More Than You Know (17 page)

He flashed that killer grin and pulled away from her as the car slowed to a stop in front of the dock house. She watched as he ran his hands over his face and took a few deep breaths. “Okay. Think I can walk now.”

She laughed again, she couldn't help it. As she pulled her big, dark sunglasses out of her bag, she said, “Hey. Dane.”

He looked at her curiously. “Yeah?”

“Just so you know . . . wearing sneakers wasn't the only suggestion of yours I took.” She gave him the most provocative smile in her arsenal.

He stared at her for a few seconds . . . then it hit him. His blue eyes flew wide. “You're not wearing any panties, are you,” he choked out.

“Nope,” she chirped, and stepped out of the car.

“
Damn.
” He got out on his side and shot her a look across the hood of the car as he growled, “You're evil. I've said it before: you're a vile, wicked temptress. How am I supposed to think about anything else now?”

She simply smiled again. He groaned and dropped his forehead to the hood in forfeit.

 

 

Ten minutes later, Dane reached for Julia's hand when they walked onto the slip. “The boat is down at the far end,” he said casually.

She looked around with interest as they walked. Sunlight glistened off the calm blue water. The sound of seagulls screeching as they flew overhead traveled on the light breeze. The boats that bobbed up and down on the Sound varied in size, from small speedboats to midsize sailboats to a few proud yachts. She also snuck looks at her date for the day. Dane wore a simple pale blue T-shirt and khaki shorts, but he still managed to make it look . . . well, wealthy. Dane Harrison could be the poster boy for casual, affluent sophistication. And easy charm. And raw sex appeal. And shameless seduction. She thought back to the steamy car ride over and felt a delicious flutter in her stomach.

He led her to the farthest dock at the very end of the pier. “Here we go.”

Julia almost swallowed her tongue. The majestic, imposing yacht before them was the largest one in the marina. “You said we were going on a boat,” she said.

He gave her a look. “Um . . . what do you think this is?”

“This isn't a
boat.
” She swiveled around and pointed back at one of the midsize sailboats. “
That
is a boat. This”—she whirled back to point at the yacht in front of them—“
This
—is a huge freaking mother of a ship!”

“It's a yacht,” he said plainly, looking at her like she'd lost her mind.

“A big, fancy yacht like this is not just a
boat
,” she said, staring up at the gleaming white vessel.

Dane's mouth quirked. “It's not mine, you know,” he said. “It's my father's. He lets me borrow it once in a while. I'll be sure to tell him you were impressed.”

She gaped at him. He laughed and stepped in closer, hands circling her waist.

“Julia,” he said, looking into her eyes. His voice lowered. “My family has a lot of money. You knew that.”

“You said a
boat,”
she stammered weakly. She felt foolish. She didn't know why.

He smiled, kissed her, and said, “Come on board. It's a gorgeous day. Let's go enjoy it.”

Julia couldn't get over the magnificence of the Harrison yacht. She'd never been on a boat like this in her life. The spacious cabins, carpeted dining room, polished brass and wood everywhere she looked, and enough room on board for a crowd of people. That someone like her was on a ship like this was crazy. She felt like she'd stepped into a movie or something.

“You like it?” Dane asked when he was done giving her a quick tour.

“It's unreal,” she said. “Color me impressed.”

He chuckled and led her out to the back deck. “This is my favorite spot on the boat. I sit out here, stare at the water, let my mind wander . . . sometimes I just fall asleep, it's so relaxing.”

“You like being on the water,” she said, more of an assessment than a question.

“Yeah. Always have.” He put his sunglasses back on, she glanced at his profile, and thought he looked unbearably sexy. A soft breeze ruffled his dark curls as they leaned against the railing. “Maybe it's because I grew up here,” he mused. “The main house is right on the Sound—like, it's practically part of our backyard. Went sailing and to the beach a lot as kids. . . .” He rubbed his scruffy jaw as he considered. “Or maybe it's a Long Island thing. I think, living so close to either the Sound or the ocean, it just becomes part of you in a way. Part of your life. Don't you? You grew up on the Island too, right?”

She nodded. She'd never heard him like this, and it intrigued her.

“Or, maybe it's just me.” He shrugged and turned to her. “What about you? You can't swim. Does that mean you don't like the water at all?”

“I like
looking
at it,” she clarified. “Being near the Sound, on a beach, by a lake, that's all fine. Just don't drop me in it.”

He smiled broadly and said, “Promise I won't. Even when you frustrate me.”

Her brows arched. “Does that happen often?”

“What, you frustrating me? All the time.” He winked, then looked up to the upper deck. “Ahoy there, Captain!”

“Hey, Dane, how've you been?” A cheerful-looking man in his sixties raised a hand in greeting. Julia thought his crisp white uniform looked pretty high-status.

“Just fine, Ray,” Dane said, “just fine. You?”

