JULIETTE
by Candace Smith
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2010 Candace Smith
Published by Strict Publishing International
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Chapter I
Cheaters
Anna felt warm breath caress her lips as he whispered words her mind could not quite grasp, while soft strokes from the pads of calloused thumbs on her cheeks distracted her. She was confused as the hard planks of the small boat’s deck seemed to cushion her back, but the brief concern faded as her thoughts returned to the sensations her body was experiencing.
The boat rocked in a gentle monotonous rhythm, in sync with the slapping water against the hull. Full lips continued brushing across her mouth, murmuring comforting sounds she strained to hear. His voice was unrecognizable, and as she struggled to open her eyes, her heavy lids refused to cooperate and reassure her that she was, in fact, with Milton.
She sighed, relaxing into his probing deep kiss while he continued to calm her. Determining whether or not the fingers trailing down her throat belonged to her husband seemed insignificant when they found the swell of her breast and skimmed across her tight nipple. She arched her back towards the erotic touch, and his kiss continued to encourage her.
The wooden sides of the vessel felt cool as her hands searched in the darkness to understand her circumstances. It seemed oddly unimportant to be lying in the small vessel with the mysterious weight of an unknown seducer beside her. His lips left hers in search of the distended peak he had been attending, and she moaned in pleasure at the long, drawing pulls and gentle nips.
Abandoning the search along the sides of the little boat, her anxious questions resurfaced when her fingers combed through thick, long hair. The warmth of his breath as he blew across her moist nipple caused her fists to tighten. He continued to whisper his softly muted reassurances, kissing his way across her quivering stomach. His head lowered and she released her hold on him, flattening her palms against the sides of the vessel while her lips trembled with the force of her passion, and she slowly parted her thighs for access.
An intense burst of pleasure flowed through her with the single sweep of his tongue along her folds and she moaned, anticipating his next stroke. Instead, she felt the rush of empty abandonment, and it took a moment for Anna’s confusion to clear. Her eyes finally opened and she sat up in the small vessel, her hands gripping the sides to steady herself against the rolling waves. Anna was alone in the dingy, and she looked across the water.
A huge sailboat glided slowly away from her, its hull and canvas covered in murals of dollar bills and gold coins. Anna recognized Milton’s receding hairline and his slightly softening, overweight body as he adjusted his glasses and stared back at her. The odd little gesture let her know he had seen her. Why is he leaving me here? she wondered.
He merely smiled back at her, and turned to the vague outline of the woman standing next to him. With one last glance at his wife, he wrapped his arm around his companion’s waist and turned to walk back to the bow of the ship. Anna watched in disbelief as they sailed away, leaving her stranded and alone in the darkness.
She awoke with a gasp and glanced at the empty pillow beside her. “Dammit.” Anna was not sure if she was angry because her husband was gone again, or because her mysterious nighttime lover was not lying beside her. This was the third time this week she had had the dream, and she decided that with Milton’s long absence her imagination was working overtime.
Anna could tell it was late morning by the light coming through the French doors, and she groaned and padded barefoot through the thick carpet to walk out onto the tiled terrace. The Florida sun warmed her face while she watched the sailboats on the bay that bordered her back yard. She longed to join them on the deck of ‘Juliette’, and frowned at the empty pier. “Why the hell did he have to take my boat?”
Milton bought the sailboat a few months after he had moved her into the ‘mausoleum’, as she referred to it, and it arrived on what should have been their baby’s due date. Anna spent hours on the deck, dreaming of faraway places… at least, far away from the white stucco house with its manicured lawn. With Milton constantly gone, the daydreams while she sat on the sailboat slowly brought her out of the depression over her loss. She named the boat ‘Juliette’, in memory of her daughter.
Anna was not informed about the purchase of the house until Milton unexpectedly drove her across the state and moved her in. The huge house was in a gated community on the water… in Fort Lauderdale. Anna shivered at what it must have cost, and thought she had certainly come a long way from the small town girl wearing cutoffs and sandals, to the imposing, sophisticated place where she was now. Even after three years, she rarely traveled further than the market and shared absolutely no interests in common with her middle aged neighbors who played bridge or golf and sat around their pools in the evening drinking themselves into gin and tonic arguments.
Anna had kept track on the calendar stuck to the refrigerator, and she knew Milton had been gone nine days more than he had been home this year… and it was only the beginning of summer. She noted with increasing agitation that her husband’s business trips were becoming more frequent and lasting much longer. Meanwhile, Anna was left behind, this time without the comfort of ’Juliette’ rocking against the fenders on the pilings of the pier. She felt lonely and trapped in the despised house. God, how did this happen?
It was getting difficult to remember the boy she had dated in college, the one who had come to her for answers and shared his studies with her while he worked his way through his financial degree. He spent two years with a small firm, and then suddenly came home with the world of his office in a box. After being approached about a partnership in the new company, he had taken the opportunity without discussing it with her, and in less than two months he had purchased the house.
A month after that, ‘Juliette’ idled to the pier with the old retired sailor Milton had hired to command the vessel. Anna was not particularly fond of the Captain and tended to avoid him. At first, he appeared competent enough, but over the years the gruff old man seemed to be getting too involved in Milton’s business dealings. Her husband dismissed her concerns.
Currently, Milton and the old Captain had taken the boat on his latest business venture in the Caribbean. Milton had called her last night and told her the meetings had ended two days ago, and he said he needed another week to get the boat ready for the return trip.
Anna had promised herself on New Years to give their marriage one more try. She twisted her rings, trying to relieve the pressure of the stones that jammed into her little finger. The uncomfortable new jewelry replaced her original simple gold band when the windfalls of money from her husband’s mysterious business dealings poured in.
