Page 68 of Taming Scarlet

One way or another.

I didn’t pack as heavily as Scarlet.

So I had plenty of room to pack some goodies for our alone time together.

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to be away from you much at all during this vacation, pet,” I said, watching the way her cheeks went a little pink at the endearment.

But then it was time to go greet her father and his CFO.

Drinks were already waiting for us on the deck lounge where her father and Stephen had settled.

The next few hours as we waited for the staff to settle things, then for the captain to finally get the yacht moving, were a lesson in self-control.

Scarlet was sitting right there in her white slacks and pearlescent blouse, looking all clean and innocent. And I wanted nothing more but to muss her up a bit.

Marcus and Stephen monopolized the conversation with business matters that went mostly over my head. Scarlet seemed to be keeping up, making appropriate comments, or asking questions her father seemed pleased by, but I could tell by the way she kept shifting her position and toying with her hair that she was anxious to get away from the conversation as well.

“Well,” Marcus finally announced as he stood, “lunch should be served soon, so it is probably a good time for everyone to get settled. I’ll see you promptly an hour and a half from now,” he said, and I caught a twinge of condescension there that I had to bite my tongue before I commented on.

It hadn’t gone over Scarlet’s head either. Her spine went straighter and her jaw seemed tight.

But she kept her mouth shut. Even forced an icy smile.

Then she turned and left me to follow.

“It’s good to see you again,” Marcus said to me before I could follow his daughter. “I have to say I’m pleased to note I have not heard of my daughter being involved in any gossip since you started working for her.”

“Happy to be of service,” I said.

I managed to hold back the smile until I turned and strode away from him.

“You alright?” I asked as I followed Scarlet while she practically speed-walked through the yacht, not letting me really soak much of it in.

She made some sort of noncommittal noise, not even looking back at me until she pulled open a door that led to one of the staterooms.

“This is you,” she said, waving toward the dark paneled, shiny walls. It was a decent sized space, considering it was on a boat, with windows, a bathroom, and a queen-sized bed.

My luggage was already set up near the foot of the bed.

“And this is me,” she said, striding away to wrench open another door.

Her room was easily twice the size of mine. If not more.

Her room had the shiny wood paneling as well, but in a whitewash color instead of the dark kind in my room.

Her bed was a four-poster king with all-white bedding, set upon a semicircle platform.

There was a long cream sofa under the windows, and what seemed like a sprawling bathroom off the side.

Between the oversized furniture, though, was a lot of walking space.

“Hey,” I said, following her into the bathroom where she grabbed the sink counter, head bowed, body lightly shaking. “What’s going on?” I asked as she took slow, deliberate breaths.

“Can you… punish me?” she asked, gaze lifting to find mine in the mirror.

“Punish you? You’ve behaved,” I said, confused.

“I just think… I need…”

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