Page 29 of The Second Chance in the Mediterranean
“It’s a good color on you.”
Grinning, Seb took a sweeping look up and down my body. “You look like a model in that dress.” His eyes lingered on my bare shoulders and he bit his lip. When our eyes met, his were warm and appreciative.
“Thank you.” I looked down, blushing, as we walked along the Riva. I was very aware that all those memories I had of Seb, which I could call up whenever I wanted to remember what his body looked like. He had his own memories from that night. Was he remembering the way I looked underneath him?
“Marce! Seb!” voices called out behind us. We spun around to find the group had stopped at one of the cafés on the sidewalk; we hadn’t noticed and had walked right past.
Seb jumped into action, helping pull over another table and more chairs. Our group of seventeen squeezed into three tables and overflowed into the corner.
“Marce.” Seb pulled out a chair for me, and when I sat, he took the seat next to me. With all of us crowding in, our knees brushed. This close to Seb I could smell him, feel the hairs on his knee touching mine.
He pulled me like a magnet. I knew better, but I wanted so badly to crawl into his lap, muss up his hair with my fingers, and wrap myself around him.
To distract myself, I admired the city. The Riva at night was spectacular. The palm trees were lit up from below, the buildings’ facades glowed, and each restaurant had a white awning over the outdoor seating. Across the harbor we could seeThemislit up in the night, miniature echoes all around her in the marina, and behind us the Venetian Tower stood out starkly against the darkening sky.
We ordered drinks and regaled one another with stories of our worst charter guests. Though few stories topped the last week, some were hilarious or downright painful. Then we shared our best stories: celebrities and the little perks we’d gotten.
“I can’t say who, because I signed an NDA, but I worked on a charter for a very famous football player once. He and his very beautiful model wife swam naked off the boat.” Cat sighed in memory.
“Once a retired model gave me her handbag that I complimented as a tip.” Harper smiled smugly. “I still have it back onThemis.”
Will burped behind his hand. “I once got tipped a thousand-euro bottle of wine.”
“Did you drink it?” Seb asked.
“Hell no. I sold it and bought a case of my favorite thirty-euro bottle of wine and sent the rest back home.”
The crew laughed, and I sipped my simple gin and tonic, garnished with juniper berries and lemon, the refreshing drink going down far too easily. While we’d drunk some onEik,it had never been a party; I was going to have to pace myself.
I glanced at Seb out of the corner of my eye, and caught him looking at me. A memory flooded in of us sitting at a different bar, halfway around the world, talking over shots.
“You were always teasing me, and I thought it was payback for that first day.”
Seb turned in his seat and rested his arm on the back of my stool. His eyes melted into a look of mirth. “Oh,flaquita. I was flirting with you.”
Heat crept up my cheeks. “No, you weren’t.”
“Yes, I was. You’re beautiful, and you were always blushing around me.”
“Well, I’ve seen you naked. It’s kind of hard not to think about.”
Seb smiled wide. “Oh, you think about me naked? Every time you’re blushing?”
“Ah,zitto!” I pushed him away, hiding my face in my hand.
Seb caught my hand and pulled me closer to him. His other arm slipped around my back, his finger lightly grazing the sensitive skin of my side, exposed by my tank top.
Our eyes met, and my laughter died. Seb’s eyes were lidded, his nose carefully grazing my cheek. “I like you thinking about me naked.”
We had hustled back toOdysseyand made coffee, Seb sobering me up before bringing me to bed, his kisses tasting of dark roast and sugar.
I put the glass down, swallowing, and felt heat that was more than the Mediterranean air.
Edie, sitting on my left, interrupted my thoughts by changing the topic to the regatta next month. “So, who’s placing bets on Alex for the win?”
* * *
Roy stoodup a round of drinks later. “I think”—he leaned over the table, his gaze glancing around and making eye contact with everyone—“we need shots.”
