its walls tinted blue. A gorgeous young man followed Lenox, his crisp white uniform blazing in the sun as he hurried around to grab my bag. Daniela handed it to him along with my hat and then she joined Lenox and me. "Fuel will be about a half hour," Lenox told her. "Would you like a beverage while you wait?"

"Sure," Daniela said.

Lenox took my bag from his sailor who passed me my hat. "Dresden, please escort Ms. Gavioli inside and get her a refreshment. We will meet you at the car."

Dresden nodded and turned a dazzling smile onto Daniela, his green eyes sparkling. She looked at me and winked. "You better watch yourself," she said before turning to follow the handsome sailor into the structure. Lenox took my elbow and began to lead me across the tarmac. I glanced back toward the building as Dresden opened the door for Daniela.

I thought I saw something and stopped, surprising Lenox. Daniela passed through the door and then as Dresden turned to enter the building, I saw him. Only for the briefest, blurriest moment. But I thought it was Robert Maxim, smiling at me, wearing a suit tailored to fit, pocket square and all.

I started across the pavement toward the building, breaking into a ridiculous trot as I was restrained by my dress and heels. I pushed open the door, air conditioning smacking against me. Blue was right beside me. I scanned the small space. Linoleum floors, walls of tinted glass, waiting seats made of smooth plastic.

A family sat along one bank of chairs. The mother rested her thin delicate hands in her lap, squeezing her fingers together rhythmically as she watched her two children play on the seats next to her. The husband was looking at his phone, a mild frown on his face. Tan skin, platinum and gold watch, clean shave, peach polo shirt, ironed. Right ankle resting on left knee.

Two woman sat behind a ticket counter. One was on the phone. The other concentrated on a computer screen, the blue light making her skin look gray. Daniela and Dresden were standing in front of a cafe counter, ordering. I didn't see Robert Maxim. I crossed the room, my heels clicking against the linoleum. "Daniela," I said as I approached her, my voice low, eyes darting around the small, open space. "Did you see a man in a tailored suit?"

Daniela frowned. "I'm not sure," she said.

"I did," Dresden said. "It was a beautiful suit." He flared his nostrils like he was smelling something good.

"Where did he go?" I asked.

Dresden looked around. "I'm not sure," he said. "Maybe the men's room?" he suggested, looking over at the restroom door, next to the cafe counter.

As I turned to look, the door began to open. My eyes ran over the man as he emerged. Long fingers, gold watch, French cuff, fine linen sleeve, and then his face appeared. It wasn't him. It wasn't Bobby Maxim.

Lenox took my hand and I realized it had been shaking. Blue tapped my hip with his nose. I smiled. "Sorry," I said to the man who was now staring at me. "I thought you were someone I knew."

He flashed a salesman's smile at me, confident and knowing. "No problem," he said.

"Shall we go?" Lenox asked.

"Yes," I said, smiling and turning to him and laying my left hand on his bicep. He escorted me back out into the bright sun.

A bumpy ride in an old Range Rover and we arrived at the beach. Another handsome sailor waited there with a tender. It was the same glassy white as
Satisfaction
. The boat had benches across it, enough seating for eight, with a motor hanging off the stern. It was pulled up onto the sand so that the waves lapped at its bow.

Blue ran down to the ocean’s edge and barked at the approaching water as it rushed up the beach, covering his paws. Dresden put my luggage into the boat. I slipped off my shoes and handed them to a new sailor. "My name is Tomas," he said as he took my heels from me. He had beautiful arched eyebrows and large almond-shaped, foam-green eyes ringed with charcoal that made them stand out that much more.

Blue came barreling back up to us and I pointed at the boat. Ears flat to his head, legs thundering beneath him, Blue leapt into the tender. Lenox bent down and offered me a knee. I laughed. "You really want me to climb up there in this dress?" I asked.

"Can't wait to see it," Lenox countered.

