Rock the Boat (6 page)

I place her hand on my thigh, just above my knee. This only makes the pink on her cheeks darken as the color spreads down her neck. If she gets this flushed from one simple touch, I can only imagine what she’d look like after a night with me.

She leaves her hand on my leg for a few seconds longer than I was expecting, staring at it like it’s no longer attached to her own body—like I’m the only one who can control her movements now that she’s touched me.

I forget Aki’s standing on the other side of the bar until he asks her what she wants to drink. She turns her head to acknowledge him, taking her hand with her. “Some Moscato would be great, thank you.”

“A wine drinker, eh?”

She rests her elbow on the bar top, and her chin in her hand. Lazily, she tilts her head ever so slightly to look at me. “Are you Canadian?”

“No, why?”

“You sounded it a second ago.”

“I’m around people from all over the world. Some things stick, I guess.”

Aki sets the glass of wine in front of her which she downs more than half of before she takes a breath. I stare at her in awe, wondering how she’d handle something stronger.

She catches me with my mouth hanging open, and tucks her hair behind her ear, shyly. “Sorry, I’m really nervous. I’ve been a mess since we got to the airport. I probably should have had a glass or two before I came here to meet you.”

She turns her body toward me, crossing her legs as she shifts. It’s a struggle to keep my eyes on her’s instead of letting them fall to her exposed skin. It’s like her body is begging me to touch it and I can’t do a thing about it—yet.

“It’s fine, but if you don’t mind me asking, why are you even here, Lark? You don’t look like the type who struggles to get a date.”

She smirks, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “What type would that be?”

“The gorgeous type.” She ducks her head, but I don’t let her stay embarrassed. They’re just words, and she shouldn’t shy away from them. Reaching for her hand, I stroke my thumb back and forth over the top of it. She blinks a couple times before rewarding me with her killer smile. “I promise by the end of this week, you’ll know how to take a compliment.”

“I wasn’t expecting someone like you when I agreed to do this, Easton.”

“Who were you expecting?

“I don’t know. I haven’t been out with anyone in a long time, so I don’t really have any expectations. I was more excited about seeing the beach than going on dates.”

Now I’m even more intrigued—beyond what’s beneath the clothes she’s wearing. “You’re not here to find your dream guy?”

She laughs the most infectious laugh I’ve ever heard. It’s not some obnoxious cackle or nails on a chalkboard. It’s the kind of harmony I haven’t really heard much of this past year. “No. That’s not why I’m here at all.”

“Why not?”

“Because my best friend wanted me to come with her—she’s hell bent on getting me back in the dating pool. I’d already taken the time off work, so here I am.”

She’s making this even easier on me. I thought for sure I’d end up with a chick who expected a ring on her finger by the end of the week. Obviously, that’s not going to happen. Still, I’m curious about her. There’s definitely a story behind her eyes. “Can I ask why you aren’t dating?”

Without skipping a beat, she says, “Because men are sorry excuses for human beings who can’t keep their pants up.” I almost choke on my whiskey. She’s brutally honest, but I can appreciate that because I am, too. “Too much?” she questions, after finishing off her wine. Aki’s about to replace it with another, but she stops him. “Tequila, please.”

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter under my breath, but loud enough that Aki hears me. I pray she can hold her liquor because I need to find out more about her. And I can’t do that if her head’s in the damn toilet.

“Why are you here, Easton? What’s your story?”

“I was set up by a friend, but I work on the ship with my band. It’s actually the last week of our contract before I accept another or go back home to real life.”

“This isn’t real?”

“This is fun, but it’s not what I plan on doing for the rest of my life. It was an escape when I needed one.” She lets my words sink in for a second, seeming to agree this would be the perfect place to escape to. What more could you want? Each morning we wake up, we’re someplace new—every morning begins with a fresh start unlike life back home.

“That depends what you’re escaping from. I’ve found the dark cloud usually follows until your mind catches up with your body. You have to be able to forgive before you can forget—even if it’s yourself you’re mad at or frustrated with.”

