Read Online Docked by Rachael Wade - Free Book Online Page A

scattered around the room.
    “Wow.” My brain struggles to take in the full effect of the space, and is thwarted when Tanner recaptures my attention. He steps in my line of sight and slowly prowls toward me, lazily loosening his tie. He looks around, taking in his own domain. I am convinced he can hear the thudding of my wildly beating heart echoing off the walls.
    “I agree.”
    “Have you lived here long?”
    “Just out of curiosity,” he stops before me with a playful twist of his lips, “did you do any research on me or my ship before you came aboard to review it?”
    “Well…”
    “Be honest, Anya.”
    “I might have read an article or two.”
    “Is that so?” He reaches out and gingerly runs his finger along my dress strap, then tugs gently on the edge of my scarf. My eyes follow his movements. Each one makes me squirm.
    Suddenly I can’t stay still.
    I step to the left, away from his skilled fingers and over to the dining area. “If I admit I didn’t, will you refuse to finish the interview?”
    “Of course not. I like that you know nothing about me or my ship.” I feel him before I see him. He comes up from behind and pushes my hair aside to drop a soft kiss on my shoulder. “It means I get to show you exactly who I am. One thing you’ll quickly learn about me is that I like action.” His hand grips my hip and his fingers brush over my torso. “I like to let my actions do all the talking.”
    “And you’re a man of your word,” I say breathily.
    His nose pushes into my hair. “See? You’re learning so much already.”
    “Tanner,” I swim through the foggy haze of desire he’s stirring and wiggle away from his touch to turn around. “I have a confession.” He stares down at me and the fire in his eyes nearly singes my clothes right off. “I don’t…I don’t play. I’ve never played. I don’t know how to play.”
    There’s a slight tilt of his head as he considers my words. “You’re a commitment kind of woman.”
    “Yes.”
    “Yet you’re here with me.”
    “Yes.”
    “Well,” he inhales deeply and finishes undoing his tie, “I respect that. Perhaps I misread you. If so, I apologize.”
    “No.” I stutter and step forward, determined to follow through. “You didn’t misread me. I do want this. This type of thing is just…not something I normally do.”
    “I see.” He quiets for a moment. “In that case, how about this? I’ll commit to you for the remainder of the sailing. I’m all yours until we dock at Port Canaveral. Not much of a commitment, I suppose, but it’s what I can offer.”
    “Wait. Like an arrangement? Does that mean no other brunettes in the hallway?”
    “It means no other women while you’re on this ship. Period. Will that suffice?”
    “You’re saying you’d—”
    “Worship your body exclusively for the next ten days? Yes.”
    A rush of air punches from my lungs as he says the words. His expression is 100 percent serious, and something about the certainty of his tone and the confidence lurking in his baby blues sends a wave of heat rolling down my spine. “Okay,” I squeak, “that can...that can work.”
    “We’ll keep business separate. We’ll still meet for dinner tomorrow evening and you can interview me for as long as you’d like. But right now, I want to see you face down, naked on my bed. If you agree.”
    I start to speak, but the words stall on my tongue. I watch as Tanner carefully steps aside to clear the path to the bedroom, giving me a choice. The bed is visible from where we stand in the dining room area, draped in silky silver duvet and bright white sheets. I don’t give myself a second more to think about it, I just begin to walk forward. A slow, sensual smile curls his lips as he gestures for me to enter his lair, and I comply, feeling the room swallow me up the second he closes the door behind us.
    I walk to the edge of the bed and he instructs me to turn around. I focus on the headboard as I turn my back to him.