Chapter 15
CHARLIE
T his was not the evening I’d envisioned.
And I was counting down the minutes until I could get back on board the ship and get Kiernan alone.
Don’t get me wrong. David and Ro and everyone at the table were good company, but I was not in the mood to socialize.
I noticed that Kiernan barely ate his dinner and that wasn’t like him at all.
Was he nervous about the others’ speculation? He didn’t seem to be fazed by it earlier but maybe the reality of our relationship was finally hitting home.
Would he change his mind?
An overwhelming sense of dread made my stomach clench so painfully I could barely eat my own meal.
I turned down an after-dinner drink, and then coffee in favor of sparkling water.
How much longer would I have to wait until I could politely excuse myself to go sit at the other end of the table? I needed some excuse, any excuse, but my brain was struggling to find one that wouldn’t set off everyone’s notice.
David was a charming guy and a great conversationalist, but I couldn’t focus on anything he was saying. All I did was nod and pick at my dessert.
Dylan was offering another one of his Hollywood stories, and David was lapping it up, laughing loudly. I glanced at our host, who was somewhere in his late thirties. Nice hair, dark eyes, a wicked smile. And yes, he kept passing me flirty glances and hints, but I ignored them.
Until he leaned over, placed his hand on mine, and lowered his voice. “Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?”
A few months ago, I might have taken him up on his offer but not now. I didn’t want his attention. Or his touch.
I pulled my hand back and shook my head.
“Thanks, but I’m good.”
David nodded, surprised, and then glanced at the other end of the table. “Maybe that sexy Irishman could accompany me instead. Fuck, what a body. What’s his name, again?”
“Kiernan. And he’s seeing someone,” I replied sharply.
David stared at me. “Okay. Well, you can’t blame me for looking.”
No, I couldn’t.
“Alex,” David called out, getting his attention. “Can you switch places with Charlie? I’d like to talk to you about something important.”
My mood improved and I gave David a grateful nod. I got up, walking around the table. I bypassed Alex as we switched places and sat down directly across from Kiernan.
Finally.
“How come you didn’t eat dinner?” I asked.
Kiernan finally looked at me and gave a rueful smile. “When my nerves kick up, I can’t eat.”
Looking around the table, everyone else was busy with their own conversations.
I leaned forward. “What are you nervous about?”
“You.”
“Me?”
He shook his head. “Not here.”
I stood up again. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Kiernan looked at Alex and motioned to the beach. Alex nodded, then glanced at me. He didn’t need to tell me to watch it, I got the message from his raised eyebrow.
We were secure here, there was nothing to be concerned about.
I walked towards the beach, the chatter of the dinner party fading, the sound of the nearby waves intensifying. It was dark now, and the only light around us came from the tiki torches that lined the pathway, the moon and stars above us, and the nearby boats anchored offshore.
I felt Kiernan’s presence behind me and stopped short when I finally reached the edge of the water.
“Oomph.”
He bumped into me, and I took advantage, turning around and sliding my arms around his waist.
“Hey,” I whispered, everything in my body finally relaxing now that we were alone again.
“Hey,” he returned, sliding those big hands up to cup my face.
“Why are you nervous about me?” I asked again.
“Well, we didn’t really discuss what this is, you and me. Are we exclusive?”
“You saw David flirting with me and thought, maybe?—”
“Yes.”
“No. I’m not interested in anyone else. David least of all.”
“Okay.”
The flash of relief in his eyes and the way his body relaxed into mine told me that Kiernan needed to hear the words. Maybe I did, too.
“Today has been torture,” I confessed.
“I know. You’re always so close but I can’t touch you.”
“We better take advantage, then.”
I stood up on my tiptoes and Kiernan bent down.
As soon as his lips touched mine, I slid my tongue deep into the heat of his mouth. There was no hesitation in the way we came together and his lusty moan (or was it mine?) echoed in the air around us.
He devoured me—we devoured each other—there was no other way to describe it.
Why was it that each kiss with him was better than the last?
“I think it’s time we get everyone back to the ship,” I whispered against his lips.
Kiernan nodded and we reluctantly parted.
“Give me a minute,” he whispered as he placed his hands on his hips, staring up at the sky.
I needed a cool down myself and tried to think of something, anything, that would calm my cock.
A few minutes later, we walked back to the patio.
The table had been cleared and everyone was sitting on the chairs and loungers around the pool.
Alex stood up. “I think it’s time we head back.”
Thank fuck.
We said our goodbyes to David and made our way to the marina. It took less than ten minutes, and the cooling breeze from the ocean was a welcome reprieve.
We hopped in the tender, and I texted the crew to advise we were on our way back.
Rafe and George, as well as their pups, greeted us when we pulled up to the stern a short while later.
“How was the beach club?” Rafe asked. “Holy shit, Aiden, you have a bad burn!”
I didn’t notice until he stepped aboard and under the bright lights of the ship. He was so red he was practically glowing.
“Um, babe, I think we need to get you some aloe cream, stat. And pain reliever,” Jared commented as he looked at his partner, concern etched on his face.
“I don’t need medication, it’s a bit of sun. But you can rub me down with aloe any time,” Aiden waggled his eyebrows and then grimaced. “Ow, moving my face hurts.”
Alex stepped forward and kissed Aiden’s cheek.
“That hurts too. Fuck.”
“Come on, luv,” Alex guided Aiden. “Up to our suite so we can take care of you.”
“Best thing I’ve heard all day,” Aiden replied. “I’d smile but my face is so tight it feels like I’ve had about twenty botox injections. Night all.”
Alex, Aiden, and Jared headed up the stairs.
“We’re turning in as well, see you in the morning,” Rowan announced as he and Andrew walked hand in hand, following the throuple.
“Dylan and I aren’t tired yet. We’re going to head up for a soak in the hot tub,” Max stated. “Anyone else want to join us?”
“What do you think, love?” George asked Rafe.
“Sure.”
The four of them said goodnight to us and the dogs followed them upstairs.
Kiernan helped Derrick and I as we cleaned and secured the tender.
I did my best not to eye-fuck Kiernan, but I’m pretty sure I failed.
“I’ll finish out here and lock up,” Derrick insisted. “You guys have a good night.”
And then Kiernan and I raced inside like our shorts were on fire. Given how excited I was to have him alone again, and the fact that it felt like we’d been edging each other all day, that description was pretty accurate.
We made it inside our cabin, reaching for each other. There was no effort made by either of us to turn on the lights.
“Get naked, now,” I moaned and reached for his shorts. “God, I need you to fuck me so bad.”
“Shower first,” Kiernan groaned in between heated kisses. “I want to bury my face in your arse.”
“Um, guys?”
Noah’s voice was like a bucket of ice water.
Kiernan fumbled for the light switch and sure enough, Noah was lying in the bottom bunk.
“What are you doing in here?!” I yelled.
“Well, technically, this is my cabin.”
Noah looked at us and laughed.
“I thought you were still in the spare one?”
“I am.”
I looked around and finally realized that even though the layout was the same, all my shit— and Kiernan’s—was nowhere to be seen. We had entered the wrong cabin. The one at the other end of the hallway.
Fuck.
“You never saw us,” I warned Noah.
“I didn’t hear you either, but shit, you guys are hot together,” he teased.
Kiernan’s blush matched mine and we quickly slid out of the cabin and into the hallway.
“I’m so sorry,” I sighed, leaning against his shoulder.
“We’re never gonna live that down, are we?”
“Never.”