She nodded. “Absolutely,” she said.
“You just seem different this morning.”
She gave a smothered laugh, turned to look up at him, and, with a cheeky grin, said, “Let’s just say that, if we were in any other scenario, when waking up to that beautiful male beside me, who then headed for the shower totally naked and got dressed behind me, I would not have allowed you to do so much without participation on my part.”
His eyebrows shot up, and he grinned. “Well, that’s good to know,” he said.
“Ha!” she said. “You already knew.”
“No, not really,” he said. “I was deliberately not letting my mind roam in that direction.”
“Right, because of where we’re at,” she said, with a heavy sigh.
“Yes,” he admitted, “but it’s just not the right thing to be focused on right now.”
“I know, but I don’t have the same discipline, and, when I woke up this morning …” she said, waggling her eyebrows.
He grinned, put a hand on either side of her face, tugged her closer, and gave her a kiss. “Later,” he promised.
“Promises, promises,” she said, with an airy wave of her hand.
He burst out laughing and said, “Come on. It’s time to go.”
“Breakfast?”
“We’re having a light breakfast, and then we should see the harbor.” With that, she raced to the door. He shook his head and said, “Let’s make sure that you’re ready and packed up to go.”
As she looked around, she realized how little she had with her. There was nothing to pack up. They only had one bag between them.
And then he held out his hand and said, “Let’s go.” As they walked out, he said, “We’re eating on deck today.”
“You mean, I’ll actually get to be outside for once?” she asked. “It’s been really hard being on these beautiful yachts and not allowed to go outside.”
“The whole idea of keeping you hidden is to keep you hidden,” he murmured.
“I got it,” she said. “Doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a terrible shame, and I didn’t want to get back outside and enjoy the experience.”
“You ever been on one of these before?”
“No,” she cried out, “and that’s why it’s such a shame. So many experiences right now that I would love to really enjoy, but because I’m hiding away …” And she just shrugged and said, “But it is what it is, and hopefully it’ll be over soon.”
“That’s the attitude,” he said. He reached out, snagged her arm, and said, “Come on. Let’s go.” And they raced up the stairs.
As she came out on the deck, she stopped and gasped because the harbor was right up ahead of them. “Land!”
“It is,” he said, “but we’re still probably a good forty minutes out.”
He motioned at the table, where Jerricho sat. He smiled at them and said, “Don’t you two look refreshed.”
“I feel much better,” she said, “and just even sitting outside is huge.”
He nodded. “It’s so hard to stay inside when the world around you is looking so much more promising and inviting.”
“Exactly,” she said. “And I really do get why. It’s just sad that I don’t have a chance to spend some time here and to enjoy it and to be a tourist for a change.”
“You can always come back,” he said.
“I probably couldn’t even begin to afford a holiday like this,” she said, with a laugh. “These are superyachts.”
“They are, and very few of them are commissioned for the type of work that we needed them to do,” he said. “It’s patriots all the way, and we appreciate their assistance in this matter.”
“Absolutely,” she said, “and, for that reason alone, I understand not overstaying our welcome.”
“Well, the family is actually on board right now,” he said, “and they are on the far side, keeping to themselves, but the yacht is actually big enough that we don’t have to cross each other.”
“Well, it’s much appreciated,” she said warmly. Just then their breakfast was served, and she laughed to see eggs and sausage and pancakes. “This makes me think I won’t eat again for a while,” she said, with a sidelong look at him.
“And we might not,” he said, “so eat while there’s food.”
Nobody needed to tell her twice. She tucked in until she was full. She pushed back her plate and said, “Wow, that was really good. Not only is it a gorgeous place and a gorgeous view, but the food is excellent too.”
“Glad you enjoyed it,” he murmured. “And as you can see, we’re coming up to the docks.”
She looked and got up and walked to the railing, as the beautiful yacht came up against what could have been a private pier. “So we just walk off?”
“Did you have a better idea?”
“No, but we’ve gone from one clandestine method to another,” she said. “I just can’t imagine that I get to go free and clear now.”
“And you’d be right,” Diesel said, with a chuckle.
She sighed. “Where are we going next then?”
“Into that car up there.” He pointed to a black car that pulled up at the top of the wharf. With the three of them together, they headed toward the vehicle.
“Do you keep track of whether anybody is watching us? Or do we still think that any danger’s associated with me?”
“No way to know,” he said, “so we’re not taking any chances, until we get you home.”
“And yet that in itself is an oxymoron because that’s where I was taken from,” she murmured.
“I know,” he said, “but we will figure it out.”
“Right.”
At that, he walked up the last few ramp-like inclines and opened the back seat to help her in. The driver popped the trunk, and Diesel put their bags in the back, and then he hopped in beside her. Jerricho hopped into the front passenger seat. And just like that, they drove away.
She studied the man whose
