“Oh my gosh, Allison. I can’t believe you told Mom about my trip.”
Allison rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Becca, you’re being a drama queen. Had I known that it was a secret, I never would have said anything.”
“Hello! Earth to Allison.” Becca flailed her arms. “Have you met our mother? The woman who has made me go on several blind dates and donated thousands of dollars to date auctions on my behalf? The woman who wants me to get married so bad that she once went to a psychic to make sure that I hadn’t secretly decided to become a nun in hopes of never having to say ‘I do’? Have you met that woman?”
Allison stopped walking down the crowded block in downtown Miami and glared at Becca. “Listen, Becca, I said I’m sorry. I was really excited when you called and asked me to go shopping with you. It just so happened that I was at our parents’ house for breakfast. You can reprimand me all you want after your vacation, but for right now, we have to go purchase a few necessary items for your trip.”
Becca rolled her eyes and continued to follow Allison down the block. Next time, I’m calling Haley or Leanna. She didn’t say the words out loud because she didn’t want to hurt her sister’s feelings, but she made a mental note to always text her sister first to ask if she was with their mother before spilling any details about a man.
Becca hadn’t hung out with her sister in months and figured a quick shopping trip would be good for them. She was meeting Josh on his yacht tomorrow morning then leaving for their three-day mini vacation.
Growing up, she and Allison had been extremely close. But then Allison got married, had kids, started her catering business, while Becca was still just... Becca. She’d dived fully into work and after breaking her engagement with Rich, their conversations about men, dating and the possibility of a family in the future dwindled.
“Here we are,” Allison said, stopping in front of a lingerie store. “It’s supposed to be one of the hottest new boutiques in town, but I haven’t checked it out yet. Come on.” Allison pulled her inside.
“Welcome to Bare Sophistication,” a salesclerk said as soon as they entered the door.
“Let’s start over here.” Becca followed Allison to a table with folded lace panties and matching bra sets. “What type of lingerie are you looking for?”
“Well, we’ll be gone for three days, but I need more than three days’ worth. Josh has been over to my place a lot, so he’s seen almost everything I have.”
“Oh, has he now?” Allison raised an eyebrow. “My, my... We definitely have so much to catch up on, sis. Especially since Joshua DeLong managed to clear those cobwebs from your lady parts.”
“Actually, I’m sure Sherry who works at Leanna’s salon did that.”
“Huh?”
Becca shook her head. “Never mind. Let’s just look for about five or six sets. And maybe a teddy or sexy camisole, too.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?”
Becca laughed. “It’s all Josh’s fault. The man has the stamina of a speedster on steroids and because of him, my sex drive is at an all-time high.”
Allison nodded her finger at Becca. “Oh, I like him. I like him a lot.”
Twenty minutes later, the store had practically emptied and Becca had only found a couple pieces she liked, but hadn’t tried them on yet.
“Becca, what about this?” Allison lifted a lilac teddy in the air.
“No. It’s not what I’m looking for.”
Allison shook her head. “You’re being so picky. Unless you try some stuff on, you’ll never know what looks good on your figure. You have amazing curves, yet you’re holding pieces that won’t complement them. You’re finally back to sharing your curves with the world. Don’t hide them from the important man in your life.”
Her sister was right. She was being picky for no reason.
“Can I help you with anything?”
Allison and Becca turned to a beautiful woman with long wavy brown hair and big round eyes. Becca was about to say they were fine, but Allison spoke first.
“Actually, my little sis is trying to find lingerie that will make her millionaire boyfriend weak in the knees. Can you suggest some knock-you-on-your-butt pieces, because we’ve been here for over twenty minutes and she isn’t liking anything I choose.”
“Allison!” Becca squealed.
The woman laughed. “No worries. I have two older sisters so I know how you feel. My name is Summer and I own the boutique, so I know it inside and out.”
“Nice to meet you, Summer.” Becca extended her hand. “My name is Becca and this loudmouth over here is my sister, Allison.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Summer glanced at the items in her hand. “Are you just trying to make him salivate or are you also shopping for a special occasion?”
“A little of both,” Allison said on Becca’s behalf. “She’s going to an island for three days with one of the sexiest men in Miami and she needs to have enough lingerie for her trip and for when she gets back.”
“Ah, the millionaire boyfriend,” Summer said. “I see.”
Becca glared at Allison before turning back to Summer. “He’s not my boyfriend, but my sister’s right. I want to knock him off his feet.”
“Tell you what. How about I put these items you already chose in a fitting room so you can try them on. While you’re in there, I’ll pick out some more pieces. Sound good?”
“That would be great,” Becca said, relieved. “Clearly I need help.”
Summer laughed. “That’s what I’m here for. I promise you, Becca. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll have an entirely new sexy lingerie wardrobe. And when you go on your fabulous trip, your millionaire man won’t know what hit him.”
Becca smiled. “That’s precisely what I’m hoping for.”
* * *
Josh had just made it to the Southern Royal Yacht Club gate when Becca was getting out of the car he’d sent to pick her up from her place. As usual, her beauty kicked him right in the gut.
He lifted his Ray-Bans and extended a hand to help her out of the car. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey yourself, handsome.”
Unable to help himself, he pulled her in for a kiss. Her lips melted into his and by the time he reluctantly pulled away the driver had already taken her bags out of the car.
“I’ll take your bags,” Josh said after he tipped the driver. Becca followed him up the ramp to his yacht.
“I’m impressed.”
He glanced at her. “By what?”
“The silver Porsche Panamera you sent to pick me up. It’s not every day a girl gets picked up in a luxury car as opposed to the standard vehicle.”
