AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A rush of arousal ran through my body as his hand inched higher up my thigh and I dropped my head back the moment his fingers skimmed my clit. I groaned.
“I wish I could finish what I’ve started, but we really must leave now if we’re going to make it.” His breath tickled my ear but I’d heard every word.
“Where are we going?” I asked, tossing an arm over my eyes as Luke crawled out of bed to open the long white drapes.
Someone knocked on the door.
“That must be breakfast. I’ll get it.”
Luke stepped out of the bedroom and I listened to muffled voices in the other room. Reaching for my blue shorts and a gray t-shirt, I changed and met Luke at the round breakfast table by the balcony. The savory aroma of something meaty and familiar made my stomach growl. “Is that bacon?”
“Yep. And scrambled eggs, just the way you like them.”
I smiled, pleased that he’d remembered. “So, what’s the rush this morning?” I asked, filling my plate. Luke poured me a cup of coffee.
“The pilot I hired to take us to Saint-Tropez leaves in an hour. I paid him well to work on a Sunday, but it’s his daughter’s birthday party this afternoon.”
Both Luke and I didn’t grow up with our dads so hearing a man rushing back home for his child’s birthday struck a chord with both of us because we both nodded at the same time as though we agreed we’d not allow him to miss that.
The pilot turned out to be a jovial man, with a hearty laugh and a thick French accent. He was excited to see Luke again. I couldn’t recall when Luke said he’d been to Paris last, but Luke had a way of making everyone feel special. After receiving a clap on the shoulder from Luke, the pilot put on his headphones and flew us down to the south of France.
It was difficult to describe the colors of the Mediterranean sea. Deep blue hues saturated the middle of the ocean, but there were also green patches in the deepest parts and light blue ones near the shore.
A black sedan waited for us on the tarmac and drove us to the marina. Luke held my hand the entire time and my chest puffed out as I inhaled and relaxed on the exhale. I had never been on holiday and this jet-setting weekend seemed more like a fantasy than a reality.
I leaned into Luke’s side and slipped my arms around his stomach. He pulled me in closer and held me tight. Without saying a word, I felt his breathing hitch and he lowered his head to kiss the top of mine.
When we reached the dock, I stared at the enormous white yacht in front of me. There were three levels, with handrails around at least two of them. The floorboards looked like light brown wood but I guessed were most likely laminate for the water. The front of the yacht had a white sunbed while the second floor had an entire canopied lounging set.
“Are you ready to set sail, Ms. Sweeney?”
“Do you even know how to drive this thing?”
“Your lack of faith in me only makes me want to show off more, you know that, right?”
“I do now,” I laughed and took his hand as he helped me step onto the boat.
Luke flipped some switches and turned a large wheel. My body lurched forward while Luke steered the yacht out of the marina.
It took only a few minutes to reach open waters and Luke pushed the boat faster. The wind whipped my hair and I tasted the salty breeze on my lips. My shoulders relaxed and I turned to look at the coast behind us. I could barely make out the figures anymore, their bodies tiny beings that moved back and forth. It was only eleven in the morning, but with no cloud in the sky to block the sun, the heat became unbearable. I removed my t-shirt, revealing a tiny red bikini, and caught Luke’s gaze on my body. He didn’t smile and I worried he would crash the boat with his focus on me. “Are you paying attention to where you’re going?”
“Nope. My attention is all on you right now.”
His words boosted my ego. I unbuttoned my jean shorts and dragged them down to my knees, where they fell onto the deck. Stepping out of my clothes, I walked up to the front of the boat and laid a towel on the sunbed. I crawled on top, my stomach on the towel, and watched Luke steer. Kicking my legs up in the air, I hid my smile. He shook his head but laughed.
The boat slowed down and then came to a halt in the middle of the ocean. I turned my head to look for the shore, but I couldn’t see it. Luke vaulted over the top of the railing and reached me in two strides.
He picked up the bottle of sunscreen from my bag and squeezed a large amount into the palm of his hand. The cream felt cool on my shoulders and I closed my eyes as his hands rubbed the protection across my back and then down my legs.
“Thank you,” I said as he wiped his hands on a towel. He dropped beside me, looking up at the sky. A smile played on his lips.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“Me. You. The future.”
A part of me wanted to high-five him while another worried we were moving too quickly. We’d only just started talking again and if we continued dating, would he want to move in together? What would that mean for my mother? Would he want to put her in a nursing home? I wouldn’t accept that. No way.
Luke laughed. “I can feel you thinking from here.” He grabbed my hand and rubbed his thumb along mine. “Relax, Grace. You don’t have to overanalyze this one. We will take this slowly and at your pace.”
