“I need to go tell Dad your idea.” Jaxon looks at the expensive watch on his wrist. “We need to leave in half an hour, so you might want to grab Jacinta. I’m sure you ladies will want to change out of your dresses and grab your bags.” After a peck on the lips, he runs off with the energy of an excited puppy.
“He certainly looked happy about something.” Thomas holds me close, the two of us swaying back and forth as I rest my head against his chest.
“Yeah, just an idea for the new cruise line,” I mumble.
“Are you tired, baby?” He dances us over to the edge of the dance floor.
“Yeah, and my feet are killing me. Jaxon said that we’re boarding the boat tonight so he can watch the boarding procedure in the morning. Do you want to sleep with me tonight? I think he’ll be too amped up to go to bed. I’m sure he’ll be doing stuff until the early hours of the morning.”
It was pretty much a given that Thomas would be coming with us. After Hawaii, nobody was going to take a chance of leaving him behind. They aren't going to be complacent even though the other stalker hasn't acted again. It would be stupid to drop our guards and give the perfect opportunity for them to strike.
“I’d love to sleep with you, but I’m staying here until the end of the ball. I’ll board in the morning with everyone else. You guys should be safe because no one but you and the crew will be on the ship overnight. I have a security team patrolling the ship just in case. Like you said, you'll be tucked up in bed, and I’ll make sure that if Jaxon won’t be with you, Jacinta will be.”
“Okay, that sounds fair.” He puts a little distance between us and tucks my hand under his arm so that we stay connected. “Let’s find my wayward sister and get you ladies upstairs so you can get changed.”
We make our rounds of the ballroom, saying goodbye to the rest of my family and the other guys. Each of them give me long, lingering kisses that raise a lot of eyebrows, but all in all, the reception hasn't been too hostile. I guess being rich has its perks; nobody wants to piss you off, so they mostly keep their opinions and their judgy looks behind closed doors.
Finally, the elevator doors open to our floor, and we leave Jacinta at her room as Thomas escorts me to mine. I’m getting better at this whole letting them look after me thing, so I wait patiently as he checks the room, not trying to enter until he gives me permission.
“Why don't you have a quick shower? That way, all you have to do is fall into bed when you get to the boat. I’ll be back in half an hour to walk you down to the car.”
“Are you sure you don't want to join me in the shower?” I ask, grabbing him by his jacket and tugging him close so I can take his lips with mine. Our kiss is slow and passionate, and he groans as he steps back from me.
“Harlow, you are so fucking tempting,” he whispers between us. “I would like nothing more than to strip that gorgeous dress off your gorgeous body and have you on your knees, your plump lips wrapped around my thick cock.” It’s my turn to groan as my nipples pebble and my pussy aches from his dirty talk. “But I want to check over the car that’s driving you to the port. I want to look for devices and check the brakes for leaks. Just in case.”
I drop my hands and step back, knowing he needs to do this. “Okay, I’ll see you soon then. But tomorrow night, I’m going to make all those words you just spoke come true.” He adjusts his dick, then leaves, muttering about me driving him mad.
There’s a smile on my lips as I pull all the pins from my hair, dropping them on a table before reaching behind me to unzip my dress so that it pools at my feet. Kicking off my shoes, I sigh in pure pleasure as I finally get relief from the torture heels Jacinta demanded I wear.
“Damn woman, still torturing me.” Though I must admit that I prefer pain through fashion rather than public humiliation. A few semi-numb steps later, I’m enjoying the first-class shower.
“Oh, that’s so good.” I tilt my head back, allowing the water to flow over my hair and the rest of my body.
I don’t know how long I stand there, but I just need a moment to decompress. I have so many things to think about as far as running the sanctuary goes. I think I need to hire one or two more staff members. Me, Clem, and Doug are not going to be enough to run the place. Not if we fill it to capacity. I hadn’t realized how big it was until we walked it the other day. I had only touched the tip of the iceberg in my exploration. Beyond the whale pool, there were even more enclosures. At this stage we’re only aiming for rescue animals, but we certainly have enough space to take on others if there are zoo closures or sanctuary closures anywhere else in the US.
I did decide that I wanted to have a public entrance to the zoo, so we’re drawing up plans for another access road in and out. I’m pretty sure we’re going to build a wall to separate our living space from the zoo. While the water beats down on my body, I get lost in thoughts of what else the zoo needs until I finally realize I’m running out of time.
As fast as I can, I finish up, dry off, and get dressed in a comfy pair of yoga pants and an equally soft top. I dry and braid my wet hair and pick the ball gown up off the ground, placing it on the bed. As an unexpected benefit, Nana said she would take home whatever we left behind.
Scooping the hair pins into my travel bag, I grab my trusty backpack and laptop just as there’s a knock. Thomas is making a face at me through the peephole, so I open the door with a smile.
“Here, let me take that.” He grabs the bag out of my hand, leaving me with only my backpack, and I pull the door closed behind me. Jacinta is collected next, acting as tired as I feel.
“Why didn’t you just call one of the bell hops?” she grumps as we wait for the elevator.
“Sorry, I wanted to say goodbye to my girlfriend and sister,” he grumbles back, and they stare each other down. Yeah, those Summers dramatics aren’t limited to just Oli.
“Did you check the car?” I ask as we climb onto the elevator, trying to distract the two of them.
“Yup, had a good look underneath. Right now, everything appears to be fine. Go straight to your rooms when you board. No walking around tonight. It’s not like you can see anything anyway. I’ve told Jax the same thing, so don’t start arguing with me about being able to handle yourselves. It’s got nothing to do with that.”
When we get to the lobby, Jax is waiting, tux still on and bag in hand. “Great, let’s get moving.”
He leads the way out to the car, and the driver gets out. His cap is tucked low so I can’t see his face, but he mutters a good evening to us as he loads the luggage in the back of the vehicle. The three of us climb into the back seat, but I linger with the door open, not wanting Tom out of my sight just yet.
“Be safe. I’ll see you in the morning,” Tom instructs before leaning in to kiss me.
“Get out of here. You’ll be reunited soon enough!” Jacinta gives him a teasing shove to make him step back, and there’s no small amount of amusement on her face as she closes the door. When Thomas taps on the roof of the car, the driver slowly pulls out from the parking lot.
