Irresistible Forces - Brenda Jackson [39]
She took a deep breath as she glanced at the unmade bed and could actually feel her body beginning to throb with the memories of last night. The thought that she could even now be pregnant filled her with intense pleasure as she walked to the door.
“If I didn’t know better, Dominic, I’d think you were a born seaman.”
Dominic glanced over at Taylor, his gaze roaming over her from behind dark aviator sunglasses. He liked the outfit she had chosen to wear and thought that she looked sexy in it. She was leaning against the ship’s railing with the sun in the background, seemingly shining directly on her. It was a perfect day to be out on the water and he was glad she was out here with him.
His mind shifted back to her comment and he decided not to tell her that in essence he really was a born seaman. The Saxons of France had made their fortune in the shipping industry for centuries and his father had been taught to navigate a watercraft before learning to walk. If you bothered to dig up the family history, the Saxons had been and always would be men of the sea. Marcello Saxon had passed his love for the ocean on to him and Dominic intended to pass that love on to his son or daughter. Some of his fondest memories were of the times when his father had routinely taken Dominic and his mother with him on his father’s first luxury cruise liners.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her, more out of genuine concern than a way to change the subject. He hadn’t missed the fact that her steps were a lot slower today and he knew why. She knew why, too, which he figured was the reason a blush appeared in her face.
“I’m fine,” she answered and turned to look back over the ocean.
He smiled. After all they’d shared last night, every single thing they’d done, how on earth could she get embarrassed by his question? He was discovering a lot about his wealth and asset manger turned temporary lover. He knew she was allergic to certain types of nuts, had a tendency to overindulge in chocolate and loved watching scary movies. And in the past hour, with his encouragement, she had shared more about her family with him. There was no doubt in his mind the Steeles were close. She admired her male cousins and thought the world of her two sisters.
It had always been his parents’ wish to have another child but miscarriages before and after his birth made them change their minds and decide he would be the one and only. Listening to Taylor made him realize that, other than Matt, he hadn’t had a lot of friends or family while growing up. He had been sent to private schools most of his life, some outside the United Sates. And after that kidnapping attempt, it was a long time before his parents or Ryder would let him out of their sight.
“Hungry yet?” he decided to ask her.
She turned, lifted a brow and smiled. “What if I am? It’s not like we’re going to find a restaurant out here.”
He gave a soft laugh. “No, but we do have that,” he said, nodding to the huge picnic basket she hadn’t yet seen near the bow.
She followed his gaze and smiled. “Who brought that on?”
“The management of the resort,” he said. “I ordered lunch for us when I requested the boat. I’m ready to eat when you are.”
She smiled. “Okay then, I’m ready.”
“Wow, the resort really did it up, didn’t they?” Taylor said while watching Dominic unload the picnic basket. There were numerous sandwiches, a platter of cheeses, bags of chips, a container of fruit, a Thermos filled with coffee and a bottle of chilled nonalcoholic wine.
“Um, I specifically told them about the nonalcoholic wine just in case you’re in a delicate condition already. And since I’m the captain of this vessel, I can’t drink on the job,” he said, putting the empty basket aside to pour wine into their glasses. “I have to make sure we get