Chapter 288

“Do you need me to put you to bed?” he asked, hoping that if he got her away from watchful eyes and
maybe alone they could further explore what this was tonight. He also hoped she was picking up the
subtle hints in that question.

Gentle handling, Carrero. Listen to her, read her signs.

“Do I not need to put you to bed?” she slurred again, and he couldn’t help but laugh at that suggestion.

If only.

“I’m sure I can handle way more alcohol than you, tiny.” He joked, keeping a firm hold on that body and
letting his hands trail down her back slowly toward her ass, she wasn’t stopping him, anyway. All signs
that he wasn’t reading this wrong at all.

“I’m not so sure, I haven’t seen you walk yet.” She pointed at him in the universal drunk air jab. Too
goddamn adorable for words and her mouth was most definitely getting closer to his, her body moving
toward him so very slowly.

“I’m sure after seeing you make an attempt at that, it proves you’re worse than me.” He shifted to move
his groin away from her a little, she was getting too close for comfort, and unlike most women who liked
to feel the effect they

were having on him he knew Emma wouldn’t. She wasn’t like any girl he had ever known, and this
game of seduction was nothing like any he played. The ball was in her court, and he was just playing
along with whatever she was allowing. He wouldn’t scare her off by moving in all Carrero panther-like.

“I like your dimples when you smile.” She prodded his face. Focusing on his features a little too closely,
distracted by them it seemed and licking her lips as her eyes moved to his mouth. He all but groaned.

She’s giving every prompt and signal unknowingly, innocently … Fuck.



“And there she is.” He grinned trying to deflect just how horny she was making him right now.

“There who is?” she asked in confusion, a frown creasing her forehead and eyes coming back to his.

“Drunk Emma … How are you doing? I missed you, baby.” He smiled, although truth be told she had
been drunk since the restaurant.

“You missed drunken Emma?” she asked, blinking suspiciously.

“I did.” He smirked as that little jealous twinkle hit her eyes. All good signs for him.

“Why? … Do you like her more than me?” She pouted with sad eyes, not even smiling when he
laughed at her and shook his head. Too sweet for words.

“You are drunken Emma …” He soothed, shifting his knee between them a little to keep that wriggling
body of hers from getting back into his groin as that was the way she was heading. Aware of it or not
she had inched herself right against his chest and abdomen and caught her feet in his, she was trying
to get as close as possible and it was taking all his willpower not to flip her on her back and just stick
his tongue in her mouth. He was almost certain she wouldn’t refuse it right about now but the voices of
the others on deck were killing this. He wanted it a little more special than making out in front of them,
especially Marissa and her wolfish eyes that had been undressing him all night.

“No. I’m not … I’m just Emma … Drunken Emma is …” She looked flustered and he could only laugh.
“Why are you laughing? I’m being serious!” She pulled her hands across her chest between them
defiantly, but it only made her more appealing, he prodded her nose playfully.

“Both Emmas are you, they just choose to come out at different times. You’re cute when you pout.” He
prodded her in the face lightly again before pinching her nose. He could touch her all day and never tire
of it.



“Why do you like her more?” She slapped his hand away sulkily, more pouting and the saddest eyes he
had ever seen, it just made him want to laugh all the more.

God … adorable personified. Jesus.

“How can you not love this version of you?” He wrapped his arms tighter around her, now that she had
taken them from her chest, back to her previous close position and planted a kiss on her cheek. He
snuggled his head into the crook of her neck and maneuvered her body to mold into his a little better. If
he wasn’t in direct line of that luscious mouth, then he would less likely pounce on her and down here
he could at least inhale that sweet skin and perfume to his heart’s content.

Jeez, she felt good.

“Pffft … I don’t love her then.” She tried to wriggle free huffily, and he had to lift his head just to see that
wounded expression which was all but killing him, she really had no clue how freaking awesome she
was.

“Because I do?” He smiled at that adorable frown.

“Yes!”

“That makes no sense.” He jested, stopping the urge to poke her in the face. Playground flirting
techniques were not normally his thing, but she seemed to bring it out in him.

“Yes, it does … If you like her so much, she must be a leggy bimbo.” She sulked and looked away from
him, all hints of childish green-eyed monster on show.

Interesting.

“I already told you, I don’t actually like leggy bimbos, Emma.” He lifted his head more to stare at her
fully nose to nose. He instantly thought about stopping that sad little face with a kiss, he was close



enough, sure enough, that she wanted him to, and yet he didn’t want to do it this way. Not here. He
inched close enough, eyes fully locked on the target and didn’t take the shot.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

“I don’t believe you.” She almost gulped at the slight reaction to his near kiss, another hint that she was
into this. He just had to stop being a pansy and just do it. Stop worrying about fucking things up and
kiss her. He had built this moment up in his head so much that now he had too many nerves to try. She
couldn’t throw any more signals at him if she tried.

“Well, that’s your prerogative.” He smiled softly this time, willing himself to just go for it. Moving in
slowly once more, pushing his crazy scared shitless self aside and just forcing himself to kiss her.

The scrapes and shifting noises on deck snapped his attention guiltily away as though his mom had
just walked in and caught him trying to fuck someone in his room and he looked toward them. It was
obvious by the way Daniel was maneuvering Miracle’s dress off that sexy time was about to get
underway and Daniel wasn’t exactly shy about fucking in front of others or letting them join in.

Shit.

“Time for bed … I know what Daniel’s like. Show-time equals go time!” He didn’t like the fact that
Hunter was doing this with Emma here, he would never expose her to that sort of degrading show.
Emma wasn’t that kind of girl.

“What’s he like? What do you mean ‘show-time’?” She looked at him questioningly as he effortlessly
pulled up with her in his arms, he was getting her below deck before she saw anything that made her
uncomfortable.



“He likes kinky sex, he’s an exhibitionist, doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, he’ll try to pull you in,
he has no qualms about fucking in front of an audience.” He frowned Daniel’s way knowing no way in
hell would he ever let any of them touch his girl.

Jake caught sight of Leila getting up to leave too, she had never been into that whole scene and well,
being Hunter, she didn’t want to hang around to see. Richard was following her.

“Will you join in?” Emma squeaked at him, a completely crestfallen look on her face thinking that he
might want to. His heart warming a little at the obvious upset thinking he might. He had her.

Fuck no … She was far more alluring than that shit.

“No, it’s not my thing, Emma.” Not anymore, not in a long time and especially not when he had
something better to be a different guy for.

“You said you did it on your dad’s boat when you were younger … group … stuff.” She accused him
softly, obviously thinking back to old conversations from when he was stupid enough to think they
would just stay friends. He regretted being so open about his past, wondering if it made her look at him
in the way she was looking at Daniel right now. Disgusted.


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