Her eyes drifted to the boats across the bay and she listened to the laughter echoing across the water from the people on board. Her fingers combed the end of her hair, a comforting habit, and she made her decision. The daydreams of a life without Milton were becoming way too appealing, and she looked out at the bay and sighed, deciding she owed their five year marriage one last chance.
Anna figured that after his month long absence, Milton would miss her and welcome her company for the sail home. She desperately wanted the week-long cruise across the Caribbean seas, and she thought it would give her a chance to talk to him, somewhere he could not dismiss her and walk away. Anna was determined to find out if there was anything left to their marriage.
If ‘Juliette’ had been left at the dock, she would have put it off again. Denied a reason for procrastinating any longer, she turned and glanced back at the pier. “Why the hell did he have to take my boat again?” She walked back into the house. Well, shoot. Okay, maybe the boat is technically half Milton’s, she admitted to herself.
In her mind, Anna saw the back of ‘Juliette’ where Milton had painted ‘Tangible Vices’ in block letters, surrounded by fluttering dollar bills. The arrogant reference to money marring the back of her beautiful sailboat always pissed her off. “What a jerk,” she muttered.
Having made her decision, she swept through the bedroom packing a suitcase while her neck cradled the phone as she made arrangements to fly to the island. The airport limo showed up within the hour, and as they passed through the gate, she advised the man at the security cubicle to have them keep an eye on the empty house.
After the short flight in the small chartered plane landed her at a two gate airport on an island in the Caribbean, she located an information desk. Anna noticed the bemused look from the pudgy man when she asked for the location of the resort Milton said he was staying in, and she was surprised to learn it was on an even smaller island, and that she would have to take an hour ride in a shuttle boat to get to it.
Anna thought it seemed like an unusual spot for Milton to choose to conduct his meetings. According to the single page brochure she grabbed at the airport, there were none of the nicer restaurants or hotels she would have thought he would have wanted to be available to impress high powered, wealthy businessman enough to entrust her husband with their finances.
The shuttle glided up to a weathered dock jutting out from the small cove, and the Captain jumped up onto the pier to tie the motorboat to the cleats. Anna grabbed her single suitcase and the man reached down his hand to help her disembark. From the dock, she looked out over the clear blue water towards the horizon and inhaled the sea air.
Anna noticed her boat docked two piers over, and was pleased to see the teak railings were oiled and the brass fittings shining. At least the old man was taking care of her. Anna smiled as she headed up the weathered wooden walkway towards town, not noticing the Captain watching her from behind the mast.
He had seen her climbing out of the shuttle and looked twice. Oh, it was her, all right. It was hard to mistake the petite woman with the long dark hair. Her eyes convinced him, though. They were the same turquoise blue as the sea she was gazing at. What the hell is she doing here? The old man frowned and scratched his day-old stubble.
Anna found a small café near the pier and sat on the terrace, ordering an iced tea and searching her purse for the brochure with the name of the resort. This time, when she asked the waiter for directions, she received a smirk at her inquiry. The young man told her it was on the other side of the island and he offered to arrange a taxi for her. She thanked him and finished her drink while she waited for her ride.
After a fifteen minute drive, the taxi delivered her to a small group of cabana-like structures hidden from the road. Anna studied her surroundings and noticed there was not a restaurant or building large enough… or public enough… to hold a business meeting. The secluded location and intimate little huts convinced Anna that something was definitely wrong.
She followed the arrow on the hand painted wooden plank to the small hut marked ‘Office’. There was the weak chime of the bell over the door as she moved towards the desk, and when the small clerk looked up at her, his smile seemed to tighten. When she inquired which building her husband was in, his hands began fidgeting with some loose papers on his desk. He told her Milton was in bungalow number five.
There were no paved pathways, and her sandals filled with burning sand as she walked towards the small structure. It was set back from the path, surrounded by palm trees and other tropical plants. Anna stood by the faux bamboo door and put her suitcase down, still bewildered by the location and appearance of the resort. She kicked her feet to empty the sand and took a deep, calming breath.
Now that she was here, her unannounced visit made her a little nervous. She straightened and convinced herself Milton missed her and that he would be happy to have her company on a romantic sail home, and that a few nights in the tropical cabana while they waited for the sailboat to be readied, might be nice. Smiling, Anna raised a small fist to knock. She stopped in mid-strike.
“Oh, god! Yes... oh, Milton. Oh my god. Aaah, aaah,” a woman moaned. Immediately following the impassioned woman’s voice, Anna heard Milton’s predictable groan of release.
Anna’s mouth fell open, and her hand drifted back to her side. She stood in the hot sun of a Caribbean afternoon, completely stunned. It took several moments for her to gather her senses, and to realize the voices were talking.
“I’ll tell her when I get back, honey,” Milton spoke in the same arrogant tone he used when he explained Anna’s concerns away. “She’ll be easy enough. She hasn’t any idea what my holdings are, so I should get out of our marriage cheap. I’ve been transferring money for the past two months and most of our assets are hidden already.”
“I don’t know, Milton. I only met Anna once, and she seemed pretty sharp to me. It might be easier to give her a reasonable settlement. I’ll even chip in, if that’s what it takes. I need you to myself,” the woman cooed. “This past month has been wonderful. I can’t bear to think of you screwing that insipid woman when we get back to the states. Promise me, Milton, for real this time. I’ve let you put this off for two years already.”