I laughed again. Hiking up my skirt I stepped onto his thigh. Grains of sand tickled between my arch and his muscle, hard and strong beneath me. Lenox offered his hand and I held onto it as I stepped up and into the boat, my skirt not quite reaching the apex of my thighs, but almost. Lenox stood and brushed sand from his pants, then grabbing onto the side of the boat began, with the help of Dresden and Tomas, pushing it toward the water.

Lenox jumped in before we reached the waves while the two sailors continued to push as the water rose up to their waists. We made it over one large wave, the sailors almost up to their chests, then Lenox started the engine. The men pulled themselves into the boat, bringing splashes of water with them, and we sped forward, banging through a cresting wave and out into the undulating waters.

Dresden took control of the motor and Lenox came and sat next to me. "That was crazy," I said, holding onto my hat.

"What?" he asked smiling.

"People pay for this?" I teased. "Ever heard of a dock, and maybe some paved roads?”

"Ah," he smiled. "But people come to Costa Rica because it is wild."

T
he interior of the yacht was sumptuous with clean, modern lines. The room we had entered was large—it had a bar at one end and several seating areas with deep couches. The walls were of marbled wood, the floor covered with thick carpeting. It was easy to imagine an elegant party here. Men in sailor outfits, excuse me, uniforms, were stationed throughout the room, their hands clasped behind their backs, smiles on their faces. They all nodded at me as Lenox led me through the room to the central staircase.

He took me to the third level where there were only four suites. We entered into one. Big bed in its center, paisley, gold, and burgundy bedspread, masculine and attractive. Four posts, one at each corner of the bed, ran to the ceiling. Their design was African in appearance with fertility figures carved into the wood that I recognized from art history class—and my own primitive mind.

"This is my room?" I asked, looking around. There was a wall of mirrored closet doors, a small sitting area with a pair of chairs facing each other. The windows were filled with sea and sky.

"We are going to share," Lenox said. "After all, you are availing yourself of my services this weekend, aren't you?"

I smiled at our cover story. I wanted to ask him what it would cost me if I really had to pay for those services, but Dresden arrived with my suitcase. He put it on a luggage rack in the corner. I pulled out a tip from my purse. "Thank you," he said with a gentle, altogether charming smile that brought out his dimples. "I appreciate it." He slipped the money from my hand, running his thumb along mine for a moment longer than was appropriate. I flushed at the intimate contact, surprised by it as much as intrigued.

The sailor left and I turned to Lenox. "They all do that when you tip them?"

Lenox smiled. "They all do whatever they can to make you feel welcome and wanted."

I nodded. "He's good," I said, pointing my thumb at the door.

"Thank you, I'm very proud of the men I work with."

"You should be," I said, walking over to my suitcase. Barry had admonished me to hang up my dress as soon as I arrived. Looking down at my skirt I wondered what Barry would think about my boat boarding style.

I opened the bag and pulled out the dress, letting it fall straight. There was a small crease but I figured it would come out if I left it in the bathroom while I showered. It had two parts. A black silk slip under a sheer silk embroidered chemise with a high neck and low, very low back.

I passed Lenox and opened one of the closet doors. It was empty except for a plush white bathrobe with the name of the yacht embossed on the breast. I hung the dress up next to it and then returned to my suitcase.

"I like your dress," Lenox said, reaching into the closet to touch it.

"Did you meet Barry when you visited?" I asked.

"Oh yes," Lenox said. "Quite a man. I've never met anyone quite like him. We only talked briefly but I hope to see him perform some day."

"It's amazing," I said, as I crossed the room with more clothing to hang. Each with its own hidden blade.

Lenox didn't move out of my way and I brushed up against his chest with my bare arm as I reached into the closet. He caught my hand as I brought it back to me. "How are the dreams?" he asked, bringing my palm to his mouth.

"Back," I answered as he kissed the center of my hand, his lips warm and smooth and deliciously wet.

"Can I help?" he asked, his breath hot against my skin. Watching him was making it impossible to answer. I remained transfixed on the shape of his lips, the colors, the heat that radiated out to my fingers, through my wrist and down my arm.

"Yes," I finally managed. "Yes, you can." I leaned forward to grab those lips for myself.