“Beauty and brains. I like the way you think, but we should probably save this conversation for another day.” There’s no use drowning her with the weight of my past. Especially since we only have a week. She said she’s looking to have some fun while pacifying her friend—same as me. I don’t see any reason why we can’t explore some possibilities. After all, there are no rules on the ship. It leaves a lot of room for creativity.

Lark takes the shot of tequila in front of her, signaling to Aki to leave the bottle on the bar. He shrugs his shoulders and walks away to serve another customer. Once she’s finished, she sucks on a lemon, her lips puckering from the sour bitterness. As she sets it on the tray next to the tequila, she smiles. This time the alcohol shines through—it’s a little more devious than the last, and I want her that much more. Visions of bending her over the bar and taking her from behind flash before my eyes.
I’m so fucked.

“Tell me about your band. I’m not sure I know many of your songs. I’m more of a country girl, but Noelle knew your name as soon as she saw it on the letter.”

I love that she’s not a superfan. I’m not the kind of famous where I can’t leave the house without people freaking the fuck out—you’d have to be serious about rock music to know who I am, especially since I don’t always dress the part, but when I’m in Los Angeles or my hometown, it’s become harder and harder to go unnoticed. Especially since Midnight Fate dropped off the face of the planet after Shay’s death. “Our biggest is ‘Say Goodbye’, maybe you’ve heard of it.”

“That’s
you
? It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. But if I’m being honest, I think it’s probably part of the reason why you’re here.”

I stare at the wooden bar in front of me, wishing chicks weren’t so damn perceptive. “Another conversation for another day.”

I worry she’s going to be upset I’m not offering much of who I am to her, but she downs two more shots, fills the shot glasses back up, and slides them in front of me. “To all the goodbyes we can’t change.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

She licks her lips after sucking on another lemon. My mouth waters and I can practically taste it on her lips. Right here, right now, I’d give her anything she wants physically—all she has to do is ask for it.

“So, I love that one song, but what about the rest? Are you any good?”

I smirk, moving closer to her. When I’m an inch from her face, I whisper, “The best,” before grabbing one of the pretzels out of the basket next to her. She inhales a breath, her eyes widening when I’m only inches from her lips. She smells like a combination of tequila and sugar—so damn sweet.

Once I’m back on my stool, she pours another shot down her throat, skipping the salt and lemon entirely. I worry we’re even closer to moving our date to the bathroom. I slide the shot glasses away from her, hoping she’ll slow down. “Do you know what you’re doing with this stuff?”

“Same thing I did last night. I hated myself this morning, but life’s too short to hold back, right? It’s days like today when I realize how much time I lost on people who don’t really matter. Do you want to have a little fun, Easton?”

I’m all for pushing the limits, but her statement has the potential to get me in a lot of trouble. What Lark doesn’t understand is, she has it all working for her, from head to toe, and there’s no way any guy on this ship would ever turn down an offer like the one she’s presenting. Which is why if she wants to have some fun, I can definitely deliver. “There’s someplace I want to show you, lets get out of here.”

She reaches inside her purse for her sea pass card, but I stop her before she even gets halfway to Aki. “I’ve got it.”

“But I drank a lot.”

“And I’m pretty sure you’ll drink some more. I’ve got it.”

Smiling, she slides off her stool and wraps her arms around my neck. “Thank you. You’re not my usual type, but you’re growing on me.”

“Maybe you should take another shot.”

“Why?” she questions with her head cocked to the side, adorably.

“You might actually like me.”

I sign the slip Aki hands me as he gives me a knowing look—one that says “be careful with this one, but for the love of all things holy, fuck her”. Trust me, Aki, it’s on my wish list.

I slide my hand into her’s, looking down into her crystal clear blue eyes. Of all the colors she could have, why did they have to be blue? Why do her eyes have to remind me of Shay?

I stare at Lark so hard she blinks a couple times, and I think if I stare hard enough, I might see someone else looking back at me. Before I have a chance to see if it’s possible, she ushers us to the side of the hall where we’re out of the way. “Are you okay?”

