Swept Away by Delilah Fawkes Page A

together, fighting back a moan.
    From his soft exhale, I
knew he’d felt it, too.
    I hurried into the bathroom and pulled the door
shut, closing him out before I could do something we’d both regret.

 
    ***

 
    After I’d dressed and combed my hair out, the
smell of fresh-brewed coffee lured me down the hallway to the yacht’s kitchen.
Gavin was humming something, the sound of his voice making me smile.
    When he saw me round the corner, his grin made my
whole body tingle. He was dressed in a white, linen shirt and jeans, his bare
feet on the wood flooring completing his Casual Millionaire look to a t. I
almost wanted to laugh at the juxtaposition between him and his luxurious surroundings.
He didn’t exactly blend in with the granite countertops.
    “Come on in. I’ve got caffeine and pastry, if
you’re hungry.”
    I joined him at the counter, trying to stifle the
grin. Who was this man? He certainly didn’t act like any boss I’d ever had, or
like the stereotypical CEO I’d assumed he’d be. Then again , I thought as
I poured myself a cup, he did fire that poor model without a second thought. I chewed my lip and grabbed a cheese danish and a
napkin. Could someone so callous be kind at the same time?
    Truth be told, I wasn’t sure what to make of Gavin
Fletcher just yet.
    “Thank you,” I said, sipping my coffee. I sighed
as the hot liquid coursed through me. “Oh, God, I needed that.”
    I was a serious caffeine addict, and could feel
the onset of my morning headache without it. Bless this man who’d anticipated
my need for my daily drug of choice.
    “Refuel, lass. We have a long day ahead of us if
we’re to set sail on schedule.”
    I cocked an eyebrow. “How soon is ‘on schedule?’”
    “The crack of dawn tomorrow, if you’re able. Pack
up, set your things in order, and then meet me back here tonight so we can make
an early start.” He shoved a fat envelope across the table at me. “For your
expenses,” he said, grinning like a wolf who’d just swallowed its prey whole.
    I took the envelope, peeked inside, and felt my
jaw drop. Inside was a stack of hundred dollar bills that made my palms sweat
just looking at it. There was at least $20,000 in cash in this envelope. Maybe
more.
    I cleared my throat. “What... uh... what should I
be buying, exactly?”
    “Clothes for a voyage, of course,” he said,
winking at me. “Bikinis, lounge wear , a couple of
formal numbers. The usual.”
    “Right. The usual.”
    Did he think this was normal? I tried to
look casual, but felt my mouth going bone dry for the second time that morning.
I took another sip of coffee.
    “Plus, extra in case there’s an issue with your rent, etc. I didn’t know what your housing situation
was like. Let me know if you need more, of course. Here’s my cell number,” he
said, handing me his card. “In case you need to reach me.”
    He tore into a croissant and sat chewing and smirking
at me, his eyes twinkling with mirth. I toyed with the edge of the envelope,
running my fingers over it. Was he messing with me? Seeing how I would perform
under pressure? Or was he really just this clueless about how normal people
lived? No one I knew had ever bought an entire new wardrobe with cash in a
single day.
    “Yes, Sir,” I said, and pushed back from the
table. “I’d better get going if I’m going to be ready to leave tomorrow.”
    “Good girl,” he said. He pushed the danish toward me. “Don’t forget
breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, after all.”
    I snatched the danish and rolled my eyes. “Thanks, boss.”
    I was out the door and climbing down the plank to
the dock as quickly as I could go. I needed to form a plan, or I wasn’t going
to pull this off. Taking care of my apartment situation in a day was one thing,
but the shopping was completely out of my league.
    I sighed, rubbing my hand over my forehead as I
approached my car. What on Earth was Gavin Fletcher thinking?
    I plopped into the