9. Roxie
Imentally slapped my creative brain from that horrifying thought when Henry’s gorgeous lips formed into a delightful smile.
“You’ll see.”
He parked the car, raced around to open my door, and helped me out of the low bucket seat. Hand in hand, he led me through the shopping complex filled with high-class boutiques well outside my budget. Not that I’d shop at them even if I could.
Henry was probably a frequent customer of such retail outlets, and once again, I considered that he was well outside my league. I’d lived on the Gold Coast for twelve years, yet I’d never felt the need to visit this area.
We passed through a series of swanky restaurants bustling with lunchtime crowds. I expected him to enter any one of the doorways along the way, but instead, we stepped outside again and onto the boardwalk. I was grateful I’d worn flat shoes because I probably would have put my heel through one of the gaps in the wood.
Boats lined the wharf, and it seemed the further we walked, the grander the boats became. When he led me off the main boardwalk and onto one of the floating pontoons, my heart began to skip as I considered that he might actually be taking me onto one of the boats.
I’d never been on a boat before.
Henry waved ahead, and I followed his gaze to a man standing alongside a yacht nestled into the end berth. My heart galloped, and my head spun as I anticipated what was happening.
“Hey, Nicholas.” The two men shook hands and then clapped each other on the back like only good mates would.
“I’d like you to meet Roxie.”
“Hello. Now, don’t you get fooled by Henry; he’s a total bastard.” Nicholas broke into fits of laughter, clearly pleased with his joke. Hopefully, it was a joke.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s just jealous.”
“You betcha I am. Last time I had such a beautiful woman aboard Experience was when Pamela Anderson’s boobs filled our screens on Baywatch.” Henry laughed, and I did too.
“You’re showing your age now, Nick.”
“Bit bloody hard to hide it.” Nicholas removed his hat and ran his hand over his bald scalp. “Not all of us are as lucky as you.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Permission to climb aboard Experience.”
“Of course, she’s all yours, skipper.” Nicholas eased back and indicated for me to step onto the boat. “Ladies first.”
Holding Henry’s hand, I stepped onto a teak deck that looked like it had just been washed. Henry and Nicholas shared a bit more conversation before they shook hands again, and Henry said goodbye.
He climbed aboard and wriggled his eyebrows at me. “What do you think?”
“It’s magnificent. Do you know how to drive it?”
He chuckled. “Have you been sailing before?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never even been on a boat.”
He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Fantastic. You’re in for a treat. Now, if you could take our things downstairs, I’ll get us ready to launch.” He handed his bag to me and walked toward the front of the boat.
I hooked his bag over my shoulder and, holding onto the railing, climbed down the narrow steps. It was like stepping into another world. A world frequented by the rich and famous.
The walls and counters were all wood-lined and polished to perfection. Cream fabrics covered the couches positioned on either side of the room, and navy-colored accessories were tastefully positioned about the space. The kitchen was neat and compact, and at the pointy end of the boat was a bed that had obviously been custom built to fit the angles. Yet it was big enough it could easily sleep four people.
The boat rumbled to life, and I plonked our bags down on the sofa and climbed up the stairs to the topside.
“Hey gorgeous, can you give me a hand?”
Gorgeous. I couldn’t remember ever being called that before.
Henry stood toward the back of the boat with his hand up, clutching one of the ropes. He was stunning and had a casual, classy style about him that made him look half his age. He’d loosened a few more buttons on his shirt and had his sunglasses on.
My good day just became incredible.
“Okay, I’ll get you to steer Experience out of the marina.”
My hand went to my chest. “But I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, come here, and I’ll show you.”
My heart fluttered as I stepped up to the giant silver steering wheel, and Henry nestled in behind me. He reached for my hands. “Place them here and here, like three and nine on a clock. We’re going to go out that way.” He pointed in the direction. Then, he planted a kiss on my shoulder. It was so sweet and unexpected that I just about melted to the teak decking.