In confused disbelief, Anna tried to place the woman’s voice and failed. A breeze wrapped her long brown hair around her face, and she threw the tail over her shoulder as the situation finally registered. Milton has been having a two-year affair, leaving me imprisoned in the mausoleum? I’ve spent all that time trying to figure out what I’ve done wrong, and how I can fix things. That bastard.
Her original plan was to throw her arms around his neck, and say “Surprise!” when he opened the door. The hell with that. Anna stormed in and left the ‘surprise’ to surface unspoken… and boy, did it.
Milton’s flaccid penis rested against the sparse curls of his groin, withered and used, and she glanced as the woman’s mouth dropped open and she bounded out of the bed, disappearing quickly into the bathroom.
Milton’s eyes got huge. “Anna,” he stuttered as he scrambled under the tangled sheets and reached blindly for his glasses on the nightstand. “I told you not to come here.” He straightened, trying to compose himself. “I was heading back home tomorrow to talk to you.” His eyes shifted, and she caught his lie.
“Well, I guess I’ve saved you the trip,” she said coldly. Anna approached the bed and looked down at him. “So, this is it, huh? Who is she, Milton?”
Milton studied his lap, smoothed the sheets, and his eyes turned to her with that patient gaze reminding her of a father explaining something to their child. His arrogance and condescension infuriated her. “It’s not important,” he sighed.
Out of the corner of her eye Anna caught sight of the woman, now dressed in a flowing caftan and edging along the wall to the door. She chose to ignore her, and refocused her attention on her husband.
“The hell it isn’t. I want to know, Milton.” Anna had a sudden flash of recognition, and she turned as the door was closing. “Oh my god,” she gasped. “It’s Jenifer Brooks, isn’t it?” It had been almost seven years since Anna had seen her, and she noticed the young woman had aged quite a bit and put on some weight.
Jenifer had worked on an economics project with Milton in college. There was something else, and Anna searched her memory until it finally came to her. Jenifer was considered a financial genius, and she had been scooped up by a top firm after graduation. A year later, she was indicted in a securities fraud investigation. Apparently, she had separated herself from the crime far enough to have the charges dropped against her, but the implications had ruined any serious possibility of a career.
Milton swiped his hand through his sweaty, thinning hair. “Jenna’s one of my business associates. I swear, Anna, when we first formed the partnership, I never expected this to happen. You were so depressed after Juliette… I was lonely.” He looked down at the sheets, plucking imaginary lint from the surface.
Anna tried to stifle her anger. How many nights had she walked into the nursery and wept as she rocked in the unnecessary chair, empty arms clutching her sides? Milton was never home, and she was left alone to travel back from the heartbreak… while he began an affair?
“Screw you, Milton.” His wince gave her courage. “I want my boat,” she demanded.
Milton’s steel blue eyes gazed at her in confusion. “What?”
“I said I want my boat, Milton. I don’t give a damn about anything else. You can keep that mausoleum, and the crap you furnished it with. Hell, keep your money. I suspect most of what you’re doing is illegal, anyway. As a matter of fact, with Jenifer involved, I’m sure it is.” Anna straightened and narrowed her eyes, impaling him. “Milton, I am taking my sailboat.”
He was completely caught off balance. The fact that Anna had even dared to show up on the island had him rattled, and for her to stand up to him was unimaginable. “That’s crazy, Anna. After five years of marriage, I am not going to leave you with just a boat.” His brows furrowed at the unexpected offer. He had already been preparing for a court battle, and had been hiding most of his money safely in offshore accounts. His mind quickly registered that now she had witnessed him cheating, she could freeze the hundreds of thousands he was still in the process of protecting.
Anna recognized his expression. He was in deep thought, analyzing what was best for Milton, and he squinted at a spot over her head. She interrupted whatever plans he was making. “Get that old man off my boat,” she ordered. “I’ll hire someone else to pilot me home.”
Milton had no idea what to say. For now, he decided his best course was to go along with her demands until he could come up with an alternative. “What do you want me to do when I get back to Fort Lauderdale?”
“I told you I don’t give a damn, Milton. I don’t want any of your dirty money. Put my personal things in storage and I’ll collect them when I get back. Have Walter draw up the papers and I’ll let you know where to send them.” Anna was shaking with this new self-confidence, feeling the door to her cage had finally been unlocked and she was free.
Milton stared at her. He expected hysterical sobs or childish anger, not this calm woman glaring at him. There was no doubt in his mind that she would go after his money, once the shock wore off. “Let me get this straight, Anna. All you want is ‘Tangible Vices’?”
Her hands clenched at her sides, and she wanted to scream at him for calling her beautiful boat that horrible name. Anna gritted her teeth and seethed. “No, Milton. I want ‘Juliette’.”
She spun towards the door and barely had time to slam it behind her before she burst into angry, frustrated tears and fled down a path that led away from the cabanas towards the beach. She kicked off her sandals and ran to the shore, deserted in the heat of the afternoon. Warm water splashed up her legs as she stood gazing out at the cresting waves. She balled her hands into fists, and screamed.
She screamed at the time wasted in depression. She screamed at the wasted attempts at trying to hold their empty marriage together. She screamed at the years she had spent stuck in a home she despised. Over and over she screamed, whipping her head back and forth in the salty spray until her voice was hoarse, her throat tight and pained. Finally exhausting her fury, she stopped and stared silently at the water and let the motion of the waves take over and calm her. Her body swayed in time to the rhythm of the watery, rolling hills.
“Are you all right?” a faraway voice called from behind her. She imagined a hand lightly touching her shoulder. “Miss, please answer me.” The deep voice sounded concerned.
