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Adam shook his head. “You didn’t need to lend us your yacht. You know that, right?”
“Whatever. It just sits most of the time. Someone deserving might as well get use out of it.” His father had bought the yacht and signed him as a co-owner, insisting it was a good investment and good for the image, but the old man never went near the thing. He hated the water.
“Well, we appreciate it nonetheless.” Adam inclined his head toward Elina. The photographer was shooting her in the dimming sunlight. “So what’s the word, man? Are you going to make a move or what?”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been putting on all my best moves since yesterday. This is my game. It’s the only game I’ve got.”
Adam laughed. “Man, you’re going to need to work on that. That pretty mug will only take you so far.”
Gabe stroked his chin. “Don’t be jealous. Only one of us can be pretty.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “I’ll settle for being the smart one, then. Look, dude, if you want to get closer to Elina, you can’t spit game at her. You have to talk to her. Be real. She’s pretty cool.”
Gabe cocked his head and studied her. “What’s her problem with weddings, anyway?”
Adam stared into his scotch glass. “Problem? What problem?”
“Oh, come on. You can see it, too. She looks uncomfortable, unhappy even.”
“Okay, but you didn’t hear this from me. Her mother has been married seven times. It soured her on the whole marriage thing.”
Gabe whistled low. “Seven?”
“Yeah, a couple of times to Elina’s dad, but it never seems to work out. So Elina has a thing about weddings.”
That would certainly explain it. “I get you.”
Adam shoved him in the arm. “What are you sniffing after Elina for, anyway? Don’t you have your hands full?”
Gabe finished his drink. “Yeah, I’ve got a few things going on, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a beautiful woman.”
“Between the funding hunt, the movie and casting, how will you find the time?”
“You just let me worry about that. I’ve got the funding under control. Well, mostly anyway. I’m meeting with that fixer in the city on Monday. She’s got a lot of experience with entertainment clients. She’ll help me change my image as well as get some studio appointments. She’s a pretty big player and can help get some buzz around my name.”
“That’s great.” Adam studied his glass again. “Here’s the thing, Gabe. As the best-friend-in-law, I have to warn you, Elina’s not that girl that you screw around with and leave. Reece will have your rear if you break her heart. She’s very protective of Elina.”
“Would you relax? I have everything under control. I’m not going to hurt her.” He shrugged. “I just want to see her smile.” And that was mostly true.
Chapter 3 (#ulink_348d42c0-9c59-5dbc-98f9-71d94a362785)
Water, water, everywhere, and no way to swim to shore. At least not in her dress. Reece had left out one specific detail to Elina. She hadn’t mentioned the damn reception was on a yacht. With no way out, except to swim. And in the slinky vermilion-red mermaid-style gown, there was no way that was happening.
Elina grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray. If there was no getting off the boat, she might as well have a drink...or several. She searched the crowd for someone to talk to other than Adam’s spoiled, moneyed, Wall Street friends.
“You want to tell me why you’re all alone drinking away your sorrows?”
Elina smirked before turning around to face Gabe. God, the man was sexy. It really was unfair. The whole effect of movie-star-gorgeous looks was exacerbated by the impeccable Tom Ford tuxedo. She had to hand it to the man, he was wearing that tux.
“I’m not sad.” She lied, “I’m celebrating. Like everyone else.”
Gabe shook his head, the corners of his lips tipped up in a ghost of a smile. “Usually, happy comes with a lot more smiles.”
Elina forced her lips to turn up. “See, happy.”
“Okay, you got me wrong,” he said, laughing.
She tried to change the subject. “What about you? Why are you over here keeping sorrowful me occupied? You could be up there dancing with the two bridesmaids who have been eyeing you all night.”
Gabe never took his eyes off of her. “Maybe it’s because the girl I want to dance with is drinking by herself.”
Elina put up a hand. “Can we just stop with the whole flirtation thing? I mean, obviously you’re beautiful, but you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
Gabe nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, I see. You’re not into guys?”
Elina sputtered and laughed. “I am. I’m just not into guys right now. All your best efforts in the last two days are being wasted on me, when you could be using them on ready-to-ride bridesmaids.”
He shrugged. “I think I’ll stay right here. You’re more real than those two, anyway. So tell me, Elina Sinclair, why don’t you have a date to this shindig?”
She rolled her eyes. “See earlier comment about not being into guys right now.”
“Let me guess, career girl. Super focused. About to take the world by storm.”
Elina laughed. This was fun. He was fun. It felt good to flirt, and laugh. It can’t go any further than this. But it never hurt the self-esteem to have a good-looking guy hit on her. “It’s like you’ve been following me.”
“No, I’m not that much of a creeper. I just pay attention. So come on, tell me, what do you do?”