I shake my head, blinking my own eyes a couple times, hoping to come out of this fog that’s holding me captive. I want to be able to look at Lark and see
her
—not my past. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Okay,” she says without hesitation, as she walks ahead of me. I try hard to forget about Shay, instead focusing on her long legs and the sway of her ass.

If I was an asshole, I’d take her directly to my room. But tonight, I’m thinking something a little different is in the cards for the two of us. Something unexpected that will leave her both satisfied and begging for more—because one time with her won’t be enough for me, I can already tell.

There’s only one way to keep her coming back for more—my music. Only tonight, she’s going to be my only instrument.

I move beside her, grabbing her arm and pulling her along. “Where are you taking me?” she giggles, as she hurries down the narrow hallway toward the front of the ship.

“Where all the magic happens.”

She chews on her lip, her eyes darting around until they land on a guy walking out of his room. After staring for a few seconds too long, she shakes her head and blinks a couple times. Her eyes look more determined than ever when she says, “Take me anywhere you want.”

I glance over my shoulder, trying to figure out who that guy was and what he means to her. “Do you know him?”

“No, but he looks like someone I’m trying to forget.”

And then it all clicks into place. I’m about to be her revenge fuck. Normally, I might give a shit, but with her looking at me like she wants to jump me right here, right now, I’m more than happy to help her release some of her anger. In fact, I encourage it. After all, she’s the one who wanted to have a little fun.

As soon as I pull the theater door open, I guide her inside. It’s completely dark, like I knew it would be. She reaches out for me, grabbing a fist full of my shirt. “I can’t see you, Easton.”

“I know we just met, and you have no reason to trust me, but tonight I want you to. No matter how hard it might be for you. Can you do that?”

She’s breathing hard, so I pull her closer to comfort her. She has no reason to fear me. “Why are we here, Easton?”

“Do you trust me enough to make you feel good?” I can’t do shit if I don’t have her word or a little bit of faith. I need her to want this as much as I do.

Digging her nails into my back, she says, “I want you to help me forget.”

I push her up against the wall, my body touching every inch of hers even though my hands still haven’t explored a single inch. “Lark, I can make you forget your own name with one kiss. He’ll be so insignificant when I’m done with you, you’ll forget he ever existed.”

She exhales, her hips pressing against me all on their own. But I don’t let her take a thing—not yet. I lead my greedy girl down a couple hallways until we’re on the back side of the curtain separating the stage from the theater seating. It’s the one place on the ship where I feel alive. With Lark in my arms, I feel invincible.

Her grip on my arms is still tight, but she doesn’t say a word as I lift her on top of one of the speakers sitting next to Lane’s drum set. She pauses, waiting to see what my next move will be. When I don’t move fast enough, she pulls me between her legs. “It’s dark, but can anyone see us here?”

“We’re alone,” I assure her. This may be our first time together, but there’s not a chance in hell I’d let any other man see her naked body.

“And it’s okay to be here?”

I rest my flattened palms on either side of her legs, boxing her in. “Yes, all this equipment is mine. Your pretty, little ass is sitting on one of my brand new speakers. I had it shipped in a week ago.”

After answering her questions, she relaxes. I realize I gained some of her trust, and from the way she froze up earlier after seeing the guy in the hallway, I get the feeling she doesn’t trust easily.

With renewed confidence, she says, “Touch me, Easton. Make me forget he existed—like you promised.”

I hear her loud and clear, but hell if I don’t get a little bit jealous from the possibility of her thinking about him while she’s with me. I’d be a hypocrite if I held it against her considering I pictured Shay the last time I looked into her eyes. But Lark said she wasn’t here to fall in love, and I’m not even the slightest bit worried that’s going to happen—mostly because she hasn’t bothered to fall out of love yet.

Whatever it is we’re doing, we’re both dealing with ghosts lurking in the shadows. It’s the only reason I’m able to move forward, because we’re equals. But from here on out, I decide to show Lark what it can be like when you let go of your inhibitions.