The Tycoon's Proposition

He tossed the covers aside and rolled over. She pushed his pajama legs to the knee, then got started. At one point she sat down so she could do both legs at once. Loving him as much as she did, it was ecstasy to be able to worship him with her hands.

“That feels like heaven. Don’t ever stop.”

She kept up the rhythm until she heard the deep, even sounds of his breathing. Very carefully she put the covers over him. He’d fallen asleep.

Terri knew he needed it badly. Her husband would have to be up and ready to go by six-thirty for a day that would go down in history, starting with the ship’s christening.

Ben explained that Captain Rogers’ wife would have that honor. Once she’d broken the champagne bottle against the hull of the Atlantis, their voyage would begin around the tip of South America.

Fifteen hours later Terri stood alone against the railing on the promenade deck with the stiff breeze blowing her tangerine-colored suit skirt against her legs. The shipyard and pier had long since faded from view.

Ben had arranged for both their families to ride in one of the many tugboats that followed the Atlantis for a distance. As Ben had stood behind her, he’d put his binoculars in her hands. She’d been able to find their boat and see their faces.

Together they’d taken turns watching and waving until all the boats became mere specks on the horizon. The whole time Ben had wrapped his free arm around her neck while they’d stood locked against the railing. She’d felt cocooned in the warmth of his hard body and legs. Several times he’d buried his face in her hair.

Emotions had to have been running rampant inside him. Joy, excitement, relief that everything was going perfectly. Terri was so thankful that he was alive to see this day come, she hadn’t been able to stop the tears from falling.

“You can see your family whenever you want,” he’d whispered against her ear. For once he hadn’t been able to divine her thoughts, but she was glad for that. Better to let him go on believing it was a wrench to leave her loved ones. He still didn’t know he had become her whole world.

The ship was in open sea now.

Terri had taken two different ferries with her family when they’d visited the Puget Sound area of Washington on vacation, but she’d never experienced being on an ocean going vessel before. The motion of the ship would take some getting used to, however she didn’t feel queasy or anything.

Before Ben had left her side to join Carlos and the chief engineer for an inspection now that they were underway, he’d urged her to take some seasickness

tablets, just in case. To humor him, she said she’d try one as soon as she returned to their condo. He’d pressed a kiss to her neck before walking away.

But that was several hours ago, and she was still in their same spot near the bow with other condo residents, watching the ocean in rapt wonder, trying to take it all in. A blimp from one of the major television networks filming the unprecedented event was still following their progress.

With the sky overcast, the water appeared a grayer blue today. According to Ben, they were headed into bad weather. He was looking forward to it, anxious to see how the Atlantis handled before they reached Buenos Aires on the Atlantic side of the great South American continent. There they would take on more condo owners.

When her stomach growled, she left her vigil and went back to the condo for a sandwich and a change into casual clothes and sneakers. Then she headed for the hospital, eager to see Juanita’s baby.

En route she received a call from the cargo hold. Where did she want her belongings taken?

It shouldn’t have surprised her business was going on as usual, even on their first day at sea. That meant her plan to visit the nursery would have to be put off for a while.

She told them she’d be right there and headed in the direction of the hold. Of course being right there took a little time on a ship four thousand feet long.

Beth, bless her heart, had organized the packing. She’d labeled the boxes, kitchen, study, living room, bedroom, bathroom. That made it easy. Everything was to go to the condo except the boxes marked study. Terri accompanied the latter to her new place of business and sent the rest upstairs.

Once she got started opening everything, she lost track of time. John Reagan saw what was going on and came in to help her set up her desk and computer. She felt guilty about taking him away from his work and told him she could do everything just fine.

“Hey— I put a sign on the door that if anyone needed me, just look inside here. So far no one has come, so show me what you want done next.”

“Well—that big crate has my love seat in it.”

“Let me run back for my tool kit.”

He returned in a flash. While they worked he asked her about Juanita. When Terri told him what had happened he said, “Have you seen the baby yet?”

“No. But I will after I’m through here.”

He laughed. “What a wake-up call for the hospital!”

Terri could still see the shock on her husband’s face when he’d found out. “I’m sure it was…” Her voice trailed.

“Okay—what shall I do next?”