As we left the marina, Henry flitted from one side of the boat to the other, adjusting ropes, pulling things in, pushing things out, examining rigging. He obviously knew what he was doing. Each time he glanced in my direction, he smiled and said I was doing a great job.
The wind flipped my hat up, and after a couple of times tugging it down, I left it upright. Henry had already seen me in the worst state possible. Compared to that first meeting, a little hat-flipping was nothing. Despite the lovely breeze, I was already feeling the sting of the sun’s hot rays. I made a mental note to apply sunscreen as soon as possible.
“What do you think?” He eased in beside me, and I inhaled his lovely scent.
“It’s magnificent. Is this your boat?”
“Pfft. I wish. No, Nick and I have been friends for years. We’ve been sailing together heaps of times. This is my first time without him, though.”
“It must be nice to have friends like that.” Nicholas’ trust in Henry demonstrated what I already knew. Henry was a good guy.
“Yeah, he’s pretty cool. But lonely. His wife died a long time ago, and he hasn’t been the same since.”
I contemplated his comment. I was never the same after Nathan left me, either. “Hearts are difficult to mend.”
He looked deeply into my eyes, and I felt like he was reading my thoughts. “So true. It’s hard to get to our ages and be single without a few shattered pieces.”
I nodded, unsure exactly how much I wanted to say. I had a curious feeling that I would tell Henry about Nathan and what he did to break my heart. For the first time in years, I’d met a man who I wanted to know everything about me.
“Hey, Henry.”
“Yeah.” He called from the front of the yacht.
“I need to put some sunscreen on, or I’ll look like a beetroot in ten minutes.”
“Oh, of course.” He jumped over some rigging with an agility that belied his age and shot down the stairs. Moments later, he returned carrying a large tub of sun lotion.
“Don’t let go of the wheel,” he instructed. Then he pumped sunscreen into his hand and began applying it to my arms. His hands were soft yet firm, reminding me of his caress last night. I giggled as he touched it to my nose with apparently serious concentration.
“What?” he said, stepping back grinning.
“Are you always this fresh with women?”
“Only the most beautiful ones.”
I didn’t know whether to be delighted or scowl at his comment. But I didn’t get time to even think about it because he leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips. “I’m so pleased I found you in that tree.”
“Yeah, me too.” I grinned so wide I felt silly. But it was a good kind of silly.
We passed through the marina, heading out to deep blue waters. A short time later, Henry cut the engine. “Okay, hang onto that wheel. I’m going to release the sail.”
Before I had time to question him, he flicked a chrome handle, and a giant white sail blossomed open. The wind caught in the enormous curtain, tilting the yacht sideways, and I squealed as my hat flew up into the breeze and disappeared somewhere in the water behind us.
But I didn’t care.
I had never experienced anything so raw and exhilarating. I was both scared to death and enjoying the best ride of my life; it took me beyond my wildest dreams.
The nose of the boat drove through waves, and the ocean spray flicked salty kisses onto my arms and cheeks. Henry released another sail, and we tilted over more as we went even faster. I gripped the wheel and squealed again.
“Having fun?” Henry called over the whistling wind.
“It’s fantastic.”
“I knew you’d love it.” He stepped in beside me and tugged his cap onto my head. When I looked up at him, our gazes met. A mischievous glint in his eyes was as brilliant as the diamond-studded ocean Experience skipped across. For the first time in a very long time, I was truly happy.
It was a beautiful moment that would be forever etched in my memory.
Henry showed me how to tack and jibe the boat, so we changed direction; each time the mainsail whipped from one side of the boat to the other, I squealed like a teenager.
After zipping back and forth across the ocean for a few hours, Henry directed me toward an island. Upon approach, I noticed a lovely horseshoe-shaped bay with a white sandy beach and swaying palms that made the scene postcard-perfect.
Henry spun a metal handle, and the big sail fell in the blink of an eye. The abrupt downturn in speed made the boat level again, and I stumbled sideways. I quickly caught myself, hopeful Henry hadn’t noticed. He didn’t, as he was busy wrestling with the sail and tying rope.