“It's been a good summer so far. Can't complain.” The captain nodded at Julia. “Afternoon, ma'am.”

“Hi,” she said, smiling.

“We're ready to go when you are, sir,” Captain Ray said.

“Then let's do it,” Dane replied with enthusiasm.

“Aye, sir.” The captain straightened and added, “Enjoy the rest of your birthday. The chef made something special; your sister arranged it.”

Julia's head turned sharply to stare at Dane. It was his
birthday
? What the hell? She'd had no idea.

“Ah, that Tess,” Dane said, grinning up at the captain. “She's a clever one. Thank him for me in advance. I look forward to it.”

“Lunch will be served at one, if that suits you.”

Dane gently grasped Julia's wrist and turned it to glance at her watch. “That sounds fine.”

“Then I'll get us going.” The captain gave a jaunty salute and walked back to the helm.

Dane turned back to her as he said, “It's almost noon. You can wait an hour for lunch, right?”

“Sure,” she said softly. His birthday. Goddamn.

His head cocked slightly to the side as he studied her, the way he did when he was trying to figure something out. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. Like . . . I have something in my teeth. Or you're confused. Or I have two heads. You tell me.”

“I didn't know today was your birthday,” she said.
Keep it light.

He shrugged. “I had mentioned to you that it was around this time. It's not a big deal. Thirty-six. So what?”

“That's right. I had forgotten. So . . . you asked me to spend your birthday with you.” Something warm and fuzzy was threatening to envelop her insides. “That's . . . kind of . . . well, special for some people. Why'd you want to spend today with me?”

“Maybe I wanted to make sure I'd have mind-blowing sex on my birthday,” he smirked, clearly teasing.

“Jackass,” she quipped, smiling despite herself.

He reached up and tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear as he said quietly, “Maybe I like being with you, and wanted to spend some time with you. Outside of the hotel for once. How about that?”

She kept staring at him. The boat moved away from the dock and slowly headed out onto the water.

He smiled and murmured, “No strings, Julia. I promise.” His fingers trailed down to caress her cheek. “I just enjoy you. So why not enjoy you today and make a day of it?”

Something was churning inside her. Half warning, half . . . ugh, something akin to tenderness.
Keep it light, dammit,
she told herself. But she couldn't help it. She was flattered. Touched. He wanted to be with her outside the hotel. Outside of bed.

She couldn't let herself think about that too much.

She inched closer and linked her arms around his neck. He smiled and slipped his arms around her waist. Looking deeply into his sparkling blue eyes, she moved in like she was going to kiss him, but dodged at the last second and ran her mouth along his unshaven jaw, up to his ear. “I'll make it a birthday you won't forget,” she whispered in the most enticing tone she could muster, and she knew damn well it was pretty sexy. She dragged her tongue around the edge of his ear and bit the lobe, bringing a soft groan from him as she added, “I promise.”

Chapter Eleven

Dane stretched out on the deck chair, closed his eyes, and let the sun beat down on his body. He was happy to wait for Julia out on deck while she changed into her swimsuit. So far, the afternoon had been an absolute pleasure. They'd made small talk over a drink or two as the boat had made its way out onto the Sound, first chatting about what types of songs she preferred to sing, then delving into a discussion about different types of music and artists they each liked or disliked. He realized her musical tastes were varied and eclectic, which both interested and impressed him. She didn't let the topics stray into anything too personal, and he didn't push.

At one, they went to the dining room for lunch. Tess had asked the chef to make paella, one of Dane's absolute favorite dishes, and it had been delicious. He and Julia talked about other random topics over the meal, like where he'd gone to college, business school, etcetera. She'd redirected the conversation to be about him, rather than her, more than once. Did she really think he hadn't noticed her subtle tactics? The chatter had been nice, though. She was definitely loosening up around him more, and he liked that.

Also, he liked how she was in awe of the magnificence of the yacht and trying to be cool about it. It was cute. He'd reined in his amusement at her obvious admiration throughout his quick tour of the vessel, but she'd seemed especially dazzled in the dining room. He guessed she hadn't been served many meals in such a fashion on a
boat.
All day, she'd done a damn good job of playing it cool, but he'd caught glimpses in her expressive eyes at various times—alternating between impressed, pleased, and sometimes wowed. It was interesting to him. Especially because he hadn't set out to try to impress her with the trappings of his family's wealth. It had never even occurred to him. He'd just wanted to spend the day with her, out on the boat.

He didn't know why. He didn't know what had possessed him to pick up the phone yesterday morning and invite her along. Maybe it was the scorching hot dream he'd had about her the night before, how he'd woken up with a throbbing erection and his mind filled with her . . . No. No, it was something more than that. He just wasn't exactly sure what.

