Page 13 of Nightcaps at The Beach House Hotel

CHAPTER FIVE

Later in the week, I came home from the hotel and found the house quiet. Not even Cindy greeted me at the door. My heart raced. Maybe, if I was lucky, I’d find Robbie with Vaughn down at the boat.

I hurried out to the lanai and grinned at the sight of them working onZephyr, Vaughn’s thirty-six-foot Pearson sailboat. I went through the lanai and was walking down to the dock when Cindy raced up to greet me. She was wearing a yellow life jacket, letting me know Vaughn was getting the boat ready to sail.

Vaughn looked up at me and waved. The sexy smile that all his fans loved lit his dark eyes. He dropped the line he was holding and strode toward me as I ran into his arms. We hugged tightly, and then I lifted my face. He kissed me, sending frissons of delight through me. Even though we’d been married for some years, we were still experiencing an exciting romance.

“Will you two stop kissing? I want to go sailing,” said Robbie, making a silly face.

Vaughn and I exchanged amused glances and then Vaughn tousled Robbie’s hair. “Someday you’ll find a girl you want to kiss as much as I want to do with your mother.”

Robbie shrugged. “Bethany isn’t interested in me. She likes Brett.”

“You have plenty of time ahead of you to find the right person,” said Vaughn, trying not to show his amusement.

“What’s for dinner?” I asked.

“I ordered a picnic from the Sable Café so you wouldn’t have to do any work. Get changed, and we’ll have time for a quick sail before it gets too dark,” said Vaughn. “I’ve supplied the boat with drinks.”

“Perfect. I’ll be right back.” I hurried inside the house to get ready. Time seemed to come alive when Vaughn was home.

A few minutes later, I sat in the cockpit of the boat while Robbie stood at the wheel and Vaughn tossed the docking line onto the boat and hopped in. It seemed like yesterday that Robbie, barely older than a toddler, sat with me in the cockpit watching Vaughn’s every move at the wheel.

It was a beautiful evening as Robbie guided the boat from our inlet into a larger waterway out to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There, Vaughn raised the mainsail, and I unfurled the jib to catch as much wind as possible.

“Look! There’s a dolphin!” I cried as Robbie turned off the engine. The wind filled our sails, sending us forward. As the bow of the boat cut through the water, a pleasant hissing sound told of our speed.

I looked at a couple of dolphins following us playfully, jumping through the water. I was lucky to be in this place with people I loved.

Vaughn seemed to know what I was feeling and winked at me.

The sun was lowering in the sky, and I hoped this time I would see the green flash everyone talked about. If the atmosphere was just right as the sun dipped below the horizon, a green flash could appear. I’d met people who swore they saw it, but for most of us, looking for it was a fun part of the process of moving into the night.

Vaughn looked up at me from the galley. “How does a glass of wine sound?”

“Like the perfect end to a busy, worrisome day.”

Vaughn handed me a glass of red wine and sat beside me in the cockpit.

I snuggled up against him. “Why were you able to get home a little early? Good news, I hope.”

“I told them I’d been away long enough and needed a few days at home while they do some editing on the film.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” Thinking of the Gorman wedding, I frowned. “I’ll work out a deal with Rhonda to handle a wedding this weekend. Lorraine is in charge, but Rhonda and I always try to be present for part of the festivities. It makes a difference to the wedding party and future business.”

“Let’s not think of that. Let’s simply enjoy the evening and … time together,” Vaughn said, giving me a sexy grin. “I don’t know when I’ll be called back.”

“Perfect.” I observed Robbie handling the boat, and pride filled me. He was becoming a very capable sailor.

The wind lifted my hair and swirled it around my face. Laughing, I brushed it away. The salt air filled my nostrils, and I watched seagulls and terns whirl above us, crying out in their shrill voices. Sitting here with two of the people I loved most, my life seemed perfect.

Vaughn clasped my hand and squeezed it. I studied him, seeing his love for me, and my breath caught. I’d never thought I’d be this lucky.

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After a night of lovemaking, I awoke to find Vaughn staring at me. “Hello, sweetheart. What shall we do today?”

I reached for him and hugged him tightly. “Let me get things settled with Rhonda, and then we can plan something.”

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