Her brows knitted together as someone walked in front of her, blocking her vision of the comforting view of the sea. In slow motion, her dazed eyes looked up at the man, focusing on his wavy dark hair, and she fainted.
It was dark when Anna re-awoke. By the dim light of a desk lamp, she recognized the building as one of the cabanas, and her eyes searched the room in confusion. The colors seemed different, and she realized it was not the same hut where she had caught Milton.
“Good, you’re awake.”
Startled, Anna looked for the voice. A man’s shadow stood up from a chair by the table, approaching her, and as he came into the light, she watched him closely. A wide smile beckoned from the face of the tall stranger who was wearing only bleached cut-off jeans. The lamp reflected off a tanned muscular chest, and dark eyes glittered in the handsome man’s face as he brushed a stray lock of his wavy black hair off his forehead and looked down at her.
“You had me worried,” the soft, deep voice continued. “There’s no doctor on the island, and I didn’t know what to do with you. I’m Turner Douglas.”
She struggled and sat up against the pillows. “I’m Anna Brannigan. How did I get here?”
“I found you on the beach. You seemed to be in some kind of a trance, and you fainted. You’ve been sleeping for a few hours, but you didn’t look hurt.” His forehead creased. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Anna’s fingers stroked her temples. “I’m fine. I’m sorry to have caused you any problems, Mr. Douglas.” Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she smoothed her skirt and watched his broad back as he walked towards a small kitchenette.
“Call me Turner. It’s no problem at all, as long as you’re all right.” The handsome man returned and handed her some aspirin and a tall glass of water. “What happened to you?”
Anna swallowed the pills, and after a long drink she pursed her lips. “My soon to be ex-husband is what happened to me,” she blurted.
Turner pulled over one of the rail-back chairs from the table and straddled it with his long legs, resting his chin on his arms across the back. “Oh, one of those.”
“What do you mean, ‘One of those’?” Anna huffed.
“About the only thing not raised on this island is eyebrows,” Turner chuckled. “It’s notorious for discreet privacy.” He watched her expression. “Look, I’m sorry. By your reaction on the beach it must have been quite a shock.”
Anna nodded. “I guess it shouldn’t have been, though. The signs were all right in front of me. It was just easier to believe him when he said he had to work so much. In the back of my mind, I think I knew something might be going on. Things haven’t been right for several years now.”
Turner took her empty glass to the sink, and when he returned he asked, “What now?”
Anna’s eyes dropped to her lap. “You’re going to think this is stupid.”
Turner rolled his eyes and said in a monotone, “He promised to end the affair and you’re taking him back.” For some reason, it bothered him to think the pretty woman would so easily trade for the wealth these jerks had.
Anna smiled. “I take it you’ve seen this happen before.”
He shrugged. “I told you, it’s about the only thing that happens around here. It’s not exactly a tourist destination.”
Anna had thought the same thing about the island when she had arrived. The smirking, knowing looks she had received when she asked for information about the resort, began to make sense. She shook her head and the long ponytail swished at her waist. “No, I don’t want him back. I told him I wanted my boat. Actually,” she winced, “I think I might have screamed it at him.” Anna looked at Turner’s confused expression, and she burst out laughing. “Seriously, Milton is worth millions, and I told him all I wanted was my sailboat. I even told him to take his creepy old Captain with him.” Anna laughed harder until tears sprung to her eyes.
Her laughter was infectious, and Turner found himself beginning to laugh along with her. Eventually he sobered, as something occurred to him. “Wait a minute, you told him to take the Captain? Where is this boat of yours?”
“Here,” she pointed at the floor. “It’s the sailboat docked at the pier.” Anna calmed her hysterics and began to look panicked. “Oh no,” she groaned. “He’s probably already put a hold on my credit cards. I don’t know how in the world I’m going to get my boat back to the states.” She spent a brief moment in concentration, and then burst out laughing again.
Turner noticed the mood swing and realized the stress from her discovery was getting to her. He decided he had better let her rest and discuss things in the morning. “Anna, why don’t you stay here tonight? It’s after one in the morning and it would be hard to wake anybody up to get a room.”
Anna thought for a moment. Obviously, the man was not going to hurt her; she had already been there for several hours. “Are you sure? I guess I can’t go back to Milton, and I have no idea if he’s cut off my credit yet. I could stay on the boat,” she suggested.
His warm smile radiated across his face. “Anna it’s late. Just stay here. Really, it’s no problem, and I think you need the rest. You have a lot to decide in the morning.”
“Thank you, Turner. Truthfully, I’m exhausted.” It had been a long day of traveling and worrying about her marriage, ending in the shock of Milton’s infidelity. She lay back on the pillows and her eyes closed immediately.
Turner leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a moment. The beautiful little woman curled up on his couch had unknowingly come up with the solution to his problem. He smiled and closed the door.
Chapter II
Caribbean Seas
The bewildered Captain stared at Milton when he told him to pack his things. Apparently they would be flying back to Florida, and leaving the boat on the island. “That makes no sense, sir.”
“A business matter demands my immediate attention, and I have to get back to the states sooner than I had planned. I don’t have time to sail home,” Milton grumbled.
“Why don’t you let me bring her back? I don’t mind sailing alone.”
“Sorry, Captain, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to let you make a trip like that by yourself. Not to insult you, but you’re not a young man. If an unexpected storm came up, you could be in trouble and I don’t want that responsibility.” Milton originally planned to tell the old man he had sold the sailboat to someone else on the island, but he decided the story would be too easy to check out, especially if the Captain wanted to approach the new owners for a job.