He heard the distinctive sound of flip-flops moving across the deck, then stop next to him. Lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he watched as his beautiful red-haired guest lowered herself onto the deck chair beside him. His eyes roamed over her as she settled in. Her luscious body was tucked into a simple dark purple one-piece, deeply cut in the front and exposing a generous amount of cleavage. Her smooth, pale legs stretched out . . . and he briefly imagined them wrapped around his hips. “Goddamn, Red, your body was made for staring at.”

“The cabin I changed in,” she said, ignoring his comment, “is bigger and nicer than my dressing room at the hotel. You should try to do something about that, now that I have a basis for comparison.”

He smirked as he put his sunglasses on. “I'll see what I can do.”

She put on her wide sunglasses as well. “That sun is
hot.
”

“So are you.”

She let out a little snort. “Sweet talker.”

“That is sweet, compared to what I'm thinking. I'm having some thoughts about peeling you out of that suit, and there's nothing sweet about them.” He rose from his chair and stared down at her pale skin. “Did you sunscreen yourself within an inch of your life, I hope?”

“I did.”

“Good. A complexion like that, you'll burn to a crisp otherwise.”

“Might anyway,” she said. “Half Irish plus half German equals no pigment.”

“Heritage like that sure explains the strength and stubbornness. And the temper.”

“You bet your ass.” Julia smirked and added, “Irish dad was a cop. German-Jewish mother is a social worker. Yeah, I come from pretty strong stock.”

Dane let that sink in. She'd never mentioned any of her family before now. A couple of drinks, good food, and the lull of the water must have relaxed her more than he'd realized. “Um . . .
was
? Your dad?”

“Yeah.” She didn't move or look toward him. “Killed in the line of duty when I was ten. Robbery.”

“I'm sorry,” Dane said quietly.

“Thanks,” was all she said.

He watched the breeze lightly lift and stir her hair, and the way the sun played in it, bringing out streaks of copper. Beautiful. He sat back down on the deck chair and ventured, “Do you have any siblings?”

“Two sisters.” Her voice became noticeably colder. “I'm the middle child.”

He chuckled. “That explains a lot. I was the middle child for a few years myself.”

“There's three of you, right?”

“Four, actually. Charles is two years older than me, Tess is two years younger. Then there's Pierce. He's four years younger than Tess.”

“Was he an oops?” Julia asked.

Dane smirked and admitted, “Actually, he was.”

“You don't talk about him. He wasn't at the hotel opening,” Julia noted. “Right?”

“Right. He lives in England. Professional football player—soccer to you and me—loving life. He rarely comes back to the States anymore. He and I aren't too close.”

“Ah.” Julia leisurely stretched her arms over her head. “At least you like your siblings that are here.”

“I more than like them. They're my best friends.” Dane watched the slow rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed in the sea air, slightly hypnotized. “When you grow up in a situation like we did, you tend to band together tight with those who experienced it with you.”

Julia turned her head to look at him. “A ‘situation like we did'? What does that mean?”

Dane wondered how to explain without sounding obnoxious. “Well . . . when you grow up with money like our family has, the next generation of a family legacy—that means there are expectations put on you before you're even born.” He crossed one ankle over the other and pillowed his hands under his head. “Charles has it the hardest, if you ask me—firstborn son, gets the name, becomes heir to the crown—and all the bullshit that goes along with it. Tons of pressure to do what's expected of him, to be perfect, since he was a small child. Me, not so much.”

“The heir and the spare,” Julia half-joked.

“Exactly,” Dane said. “Tess is the family's sweetheart. And then, there was Pierce, who was a troublesome kid and gave everyone hell. I cared about him, but he was so angry all the time, and a lot younger than me, so . . .” He shrugged. “Put all that together with our overbearing father and our wayward mother, and voila! The Harrisons sure put the ‘fun' in ‘dysfunction'.”

Julia was quiet.

“Needless to say, Charles, Tess, and I trust each other the most. We can be ourselves when we're together, 100 percent.” Dane shot her a sideways glance. “Make sense?”

“Absolutely,” she said. “I'm glad you have each other. Must have made it a bit easier.”

“Yes, it did. Still does sometimes.” He heard footsteps approaching as he asked her, “You get along with your sisters?”

“No,” Julia said. And that was it.

One of the two porters brought a tray with four cold bottles of water, as Dane had requested. “Anything else, Mr. Harrison?” he asked as he set them on the small table.

“No, that's it for now. Thanks.” Dane waited until he'd left before grabbing a bottle and resting it against Julia's arm. She flinched from the cold and he laughed. “Want one, Red?”

“Not yet, thank you.”

“You have to stay hydrated out here. Just saying.” He sat up to drink. He had more questions about her family, but didn't want to push. Whenever he pushed—about anything—she got edgy, then defensive. They were enjoying the day. His questions could wait. “So. You sure I can't persuade you to go for a swim with me?”

