Page 73 of Worth the Risk

Flutters of trepidation grew into steel butterflies in my stomach as the decision firmed in my mind.

I was going to stay, enjoy this exhilarating ride for as long as it lasted and tend to whatever fallout came later. If that meant meeting Gideon’s great-aunt straight off the bat, so be it.

Resolute, if a little anxious, I headed for the fourth-deck helipad.

Gideon was assisting a stylishly dressed diminutive figure off the aircraft. Once at a safe distance, he drew her into a hug.

When they separated, she stared up at him for several heartbeats before placing a gentle hand on his cheek. There was no denying the affection between them as he took her hand in his.

I pinned a smile on my face as they approached. ‘Miss Mortimer, it’s lovely to meet you. Welcome aboard.’

Florence Mortimer weighed me up for several seconds before taking my hand. ‘No wonder he’s tied up in knots. It all makes sense now,’ she said.

Gideon’s gaze locked on mine, but other than the flame of possessive heat, his gaze was carefully neutral.

‘What does?’ I asked.

‘You can call me Flo. And it’s nothing to worry about for now, my dear,’ she responded. ‘Can’t promise it’ll all be smooth sailing later, though.’

Gideon stiffened. ‘Flo, behave yourself.’

‘Escort me to a pot of Lady Grey and I’ll think about it.’

‘Brunch is ready for you downstairs.’

‘Wonderful. After brunch I’d love a tour of this beautiful boat I’ve heard so much about.’

Gideon’s hand landed on the small of my back on our way off the deck. When I jumped, he curved his hand around my waist and pulled me closer.

Brunch was an outwardly pleasant affair but beneath the surface, choppy tension resided.

It was a relief to slip into professional mode for the tour, but even then, Gideon sent me heavy, searching looks that multiplied the butterflies in my stomach.

‘My dear, do you mind giving my great-nephew and I a few minutes alone?’ Flo asked when we returned to the shadier second deck.

Gideon’s face turned stony. Before he could raise an objection, I smiled. ‘Of course. I need to touch base with my office.’ Andrea hadn’t returned my call and I was beginning to worry.

Gideon’s gaze branded me as I hurried away. I told myself the fact that he wasn’t trying to hide our liaison didn’t mean a thing. We were both consenting adults.

Back in my office, I redialled Andrea. When it went straight to voicemail again, I dug out Laurent’s number. It rang half a dozen times before rapid-fire French instructed me to leave a message. Talking myself down from panic, I left a message and headed for the galley to consult with the chef over lunch.

I was redialling Andrea again on my way back to my cabin when I spotted a sleek speedboat heading for the yacht.

Was Gideon expecting another guest? Surely, he would’ve notified me. Curious, I went down to the landing deck and waited for the vessel to pull up.

The man who jumped lithely from the speedboat onto the landing deck was pure Mortimer through and through.

His hair was a shade darker than Gideon’s and his eyes, when he took off his stylish sunglasses, were a pronounced hazel to Gideon’s grey. Beyond those minor differences, the two men could’ve been brothers.

Perhaps they had been, once upon a time. I had a feeling I knew who this man was. He’d walked onto the boat as if he owned it and was sizing me up with those incisive eyes.

‘Hi. May I help you?’

The barest hint of a smile curved his lips. ‘I might just need your help later, depending on how things shake out. For now, a simple indication of where I might find my cousin would be appreciated.’ He extended his hand. ‘Damian Mortimer.’ He raised his eyebrow and waited.

‘Leonora Branson.’

‘Ah...’ His gaze grew sharper as he scrutinised my face. ‘I heard we may be buying a boat from you.’

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