She didn’t want the night to end and knew it wouldn’t if she gave him the lovemaking go-ahead when they got home. “It’s still fairly early.”
“Yes, and our journey is not over yet.”
“Are we going to watch the staff clean up now?”
He released a low laugh. “No. We have somewhere else to go.”
“Where?”
He brushed another quick kiss across her lips. “That is a surprise.”
“You’re certainly full of those tonight.”
“This surprise happens to be the best one of all.”
* * *
A yacht. A white four-level yacht moored at the exclusive marina’s dock, the likes of which Kira had never seen up close and personal.
She glanced to her left to discover Tarek looked very proud of the monstrous boat. “Is this yours?”
“It is,” he said as he clasped her hand to guide her up the gangplank. “And as you mentioned earlier, we will be enjoying a moonlit cruise.”
Clearly she’d become clairvoyant. “That sounds like a marvelous idea.” And a chance to make a few more memorable moments before she lowered the baby boom.
When they reached the entry and Tarek opened the door, a gray-haired man dressed in navy-blue military-like garb greeted them with a smile. “Good evening, Mr. Azzmar,” he said, his voice hinting at an Australian accent. “You’ve picked a beaut of a night for a ride. Hope you brought your bathers.”
“We will not be swimming tonight, Max. We will enjoy the sea from the deck.”
“That you will.” He aimed his grin at Kira. “Who might this lovely lady be?”
She offered her hand to the presumed captain. “I’m Kira, Mr. Azzmar’s personal assistant.”
Max looked her up and down. “I’d be looking for another job if my boss made me dress that way for work. Not that I’m personally complaining.”
“I believe it is time to set out,” Tarek said. “Otherwise we will be taking a daylight cruise.”
The man’s pleasant expression indicated he wasn’t at all concerned with Tarek’s somewhat irritable tone. “Yes, sir. We’ll be off right away.”
After Max ascended a staircase across the way, Kira surveyed her surroundings. To her right, a series of white leather built-in sofas butted up to a bank of windows, accompanied by black tables and nautical-themed accessories. To her left, another staircase led upstairs and one led to a lower floor, both backlit in blue with glass guardrails. Beyond that, she spied what appeared to be another living area with black high-end furniture set out on the sleek white porcelain floor. She’d learned one important fact about Tarek. He liked black and white—and that seemed to suit his personality.
“How many bedrooms and baths does this house-sized boat have?” she asked.
“Three bedrooms on the lower deck,” he replied. “Six baths. One on the swim deck, one on the bridge deck, one here on the main deck, and three attached to the bedrooms.”
Kira couldn’t imagine having to clean six bathrooms. She couldn’t imagine how much the yacht cost, either, though she suspected probably in the millions. “I haven’t seen a maid yet.”
“I have a staff of stewards, but they have been dismissed for the night.”
“Then it’s just us and Max?”
“Correct.”
Essentially they were completely alone except for the captain. No one to disturb them. That both excited and worried her. The way she’d felt in his arms on the dance floor hadn’t dissipated in the least. “So what now?”
“I will pour us each a glass of champagne and we will enjoy it on the aft deck.”
“No champagne,” she said a little more forceful than necessary.
He gave her a quizzical look. “As I recall, we shared several glasses of wine in the past.”
She searched her brain for a logical excuse. “True, but I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle. Also, I put on a few pounds lately so I’ve decided to lay off the alcohol.” Of course, the way she’d eaten in his presence would most likely lead to the conclusion she needed to lay off food in general.
“I would not have guessed you had put on any weight,” he said. “But far be it for me to involve myself in a woman’s decisions when it comes to personal choices.”
Whew. She’d definitely dodged a bullet for now. “I would love a glass of sparkling water if you have some available.”
“I do. Follow me.”
As Tarek walked into the second living area, Kira trailed behind him until he paused and rounded an elaborate built-in bar with silver quartz countertops and shelves full of premier liquors. She waited nearby while he opened the stainless-steel refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of the finest champagne a large sum of money could buy. After he filled a flute with the wine, he reached beneath the bar and withdrew a green bottle of sparkling water, poured some in a high-ball glass and topped it off with two ice cubes.