People always got the wrong impression when she talked about her job, so she kept it as simple as possible when anyone asked. “I work in PR.” Then she flipped the conversation on him so she wouldn’t have to talk about herself. “And what about you? Let me guess, fashion model?”
He laughed. “No, but that’s a new one. Usually the girls who take a stab say billionaire.”
“Wait.” She put her hand on his arm. “So you’re telling me you’re not one? Ah, that means that we can’t talk. I don’t always drink champagne, but when I do, I only drink with the disgustingly wealthy.”
He laughed, and the low timbre made her insides melt. “You know what, I’ll say that persistence is key. I may not be a billionaire but I could be worth your time.”
“Okay, if that’s not your job—though I always wondered how that can be a job anyway—what is it?”
“Well, soon enough I’m hoping to add filmmaker to my list of talents.”
She lifted her brows. “For real? That’s amazing. What kind of movies do you want to make?”
“The story of my grandmother. She was a Hollywood executive back in the fifties. The first female executive. I’ve already got my dream cast picked out. All I’m looking for right now is funding.”
It was easy to talk to him. He told her about his movie and what inspired his grandmother. And that particular time in Hollywood history. Despite her carefully constructed walls, she told him about herself. About some of her wackiest clients, her friendship with Reece. Even her mother.
Conversation flowed easily. When she relaxed and wasn’t so focused on his pretty face, she could talk. It turned out they even liked the same indie hip-hop group. “I’m actually headed to see CJ Fusion in the city next month,” he said.
“No way. Reece and I are going to the same concert.”
“See, now you have to dance with me. I’ve proven my cool points.” He reached out his hand, and Elina stared down at it for moment. If she took it, she knew she wouldn’t want to stop. Being in his arms was too tempting.
Could she throw caution to the wind? She was stuck on a boat, though. So nowhere to go. She might as well have some fun. Sliding her hand into his, she relished the warm buzz it sent through her body. “Okay, lead the way. I warn you, though, I don’t normally dance in stilettos, so join me at your own risk.”
* * *
Gabe liked her. It was just that simple. As she danced and twirled in his arms and gyrated her booty to the latest Top 40 songs, he felt happy, and he was glad to see her smiling instead of that frowning concern. She made him feel lighter.
Eventually, he took her hand and led her off the dance floor, dragging her to the other end of the yacht and down the stairs.
“Hey, isn’t this corded off?”
“You hardly seem like a girl who is bothered by the rules.”
Elina laughed. “Okay, not usually, but this is someone’s yacht. I like you and all, but I’m not willing to do time for you. Orange is not my color.”
“Relax, would you? I can usually talk my way out of anything. And I sort of know the owner.” Never mind that he was the owner. Part owner, anyway. “I want to show you something.”
“Oh, I can take a guess at what you want to show me.”
If she had been any other girl, he wouldn’t be so careful with her. Not to mention, Adam had warned him off. Normally, he’d be leading her back into the bedroom. But instead of heading straight to the sleeping quarters, he veered left and took her into his favorite room.
When he turned on the light, Elina gasped. “Oh my God, this is beautiful.”
This room was used specifically for parties. It had a small karaoke stage and comfortable lounge seating. But the most astonishing feature of the room was the see-through glass floor. When the lights in the room were activated, it triggered the lights at the bottom of the yacht, illuminating everything that was beneath them in the ocean.
Already, several curious fish had swum up to take a peek. “You like it?”
“It’s awesome.” She inclined her head toward the microphone. “What’s that for?”
“What do you think it’s for? You and Reece were talking yesterday about your mad karaoke skills. I want to see for myself.”
She shook her head. “I have not had enough alcohol for that. How did you know this was here, anyway?”
“I have friends.” He laughed.
“I guess you do. Okay, then. Since you’re so eager for the mic to get some use, how about you sing me something”
He wasn’t sure why he flushed. He was so damn aware of her in the confined space. “Okay, I can sing you a song, but you have to take a seat and be a good audience. Tips are always accepted, in some cases exuberant applause will do just fine, but I prefer panties.”
She folded her arms. “You’ll have to work harder for my panties. Go on. Get on with it. Let’s see these skills of yours.”
He booted up the laptop, then pulled up the right track. “Okay, okay. Try not to be a groupie now.”
Elina rolled her eyes. “Just sing for your supper, will you?”
“Fine.” Then the music started and he closed his eyes. He’d always loved this song. He sang the first line of the song, giving it his all.
Elina squealed with laughter and clapped excitedly. “Oh damn, you’re taking on Shai?”
“Would you let a man finish a song?” He continued, dropping the last note to another octave.
Elina rose from her seat laughing and walked toward him. He finished the song and before he knew it, she was up there with him singing. He lost track of how long they sang duets and giant hits from popular bands. Apparently, she was a Journey fan.
Without thinking, he brushed a strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. He told himself he didn’t plan it this way. But it didn’t matter if he’d planned it or not. The moment she parted her lips, he knew he was a goner.
