Chapter 30

30

I 'm a hussy. That's all there is to it.

We’re sitting in the parking lot killing time and I can't seem to tear my gaze away from Theo's hand. The tan roughness of his work-hardened palm against the soft, milky-white skin of my thigh. The sight of it is erotic. But the feel? God. I want to drag his hand between my legs and trap it there. Ride his fingers until the world disappears around me.

"What are you thinking about?" Theo asks, his voice low and husky.

I bite my lip, unsure how much of my hand I want to give away.

"Tell me, Isla."

Fuck. I clear my throat, but the words don't come, so I show him instead. I cover his hand with mine, sliding it up my thigh and opening my legs. I stop just before his hand brushes against my panties, body thrumming, chest heaving. Theo's gaze flits between my face, my panties, and the road, swallowing hard.

"That's all you were thinking of?" he asks roughly. "My hand on your thigh?"

I blow out an unsteady breath, guiding his hand over my lower stomach, the tips of his fingers sliding beneath my underwear. When I pause again, he growls, pushing his hand between my legs, his fingers easily sliding along my slit.

"You're so wet for me, Sunflower." He groans as my back arches, desperate for more contact. The ship's horn makes us both jump. Theo glances at his watch and mutters a curse under his breath. "I promise we'll finish this later, Isla, but if we don't go now, we'll miss the boat."

I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay in the car and fuck him within an inch of my life. Until we can barely breathe and can't remember our names. But I don't say that; I just watch as he pulls his hand away, licking me from his fingers like I'm the nectar of life. Making love to this man is going to be life-changing. I crave his need for control and my desire to give it up for once in my life.

"Theo—" I groan, breathing hard.

"I know. Believe me, I know." He takes my hand and pulls it to his lips, pressing a kiss to my palm. Grabbing the bag from the backseat, he walks around the car to open my door. I step out on shaky legs, clutching his arm for support.

"If my fingers on your pussy makes your knees weak, I'm going to be carrying you off the boat tomorrow," he says, his eyes dark.

"I can't wait," I manage to say, trying to get my feet to cooperate.

By the time we make it up the gangplank, I have my legs back under me, and I'm practically running, dragging him toward the boat. The ship is sleek. Navy, cream, and chrome everywhere you look. We're greeted by a waiter in a tuxedo holding a tray of champagne.

"Welcome to The Tide Runner . Please enjoy a glass of champagne, compliments of the captain. Please look for your names on the board behind me. There you will find your key. Further instructions await you in your room."

I bite my lip to keep in my grin. This is so fucking cool. Theo hands me a glass, clinking his against mine. "To a future better than anything we've ever imagined," he whispers, his gaze caressing my face as we take a sip. He grabs our room key from the hook below our names and picks up a printed diagram of the boat before guiding me toward the elevator. Crystal chandeliers shine a warm light on every surface, giving the perfect magical ambiance. It feels like we're in a movie.

"This is incredible," I say, looking at what a cute couple we make in the mirrored elevator doors.

"Yes, you are," he murmurs, his lips moving against my hair. He pulls me into the elevator the second it opens, slamming his palm on the button to close the doors before trapping me against the wall, his elbows boxing me in. His lips are on mine before the doors close.

"What is it about you?" he growls, dragging his lips along the sweep of my jaw. "I can't keep my hands off of you. All I can think about is how your skin feels beneath my fingers. We're on a beautiful yacht, and all I want to do is lock you in the bedroom and ravish you."

"I'm not opposed to that." I shiver as he rakes his teeth over my collarbone.

"We're going to have to continue these single dates forever, you know."

"Why's that?"

"Because I'm a selfish motherfucker, Isla."

The door to the elevator opens before I can respond, another couple waiting to get on. I follow Theo down the plushly carpeted hallway, running my fingertips over the textured wallpaper. Theo bites his lip as he wiggles the key in the lock, pushing the door open and scooping me into his arms before crossing the threshold. He stops just inside the door, and both of our jaws drop.

"What is this place?" I whisper, not knowing where to look as he spins us around in a circle. The room is straight out of the 1920s. Opulence and extravagance everywhere you look. He sets me down, pointing to an envelope waiting for us on a table just inside the door, our names written in elegant calligraphy on the outside. I slide my nail under the flap and pull out the card inside, angling it so Theo can read it, too.

Welcome, Theo & Isla. This evening, you are John and Anna DuPont, newlyweds here on holiday. Anna is an heiress to an oil fortune, and John is the groundskeeper she fell in love with and begged her daddy to marry. You are both tasked with finding out who committed the murder.

Please look inside your wardrobe to find your costume for dinner. You must always remain in character in public spaces until you leave the ship after lunch tomorrow.

I jump up and down, clapping my hands. "This is so much fun! Do we get anything if we guess correctly?" I ask, walking over to the built-in wardrobe and pulling it open.

"The satisfaction of knowing we're smarter than everyone else." Theo smirks, joining me. I forget what we were talking about the second my gaze lands on our outfits for the night. Theo has a tux with emerald green accents that perfectly matches the sleek, shimmery dress hanging next to it.

"Damn, they really went all out, didn't they?" I ask, pulling the dress out and admiring it. "Thank you for setting this up, Theo. I can already tell it's going to be amazing."

