Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 94546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Yes, but the gift. Oh…” Merrick locks his gleaming eyes with me. “Did he tell you, Tivy? Do you know he’s sending Adeline and me on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy?”
“No, he didn’t tell me.” The warmness surging from my heart to my toes and back again is heard in my voice when I say, “But you deserve it, Merrick. I can’t wait to hear all about it when you come back.”
He looks prepared to tell me his itinerary now, but mercifully, his supervisor advises him it is time for the ferry to depart.
After thanking Jack again and telling me to button up my coat so I don’t catch a cold from the winds whipping off the waters, Merrick skedaddles away.
“Don’t,” Jack murmurs when I peer at him with gaga eyes. “For one, I helped Merrick purely for me, and two, I’ve had the displeasure of using a ferry bathroom once before. I don’t want to stand on a floor that filthy, much less kneel on it.”
“Kneel?”
I know what he’s referencing. I just want him to spell it out for me.
Jack shifts his eyes from the choppy waters to me before he drags his index finger down my nose. “Yes, Tivy. Kneel because the lapse in judgment that occurred yesterday in my office won’t happen again. Your needs should always come before mine.”
“Who said they didn’t?” His eyes bounce between mine, but he remains as quiet as a church mouse. “Getting you off was extremely arousing for me, Jack. I was drenching wet and could barely sit still for the rest of the day.” I don’t help my cracked lips—compliments of a windy day—by dragging my teeth over my lower one, but it can’t be helped. When you need to bring out the sex pot, you bring her out. “I may have also used the visual as stimulation last night before you arrived.”
Jack fans out his suit jacket before scooting to the edge of his seat. His knee brushes mine when he angles himself to face me front on. “You did what?”
I wait a beat, building the suspense before purring out, “I pleasured myself.”
“With the toys in your drawer?” His words crack out of his mouth like a whip.
Ignoring the insane pulse between my legs, I nod.
“While thinking about me?”
I nod again.
“Did you come?” When I delay in answering him, he repeats, “Did you come, Octavia?” louder this time.
He looks more relieved than disappointed when I shake my head. “The visual was enticing, but why fake it when you can get the real deal.”
With the hand resting on his trouser-covered thigh, I teasingly graze my index finger near his extended crotch. I’m not close to touching the prize, but you wouldn’t know that for the way Jack reacts. He leaps to his feet, snags my hand in his, then bolts for the exit.
Regretfully for us both, he’s too late. The boat has already departed.
That doesn’t stop Jack from trying, though. “I need the boat returned to port.”
“Jack, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t alter the route to suit yourself.”
“Like hell I can’t.” There’s no malice in his tone. No anger. He is quite playful. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
His lips twitch when I mutter, “Only five days ago, no… I didn’t.”
God, it is truly shocking to think we only met five days ago. It seems like so much longer.
“And if I were to believe the rumors, my hotshot boss might be smoking hot, but he doesn’t take kindly to tardiness.” Either flattered by my compliment or unable to negate my claims he isn’t usually as carefree as he is right now, Jack remains quiet. “Come on. We both know we’re not playing hooky today. We’ll have enough rumors to contend with, let’s not add more heat to the flames.”
Once I get Jack back to our seats, I try to lessen the bristling of tension that forever teems between us by steering our thoughts away from our insatiable need to fuck. “You disclosed last night that your mother is Hawaiian, but there was no mention of your father. Is he around?”
I want to settle the electricity surging between us, and my question does exactly that. In an instant, Jack’s face deadpans, and his hands ball into fists. “He’s around. Just not in an emotional sense.”
“So financially?” I ask, reading between the lines.
He scoffs out a laugh. “If you’re asking if he is who I got the capital off to start my company, you’re sniffing the wrong fire hydrant, Octavia.”
I remain quiet, hopeful he will continue without prompting.
Mercifully, he does a few shallow breaths later.
“Marissa and I have the same mother but different fathers. Marissa’s dad was killed on duty when she was eight. My father was his lieutenant.” He drags his hand over his head, making my fingers green with envy before he mutters, “Someone’s title isn’t always synonymous with their reputation.”