Chapter 4 (#ulink_0370f171-97d6-5f50-8568-f2256965d05d)
Gabe brushed his lips over hers lightly, testing the waters. Elina sighed into his embrace, and he moaned. His nerve endings were going sizzle and pop. Sliding his fingers into her soft curls, he deepened the kiss. She tasted so sweet. Her lip gloss maybe? Fruity and light. Whatever it was, he liked it.
Gabe slid his tongue between her sinfully soft lips, and she met it with hers. One hand smoothing over her waist, he deepened their kiss. Taking long drugging pulls at her lips and eliciting a moan out of her.
So damn perfect. He felt like someone had hooked his body up to a defibrillator, the kiss was so charged. Their only points of contact were her hands on his waist, his hand in her hair and on her hip, and their lips. But it was enough to send his heart into a gallop and for the blood to rush in his ears.
The kiss shook him. He’d kissed a lot of women. Certainly more than his fair share. But with Elina, his body hummed and his synapses shorted. Tugging her closer, he licked into her mouth. Elina moaned and slid her arms up to wind around his neck.
This was more than want. This was more than lust. With one kiss, he knew he wanted her as his. How was she doing this to him? Her hands slipped into his hair and gave an impatient tug. She might not be in a guy phase right now, but maybe he could change her mind. Because right now, Elina Sinclair was rocking his soul.
Gabe glided his fingers over the small of her back in the barest hint of a caress and he was shaking. Damn it. He pulled back and met her dark gaze. “What are you doing to me, Elina?”
In her eyes he saw desire, uncertainty, trepidation. But he also saw her decision clearly when her beautiful smile spread over her lips. “Are you going to help me with this dress? I had a hell of a time getting the zipper up earlier.”
He blinked. What had she said? He was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than how she tasted and how he wanted more. Somehow he could think more clearly when he was kissing her, or maybe that was instinct. She’d said something about her zipper. Right. He could do that.
She pressed her body into his as he tugged the zip down. In the silence of the party room, the zik, zik, zik sound echoed off the walls with her groans. The dress fell away and over her hips, the fabric fluttering to the ground. Gabe released her and stepped back, and his breath caught. She wore a demi-cup bra and thong in red lace that matched the color of the dress. The material barely covered her nipples, but it did a stand-up job at trying.
He muttered a low curse and tried to swallow around the sawdust in his mouth. “You’re so beautiful.”
He watched in delight as the pink flush crept up under that pretty caramel skin. Her gaze never wavered from his. She might have been a little shy, but she was confident enough to know what she wanted. She reached back behind her and unclasped her bra, tugging the useless scraps from her breasts and her arms. “See something you want?”
“Hell yes.” He nodded, then grunted, as he pulled her close to his chest. He kissed her again, this time taking the kiss even deeper, licking into her mouth, dragging a response from her. All the while he could feel the stiff peaks of her nipples against his chest.
The low moan that came from her throat sounded like a purr, rolling over him like a caress. Gabe picked her up easily and snatched her dress off the floor before carrying her out of the room and down the hall to the bedroom.
When he deposited her on the large bed, he stripped himself of his tux clumsily, letting the pieces fall where they may. Before he kicked out of the tuxedo pants, he grabbed a condom from his wallet and tucked it in the back of his boxer briefs. “You know, there’s one thing I’ve been wondering all night,” he whispered against her skin as he crawled up her body.
She smiled at him and arched her back. “What’s that?”
Gabe nuzzled her neck with his nose. “How you taste right here.” He nipped at the spot behind her ear, but then soothed the injury with a lap of his tongue. “Mmm. Just what I thought. Sweet and spicy.”
Elina hooked one of her legs around his back and rocked her hips. Her hot, slick center slid over the cotton-clad length of him and his eyes crossed. Damn. He fought for control, fought to stay steady. He didn’t want to go too fast. To ruin this.
“Gabe,” she moaned. Her breathing harsh and labored and her back bowed beneath him. He ran his nose along her skin to the hollow of her throat.
“I’ve been dying to kiss you here, too.” He blew a breath over her heated flesh down to one raised breast. Sliding his hands up her torso, he took his time, running his fingers over her ribs and her soft skin. When he palmed her, she moaned, arching into the caress.
Her hips lifted again and again, starting them on a rhythm that wouldn’t stop. Placing kisses all along her chest and down her sternum, Gabe teased her nipple with his thumb, tested the weight of her breast, making the both of them crazy. Every time his mouth went near the peaked tip, she writhed beneath him.
He teased the mocha-colored tip with his breath, deliberately making the both of them crazy. He ached to take her into his mouth, to taste her. And by the way she arched her body, she wanted him to. Every time he veered his kiss to the underside of her breast, or down toward a rib, she growled in frustration.
