Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Mm-hmm.
Definitely angry.
“And take this time that’s been forced on us to come to an understanding,” he continued.
Her bearing grew stiff. “I believe we already have that.”
“Nora—”
She turned to him. “Jamie, no. It’s been a trying day. I don’t want to fight. I haven’t had near enough time to wrap my head around what’s befallen us. Let’s enjoy our drinks, enjoy our dinner, get some sleep, and face whatever tomorrow brings…tomorrow.”
He had a week to wear her down, therefore, he could give her that.
He lifted his glass her way.
She pulled in a visibly relieved breath and exhaled before she did the same with her glass.
However, Jamie wasn’t going to leave it at that.
So he didn’t.
Even if it was barely above a whisper when he said, “Just know, you mean the world to me.”
“Jamie,” she warned, her voice husky.
“All I’m going to say, darlin’,” he muttered.
Nora took in another breath.
And exhaled.
CHAPTER 5
FERRAGAMO
Nora
Iwoke to darkness.
Per usual.
Thus, I pushed the satin eye mask to my forehead, and through the bright morning sunshine, stared at the circle of gold on the cream ceiling I’d discovered last night had soft illumination coming from behind it.
I didn’t have to look at the rest of my cabin, which I knew had sweeping views, was decorated in soft grays, golds and navy blue, and was the likes only Hale Wheeler and the four men under him on the list of the world’s most wealthy could afford.
I sighed, turned to the oblong nightstand beside the bed and picked up the phone to order coffee.
I then got out of bed and began my first-thing-in-the morning routine, being interrupted in exfoliating by accepting the arrival of my coffee service with a note communicated to me from the steward, “Mr. Oakley is enjoying coffee on the aft deck, and we’ll be setting out the breakfast buffet there soon.”
Tremendous.
Another day alone with the man I loved, who did not love me.
I’d showered and was seated at the small vanity in the bathroom where, last evening, a member of the crew had arranged my cosmetics. I was sipping coffee and preparing for the day when my phone lit up.
I glared at it.
Because it was Mika.
I took the call, put it on speaker, and continued shading my eyelids, stating, “I’m not speaking to you.”
I heard her laugh even as she replied, “You answered.”
“Only because I have a reason to do so.”
“We can talk about that in a second, after I share my chagrin that you’re answering at all.”
“If you don’t wish to speak to me, why did you call?” I queried.
“I was testing the waters, because if you didn’t answer, that would mean you’re getting busy…finally…with Jamie.”
I huffed.
“Nora—”
“We are not that.”
She spoke gently when she asked, “What’s been going on with you two? Why haven’t you been spending time together?”
A morsel of news: the scene of the kiss with Jamie, particularly after it, was so painful, I’d told no one. Not even my dearest friend.
But now was the time to do that.
“He kissed me.”
There was sheer joy in her voice as she asked, “Last night?”
I put my makeup brush down and moved on to foundation. “Two weeks ago.”
“Wait. What?”
“Two weeks ago, he kissed me. It was the best kiss of my life. Then, seconds after he tore his mouth from mine, he told me the kiss was a mistake.”
“Oh God,” she groaned.
Not that I needed confirmation, but if I did, there it was.
Jamie saying that was a wound no woman needed inflicted.
“Indeed,” I clipped.
“He’s not—”
I finished for her. Sarcastically. “Over Rosalind? You think?”
“What I was going to say is, he’s not allowing himself to move forward.”
“I’m sensing that’s not something he has in his power.”
“He’s stronger than he thinks, he just needs to be reminded of that.”
And I knew who she thought should remind him.
I simply disagreed. Vehemently.
“This is not why I answered the phone,” I informed her.
“We should talk this through, Nora. Especially now that I know about the kiss.”
Hell no, we were not doing that.
“If you utter a word about that to a single soul, Mika, I swear to God, I truly won’t speak to you again. You can’t even tell Tom.”
There was a beat of silence before she said, “I have to tell my husband. You can’t ask me to keep anything from him.”
“Fine,” I spat, only because I knew Tom would be circumspect. “But none of those other traitors can know.”
“You’re on a luxury yacht with the man you love, we’ve hardly locked you in an iron maiden.”
I put my beauty blender down so I could more fully focus on delivering a very pertinent message.
“Allow me to paint you the picture, my dearest,” I began. “Say Tom Pierce was hung up on his first love, the inestimable Imogen Swan. Yes, he had deep feelings for you, he was attracted to you, he liked spending time with you, he admitted you meant the world to him, but he would not allow himself to go there with you. Now, tell me how you’d feel being stuck on a ship with him for a week.”