Instead, he chose the easiest route and decided to fire the old man when they got back to the States. With his skill and credentials, he should be hired by someone else quickly, and hopefully would forget all about ‘Tangible Vices’. If the Captain ever did discover Anna had taken the boat, he could always explain that he had made his decision so he would not hurt the old man’s feelings with Anna’s reluctance to keep him on as Captain. Ironically, that was the only part of Milton’s plan that was the truth, because they both knew the old man made her nervous.
The bigger problem would be if the boat were ever found. After years of caring for the vessel, the Captain knew the condition of the sailboat and would quickly spot the sabotage, though Milton and Jenna both felt confident it would not happen. The Caribbean was a big place to sink a boat.
The sailor was surprised that Anna was not boarding the shuttle with them, but when Milton did not mentioned her, the Captain realized the man was probably unaware that he had seen her when she arrived earlier. The situation was awkward, and the old man had wondered what would happen when Milton’s wife discovered her philandering husband. The Captain had known about the affair since it began, and it had always made him uncomfortable around Anna. He decided it was not any of his business, as long as he was paid. All he was hired to do was to pilot the boat. Now, he figured she was probably taking a well earned vacation after discovering her cheating husband.
Milton, Jenna and the Captain boarded the shuttle boat, and left the island within an hour of Anna’s discovery at the resort. “Captain, I’ve arranged a charter flight to take you back to Florida. Jenna and I have some business to take care of,” Milton stated.
The old man’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were in a hurry to get home.”
Milton studied the man. He had been a good employee the past few years, following orders without question, and minding his own business. His apparent interest in the current situation was unexpected, and Milton changed course, deciding that the man’s unwelcome curiosity actually made his plan easier. “Captain, my business affairs really don’t concern you. Ms. Brooks and I will be taking a flight out this evening. Please be assured, I will have adequate references drawn up for you.”
The Captain realized he had just been fired, and he scowled as he snatched the plane ticket and envelope with his final pay. With a grunt, he hoisted his duffle bag onto his shoulder and boarded the small plane headed home.
Milton and Jenna made a stop at one of the many lesser known islands where they had arranged a meeting at a bar they frequented, located on the edge of a not so good neighborhood. Their business affairs sometimes made it necessary to deal with a seedier element. They took a late night chartered flight back to Florida, and arrived about the time Milton’s wife was waking up on the island.
When Anna opened her eyes, she studied her surroundings. The memories of yesterday spun through her mind, and she realized that if she had handled the situation more calmly, she would not be in this mess. “Well, damn. What am I going to do now?”
The door rattled, and she looked up as her host entered the hut with two cups of steaming coffee balanced in one hand and her suitcase in the other. “The guy at the desk picked this up in front of one of the cabanas. I guessed it might be yours, and when I described you to him he remembered you carrying it yesterday.”
Anna stared at the Turner as he set her suitcase down next to her. She noticed he had to duck slightly to enter the cabana, and she realized he was well over six feet tall. The tight muscles of his physique, along with his dark tan, led her to believe he had worked in the islands for a while. “Thanks, Turner. I forgot all about it,” she admitted. She took the lid off the coffee and blew across the surface.
He reached for something down by the door. “I grabbed your sandals from the beach after I got you back here. I think the strap’s broken on one of them.” He handed them to her.
“Oh shoot. I really liked these, too.” She dropped the injured footwear on the floor and sipped the coffee, eyeing him over the rim of the cup. “I think I have a problem.”
“You mean the, ‘I just want the boat, you take the Captain,’ type of problem?” he chuckled.
“That would be the one,” Anna agreed. “I can’t even offer to hire anyone. I don’t know if I’ll have any money to pay them.” She chewed her bottom lip and looked up at him with her big blue eyes.
“No problem,” he smiled.
“Well, I certainly think it’s a problem,” she assured him, and she sipped her coffee again.
“Just so happens I know someone with a license trying to hop a ride back to the states.”
She looked up from her cup. “Really? How do I get hold of him?”
Turner grinned. “You already have.”
“You? You’re a Captain?” Anna sat forward and studied him closer. She could think of many less pleasant ways to spend the week than sailing home with the handsome man.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve been running a charter fishing boat for one of the resorts for the past few years. The resort closed down a couple of months ago and I’ve wanted to go stateside for a while now. Besides, that boat of yours is a beauty.” Turner had noticed the expensive sailboat docked at the pier for a month, and this morning he had got up early to inspect it. The Captain he was replacing showed obvious signs of pride in the vessel.
Anna put her coffee on the end table, and rose to her toes to hug him. “Oh god, thank you so much. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do.”
Her embrace startled him. His hands seemed to rest naturally on her slim waist and he felt the firmness of her breasts against him. Turner looked down at her grateful expression and decided this was going to be a very nice trip home.
An hour later, Anna had the nerve to call about her finances. She discovered the money had already been moved out of the joint bank account, and the credit cards had been reported as stolen. The companies had been told not to issue new cards. “That bastard! Yesterday he was acting so concerned about how little I was asking for.” Anna paced the short length of the cabana after hanging up from her last inquiry.
“Anna, calm down. You already expected him to do that. The way I see it, we’re using your boat so I’ll stock the supplies,” Turner rationalized.
“That’s not fair. I should be paying you, Turner.”
“For a summer cruise across the Caribbean? Anna, please, just let me take care of it.” Turner could see she felt miserable about the situation.
“I guess I don’t have any choice. As soon as I can I’m paying you back, though.”
Turner sighed. “Deal. It will take a couple of days for me to check out the boat and get what we need.”
