Chapter Nine
Georgia waited on the stern of the ship, sipping on the fruity concoction a staff member had given her. The bottom of her sheer swimsuit cover flapped in the warm breeze. Looking out upon the shoreline, she inhaled deeply and relished the heat of the sun on her face. She was pretty sure she’d never seen a more beautiful afternoon in New York.
The opportunity to spend it aboard Alaric’s luxurious yacht was just the cherry on top. It was becoming more and more obvious that business had been good to him. She didn’t remember his parents owning such luxuries. They had been a middle-class suburban type family, much like her own. His mom was a teller at the local bank and his dad sold used cars. Alaric must’ve really turned his grandfather’s clothing store into something wonderful to be able to afford all this.
“Ahem…”
She turned around at the deep clearing of a throat to see Alaric standing near the deck chairs. Georgia felt her cheeks warm as she took in the expanse of his bare muscular chest and tapered abdomen. He’d changed into a pair of navy blue board shorts with a white anchor pattern that hung dangerously low on his trim hips. She averted her eyes, afraid that if she stared any longer she was going to burst into flames.
“I’m glad to see you found yourself something to wear,” she said into the drink, willing her heart to slow down. “I didn’t want to be the only one enjoying the sun.”
She dared to look over at him again and found him staring at her legs. His gaze traveled up her body until they made eye contact again and she felt her heart leap into her throat. Surely, she hadn’t just caught him checking her out.
A disapproving frown formed on his lips and immediately those thoughts were crushed. He rubbed his hands together and grabbed onto the back of the chair he stood partially behind. “Feel free to lay out on the deck chairs. I’ll have someone bring you a towel.”
She cocked her head to one side, hearing the uncomfortable tone in his voice. It was then that she realized he was hiding behind the deck furniture, his legs blocked from sight. She set her drink on a nearby table and approached him slowly, her sandals clicking on the hard wooden deck.
“Surely, you’re not going to make me enjoy this day all by myself,” she said, giving him a soft smile.
He retreated around the chair as she approached, his smooth sculpted chest rising in a deep breath. “I’m not sure I’ll be much fun. I have to get some work done for my board. And then there’s this conference call…”
Georgia placed a hand on his arm and he froze. As she looked down at his feet, she could feel him tense. Her gaze drifted over his legs down to the black metal prosthetic of his right foot. Muscle and metal flowed together seamlessly just below his knee. The metal formed a gentle curve of a muscular calf and ankle down to a hinged joint and perfectly fashioned foot. There was nothing ugly or obscene about the sight. In fact, she’d be willing to bet that more money and design went into that metal leg than in the sexy, sleek car he’d driven them in to the pier.
“Come on, Metal Man, have a little fun,” she said, smiling back up at him.
The blood had drained from his face. His dark eyes searched hers, as if waiting for a sign of d
isgust. Her heart wanted to reach out to him — to smooth the worry lines from his forehead and tell him it didn’t matter to her. But that was assuming a lot out of Alaric, starting with the fact that he even cared what she thought.
Instead, her smile brightened and she tapped him lightly on the chest. “You got me out of work for the day. It’s only fair that I return the favor.”
Hesitation flashed in his eyes. She bit her bottom lip and squeezed his arm, hoping he saw her pure motivations. He had no reason to be nervous around her. They were already in a business deal that no one else knew about. He could trust her.
“Were you always this persuasive?” he asked, his lips forming a reluctant grin. “Or, is that new since high school?”
“That’s new.” She beamed at him and took his hand, leading him toward the part of the balcony currently draped in warm sunlight. They laid down in two reclining chairs next to each other and she turned on her side to face him. “You know, a lot’s changed since high school.”
“Yeah, you learned how to speak,” he replied, shooting her a crooked grin that made her heart skip. “I seem to remember you as the girl who would squeak whenever I came around. I’m glad to know you found your voice.”
Her jaw dropped and she swatted at his shoulder. “That’s not fair. I was a music geek and two years younger. You were the hot senior jock. You can’t blame me for not knowing how to talk to you.”
He turned to face her, his abs flexing with the movement. She tried to keep her eyes glued to his face, but that was proving more difficult than she’d imagined.
“You thought I was a hot senior jock? Georgia Weber, did you have a crush on me?”
She snapped her jaw closed and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. “No. Of course not. I mean, that was a long time ago. I’m not sure I even remember…”
The devious twinkle in his eyes said it all. He didn’t believe her.
“Well, it’s just too bad you never told me,” he said, flipping onto his stomach to let the rays warm his muscular back. “Because I thought you were pretty cute, too. Back then.”
Her stomach jolted and Georgia tried hard to hide the smile that cracked on her lips. Alaric Hammond had thought she was cute. If only she had known, then maybe…
No, that was wrong. Even if she’d known, she never would’ve been brave enough to approach him. The girl she was back then was worlds away from rock star Gigi Weber, who enthralled crowds with her music and bumped shoulders with celebrities. Still, that same old nervousness bubbled deep inside her stomach. She hadn’t lost it — she’d just learned to cover it up with makeup and confidence classes.
“I have to ask a question though,” Alaric said, bringing her back to planet Earth. He watched her with an amused expression. “It’s obvious why you liked me—” he chuckled softly at his own joke “—but what in the world could you have seen in that guy, Vance? Because, believe me, he doesn’t seem like much of a catch for anyone, let alone a woman like you.”
Georgia wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She leaned back in her chair, feeling mixed emotions wash over her. On one hand, her heart rejoiced that Alaric thought she was too good for him. On the other, just the very mention of Vance’s name made her want to suck down that sugary fruit drink she’d left on the table and wash it down with a handful of salty treats.