“Well, it’s not every day a man is trying to impress a luxury car enthusiast such as yourself. You make me step up my game.” In more ways than one...
When they boarded his yacht, Josh got a little nervous, a feeling that had otherwise been foreign to him—until he met Becca. This was the first time he would be giving her a full tour of the yacht and since they’d be spending a lot of time on it for the next few days, he wanted her to like it.
“Can you wait here while I put your bags away?”
“Sure.”
He took her bags to one of the two master cabins and returned. “Okay, let’s start with the third floor and make our way down.” Josh started with the Captain’s quarters, the top deck and Jacuzzi, and the lounge. He introduced Becca to the crew, including the interior staff, the deckhands and the chef who would all be accompanying them on their trip.
“I never thought about you having an actual yacht staff,” Becca said as he led her to the second level.
“When I’m docked in South Beach, I don’t have a staff on board. But when I actually go places on my yacht, I definitely need my crew for a vessel this size.”
“I don’t even know where we’re going, but I’m getting even more excited now.”
Josh grinned. “Good. Hopefully this next section will take you to an even higher level of excitement. It’s one of my favorite parts of the yacht.” They walked through a couple sliding doors.
“Oh my goodness...” Had Josh not been standing so close to Becca, he wouldn’t have heard her soft words.
“This is what I call my entertainment haven.” Floor-to-ceiling glass covered the entire room, which was adorned with mahogany trimmings. Crisp white furniture sat in the center of the room surrounding a circular glass table.
Josh walked Becca over to another set of sliding doors that led to a small yet functional gym. On the opposite side sat doors leading to the middle deck, where a lavish indoor plunge pool served as the center attraction.
“The pool is made of a natural stone you can only get in Spain. Took me years to find the perfect stone.”
“It’s breathtaking.” Becca ran her fingers over the stone pool. “I’ve never seen more elegant decor.”
“Thank you.” His heart swelled. “Your opinion means a lot to me. I went through four yacht interior designers to pull off this look, but it was worth it to get this end result. If you follow me, I’ll show you the bedrooms.”
They walked back through the all-glass lounge to the other side of the yacht. There were four rooms on this side of the vessel, each with the same elegant design. “When designing the bedrooms, I made sure that the mahogany-and-white theme was present throughout. Each is equipped with a whirlpool tub and standing shower. The glass accent pieces bring in the finished look. Not exactly kid friendly, but the only people who really ever stay here are my brothers and typically they’re bringing women back with them who appreciate the style.”
Becca walked into one of his favorite rooms, which had a circular mirror behind the bed. It was tastefully done, but he had to admit, he’d love to get Becca in front of that mirror.
“Logan loves this bedroom.”
“Has he brought Rita here yet?”
“No,” Josh said with a laugh. “My brothers are really particular about the type of women they bring here. Usually it’s women they’re trying to pursue who are giving them a run for their money. And even then, those women have to go through my screening process.”
“Your screening process?” Becca laughed. “It makes sense given you’re a Mogul and a millionaire. I just never expected you to implement something like that.”
“This yacht is my baby. I don’t let just anyone on Soul’s First Kiss.”
“I meant to ask you... Why did you name your yacht Soul’s First Kiss?”
Josh curled his lips to the side. “Maybe I’ll tell you one day.”
“Oh, so it’s like that?” She playfully hit his bicep.
“You have to go through a screening too, Ms. Wright.”
“Seriously? Haven’t I already passed the screening?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
Josh tried to think of something. “That depends on if you finally finish that kiss we started when the car dropped you off or if you’re going to make me show you the indoor theater, kitchen, dining room, the rest of the lower main deck and the two master bedrooms.”
Becca gasped. “Oh my gosh. No wonder you can’t imagine yourself living anywhere else.”
Josh laughed at her complete disregard for his ultimatum. “Does that mean I don’t get my kiss?”
Becca smiled cunningly. “If you tell me where we’re going, I’ll kiss you.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes really.”
Although he knew she would probably kiss him anyway, he actually wanted to tell her their destination.
“We’re going to an island called Purity Haven.”
Her eyes filled with excitement. “I’ve never heard of it before, but it sounds divine.”
“It’s a small island in the Bahamas. I asked my captain to take the scenic route, so we’ll be there in a few hours.”
Becca sported the most beautiful smile that he’d ever seen. It was so contagious, it made him smile. He watched her sashay in his direction, her eyes dropping from his to his lips.
“Thank you for suggesting we take this much-needed break from reality.”
He wrapped his arms around her at the same time hers encircled his neck. “You’re very welcome. Thank you for agreeing to join me on this adventure.”
Becca didn’t respond, but instead glanced around the bedroom. “Is this room off-limits for us to use?”
“I own this yacht. Nothing is off-limits to you.”
Her lips curled to the side. “Good.” She walked over to the door and locked it.
What is she up to?
“I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this trip.”
“Really?” he asked, his voice even deeper than normal.
“Really,” she said, playing with the straps of her maxi dress. “Mainly because I’ve been looking for any excuse to get naked in front of you.”
Josh swallowed. “For the record, you don’t need a reason to get naked in front of me.” He didn’t even know what she had up her sleeve, but already he was semi-hard thinking about the possibilities.
Becca turned her back to him and slowly removed both straps from her shoulders. Her dress fell to the ground revealing a red lace corset and matching lace thong. Josh didn’t even try to stifle his groan as his eyes roamed hungrily over her body in the vixen lingerie.
Becca turned her head over her left shoulder. “Did I mess up your tour?”
Josh didn’t even answer. He had other business to attend to. The rest of the tour could wait.