Page 24 of Billionaire's Surprise

* * * *

The bus ride was a harrowing experience, and as we stepped off the death machine, I seriously considered calling the cruise line to demand alternate transportation back to the ship.

“That driver was a fucking menace,” I hissed, pulling Emerson into my arms as if to assure myself she was unharmed.

“It was fun,” she argued, laughing softly as she untangled herself from me.

“Yes, in the way skydiving and swimming with sharks is fun. If you have a death wish.” I shook my head, blowing out a heavy sigh. “I thought he was about to hit people on four different occasions.”

“Aw, were you scared, baby?” Emerson asked, patting my arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you on the way back.”

I’d certainly earned her teasing, having acted like a jumpy, startled child during the ride. At one point, we’d turned a corner so fast, the bus felt as if it had tipped to one side, and I grabbed on to her leg so hard I feared I may have left bruises on her beautiful, milky white thigh.

“Enough of that,” I warned. “If you insist on making fun of my concern, I’ll have to take you over my knee when we get back to the ship.”

“And that’s going to discourage me how?”

My gaze snapped to her, and the heat in her eyes warred with the innocent look she tried to give me. A growl escaped my throat, and I pulled her into me again.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” I groaned.

“Not today,” she assured me. “Come on. I want to see some turtles.”

And we certainly did see turtles. The farm had small pools with baby turtles we were allowed to hold as we were told all about them. There was an option to swim with the larger sea turtles, which we declined, but they were so beautiful, Emerson had even been willing to go ankle deep into the water to be nearer to them.

As we walked through the sanctuary, it seemed as if we found something new and amazing at every turn. Lizards ran free throughout, occasionally startling us as they darted across the path in front of us. Gorgeous tropical birds swooped low, practically dive bombing the tourists in search of free food.

Emerson allowed me to leave her momentarily to wander out into the sea to witness the beauty of a shark in its natural habitat. I didn’t stay long, wanting to be with her as much as possible, but I appreciated the opportunity to see something so majestic.

When I came back to her, she had an odd look on her face. It wasn’t worry or fear, but I couldn’t decipher it.

“What is it?” I asked, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips, kissing softly over her knuckles.

“There’s a butterfly on your shoulder,” she whispered. “You have to make a wish.”

“I don’t need one,” I said. “I have everything I could ever want standing in front of me. You take my wish.”

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply before letting out the breath on a soft sigh. I watched as the butterfly took flight, and Emerson smiled softly, her gaze locked on me.

“What did you wish for?” I asked.

“Oh, I can’t tell you that,” she insisted. “Otherwise, it won’t come true.”

“Love, I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure every dream you imagine comes true. I don’t need a bug to do that for you.”

She laughed before hooking her arm through mine. She steered us back to the baby turtles, saying she wanted to hold them once more before it was time to leave. I was able to snap a few pictures of her as she cooed over one particularly tiny specimen. She looked so happy, and again, I was struck by how lucky I was to have this beautiful woman as mine.

“Are you ready?” she asked as the guide announced it was time to head back to the bus.

“Not in the slightest,” I admitted, eyeing the deathtrap.

“Well, I’ll just have to keep you distracted for the ride back to the ship.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that?” I raised an eyebrow at her.

“By telling you all the things I’d like to do once we get back to our room,” she whispered, before her vixen tongue ran over my earlobe.

“You are itching for that spanking, aren’t you, Ms. Blake?”

---