“I guess that will work.” Anna dug through her suitcase for her sneakers. “I’m going to see if my husband is still here. The least he can do is pay for a place for me to stay until we’re ready to sail.”
Turner glanced at her and decided not to mention the clerk who handed him the suitcase had already told him Milton had checked out in a rush after the brown haired woman arrived. The little man had seen it happen before, when a wife located her wandering husband.
When she inquired at the office about Milton, she learned that he and Jenna had left yesterday, shortly after her arrival. Not that it mattered, but she asked if Jenna had her own hut and she noticed the small man squirm. “Never mind. I think I know the answer to that one.” She decided to let the uncomfortable clerk off the hook. “Milton, you are such a jerk,” she muttered.
When Anna returned to Turner’s cabana, she told him her weaseling husband and Jenna took off. She stroked the end of her ponytail nervously. “I guess I can stay on the sailboat.”
Turner shook his head. “That’s not a good idea. Most of the folks on the island are good people but we do have our share of problems, and even though they keep a pretty good eye on the docks, your boat could still be vandalized. You could get hurt if they found you on it. Anna, just stay here. We’re going to be spending the better part of a week together on the boat anyway.”
“I hate being in this position, but I guess you’re right. I owe you a lot for all you’re doing for me.”
“Nonsense, I’m getting my ride home. Believe me, we are more than even. Now, I don’t want any arguments. You’re taking the bedroom. I’m always up early and I don’t want to disturb you.”
Anna balked, but finally agreed. In the morning she found a warm cup of coffee on the table with a note telling her where he had gone. After the first day, she decided she enjoyed his relaxed, easy going manner, and the few times she burst into tears over her dilemma, he sat with her until she cried herself out. Anna finally replaced the tears with anger, and she called Walter to see what she could do about her finances. Anna was surprised by his curt tone when the lawyer informed her he was representing Milton, and would not advise her. She decided to wait until she got back to Florida to find her own attorney.
In the evening, Turner took her for long walks on the beach and they waded into the warm waters on the shoreline. After Milton’s stiff manner, it took Anna a while to start to feel comfortable around him. She discovered he was a very easy person to talk to, and told him about the absurd life she had been living since Milton moved her to Fort Lauderdale. Anna told him she was going to see if she could get a small house on the other coast. Turner asked why she was choosing not to ask Milton for a bigger settlement, and she told him she was never comfortable with the wealth. The only thing they had purchased that she truly liked, was ‘Juliette’.
Turner frowned. “But, that’s not the name on the back of the boat, Anna.”
“No, Milton renamed it ‘Tangible Vices’.” Anna shivered. “I always hated that name.”
The first day, Turner checked the fuel, rigging and lines. He wanted to have time for the shuttle boat to bring back any equipment they needed to replace. Everything seemed to be in good condition. “I know you didn’t care for your former Captain, but after looking things over, I’d have to say he was doing a very good job. He must have really loved this boat.” Turner slid a hand down the oiled teak railing.
“Yes, well, like I said, it wasn’t anything in particular. He just made me uncomfortable. I’d catch him staring at Milton with this odd expression, and when Milton would turn towards him, the old man would look away. Milton said I was imagining it.” Anna shook her head. “I’m telling you, Turner, there was something weird going on with him.”
The day before they left, they took their time stocking the ship with food and water, figuring the trip would take about four days, barring bad weather. The morning they were to depart, they brought their personal belongings on board and stored them in the cabins below.
Anna waited on the dock while Turner said goodbye to the friends he had met during his stay on the island. As they prepared to board the sailboat, Turner announced, “I have a surprise for you, Anna.”
He steered her towards the back of the boat, and she stared at the new paint and swirling letters that read ‘Juliette’. The fluttering dollar bills had been replaced by colorful flowers.
Anna’s throat tightened, and she hugged him. “Thank you, Turner. It’s beautiful.”
He was mildly embarrassed by her gratitude, and studied the wooden planks of the pier. “It’s your boat. You’ll have enough to deal with when you get home. I didn’t think you needed any more reminders of your ex.”
They boarded ‘Juliette’. Out of habit, Anna moved to the bow and looked to the horizon, while Turner untied the ropes and idled the boat out of the harbor. Within an hour, the sails were unfurled and they were cutting through the blue waters.
Turner stood at the wheel enjoying the view of the pretty brunette while her long hair floated on the breeze. Her slim figure silhouetted against the sky as her legs automatically balanced against the rocking deck. His eyes widened when she lifted off her shirt, leaving her in shorts and her bikini top. Oh yes, this is going to be a nice trip.
Anna walked back to the cabin and brought lemonade up from the galley, finding Turner had stripped to just his cutoffs. She caught herself glancing at his tanned muscles several times while he stood at the helm steering the boat through the calm waters. Her eyes followed the wispy curls on his chest to where they turned into a single path, disappearing beneath the waistband of his shorts. He made a striking figure with his long legs stretched out to balance himself and his long black hair whipping in the wind. “You look like a pirate,” she laughed. “All that’s missing is a cutlass and a parrot.”
Turner grinned at her, and she felt an unexpected stirring. “I do love the sea,” he admitted.
“Tell me about yourself.” Anna pulled her legs up on the bench and crossed them. “We’re going to be alone for the next four days. I’d like to know something about you, and you’ve got to be a little tired of hearing me complain about Milton. So, who is Turner Douglas?”
