By the time they reached the ship, Rai was famished. It had been a full day.“Are you hungry?” asked Z.“Yes, I am.”“Would you consider sharing dinner with me?”“Only if it occurs in a dark, quiet place away from people,” she said, rubbing her forehead. “Headache?” he asked.“Yes, too much light, too many things to concentrate on. Being blind can be a real downer sometimes.”“My mum had the same problem. I’ll fix you a tonic that seemed to work for her. Then, I’ll order us some food.”“I need to shower and change into something comfortable.”“You can grab what you need from your cabin, then shower in mine.”She stiffened. “Umm,”“Relax, Rai. I’m not going to ravish you. My shower is larger than yours, and I have a hot tub that might help calm you a bit.”Her head pounded, and right now a hot bath was exactly what she wanted. She nodded and allowed him to guide her to her cabin.Z watched as she skirted around the room like an efficient robot programmed to know exactly wher
Z returned to his cabin, a feeling of elation lightening his steps. He had given Rai a chaste kiss on her soft cheek before telling her what time he would be by tomorrow.Two days, he smiled inwardly. They will be the best two days of her life, and possibly his.After pouring himself a bourbon, he sat down with his computer and made his plans. He had not been this excited about anything since the time he helped plan his parent’s fiftieth anniversary. The smile that agenda had placed on his mum’s face was something Z would never forget. Both of them had come home with stories to tell, and memories that lasted the end of their days.His father had shown such appreciation; it had set Z aback. As the middle son, he had never been Father’s favorite, and always felt a bit like the odd man out. Z was much closer to his mum than his older brother and younger sister. They stayed closer to the money and knew Father was looking to hand them down his enterprise.Z never wanted a part of Taylor
The yacht docked just as Rai finished the last of her coffee.“Ready?” asked Z.Rai took his offered hand and her white cane. He led her to a door. The moment it opened, they were greeted with a warm breeze and the heat of the sun. She looked up at the sky. “Must be a beautiful day.”“Absolutely perfect,” said Z. “Not a cloud in the sky.”Derrick accompanied them to the dock, then slipped a set of keys to Z. “Your car awaits you in parking lot A, sir.”“Thank you Derrick.” Z gripped Rai’s hand tighter as they ascended the dock. “I thought you might like to do a bit of shopping before we head out.”“I don’t really need anything,” she said.“Most of what they sell here is not purchased out of need, Rai. Everything is handmade by the locals. They are more like treasures than needs.”Rai frowned, wondering what types of trinkets she would find. She really was not one for jewelry or dust collectors. Perhaps she could buy something for Anna?“There are three other cruise lines in po
Lord, she was beautiful. Never had Z met a woman who experienced so much pleasure from a simple drive. These two days may prove to be more dangerous than he had anticipated.She handled the two-hour hike like a seasoned pro, as he described the beauty around them. She scented a Jeffery pine and reveled in its strong maple aroma. Odd seeing one this far north. The last time he experienced the hearty tree was in Oregon. He didn’t think they grew in this region.The trail he chose was flat and easy, but the destination was the real reason for taking it.“Oh!” she exclaimed, stopping short and closing her eyes. “There is a lake out there.”“How do you know that?”“The air carries its scent, and the sound ripples off the surface. By the echo, I’d say we were in some kind of a canyon—a rather large canyon that opens at the far end.” She pointed to where the canyon widened, lending a magnificent view of a distant mountain.“Yes, you have just accurately described Perseverance Lake. At t
The evening ended with a fine dinner and an hour of dancing. The exertion had put a healthy color to her cheeks that Z wanted to kiss. “I’m exhausted,” she claimed, holding his arm more closely than usual.“Are you up for a nightcap?”She hesitated, her grip tightening on his arm. “I had a really good time today,” she said, avoiding the question.“As did I.” Sensing her indecision, he turned left at the end of the corridor and led her back to her cabin.She opened the door and turned to face him. Her scent rose up like a siren’s call. Without thought, he pulled her into him and lowered his lips onto hers. Lord, they were soft as rose petals and tasted like port. She opened to him, inviting him to explore and taste her more thoroughly. He groaned, deepening the kiss.She did not fight him, nor did she pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and matched his ardor with uncompromising freedom. Like everything else in her life, she savored him with her entire being.He p
Rai sank down in the bath she and Z were sharing, relishing in his soft caresses as he washed her feet and legs. Her body was elated and satisfied beyond any measure she could ever remember.“Is there anything in this life you do not enjoy completely?”She heard the smile in his voice and opened her eyes in response. “Many things.”“I’ve never known a woman so open in her love making,” he said.Rai sat up. “Z, that was sex, nothing more.”“Easy, Rai. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just saying that it was refreshing to have a woman give herself with such abandonment.”Relaxing a bit, she sank back down. “You can thank my parents for that.” She smiled thinking of them and felt that deep familiar pain of not having seen them in far too long. Cliff would use them to find her. So long as her family did not know her whereabouts, they were safe.“Tell me about them?” He began massaging her foot.She loved talking about them, but there was only so much she could say without revealin
Come morning, they had docked in Juneau. Z and Rai enjoyed a quick meal in his cabin before taking the cruiser to shore.A driver picked them up and they now sat beside each other in silence. Z took her hand, rubbing it gently with his thumb. “You’re very quiet this morning,” he said.She managed a smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m a bit tired, I suppose.”“Would you prefer to rest?” She shook her head. “No.”“I think you’re going to like what I have planned today.”She didn’t reply and Z was growing tired of her melancholy mood. How long were they going to dance around the muck of emotions between them? “Talk to me.”She sucked in a breath, feigned a smile, and asked, “What are we doing today?”Her steel-gray eyes were a perfect match to the light-gray sweater she wore. It was an elegant number with pale blue cable stitching down each side, accentuating her long torso and slender figure. Blue jeans completed the outfit. He was glad to see she had worn better shoes for th
After a full day of touring museums and the local pub, Rai and Z returned to his cabin.He had a meat and cheese platter delivered to his room, along with fresh fruit and a bottle of Borolo. She dried her hair as she strolled from the bathroom to find Z staring out of the open window. The sea breeze carried his scent. Without a word, she sat on a chair beside him. He handed her a glass of wine.They drank in continued silence. Neither of them were very hungry; either because of the beer and hog wings they ate earlier or the dismal mood clouding their evening. It was their last night, and she didn’t want it to end.“I had a good time, today,” she said, hoping to lighten his spirits.The smile on his face brightened his response. “That was my goal, sweetling.”Sweetling, she repeated internally. No one had ever called her that before. Just then, she felt that old familiar pang in the pit of her chest. “Z, perhaps I should stay in my cabin tonight. Both of—”“No!” His sharp reply ma