A Touch of Death Ch. 04

"Why don't you enjoy the sun while I get us to deep water?" he asked.

I spared a look for the sun-filled prow of the boat. "I shouldn't..."

He smiled. "We have all afternoon. Go enjoy the sun. I even brought up a towel and sunscreen for you." He gestured to the bench next to him.

"How did you set all this up? This must be an expensive boat to loan out to someone."

He shrugged and grinned nonchalantly. "I have my ways. Go enjoy the sun while you can. I'll let you know when I'm about to heave to."

The corners of my mouth twitched up. "Okay."

I stepped carefully onto the bow deck and, lacking a lounge chair, I spread the towel out. A glance back told me I had an appreciative audience of one. That set off another roil of anxiety in the pit of my stomach. I was seriously conflicted. Part of me wanted the attention and the rest of me was unsure of what to do about it.

And, to add to the pressure, I was about to do the next best thing to stripping in front of him. I hadn't considered how little my bikini covered before I decided to wear it. However I decided to unwrap the package, he would be watching and I would be sending some kind of message. I wish I had some idea what I wanted to say.

There was an almost static tingle across my shoulders as I turned my back and pulled off my blouse. I could feel his eyes caressing me. My mind flashed back to the rug and fire, but now substituted a boat alone on a large lake. I firmly pushed the image away, but the reality, possibility, of it caused goose bumps to rise on my arms. My mind might not be sure what it wanted but my body knew what it liked.

I could feel his gaze drop as I stepped out of my shorts. Realizing I was displaying myself for Ty made my face and neck flush. I kicked my shoes off and picked up the suntan lotion and began spreading it across my face, arms, front, and legs. I was doing my ankles when it occurred to me just what a view I must be giving Ty. With a smile only for myself, I decided I liked it.

"Let me do you."

I straightened abruptly and looked back over my shoulder uncertainly at him.

"Your back," he said dryly. "I wouldn't want you to burn."

I shook my head and smiled ruefully. "You're a troublemaker, Tyrone Walker."

He smiled and bowed grandly. "At your service, Milady."

I made my way back to him, handed him the lotion, and turned to face the side of the boat. The sound the lotion made as he squirted it into his hands almost made me laugh. It sounded disgusting the way he did it.

Then his hands touched my shoulders.

It was like an electric spark jumped from him and shot right down to the middle of my being. When he started rubbing those slick, warm fingers across my back I felt like a flame had turned on inside me. Sudden intense heat. My vision started to sparkle and I realized I'd stopped breathing. I took a ragged breath.

"You know how to moisturize a girl," I teased him. I blushed when I realized the different ways that could be taken.

His voice was smug and his breath was hot when he leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "I know how to do a surprising number of things; moisturizing just happens to be one of my specialties." His rough stubble rubbing across my neck did excruciating things inside me. It astonished me how badly I wanted him.

I knew if I wanted to keep what dignity I could salvage and avoid just pulling him to the deck and having my way with him, I needed to put some space between us right away. I stepped away from him and half turned. "I think you've moistened me up enough to take some sun. Thanks."

Judging from his eyes he'd felt the heat, too. "Anytime. Anytime at all."

I rearranged the angle of the towel and lay on my back. With my eyes closed, the world seemed to exist only as a golden glow. I focused my thoughts back to how his hands had felt as they glided over my flesh and concealed a sigh. What was wrong with me? I should either want this or not. Instead I was second guessing everything.

It seemed like I had only had my eyes closed a minute when Ty shook my arm gently. My eyes popped open and I sat up abruptly. I'd fallen asleep.

"Lunch is ready, Milady."

On a tablecloth next to us was a scrumptious looking meal of cold meats and cheese with a chilled bottle of wine and two glasses standing at the ready.

"It looks wonderful," I said, stretching my arms high above my head and arching my back. "You've made this a magical moment. Do you have after-lunch plans, too?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes dark and mysterious. "Oh, yes."

That sent another warm shiver through me.