Page 121 of Sweet Distraction

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Willow

The water is calm, like polished glass, and the sun is high and bright in the sky.

We’re anchored somewhere just outside the city, far enough from the marina that the noise of the world feels like it belongs to someone else.

No paparazzi. No schedule. No distractions. No fear of being caught for being more than nanny and boss.

Just the two of us.

Rocket chartered the boat for the day and arranged for Poppy to hang out with Hendrix. He said he wanted us to have something that felt normal. That felt like we were any other couple out for a day.

Couple.

That word gave me pause. We’ve never labeled what we are. Never really spoken about it in more than general terms . . . and so to hear him give us one felt amazing.

Lily may have sent me several lewd texts with accompanying emojis after I texted her about it. Of course.

And now I’m stretched out on a padded sun lounger in a bikini, hair twisted up in a knot, and skin warm from both the sun and the champagne. Rocket’s lying beside me, sunglasses on, shirt off, and one knee bent casually.

The boat’s gentle sway makes me sleepy.

“I figured you needed a break from taking care of someone else.”

I peek over at him with my hand shielding my eyes. “Does that include you?” I ask coyly.

“We’ll get to that in a second.” His grin is lightning fast. “And from being under the microscope you never knowingly agreed to be under.”

“I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.”

“No one said you couldn’t.”

“So . . . no Poppy. No new activities to figure out or where to explore. No paparazzi or prying eyes,” I say and glance over to the last place I saw any crew members. They do a great job of staying hidden, but I still know they’re there. It’s so foreign to have people waiting on me. It makes me feel guilty.

“Nope. None of that,” Rocket says as his eyes scrape over every inch of my body. “No computer to stress over that master’s program you will be starting up again soon.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m already stressing over it.”

“You have it partially done. You’ll kick ass on the rest of it. I have faith in you.”

“At least someone does,” I laugh. “So what exactly would you like me to focus on instead?”

He shifts so that his growing erection under his swim trunks is hard to miss. “Pretty obvious answer.”

I roll my eyes, but my cheeks flush anyway. “Wow. So subtle.”

He grins, slow and wicked.

I sit up and move to the edge of his lounger so that my knees bracket his hips. I settle there so I can enjoy the feel of his cock pressing against the fabric of my suit and then lean down and brush my lips over his.

The kiss is lazy at first. Sun warmed and unhurried.

But then he tilts his head, deepens it, and suddenly the kiss ignites. It’s all tongue and growls and the press of his hands against my back like he’s trying to map my curves.

I get lost in the kiss. In the feel of him. The taste of him. My body heats and hums and rocks against his cock, wanting to rush this moment to get to the next while also wanting to savor every damn second of it.

And then reality hits me and I pull back a fraction. “There are people on this boat,” I whisper.