Chapter 12
PHOEBE
The next week passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was Saturday morning. Griffin texted me yesterday with the plan for the weekend, and I’d gotten into a bit of a frenzy. We were going to be spending a few hours on Jude’s boat today, and I was to bring a bathing suit.
I only owned a tiny bikini that didn’t cover much. I debated going out to buy another one, but I couldn’t afford to spend money on anything. Having to pack for the weekend also forced me to go through all the clothes I’d planned to take on the trip with Marshall.
For some reason, it didn’t hurt as much to look at everything.
My heart felt lighter somehow. Griffin was right about Marshall.
Yes, he was doing things for his fiancée that he’d never done for me (I’d stalked his social media some more—he bought her a Louis Vuitton bag and a pair of Louboutins all in one week!), but that didn’t mean there was something wrong with me.
He just wasn’t the right one for me. I wish I’d had the guts to leave him years ago.
He’d turned into a bit of a douchebag when he started his practice. I’d been so silly that I accepted working for him at minimum wage. Marshall insisted that we’d save on taxes if I did.
I shrugged it off, not really wanting to think about it anymore. I had a fantastic weekend ahead of me, and I was certain that Griffin and I could pull this off. And I wasn’t feeling as guilty for what we were doing as I had at the restaurant.
The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to help Griffin. Who cared what he did with his personal life as long as he would be an asset to Jude’s business? Jude shouldn’t have held Griffin’s reputation against him in the first place.
Liar, liar, pants on fire. You’re just looking for any excuse to spend some time with Griffin—maybe get one or two of those smoking-hot kisses again.
Yep, I wasn’t even going to pretend otherwise. I was definitely looking forward to another lip-lock with this handsome man.
Because I wasn’t sure what to expect at the house, I packed more outfits than necessary. I was so giddy that I even locked up and headed out with my suitcase five minutes before Griffin arrived.
As I trudged down the front steps, the wood finally gave in, and the lower step broke right in the middle. I managed to avoid sinking my foot through it, but only barely. I lost my balance, dropping the bag to one side, and falling on all fours.
Holy shit, Griffin wasn’t wrong. The place truly was a death trap.
I quickly got up, brushing the dirt off my palms and knees before lifting my bag. Then I inspected the staircase. The hole looked nasty. Whatever, I’d deal with it on Monday. I was determined not to let it get me down.
This was going to be an amazing day and weekend. I didn’t break my neck on the stairs, for starters, and the hottest guy on the planet was picking me up. What more could I want?
I sent a pic of my suitcase to Veronica, who replied instantly.
Veronica: Girl, I can’t believe you’re going through with this, but HAVE FUN.
Phoebe: Yes, ma’am.
Veronica: And if you get the chance to jump his bones for real, DO IT.
I laughed but didn’t reply. She’d been shocked when I first told her we were going away for the weekend, then insisted that I could get another hot kiss or two out of it. I mean… she wasn’t wrong. I was certain we’d have an opportunity to kiss. And I was going to grab it with both hands.
A few seconds later, I spotted Griffin’s Range Rover at the corner and smiled for no reason at all. I rolled my suitcase right to the edge of the pavement.
He jumped out of the car the second he stopped and said, “Why did you trudge your bag out here? I would have helped you.”
“I was excited,” I admitted. “I’ve never been on a boat.”
“You’ll enjoy it. You did pack a bathing suit, right?” he double-checked.
“Yes.” I debated telling him that it might not be entirely appropriate but decided not to.
I was just trying to roll with the punches today.
I needed some spontaneity in my life. For the past decade, everything had been set in stone, so I was relishing this little adventure with Griffin.
It made me feel alive like nothing had before.
“You had breakfast?” he asked once we were in the car.
“Just coffee. I usually don’t have breakfast. By the way, I think I packed far too many outfits.”
“I was going to ask about that. That’s a huge-ass bag.”
“It’s the biggest one I own,” I said proudly.
He laughed, which was when I realized, “You don’t have a bag.”
He jerked his thumb toward the back seat, and I turned my head.
“That’s… a gym bag.”
“All my stuff fit in there.”
“Oh, to be a man,” I said. “Things are so easy. So, where are we going exactly?”
“To the harbor.”
When Griffin said we’d spend a few hours on the water, I’d imagined a big boat. But this was most definitely a yacht. Griffin parked the car in the designated parking area, then grabbed my huge-ass bag, putting his tiny one on top. Jude and Emma were already on board, waving at us.
