Page 41 of Savage Ruin
I walk over to stand by his side. “Did you get everything worked out for the party?”
“I should punish you for leaving me with her,” he grumbles. “She’s the best at what she does, or I’d have thrown her off the top level.”
I giggle and lay a hand on his chest. “Oh Grayson, only for you, darling. For anyone else, it would be simply impossible.”
His eyes narrow, and he sweeps me into his arms.
I laugh.
Striding across the deck, he comes to a halt in front of a wooden door. Opening it, he steps in, carrying me with him.
“Are we in an elevator? This is over the top. Can you put me down?” I plead.
He releases my legs and eases me down until my entire length is pressed against his. For a few seconds, he holds me to him, dark blue eyes staring into mine. Finally, he lets my feet touch the ground.
The doors open into a long, carpeted hallway. “This level is where all the sleeping quarters are located. We have seven guest bedrooms with ensuites and additional rooms for the staff. Plus, the galley is on this level.” He grabs my hand and pulls me along.
“Seven bedrooms?!” I state with a laugh, then give him a side glance. “What are we doing down here?”
“I want to show you my favorite place on the ship,” he explains, tapping on the double doors in front of him.
He swings them open and gestures for me to enter. It’s his bedroom. My eyes widen. This one room is bigger than my old loft. There’s not much in here beside the bed and a bookcase, but it screams luxury. From the lush fabrics on the bed and windows to the plush carpet under my feet. Even the air smells expensive with its subtle undertone of the cologne Grayson wears.
Walking further into the room, I see the large bookcase is filled with unique knickknacks and art. A black sculpture catches my eye and I wander over to look at it.
“I got that in Greece. Isn’t she gorgeous?” he drawls with excitement. “There’s a school where they teach restoration and sculpting. One of their incredibly talented students created it. It’s one of my top five favorite pieces.”
I run a hand over the smooth ebony surface of the female bust. “It’s gorgeous.” Another piece catches my eye. It’s a rough-looking wooden fish. I point to it.
“I picked that up in Portugal. A little girl was selling them on the street, and I couldn’t resist.”
My eyes drift from piece to piece. “This is amazing. I never really thought about traveling but seeing all your treasures makes me want to explore.”
He points out several more items and explains their origin. His enthusiasm is contagious.
“I thought it was all about the prestige of the yacht, but it’s more than that, isn’t it?” I stare at him, waiting for an answer.
He smiles ruefully. “My parents died in an apartment fire when I was a baby, and for almost nine years, I was in the foster system. Every year, I’d dream of running away to somewhere exciting. I’d look up places, and if they looked interesting, I wrote them on my list.” He points to a list framed on the wall. There must be over fifty places listed on the ruled paper. Every one of them written in a child’s hand and in pencil. They’re all crossed out.
“I think I’ve only been on two vacations my entire life,” I say, marveling at the list of places he’s visited. “Once to the beach when I was a kid. I think it was in North Carolina.” I shrug, not remembering much beyond the waves and sand. “Then, when I was thirteen, my mom and I took a road trip to visit all the schools I was considering for college. That’s when I fell in love with MIT.” The trip was fun, but I never forgot the reason we were doing it.
Shaking off the melancholy, I slip over to the bathroom to take a peek. “Seriously? The shower is gigantic. You could hold a party in there.” I dart a look at Grayson. “Maybe you have.”
He rolls his eyes but doesn’t confirm or deny it. “That’s not even the best part,” he says with a tantalizing smirk. He gets on the bed and props himself up against the headboard. He winks and pats the space beside him.
My heart beats faster, wondering what he’s up to. The last time we were in bed together, I held him in my hand. My hand flexes with the thought. I cautiously stroll over and get on the bed next to him.
He looks at me and grins. Pushing a button on the small remote in his hand, the curtains around the room slide open, revealing floor to ceiling windows until water is the only thing I see.
“When I’m out in the ocean, I fall asleep with the waves slapping against the hull and a water view that goes on forever. It’s amazing,” he murmurs in my ear.
I shiver when his breath caresses my ear. “This might make the yacht worth ninety million,” I concede to him. My eyes are glued to the water. It’s almost hypnotizing.
When he’s quiet for too long, I turn my head and see his eyes close for a brief second, then open again. “Grayson, you’re falling asleep. Why don’t you lie down and take a nap?”
He slides an arm around me and pulls me down with him. “Only if you’ll stay with me.”
My eyes trail over the dark circles under his eyes, and I can’t help but agree. “I’ll stay with you.” Feeling a little chilly, I pull the blanket up around us, then snuggle down into his arms. It feels decadent to take a nap in the middle of the day, but the early mornings have been tough. My eyelids close.