A
t sunset the engines started. String lights swayed as the vibrations ran through the ship. I stood on my balcony looking down at the decks below. There was a bar on the front deck, and about ten people were down there already. The women looked elegant. Their hair done, dresses ironed. The men were all tall and broad and young and healthy and hot.

Lenox came up behind me. "Are you ready to go down?"

"How long until my drop-off point?"

"About an hour."

"An hour of schmoozing actually sounds worse to me than scaling a yacht," I said with a smile.

Lenox put his arms around my waist and I leaned against him. He bent down and kissed the side of my neck. "It won't be so bad," he said against my skin. "Remember, everyone here is pretending."

"Right," I said, watching as another couple moved across the teak deck toward the small crowd around the bar. A sailor came out, his uniform looking almost pink in the dusk light, holding a tray of canapés. "It's all pretend."

"Yes, and yet, it feels so real."

Lenox held my hand as we walked back down the spiral staircase and through the large sitting room. There was a couple on one of the couches. The man was wearing an elegant linen suit and the woman was in silk, bright red, and loose. Her face was pulled tight and her lips puffed up. She smiled up at us. "Lenox, darling," she said in a Swiss accent. "How are you?" she purred, holding out her hand.

Lenox took it and kissed her knuckles. "I am wonderful. So happy that you could join us again."

She looked over at the young man sitting next to her. "How could I resist?" she asked.

Lenox smiled and nodded, making excuses about getting me a drink, and we continued onto the deck. The wind pushed my dress against me. Lenox smiled as we approached the bar. Everyone was looking at us. It made me nervous. But there was no one here who wasn't also pretending to be someone else. No one here was talking about paying for sex and I had a feeling that no one was going to ask personal questions.

Lenox got me a glass of champagne, which I sipped very slowly, not wanting to make myself lightheaded. I had a lot of work to do this evening, after all. Dresden offered me a tray of hors d’oeuvres, sausages wrapped in phylo dough, pigs in a blanket but fancy. I accepted it and then turned back to Lenox who was introducing me to a group of people. Among them were two women, both touched by the same surgeon’s blade as the woman inside. They smiled at me, but it was impossible to read their emotions. I thought a glint in their eyes was calculating, too calculating. But Lenox seemed relaxed. He chatted with their dates, all of them making jokes, keeping the ladies laughing. I followed along, making noises when it seemed appropriate but I was watching the seascape. As we moved out of the protected bay, the waves picked up. Nothing that would affect a ship of this size but I knew I'd be riding rough tonight on the Jet Ski.

The clouds that had been hovering earlier in the day were closing in on the setting sun. Turning purple and bright pink, putting on quite a display. "There is a storm brewing offshore," Lenox told me, his voice low so that only I could hear. "But don't worry, it's going to stay away."

As the sky turned deep blue and stars began to sparkle we passed by the deserted beaches Daniela and I had seen from the air. The land was a dark lump with just the occasional electric light twinkling between the dense foliage.

The sun completed its descent and darkness enveloped the world. The strung bulbs that swayed with the ship's movement cast a warm yellow glow onto our gathering. It made it feel homey and safe. The light reflected off the wake left by the yacht and that was as far as it could reach.

We pulled into the cove that Daniela and I had seen from the air, motoring slowly toward the protected area. Lenox clinked his champagne glass with a gold ring he wore on his finger, the sound carrying across the deck, silencing the small crowd of about 15 women and their dates, plus the sailors delivering drinks and food and compliments.

The anchor splashed into the water and the chain could be heard clinking down to the sandy bottom. "Thank you all for coming," Lenox announced, projecting his smooth, lyrical voice so that everyone could hear. "It is my pleasure to welcome you aboard
Satisfaction
." His voice made the name of the ship into a promise. He paused while the crowd stirred ever so slightly then continued. "On behalf of the crew and hosts I encourage you to enjoy your time. Hold nothing back." He looked around the crowd, seeming to make eye contact with every single person before continuing. "It is our pleasure to serve you." He smiled and the crowd smiled back at him. "Now, we have a special treat tonight. If you'll all move into the dining room, we have a live show."