He grinned. “I prefer to make my own.” He poured wine, his knuckles grazing mine, and I didn’t pull away.
As I nibbled on salad, my questions started to spill out, more out of habit than trust. “So. Saira. Is she as toxic as the rumors say?”
He paused, glass halfway to his lips. “Worse.” He swirled the wine, studying me. “She can charm a judge or ruin a man with the same smile.”
“And business?” I pressed. “You always this legitimate, or do you also have underground connections?”
His mouth twisted, equal parts pride and regret. “Let’s just say I’ve paid my way out of more messes than I care to admit. The city’s rotten, but I’m learning to stay clean.” He shrugged. “For my son, mostly.”
I didn’t know what to say, so he filled the silence with a slow, knowing smile.
“Want to see the rest of the yacht?”
“Sure.” I grinned back. “I’ve never been on a super yacht.”
He guided me through cabin after cabin, his voice low and smooth as he pointed out the craftsmanship… hand-polished wood, silk-lined walls, details so precise they felt unreal. There was a pool. An actual onboard cinema. Each turn blurred the line between excess and fantasy.
He stopped at a set of sliding doors and pushed them open. A suite sprawled before me, all sunlight and ocean framed by floor-to-ceiling glass. Gold brass fixtures caught the light. A king-sized bed waited with rose petals and fresh towels. Across the room, a hidden bar gleamed with champagne that probably cost more than my rent.
I kept my face neutral, but my pulse jumped every time his arm grazed mine.
He opened the terrace door, and the scent of saltwater hit me. The railing curved just high enough to keep the cautious out, low enough for the daring to dive straight into the deep.
Alistair stepped in beside me, close enough that his shoulder brushed mine. “Ever swim in open water?”
“Is that a dare?” I shot back, arching a brow.
He stripped his shirt, grinning, and dove in. I followed, shrieking as the cold swallowed me up. The shock was electric… salt on my lips, sunlight flashing as I surfaced. He reached for me in the water, steadying me as laughter bubbled up from my chest. Back on deck, he wrapped a thick towel around me, rubbing warmth into my shivering arms. His skin smelled like salt and sun. I found myself studying a scar near his eagle tattoo and traced it, curiosity getting the better of me.
He caught my wrist, his voice lower now. “Bad business. It’s over.”
We lay side by side on the sun-warmed deck, bodies just barely touching. Every glance lingered a little too long. My skin tingled, nerves awake and hungry for more.
Alistair threw me a half-smile. “Do you like my boat? It’s calledArtemis. It suits you, don’t you think?”
I let my gaze sweep over the deck, then laughed low. “You call this a boat?”
His eyes lit up like fireworks as he grinned. Underneath all the swagger, there was something honest about him. He was beautifully flawed, and I was falling for him.
“Scotty, thank you for being real with me today.” My voice softened as I slid a hand under the strap of my damp bikini top, peeling it off and tossing it aside. The green sequins glittered in the low light, a not-so-subtle gift I’d found wrapped on his nightstand earlier.
He traced slow circles at the small of my back, the heat of his palm steady and sure. “I care about you,” he murmured, fingers trailing over my bare skin. I let the air fill my lungs, the ocean’s salt mixing with his scent.
I hooked my thumbs in the bikini strings at my hips and let the bottoms fall to the floor. I straightened, meeting his gaze without a hint of apology. He took in every inch of me… my curves, my scars, the stretch marks along my thighs and hips, the way my breasts shifted when I moved. I let him look.
His stare lingered on the soft, dark hair between my legs, a lazy smile spreading across his face. “Beautiful. All of you.”
He shed his swim shorts, his thick cock rising.
The tabloids painted Alistair Scott as a man who only chased perfection, flawless skin, airbrushed curves, and a surgeon’s signature in every line. But the Alistair standing in front of me was nothing like the headlines. He became easily aroused at the sight of a woman with natural imperfections that exercise couldn’t erase. His erection twitched as his green eyes sparkled underneath his long, dark lashes.
“You’re attractive in every way,” he complimented. He rubbed his chin, eyes locked on mine. “Vera, can I take you up the ass?”
I grinned, wrapping my fingers around his cock. “Only if you came prepared.”
His eyes lit up, all eagerness and heat. “Always. Want to freshen up first?”
I nodded, letting my mouth twist with a playful promise. “Give me five minutes.”