Turner avoided talk about his past. Anna continued to coax him, suggesting fanciful stories that would make him have to move to the islands. She insinuated he was hiding from a throng of adoring women, and he laughed out loud when she suggested that it was a throng of adoring men he was dodging. Next, she suggested it had to be an ex-wife who was hunting him. Out of options, Anna was wide-eyed, and she asked if he had done something illegal and was evading the law.
Turner smiled and shook his head. “All right,” he sighed. “I’ll tell you, or you’re going to make me out to be some kind of bank robber,” he laughed.
“If you are, I’m not reimbursing you for the supplies,” she assured him.
Turner gazed at the sea. “I grew up on a farm in Texas, and joined the service after high school. I figured I’d put in a few years for my country, and then head home to help my folks with things.”
“I wound up in Special Forces overseas. Intelligence screwed up the location of a village that was harboring insurgents. Basically we were told to shoot on sight, and blow up anything we came across. I think some of us suspected something was wrong, but it was too late by then.”
He paused and looked down at her, and he saw she was looking at her lap. His jaw clenched, but he decided the worst of it was out, and he might as well finish. “I used to have nightmares about the civilians who died. It messed me up pretty bad, and when my tour ended I didn’t re-enlist.” He ran his fingers through his hair as he continued to stare at the horizon. “God, I couldn’t even face my folks when I got out.”
Anna looked up at him. The broad shoulders had slumped, and he was staring at the water off the bow.
“So, I came down here for a few years to try to get my head together. I still haven’t gotten over it, but the nightmares have stopped. I figure its time to go home now.” Turner glanced down at her sad face. “Damn, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m not a bad person Anna, really. If I was, I don’t think it would have torn me up as bad as it did.”
She spoke softly. “Turner, what you went through was horrible, but it certainly wasn’t your fault.”
“Anna, what Milton did wasn’t your fault, either.”
Their gaze returned to the sea as they thought about the nagging ghosts haunting them. “I’ve always loved the water. Looking out over the waves always seems to help straighten things out,” Turner mused.
They sat in comfortable silence, watching some dolphins swim beside them for a while, taking turns gliding through the air. They spent the afternoon in the warm sunlight, and as the tropical colors of sunset spread across the sky, Turner secured the sails for the night and prepared to drop the anchor.
“The motor on that is broken.” Anna pointed to the toggle. “They called to say the part was in right before I left home, so I know it’s not working yet. It will take forever to hoist the anchor by hand in the morning. Why don’t you leave it?” Anna suggested. “We won’t be pushed that far off course. Anyway, neither one of us seems to be in a huge hurry to get home.”
Turner looked out on the calm waters and he noticed the air had stilled. There was not enough breeze to alter their slow northwesterly course. “Okay, I can get us straightened out again in the morning,” he agreed.
Anna looked over her shoulder. “Dinner is ready,” she said as she headed towards the open hatch.
Turner watched her hair sway across her slim hips as she walked away, and he felt himself begin to harden. Down boy, she’s out of your league.
“Give me a few minutes,” he called. “I’ll be right down. I just want to make sure things are secured up top.” Turner walked slowly towards the bow, checking the rigging as he went. He returned to the galley a few minutes later. “Mmm, fried chicken.”
“I am a Southern gal, you know. Go wash up, and I’ll get dinner on the table.” Along with the chicken, she had made a salad, corn bread, and real mashed potatoes and gravy. She realized how nice it felt to be cooking for someone and sharing a mealtime. Other than restaurants, it was difficult to remember the last time Milton had had dinner with her.
Turner put on a t-shirt and joined her at the table. He opened a bottle of wine and poured while she set their places, and they ate dinner and discussed just about everything. Anna noticed that when she spoke he would gaze intently at her with his dark eyes, completely focused on what she was saying as if her opinions really mattered. All in all, this was turning out to be a really nice cruise home.
Turner listed his head sideways, studying her. “Your eyes are remarkable.”
Anna shrugged. “I have people ask me if they’re contacts. If eyes are the windows to the soul, than mine must be the sea. Being near the water always seems to put me back together.”
They placed their dinner dishes in the sink, and Turner suggested they go up on deck. He refilled their wine glasses and followed her up the steps.
The full moon lit a sparkling trail across the water to the sailboat. They sat next to each other, and Anna’s eyes followed the light as it reflected off the dark surface of the water. “You know how they say there’s treasure at the end of the rainbow?” she said softly. “I always imagined it was at the end of the moon path. That’s what I call the light on the waves.”
“I guess instead of leprechauns you’d have to fight the man in the moon for it,” Turner replied in mock seriousness. He noticed a slight breeze had picked up, and the stirred up waters began to gently rock the boat.
Anna settled back on his chest, and he wrapped an arm around her. “That’s what I have you for,” she squeezed his arm. “Special Forces, right? What’s a little ‘moon man’ if it means treasure?”
He chuckled, “You already gave up your treasure this week for ‘Juliette’, remember?”
Anna caressed the teak railing, and looked up into Turner’s dark eyes. “I didn’t give up anything,” she murmured.
Turner dipped his head, and she felt his full lips press against hers. His tongue flicked gently against her, as if lightly rapping for permission to enter. Anna parted her lips and he slowly entered the warmth of her mouth.
Her eyes closed and she put all her effort, every thought, into experiencing his searching quest, and she felt herself dampen. It had been a long time since she had been this aroused. His hand brushed down her throat and captured a breast, rolling it like the waves surrounding them.
Her core clenched when his thumb rubbed across her nipple, and he leaned back slightly and whispered, “I want you, Anna. You have no idea how badly I want you.”
Anna’s turquoise eyes shone back at him. “I want you too, Turner. Make love to me.”
