Chapter Six: All Aboard

Devon's Journal:

Why is it every time I’m around that man I want to jump out of my skin? Yes he’s sexy, yes he’s charming, and holy hell good looking…but it’s not like I haven’t come across that before. Did I flip my lid when Jonathan’s La Crosse team came in and flirted up a storm with all the ladies in the clinic? No. I did not. 

Why him? I just don’t get it.

Jonathan’s right, I don’t go out enough but if only he knew why. I have made it my choice and I’m happy. I am happy. Of course I’m curious why Jon would want to go out with me? I’m sure he’s used to dating very high profiled people, well so it showed on Google.

This is either going to go very bad, or worse, I might actually enjoy it. 

Pineapple? He licked his lips and splashed on some cologne before he adjusted his watch. Is that why could he taste pineapple? The sweet tang of her lip gloss still burned on his lips. He snagged his coat, keys, wallet and phone and headed out the door. He pulled on a ball cap, slid on his shades and wiped the pad of his thumb across his lip and grinned.  He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but throwing her off her cute little axis had its perks.

The spring breeze lifted a few hairs on the back of his neck as he made his way down Mercer to her shop. The pavement was jammed with commuters as people pressed past him desperate to leave the working day behind. He pulled his ball cap down lower and dug his hands into his pockets, it was always a risk going out incognito but tonight rode on it.

Devon was different from the women he’d dated recently. She had an understated confidence he found fascinating. She didn’t try to be anything more than she was. So many people twisted their personality into something they thought he would find interesting, but not Devon. There was so much more to unravel out of her, and he looked forward to the challenge.

She was nervous around him and he was pretty sure it wasn’t because of who he was. She didn’t seem to be the type to get rattled by fame, so maybe it was the instant attraction between them?

Alluring—just like the name of her clinic—was the definition of Devon Scott. He wanted to be around her. It was no secret that she was pretty, a bundle of sweet and sexy with an innocence that leaked through at the strangest times. Tonight would be different, he didn’t usually go so casual on a first date but perhaps that’s where he’d been going wrong all along. Swanky restaurants with over-priced wine and food was the easy choice. While he admitted he enjoyed that scene under the right circumstances, it didn’t feel right for her.

What was her story? He was no stranger to New Zealand, but he didn’t run into all that many Kiwi’s in the heart of Soho. He jogged up her steps to the double green doors, frowning into darkened windows. He checked his watch. He was on time…had she changed her mind?

“Looking for someone?”

He turned and his frown disappeared. She was bundled in a charcoal coat with a candy-pink scarf around her neck that flapped in the breeze. Her dark jeans poured into knee high boots which gave her a few more inches.  “You look lovely. Where did you come from?”

She tucked her purse under her arm and grinned showing off small dimples in her cheeks he hadn’t noticed before. “I slipped out the back entrance after I locked up and set the alarm.”

Her scent was sweet but with a darker kick as he met her at the bottom of the stairs. Her chin tipped up and his gaze fell to her pink glossed lips. Would they taste like pineapple again? Her eyes were amazingly blue thanks to whatever female tricks she used with make-up. Her lips parted as he inched closer, but he stopped, checked his watch and looked over her shoulder as the town car he’d booked rolled up to the curb. “Right on time, I hope you don’t get sea sick.” His brow wiggled as he opened the door for her.

Her lashes lowered and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Uh, no I don’t. This isn’t an episode of friends where you’re going to fly me to Rome for pizza or something is it?” She climbed into the car. 

He laughed freely, ducking in behind her. “No, but I could ring my pilot if that’s where you want to go.” 

“Show off.” She flicked the lapel of his coat before she settled back. So maybe she did like touching him away from the safety of her shop?

“Anyway, the private jet is at least a third or fourth date kind of thing.” He settled back as they pulled into the heavy evening traffic.

She folded her hands on her knee and glanced out the window. “Show off and presumptuous.”

A fleet of private jets wouldn’t interest her and that’s why he’d chosen to go casual tonight. He wanted to relax and extend all the good work she’d done on him in the salon today.  Band commitments were coming up. He could taste the restlessness in himself and Richie. They were both itching to write and get back into the recording studio. Soon enough touring would take over, but for now he was happy just to cruise. He had a feeling some of that had to do with the woman beside him.

They made to the wharf without incident and a nice stream of small talk. He thanked the driver, stepped out and held his hand out for her. The air was cool and people streamed around them as they made their way through the transit center. Since she already had called him on being presumptuous—and maybe he was—he linked her hand in his as they made their way down to the ferries.

He paid for two tickets and tucked his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken the ferry, let alone public transport in the city.  “You take the ferry a lot?” They boarded and he kept her hand in his and his head down. So far so good.

“Not a lot, I’m guilty for staying in my own patch too often.”

He liked the way she strung words together. He always got the gist of it, and always left him with a smile. They found a spot near the front away from the rest of the crowd that was spilling onto the boat. “Really? Haven’t been to Coney Island then?” Neither had he, only a handful of times when Steph and Jesse had been young. The sun was setting across the Hudson and the night sky loomed above them.

“No, admittedly, I haven’t. We’re going to an amusement park?”

The surprise on her face was worth it. “Disappointed?” There were her lips again. Why did he keep looking at them? Her mouth certainly was kissable and it had crossed his mind maybe one or three times in the car to take a long sip from it.

“Not at all, just unexpected.”

“Expect the unexpected.” He winked and leaned forward propping his elbows on the railing. This was going to be a fun night. If he could make her relax like she made him today, he’d bet that there was a lot to her he’d like. He just had to get there first.