Once the second sail was down, it was only the momentum that kept us going, and we slowed to a crawl.
Henry moved to the back of the boat, and the chain rumbled as the anchor dropped overboard. I surveyed my surroundings and couldn’t recall ever being in a more beautiful spot. Even better was the fact that we had the beach all to ourselves. I had a ridiculous feeling that Henry had somehow managed that.
“Fancy a swim?” He grinned.
“Absolutely.”
“Get your costume on then. Unless you want to skinny dip again.”
I giggled. “I better not. I’ll get too sunburnt.”
“Okay, well, hurry up.”
I climbed down the stairs, and it was only when I plucked my bikini out that I realized I’d brought my navy blue and white striped costume, just like the nautical theme around me.
I tugged it on, ensured I didn’t have any hair poking out where it wasn’t wanted, wrapped a white sarong around my waist, and returned topside. Henry had his shirt off and was standing at the back of the boat. I was barely able to drag my eyes from his body as I grabbed the sunscreen on the way toward him.
“Can you put some more on, please?”
“Sure.” His eyes lit up.
“Sorry, but I have horrible pale skin.”
He looked horrified by my comment. “Roxie, you have adorable skin.”
“Oh.” I turned around, and as he massaged cream into my back and shoulders, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hands on my flesh.
“Okay, how’s that?”
“Perfect, thank you.”
“Come on, then, take your skirt off. Let’s jump in before we fry out here.”
I undid my sarong and tied it around a pole. Following his lead, I stepped onto a lower platform at the back of the boat and took off my hat and sunglasses.
He grabbed my hand. “Ready, set, go!”
I pinched my nose and jumped. The warm water wrapped me in a hug, and I kicked for the surface. “It’s beautiful,” I said as I pushed my hair from my eyes.
“Sure is.” He eased onto his back and sighed.
I did the same, and when our fingers touched, we each reached out, and as if we’d intended to all along, we clutched hands. Closing my eyes, I tried to etch every luxurious detail about this moment into my brain.
A splash beside me had me opening my eyes to see Henry swimming toward the back of the boat. Once there, he reached up, opened a small compartment I hadn’t noticed and plucked out two masks and snorkels.
“You ever done snorkeling before?”
“Nope.”
“Where have you been?” He joked as he handed the equipment over.
I contemplated his comment. Where have I been? It had never really occurred to me before that I hadn’t really been anywhere. I’d never traveled abroad; hell, I hadn’t really traveled around Australia, either. I’d been to Sydney and Melbourne, but that was about it. I was so embarrassed to answer his question that I diverted it instead. “How do these work?”
Henry helped me put the mask on and demonstrated how to use the snorkel. Then we both rolled onto our stomachs and, holding hands again; we lazily kicked to propel us along the surface.
Below us was an abundance of coral, fish, and plants all dancing in a kaleidoscope of color and movement. Henry pointed out all sorts of things. A rust-colored starfish nestled in the sand. Small blue fish that darted in and out of coral shaped like deer antlers. A long skinny yellow fish that looked like a trumpet reversing into a hiding spot in swaying sea grass.
A turtle swam toward us, and I tried to talk, but my snorkel made my voice deep and throaty, and I wasn’t sure if Henry heard. But when he glanced at me and then followed my outstretched finger, he squeezed my hand, indicating he, too, had seen it.
The turtle gracefully glided its flippers back and forth, cruising toward us without any fear. It swam right past, and I admired the symmetrical pattern on its shell. I giggled at the tiny yellow fish that were pecking at the moss on the turtle’s back, but the turtle didn’t seem to mind.
Once it was gone, I popped my head above the surface and spat the snorkel out. Henry popped up, too, and the water slicking his skin made him even more handsome, if that was possible.
“That was amazing.” I grinned.
“Sure was.”
“Are all your first dates like this?”