Holding her hand, he led her to the cabin in the lower level. They knelt on the bed facing each other and Anna reached out, grabbing the hem of his shirt and lifting it over his head. He returned the favor, and her bra was next, and then shorts lay on top of each other on the floor.
Turner claimed her mouth again. His kisses were intoxicating, demanding fulfillment, and she pressed her body into him. He leaned over her and trailed his lips down her throat.
Combing her fingers through his thick wavy hair, her muscles tightened in a rhythmic pulse. She quivered in erotic anticipation, and sighed when his mouth captured her nipple, gently sucking and nipping while his other hand traveled lower. Slick wetness squeezed from inside her channel. “It’s been so long since I’ve been loved like this,” she whispered. A fleeting thought of the lover in her dream wisped by.
He left her breast and his lips traveled down, briefly investigating her naval and moving across her flat belly, while her hands gripped the sheet in passionate urgency, willing him to continue his oral explorations.
Fingers parted her folds, stroking her slick petals, as his thumb slipped across her clit. Long brown hair glided across the pillow, and she slowly shook her head in aroused agony while her cream drooled from her moist depths. She trembled with desire when she felt the first stroke of his tongue on her slit and, gasping, she arched into the pleasure.
Moving to the end of the bed, he knelt on the floor and placed a thigh on each shoulder as he leaned into her. Anna gripped the pillow with each fist, writhing in ecstasy as his tongue caressed her.
Soft moans escaped her lips, and her thighs tried to press together. A finger disappeared into her warmth and she groaned, “Oh… oh my god.”
Turner teased her stiffened bead with his tongue, scraping it lightly with his teeth, and Anna felt her world come apart in as many fractured pieces as the twinkling moonlight on the waves. “Aaah…” she gripped the pillow tightly, and shuddered through her release.
Turner rose and pulled her hips to the end of the bed. He lightly feathered his fingers across her still-quivering belly while his shaft teased her entrance.
“Please, Turner, I need you,” she begged.
His erection spasmed when he saw the desire in her eyes, and he filled her, plunging deeply. Anna reached blindly for his hands, clasping onto them until he felt the sting of her nails digging deep. His thrusting motion was slow, like the rocking of the boat on the waves, and he felt her channel constrict with demanding urgency, her core needing the friction his length could provide. When he pulled her up, she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his slick back. The sweat of his exertions mixed with the musky smell of sex, permeating the cabin with their scent.
Turner reached under her and, holding her bottom in his hands, he pulled her to him. The shuddering grip of her channel as she climaxed sent a rolling wave of caresses down his shaft, and the tight fist of her sheath, milked his cock as he exploded with a roar. “Aaargh.” He thrust deeply as he emptied into her, and her tremulous moan let him know she had orgasmed again.
They fell back onto the bed in silent exhaustion and let their shudders subside as their breathing slowed. Turner turned towards her and propped his head on his arm. Chasing a bead of sweat with one finger as it traveled down her neck to the swell of her breast, he whispered hoarsely, “Anna, you’re incredible.”
Anna brushed the errant lock off his forehead and smiled. “I think this is going to be a very interesting trip.”
They slipped into sleep, rocking in each other’s arms in time to the sea.
Chapter III
Sabotage
When Anna awoke, she was alone. After their brief time on the island, she was used to Turner waking at dawn, ready to start his day.
Anna, on the other hand, was not a morning person, and she liked to wake up slowly. She stretched and smiled, and reaching beside her she picked up his pillow and breathed his scent, thinking about the passionate encounter of the night before. Even at the beginning of her relationship with Milton when she first thought she loved him, it had never been like last night.
Anna smiled when she heard Turner’s feet on deck above her, and she sighed. She hurriedly showered and dressed, and went to the galley to make coffee. After she arranged some Danish on a plate, she headed topside, and as she approached the helm she noticed he was frowning at the instrument panel. She stood beside him, looking at the mass of equipment. “What’s wrong?”
Turner was studying a chart and looking at the compass. “When I got up this morning to get us back on course, the GPS was showing the same position we were in when I looked at it last night before we headed to the cabin.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
Turner ran his hand through his hair and shook his head in confused frustration. “According to the GPS, we didn’t drift at all last night, not more than a few feet. I felt the wind pick up a little right before we headed for the cabin. Not a whole lot, but too much to have left us in exactly the same position we were in last night. This is impossible.” Turner continued to frown at the instruments. He studied the compass, tapping it a few times, and he gripped the panel. “Oh, no.”
“What?” Anna tensed at his alarm.
“Do you have a screwdriver?”
Anna dashed down the steps and opened the odds and ends drawer in the galley. She grabbed two screwdrivers, raced back up on deck, and held them out to him. “I didn’t know if you needed a plus or a minus.”
Turner looked up from the compass. “What?”
Anna licked her lips nervously. “The screwdrivers. I didn’t know if you needed a plus,” she held one out, “or a minus.” She offered the other one.
He grinned, “I’ll take the Phillips, er, the plus.”
Watching as he carefully removed the GPS and compass from the teak instrument panel, Anna said, “Dad taught me that. I can never remember the names.”
When he got them disengaged, he studied the GPS. The display was still frozen in the same position and he checked the wire connections, but the display was lit so he knew that it was getting power. Turner put the device aside to check the compass. He turned it over. “Shit.” He took the other screwdriver from her, and worked to pry something loose from the bottom of the instrument. He sat down slowly, and idly turned the compass in his hand.
Anna could sense something bad had happened, and she sat down next to him and began fidgeting with the end of her ponytail. “Turner, what’s wrong?”
“How bad was your argument with your husband?”