Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
I hadn’t even caught my breath, hadn’t had time to question what the hell was wrong with me or what the hell had just happened before Joel stumbled out onto the deck, rushing to me and pinning me against the railing much like Theo had just moments before.
“Babyyy,” he said, his breath sour and beer-drenched on my neck. His hands were groping me in the next instant and I pushed them away, squirming out from his touch.
“You’re drunk.”
For a moment, Joel seemed upset at the comment, but then he smiled lazily, pulling me into his arms and pressing a long kiss to my tightly closed lips. “I am. We went below deck once we were relieved for the night. Eric had some goooood stuff,” he said, drawing out the word. He frowned then, framing my face with his hands. “I missed you.”
His dark eyes searched mine, and I blew out a long breath, relieving the tension that had my muscles tied in knots. I had no reason to snap at him. I didn’t mind that he’d had some drinks after working for so long. If I were the drinking kind, I was sure I’d want to do the same.
“It’s been a long day,” I finally said.
Joel nodded in understanding. Only he knew the way a full evening of being around strangers drained me, and with another kiss — one I accepted more willingly this time — he tucked me under his arm. “Nothing a good cuddle sesh can’t fix.”
I smiled, letting him guide me inside, my breath finally evening out the farther we got from Theo and his guests. When we were safely inside our own cabin, we both undressed, took a quick shower together, and climbed into bed. I was relieved yet again when Joel didn’t try to have sex with me. I just wasn’t in the mood — not after all that had happened. And he must have sensed it, because he just pulled my back to his chest, curling his legs with mine and wrapping his arms tightly around me.
He was snoring softly in my ear less than two minutes later.
But as exhausted as I was, I didn’t sleep a wink.
I stayed in the cabin the next day.
Kissing Joel on his way out the door, I settled into bed and grabbed my book, reading until I was sick of words on a page. Then, I turned on the television in our room, thankful that by Theo’s insistence of me staying on the yacht and thus us being in a stateroom, we had that luxury. I watched three movies in a row before I left the bed only long enough to get myself food. Then, I was right back in the cabin.
Joel didn’t question me — not when he came in to check on me just before dinner, and not when he asked if I wanted to join him and the rest of the crew below deck once they were off duty. He knew me better than anyone, and he didn’t need to hear me say it to understand that the day before had drained me — physically and mentally — and the only way to refill my tank was to be alone.
Blessedly, being in my cabin all day meant I escaped Theo’s guests for their second day onboard. Joel told me before he went below deck that they departed after dinner, and then we pulled away from the dock, away from Saint-Tropez, on our way to Nice.
I slept hard that night — which I was thankful for, since I didn’t sleep at all the night before — and I woke the next morning abruptly to the crew bustling around docking us once again. Joel had already gone from our room, and I wondered how he survived like that — working all day every day, drinking all night every night, and somehow waking up before the sun to do it all again.
When I finally peeled myself out of bed, there was a sheet of cream card stock neatly folded on the floor of our room, as if it had been slipped under the door.
Meet me on the main deck. 8 a.m. sharp. Bring your camera.
There was no name under the neatly scripted ink, but it was easy enough to determine who it was from. I sighed, wishing upon wishes that there wouldn’t be another group of people for me to cater to yet again. I had barely recovered from the first time, and still had visions I was trying to erase from my mind.
Still, it was part of the deal, part of my free ride.
I shook my head, wondering where I would be now, had I not taken Theo’s offer. I wouldn’t have had as cushy of a bed, that much was certain. And I likely wouldn’t have seen such stunning sights even in these first few days.