~

The cool sea breeze against her face and the sound of water gently rolling away from the boat reminded her of home and summer evenings on the lake in her dad’s fishing boat. She had no interest in fishing but watching the simple pleasure it brought her father doing made the trips worth it.

Every summer they’d take the boat down to the lake, deep in Queenstown where the scenery never did the gift shop postcards justice. It was a time where their time stood still and her family took that time to enjoy each other away from the lives they were so heavily involved in.

Sadly the last couple of years before she left New Zealand they hadn’t made it to the lake and looking back in retrospect she knew it was her fault.

“Devon?”

Her eyes snapped open and her cheeks flushed. “God, sorry.” She turned away and blinked, closed off the memory and smiled. “I forgot how much I missed the water.”

“You too huh?” He was stretched out over the railing with his ankles crossed. She’d been surprised and relieved when he’d showed up in a denim jacket, jeans and a pair of battered leather boots. She didn’t know how she’d face him in a power suit, he had enough god damn presence without one. The ball cap and glasses hid who he was from the world around him and she was surprised how simple and well that had worked.

What surprised her even more was the fact they were acting like any other New Yorker and taking a ferry out to a casual location. Again, she was relieved. Classy restaurants and red carpets really weren’t her scene. If she ever pursued anything more than a casual date with Jon she knew she’d have to deal with that eventually. But for now she was content to enjoy the normal guy in jeans…and yeah they were nice jeans, too.

“Oh yeah—I love being on the water. It makes me feel alive.”

“I know what you mean, I don’t do it nearly enough either.”

She took her cue and leaned forward against the railing next to him so they were shoulder to shoulder looking out onto the water. “You don’t own a private yacht, rock star?” She bit her lip but wasn’t quite able to hide her smile.

“Brat. I can honestly say no. I used to hire them with my family when we went on vacation in the Caribbean.”

She laughed, louder than she meant to and nudged him gently. “Of course you did. In the Caribbean.” She was teasing but she knew the memory meant as much to him as hers did. Her shoulders dropped and her stance eased, again surprised how relaxed she was becoming around him.

“Careful woman or you I won’t try and win you a toy.”

She smiled as he slid down his glasses and their eyes met and her heart thumped. It wasn’t a toy she was worried about him winning at all. “Well we can’t have that then. What kind of date would this be if you didn’t win me a toy?”

The glasses went back on and they both went back to staring out to the water. “Do you miss home, Devon?”

The lump caught in her throat briefly but she pushed through it. “Of course I do. But this is my home now. I love New York.”

“I’m kind of fond it of it myself.”

“Have you always lived here?”

“Close, grew up in Jersey. I moved to the city about ten years ago but we kept a home in Jersey as well. Dorothea still has that with the kids.”

“Do you see them often?” She knew it was a personal question but keeping him talking about himself was a good thing.

“Yeah—pretty much when I want to. We’ve got a good arrangement between us. I’m very lucky she’s like that.” The admission was more of respect than of love. She didn’t want the details of his marriage break-up and it wasn’t her place to ask either. Besides, that would be taking this whole casual thing way more seriously than it was meant to be. She would enjoy the night and then go back to her life at the clinic tomorrow.

“That’s really great. It’s nice when adults can really be adults.” And that was compliment for him, she wasn’t blind. She read the Entertainment Weekly occasionally and celebrity divorces were their favourite fodder.

“Yeah it is. We make it a point to remain civil for the kids.”

Devon glanced around her, they were still alone at the front of the ferry and inching closer to land on the other side. “How’s your back doing after I let Antonio loose on you?”

“Really good. I’m going to book in regularly with him. You’ll be pleased.”

“Of course, but more importantly I know he’ll be good for you. He’s among the best in the city.”

“It’s quite the business you run there. I was really impressed today. And I mean that, obvious attraction to the owner aside.”

She clasped her hands together, a warm glow of pride grew in her belly. “Thanks. It’s been a couple of years in the making, but I’m really proud of it.” It had been tougher than a lot of people knew. In the beginning she went without a lot to get that place off its feet.  Maybe that’s why she’d succeeded...she didn’t have a choice.

“You should be. I’ve already spoken to my mother tonight. She’s very excited to try you out. And believe me, if you pass that test, you’ll make more money than you know what to do with from her and her friends.” She laughed him off and he wagged a finger at her. “I’m not kidding. Her friends have spa days every week regardless of whether they need it or not.”

A bulb went off in her head and suddenly her belly started to tingle. “Do they always go to the spa in groups?”

“Oh yeah, they make days out of it. I mean it’s a nice place but I couldn’t imagine spending that much time there.”

“Damn. I’ve just had a brilliant idea.” She dug into her purse for the small notebook she carried and scrawled down a few points. “Shut up.” She popped the lid back on and slipped it all back into her purse. “I’m going to introduce spa days in groups. I could do different age-groups, hell even use occasions as different treatments for different reasons.” Her brain wouldn’t shut off. Immediately she shuffled different packages together in her head.

Jon laughed. “Oh, so now you owe me two dates. I’ve just made you even more money.”

“We’ll see.” She smiled thoughtfully. “We’ll see how big of toy you win me.” Her heart stumbled as his hand cupped her chin. God he wasn’t going to kiss her again was he? Worst thing was, she wanted him to. Her lips parted as he leaned in and she closed her eyes as his chin bumped hers. His lips hovered over her ear and his breath was hot against her skin.

“Oh I’m going to win something.” He backed away as the ferry docked. “We’re here. Now let’s go and have some fun.”

Her heart pounded and the blood rushed from her head. Oh God.