He huffed. “No. Besides, this is our second date.”
“True.” I touched his arm. “In case I forget to tell you, I’ve had the most amazing time.”
“Me too.” He squeezed my hand and pulled me toward him. I wrapped my legs around him like I’d done last night. But as his feet weren’t touching the ground, he sunk below the surface.
“Whoops!” Giggling, I let go.
He came up laughing with his usual mischief in his eyes. “You trying to drown me?”
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. You hungry?”
“Always.”
“Good, I ordered enough food to feed an army.”
We climbed back on board. After drying off, I went downstairs and tugged a sundress over my swimmers. He asked me to give him a hand, and together, we ferried food, champagne, and all the necessary bits and pieces to a table at the back of the yacht. He put an umbrella up, and we sat opposite each other.
With the champagne glasses full, he once again held up his glass in a toast. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings.”
We sipped our drinks and filled our plates with the wonderful tapas assortment he’d prepared. Everything was so lovely, from our setting to the food to Henry, that I wanted to pinch myself.
“Have you ever played twenty questions?”
I frowned. “I don’t think so.”
“The idea is, I ask a question, and you answer, then I answer it too, and then it’s your turn to ask the next question. It’s a good way to get to know people.”
“Okay.” I eased back in my chair. “What’s your first question?”
He put his glass down, and I had the impression the first one was going to be a doozy. “Have you ever dated someone as old as me?”
“No.”
“Me neither. Do you think our age gap is a problem?”
“Hey, cheater! It’s my turn for a question.”
He burst out laughing. “Sorry. My fault.”
I glanced skyward, thinking of the best question, and watched a seagull swoop overhead. “What was your immediate thought when you first saw me?”
“In the tree, you mean... I thought, holy shit, who the hell’s that?”
I chuckled. “I mean after that.”
“It’s not very often I’m surprised anymore. So there was that. But then I thought about how rare it was to see someone so adventurous. Especially a woman.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t normally do stuff like that.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I think you’re wrong. Last night, you whipped your dress off in front of me like it was on fire.”
“Oh.” I chuckled. “I’ve never done that before either.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
He was right. I had shown a side to me that had laid dormant for a long time. Decades even. Once upon a time, I’d dance anywhere, regardless of who was watching. I’d gone to all the parties, too, and would always be the last to leave. And I’d had loads and loads of friends.
One stupid mistake, where I’d lost control, changed all that.
After that, I stopped dancing. I never went to parties, and I only had a handful of friends. And if that wasn’t bad enough, my breakup with Nathan had pushed me even further into my shell.
I always thought before I acted. Until I’d met Henry, that is. It was like he’d found the key that unlocked my suppressed cheekiness.
He cocked his head. “What’re you thinking?”
I huffed out a sigh. “I was just thinking of some of the things I used to get up to.”
“Well, we were all young and silly once.”
“I guess.”
“Don’t tell me... a nasty breakup ruined it all.”
I rolled my eyes. “Am I that predictable?”
“You’re anything but predictable. I only said that because I’m the same. Nasty breakups can be soul crushers.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
“Hmmm.” He frowned. “I’d need to top up our drinks first.”
“Fine with me.” I raised my glass and cocked my head, ready for him to decide.
“Okay, it’s a long story though.”
“Good, I have the whole afternoon.”
He chuckled and pushed back on his seat to stand.
I sipped my champagne as I watched him walk away and then disappear below the deck. It occurred to me that this, whatever this was between Henry and me, was destined to be short-lived.
My heart just about crumbled at that thought.
But the reality was that we lived in different states. Lived in different worlds. In a week or so, we’d go back to our own lives, and all this would become just a wonderful memory.
I decided there and then to forget about life for a while and make the most of every second with Henry. I wanted to know everything about him... where he’d been, where he was going, what he’d done. His dreams. His aspirations. His tastes.
And on top of that, I wanted more mind-blowing orgasms.
By the time he stepped onto the top deck, lust was pounding through my veins.