“Not happening. But you go ahead.”

He hesitated, wondering if he should go in the water or not. “Don't wanna just leave you here . . . wouldn't exactly make me a gracious host.”

“Oh, go swim,” she scoffed.

With a short laugh, he rose from the deck chair. “Aren't you going to come watch me?” he teased, with the tone of a petulant child.

She looked up at him. “I didn't think you needed an audience.” The corners of her mouth tugged up as she added, “Then again, who am I talking to. Dane Harrison, lover of the spotlight.”

With dramatic exaggeration, he put a hand to his heart as if wounded. “You mean you don't want to see the water glistening off my body in the sunlight?” he joked. “Witness my godlike prowess in the water?”

She let her head drop back and said provocatively, “I'd rather watch your gorgeous body get naked in one of these cabins. And witness your godlike prowess in bed.”

Lust kindled and flamed. He crouched down beside her. “You think I have godlike prowess in bed?”

She laughed, then said, “I plead the Fifth.”

“Well, I think
you
have godlike prowess in bed. I'll tell you that outright.”

“You tell that to all your women,” she teased.

He took off her sunglasses, made sure her gaze locked with his, and said quietly, “No, I don't.”

They stared at each other for a moment.

“I don't have a harem, or a steady string of women,” he said. “And I'm not seeing anyone while I'm . . . with you. Whatever this is. I'm not sleeping with anyone else, or seeing anyone else right now. Just for the record. Okay?”

Julia's eyes went wide, but held his gaze with a steady cool. “You can, you know,” she murmured. “If you want to. You don't owe me anything. No strings, remember?”

He gazed into her beautiful hazel eyes for a long beat before he found himself saying, “I know that. Maybe I don't want to right now.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

“You can do what you want, of course. Just letting you know that right now, that's where I'm at.”

“I'm not in the habit of sleeping with more than one man at a time,” she said. “Just for the record. Right now, you're it for me, too.”

He nodded, not knowing why that filled him with a little burst of elation, but it did.

“Just because I said ‘no strings',” she continued, still holding his gaze, “and that I like sex, doesn't mean I'm some slut who has a stable of my own, you know.”

“I never thought that,” he said. “I just meant—”

“I know what you meant,” she cut in gently. Her eyes softened a bit. “We're good, Dane.”

The sounds of the waves on the humid sea air filled in the silence as they looked at each other. Then he lowered from his crouch onto his knees at her side and pressed his lips to hers.

One of her arms slowly wrapped around his neck as he took the kiss deeper, and her other hand went to his chest. Her fingernails raked gently through the sparse hair there, circling his nipple. He nipped at her bottom lip in return.

“Is this where I get that mind-blowing birthday sex?” he asked.

She snickered. “Out here on deck? Your staff would be mortified.”

“You think I care? You forget who you're dealing with, Red.” He kissed her again as his hand cupped and squeezed her breast. Then he drew back just enough to peer into her eyes. “In fact, I dare you. I dare you to seduce me out here on the deck.”

She held his gaze for a moment. Holy Mother of God, she was considering it.

“It
is
your birthday. . . .” she said.

Adrenaline shot through him and he kissed her again, with rising passion that was getting harder to hold back. Stroking her nipple through the swimsuit, he felt it pebble and heard her breath catch. “That's right. It is.”

“But it lacks decorum,” she said with mock horror. “Not very Harrison-like.”

“I'm the good-time Harrison,” he said with a grin. “People expect a stunt like that from me. I'd hate to disappoint.”

She laughed softly and ran her hand down his chest, trailed her fingernails across his belly, and teased at the waistband. When he sucked in a breath, she smiled at the sound. His blood was heating and surging now, making his heart race and his mind cloud over. The thought of having her out in the open, with the sun beating down on them and the Sound's slight waves rocking them as they explored each other, had him almost mindless with lust. “Julia . . .” His voice was thick as he pushed her hair back from her face. “I want you out here. Now. I want you so much.”

She stared at him for a long beat, then kissed him. “Okay. If you don't care if someone catches us, why should I?” she murmured against his lips. “I'll never have to see these people again,
you
will.” Her eyes sparkled wickedly as her hand trailed down to palm his erection through his board shorts. He groaned with unbridled lust. “Come here, birthday boy.”

He tangled his hand in her hair and held her to him, capturing her mouth with hungry kisses. She pulled him down to lie on top of her.

 

 

Dane quickly toweled his body dry after showering, wanting to get back to Julia as soon as possible. Images of her riding him on the deck—her fiery hair flying in the breeze as she hovered over him, incredible breasts bobbing slowly, her eyes closed and her head back as she ground into him—flooded his mind again. She'd not only taken his dare, she'd done it with gusto. After that, they'd managed to make it to one of the cabins. They'd fallen into a queen-size bed, laughing, kissing, touching....