NautiCal (Forever Wilde 8)

Worth glanced up from where he’d been leaning over the bed arranging his pillows a certain way. When he saw me standing there in my underwear, he did a funny kind of double take.

“Uhn,” he said. “That’s… good.”

I couldn’t quite tell if he was talking about Prescott’s cheater status or the way I looked in my boxer briefs. Either way, his cheeks looked pinker, but it could have been a trick of the dim lighting from the bedside lamps.

It didn’t matter. I took my turn in the bathroom, marveling not for the first time at how fancy everything was. The bathroom was sleek and modern with two sinks, marble counters, and a giant, glass-enclosed shower. I brushed my teeth and washed the salty air off my face and neck before making sure the bathroom was as clean as I’d found it.

When I stepped back into the stateroom, I found Worth typing away on his laptop. He’d changed into sleep pants and was noticeably, deliciously shirtless. Since his back was to me, I was able to drink my fill as I fumbled my way into bed. The sound of his fingers clicking away on the keyboard lulled me into a half sleep.

“Something important going on at work?” I murmured when I realized he was doing more than just checking email.

“Hm? Oh, yes, well… there’s an interesting company I’ve had my eye on for a while. My assistant messaged me an update about the company getting closer to needing another round of funding. If so, I’ll have to decide if I want to pull the trigger on investing in them or not.”

“Any reason not to?”

He swiveled around in the chair to face me. My eyes were immediately drawn to his hairy chest and the soft, barely there swell of his belly. Why did I look like a drunk blowfish after a big meal while he looked like a sexy, cuddly teddy bear? It was hardly fair.

Worth sighed and ran fingers through his dark hair. “I’m not sure the world is ready for this technology yet.”

“What’s the technology?”

I could see the excitement in his eyes. “It’s a company that’s almost perfected electronic paper.”

I blinked at him, surprised by the information he’d shared. I knew from a quick Google search on my phone earlier this afternoon that Jonathan Worthington owned a successful venture capital firm called Spinnaker Capital, and I also knew from my brother Hudson what that meant. “What’s electronic paper?”

Worth clasped his hands together and leaned forward until his forearms were resting on his thighs. “It’s kind of like if a Kindle was a thin sheet of paper. You would read the newspaper on it, then it could change to your utility bill or the contract you need to sign for work or your child’s homework assignment. Imagine sitting at an attorney’s office to sign a stack of legal paperwork related to a real estate closing and there was only one piece of paper on the table. This technology would replace much of the paper we use over time. The concept is brilliant. It has the ability to change the environmental impact of the paper and pulp industry, and I want to be a part of it. It’s why I’ve been watching and waiting for them to get to this point.”

I turned onto my side to face him. “Then go for it. What do you have to lose?”

He cracked a smile. “One hundred and eighteen million dollars.”

I almost choked on the amount. “Oh,” I squeaked. “Oh, right.” This discussion was officially over my pay grade, and I wanted out. “Well, then. Something to think about, I guess. But maybe do your thinking tomorrow. The brain gears are awfully loud on your side of the room right now, and I need my beauty sleep.”

He stood up and stretched, displaying the bare front of his body in a way that made me want to whimper and beg. Just one touch. Just one taste. That was all I needed.

“We’re diving tomorrow, then checking out the Baths,” Worth said, moving around to the bathroom. “Any particular sites you’d recommend?”

I thought about what we were close to. “Yeah, actually. Mountain Point is a good one. It’s on the lee side of the island and has lots of sharks and eels. Big-ass lobster. There’s also the Invisibles. That’s the one with the rocky peak that juts out almost to the surface of the water. You can usually spot turtles there, and I can show you a cave full of glassy sweepers.”

He chuckled as he entered the bathroom.

“Why are you laughing at me?” I called after him.

He turned back around and grinned at me. “You offered to show me a cave of glassy sweepers. It reminded me of last night when you kept talking about euphemisms.”

I groaned and threw my head back on the pillow. “As if I’d ever invite you into my cave,” I muttered to myself.