It had two levels. There was a deck on the upper level and a cabin, whereas there seemed to be an entire suite on the lower one. Through the windows, I could see that it looked a lot like a living room with a couch and a table. I was certain there was a bedroom somewhere too.
“Welcome, you two,” Jude said once we’d joined them on the deck.
“Hi,” I said, securing my hat on my head. The sun and I weren’t great friends.
“I’m so glad this worked out.”
“You’ve got yourself quite a boat here,” Griffin told Jude.
“Thanks. I’ve spent a few months learning how to navigate it.”
Griffin looked at him with appreciation. “Really? I assumed there’d be a captain with us.”
“Nah, I got my certification. Took a while, but I managed it. I want to spend some time on the water with Emma. That’s why I bought this baby, too, so I can give my wife all the comfort she wants.”
Emma looked at him like he hung the moon. Was it weird that I just liked being around them? They had this bright energy surrounding them.
As I stepped into the suite, Griffin put a hand on my back. My dress dipped right above my tailbone, and I swallowed hard at the contact.
Damn it, Phoebe. Get used to it.
For some reason, I didn’t think I would.
“You can put your bags wherever,” Emma said.
Griffin rolled my suitcase into a small nook by the door. Then he turned around, eyes trained on me. They flashed, and my cheeks heated violently.
Griffin
Fuck, how can she be so sexy?
She was wearing a white dress, and her back was exposed.
It dipped into a V between her breasts and didn’t look out of place here on a yacht.
She was so damn cute with that hat on, and I wanted to kiss her senseless for no reason at all.
Still, I had to get a grip on myself for now.
I was certain the opportunity for kissing would present itself later, and I was going to take full advantage of it.
Jude gave us a tour of the yacht, and Emma explained the places they planned to explore while boating. The idea had merit. I hadn’t thought about it until now, but being out on a boat gave you a lot of privacy as well as flexibility to explore the coast.
“We also want to sail the Mediterranean soon, but we’re not taking this baby there,” Emma shared. “We’ll probably just rent a yacht.”
“This looks great,” I said when we reached the deck.
“We took the liberty of preparing some drinks.”
They’d gone all out. Orange juice, waters, champagne. I looked at Phoebe, who seemed awed by everything.
“This is amazing,” she gushed. “But you really didn’t have to.”
“Nonsense,” Emma said. “It’s our pleasure, and honestly, I didn’t really have to do much. This one here decided to spoil all of us today and had a concierge arrange everything.” She squeezed Jude’s arm, and he smiled at her.
I had a good feeling about this. Jude was putting a lot of effort into accommodating us. I couldn’t see him turning down my investment offer after this.
Jude clapped his hands together. “All right, I’ll be going to the captain’s cabin.” He sounded extremely proud as he said it. “You three make yourselves comfortable.”
“Actually, I’ll come with you,” Emma said. “I want us to be together when we sail out of the harbor.”
“Sure, let’s go, darling.”
He took her hand, and they both disappeared into the captain’s cabin.
Phoebe sighed. “I didn’t even know a relationship could ever be like that, let alone after so many years.”
“That makes two of us,” I admitted. “But wait, I thought you said your parents are still together.”
“They are, and they have a happy marriage. But they aren’t that close.” She laughed nervously before adding, “I’m going to change into my bathing suit.”
“Sure.”
Thank fuck she was taking off that sinful dress. It was completely appropriate for the occasion, yet it drove me crazy.
When she returned several minutes later, I realized I was in a world of trouble.
She’d taken off the dress all right, but this wasn’t any better.
In fact, it was so much worse. Her bikini was black and tiny.
In my mind, she was simply walking around in lingerie.
It barely covered her breasts, and her ass cheeks were completely on display. And Phoebe wore it damn well.
Marshall was a stupid asshole.
She tiptoed toward me and said, “I feel a bit embarrassed about this bikini, but I didn’t have another one.”
“You look fucking gorgeous.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.” Her cheeks turned red again.
“Your problem isn’t going to be Emma and Jude. It’s going to be fighting me off.”
She grinned. “That’s good. It’ll give us more credibility. Aren’t you going to change?”
“I’ve got my swimming trunks on underneath my shorts.”
I took off my T-shirt and then pushed down my pants. Phoebe swallowed audibly. When I straightened up, she looked like she might drool any second.
“Seems I’m not the only who’s got a huge problem, am I?” I questioned.