I wasn’t sure how long I was out there, but the sun started setting, turning the sky a beautiful orange and pink hue. Lost in my thoughts, which were mostly about how awful the boat was going to be and the likelihood of drowning, I didn’t notice someone else coming out here until they spoke.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” I jumped, spilling some of my water over my hand from the jolt. Turning, I found Gregory Green standing there. His eyes raked over me as he licked his lips, and my hackles instantly went up.
“It is.” I shook my fingers, the drops of water hitting the floor.
“Here all alone?”
“Well, no, there is a party full of people downstairs.”
“Ah, yes, but no one would hear you scream.”
I froze, worry gnawing in the pit of my stomach, but he then let out a loud laugh, and I wondered if I was just being overly sensitive.
“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” He moved closer. He was a strange man. I’d only met him a few times this week, but each time he was full of questions he didn’t need to know the answer to, and he seemed obsessed with Jasper and his plans for the project. I mean, he didn’t even work here, but he seemed to find reasons to be here a lot.
He undid his button on his brown suit jacket, running his hand over his mousy brown beard before hooking his thumbs into his belt like some cowboy from a western.
“It’s sad you’re leaving.”
“Well, work to do and all that,” I replied.
“You’re back to England.”
“Hhhmmm,” I said, not wanting him to know I’d be with the professor and Travis. No one knew about us, and I didn’t want the first person to find out to be this lech.
“I’ve seen you dance, you know.” My skin prickled. “Very erotic.”
“I’m glad my years of dance training and experience gave you that feeling.” I sounded as annoyed as I felt. I hated it when people thought that because I sometimes danced around a pole, it was meant to be sexual. The number of times I’d been asked if I did private lap dances was ridiculous.
“You sound angry, Finn. Perhaps you need a little stress relief.”
I recoiled, stepping to the side so I could walk past him and leave, but before I knew what was happening, he was in front of me, his hand on my chest.
“Please take your hands off me.”
He tutted, pushing me back until my back hit the rail. He was taller than me and wider, although pushing forty and overweight, his extra bulk meant I had very little chance of being able to push him off me. My head spun as I tried to find a way to get out of this.
“So pretty.” He dragged his finger along my jaw. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you to stay? I could show you the best time.”
“I asked you to take your hands off me.”
“Tut, tut, tut. I bet you like a dominant man. A man who looks like you do always does. Wants someone to take them, bend them over, show them who’s in charge.”
My jaw hardened. “What I want is for you to fuck off.”
“Now, now, Finn. If it wasn’t for my employer, you wouldn’t even have a job. I mean, our funding pays your wages, so really, you want to keep me on side.”
I laughed, understanding now why the university was so keen to hold on to the responsibility for hiring and firing.
“I think I’ll take my chances.”
He pressed his chest to mine so I was forced to look up at him, and right now, I hated my height and stature.
“Are you sure? I mean, I’m sure there is something I could offer you that would sweeten this deal.”
I rolled my shoulders. “If you have to offer a sweetener to get someone to fuck you, I think you’re doing it wrong.”
His face fell, his expression hardening, and his body pressing into mine with more force. “You should?—”