"Only the best for my baby," he murmurs, kissing my cheek. I can't describe what those simple words do to me. What they mean to me. I feel like my brain is melting. Every wall is crumbling down. Defenses breached.

"Look at us. How far we've come," I whisper, smiling up at him. "Who would've thought?"

"I did." His lips cover mine, and I surrender to him, softening in his arms, molding to his body, greedily soaking up every touch. This. This is what I've been waiting for my entire life. Someone who makes the world around me disappear when I'm in his arms.

"We only have thirty minutes until cocktail hour starts," Theo says once we’ve finally managed to break away from each other.

"So what exactly do we do?" I ask, pulling my dress from the hanger and laying it on the bed.

"Work together to figure out who the murderer is."

"But who was murdered?" I ask, unzipping my sundress and watching as it puddles at my feet .

"I guess we're going to find out." He walks up behind me, winding his arms around my torso and pulling me against his chest.

"Or we can stay in the room and try to murder each other with sex?" I suggest, turning to face him, biting my lip and blinking up at him innocently.

"We'll have plenty of time for that later, Sunflower."

He gathers the dinner dress in his arms, unfastening it and crouching, holding it open so I can step into it easily. I shimmy as he slides it up my body, slipping my arms through the straps. I turn to look at myself in the mirror, not able to stop myself from watching Theo instead of myself as he fastens the back, fingertips skimming my shoulder, his gaze caressing every inch of bare skin.

"Your turn," I rasp, grasping the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head. I can't stop myself from flattening my palms against his abdomen, reveling in the way his muscles jump under my touch. If I were him, I would never be able to stop looking at myself in the mirror. "You're so goddamned sexy." I drag my palms up his chest, his heartbeat strong under my hand.

"Isla, this is dangerous territory," he warns, his eyes dark, the tip of his tongue sliding over his lips.

I bite my lip to keep in a whimper, making quick work of his belt and pants, pushing them down past his ass and letting them fall to the floor. I skim my pinky along the waistband of his boxers, and he locks his fingers around my wrists, forcing my hands above my head.

"Good things come to those that wait, Sunflower."

"Is that a promise?"

"You know the answer to that," he chastises. "As long as my heart is beating, I promise I will want to ravish you until you don't remember your own name. Even when we're both ninety and can barely walk."

"Oh, God. That's terrifying."

"We'll be the luckiest men alive to grow old with you, Isla.”

"Even when I'm tucking my tits into my pants?"

"Especially then." He winks, chuckling as he releases me and pulls on the dress pants .

"Even when my freckles have turned to age spots?"

"Nothing could make me love you less, Isla." His voice is confident, sure. Like this is something that he's considered before.

My heartbeat thunders in my ears. Love. He loves me.

"Do you mean that?"

"I've never meant anything more in my entire life."

I close the distance between us, rushing into his arms. He catches me easily, spinning me around, our lips meeting like waves crashing against the shore. Rough. Electric. Inevitable.

I cradle his face in my hands, pulling back, losing myself in his eyes. "I love you too, Theo."

"Thank fuck," he breathes, the relief in his eyes making me giggle.

"Were you that worried?"

"You would be too if you were in my position, Sunflower."

I push out my bottom lip, stepping back to give him room to shrug on his shirt, sad that he's covering those glorious muscles.

"I'll do better," I promise.

"I like you just the way you are, Isla. Never change for anybody. I like the challenge." He flips up his collar, sliding a tie around his neck. “Will you tie this for me?"

I take my time tying the knot, enjoying the intimacy, my body humming. I glance up at him, my gaze narrowing on how his teeth are sunk into his bottom lip. God, those lips. Heat flares between my legs when I think about all the places those lips have been.

"If we don't leave the room now, I'm going to lock you in here and take advantage of you for the next 36 hours." I whisper, straightening his tie and stepping away from him, fanning myself with the schedule.

"I thought our escapades in the greenhouse would take the edge off a little."

"It did the opposite of that. All I can think about is how badly I want you inside me."

"God, Isla. You can't say stuff like that." He adjusts himself, trying to hide his desire.

"Theo— "

"I want this experience with you, Isla. I want to look back on this day and remember how perfect it was. I won't waste this opportunity by staying in the bedroom the whole time."

"You think that would be a waste?" I ask, slightly offended. I turn and look out the window as he puts on his shoes.

"Hey," he whispers, winding his arms around my stomach, tucking his chin against my temple. "I'm not just interested in what we can do in bed, Isla. I love being around you. You make everything light up. My life used to be black and white, and when I met you, everything turned to color. I want to experience new things with you by my side. And that includes solving murders and then coming back to the room and making love."

How does he say the perfect thing every time? Like he knows exactly what I need to hear to assuage my fears. I never would have guessed this man was inside that rock-hard, gruff exterior.

"Do you understand?" he asks, turning me toward him and tilting my chin up until my eyes meet his.

"I understand, Theo," I say, blinking back tears.

"Are you ready to solve a murder?"

"Let's do it." I don't bother to tell him that I'm going to try to solve it as fast as possible so I can drag him back up here and rip every stitch of clothing off his incredible body.