Chapter Twenty-Five: All Aboard

"We'll be fine and I swear to god Devon Scott if you don't hurry up and walk out the door now - I'll push you myself!" Jonathan wagged a finger at her. "And don't think you'll be calling us to check on us Missy because if you do I'll hang up on you!"

Devon laughed and held her hands up in defeat. God Bless him. "OK, I'm going. But please call if you have any issues or anything."

She bit her lip, it was the first time she'd left her clinic in the hands of her staff for more than a day. Hell, she should do it more often if the truth be told. She picked up her bags and smiled. "Thank you again Jonathan. I appreciate this more than you know."

"Sure, go and have a luxury weekend with a rock-star and be treated like a queen while the rest of us minions will just hang back here."

"I don't even know what we're doing. Probably going to his Jersey house at a guess as we were meant to go there the other night but of course work got in the way so we had dinner in the city in the end." She'd felt bad cutting the date short but two of her stylists had gone home sick and she had been backlogged in paper work that she could normally do in the day-time.

 "Well I for one wouldn't have any problems being locked up in there, it is gorgeous."

She frowned. "How do you know? Did you Google it?"

 Jonathan whistled innocently and shuffled some papers. "Maybe."

"Jonathan!" Of course she couldn't talk but she hadn't done it since she'd started dating him. The temptation was there but she didn't want to get anyone else's version of events except his. "What! I've gotta look out for my girl." He adjusted the collar of his shirt and dusted off his pants.

"Thank you but its fine. I don't think you've got anything to worry about." It's me he has to worry about.

"Well look at you! Two weeks ago you were so unsure about the guy and now he's won you over. It's about time." Jonathan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Now go, enjoy, and relax. I meant it, I'll push you out if I have to."

Devon picked up her over-night bag that was heavier for more than a two night stay but she'd over-packed and for any occasion. "I will. Ring me. I mean it, if there is an emergency." She kissed him on the cheek and went to walk out the door.

"Oh hey Dev. I almost forgot the cleaners will need to be paid tonight. Have you left out some money for them?"

"Oh shit, no I haven't! God, I thought I had everything sorted. I'll run back inside." The car horn tooted from across the street and Jon wound down the window of the blue Chevelle.

"Whoa-boyfriend has a nice car! OK now I'm officially jealous now! Just go Dev, what's the safe combination? I can sort it."

 Damn punctual men. "No, I'll get it." "Don't be silly. You know me and I'm a whizz with money." Double damn. Yes he was but that wasn't the point. Jonathan was completely trustworthy and she had no issues leaving him with it but she couldn't let him see exactly how much money was in the safe. She didn't let anyone see that, ever.

"You are Hun but I need to grab some for myself anyway." She quickly made up the excuse and felt terrible for it as it was paper-thin.

"You don't trust me?"

"No, God I'll get it." She snapped unintentionally and Jonathan's eyes fell flat for a second and then he broke out into a broad smile.

"I'm kidding. I'll hold your bag, quick go."

She was a moron. She quickly headed to her office and popped the combination on her safe. Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly counted out the money for the cleaners. She always paid them on a Friday, shit shit shit. How could she have forgotten? She tucked a couple of hundred dollars into her jeans and stuffed their money in an envelope to give to Jonathan.

"Am I going to have to drag you outta here?"

She jumped and slammed the safe closed and spun around wide-eyed facing Jon.

"Hey, it's just me." He nodded behind her. "Everything OK?"

She clutched her chest and took a deep breath. "It's fine, sorry you gave me a fright. I was rushing, I forgot to leave Jonathan some money to pay my cleaners." He was wearing a snug red-t-shirt and jeans with a ball cap and aviators that hung off his fingers. A small smile twitched on his lips and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was panicking and when she panicked she became careless.

"Well let's go." Thank you Jesus. "Wait." He took two steps forward and cupped her chin pressing his lips against hers. "Better. Now calm down and let's get going." He tugged the hundred dollar bill from the front of her jeans. "If you're thinking you're paying for anything this weekend. You're wrong and besides..." His eyes sparkled and her shoulders instantly dropped as she relaxed. "My hourly rate is much much more than this."

She snorted and ran her hands up his arms. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a little nervous leaving and I thought I was prepared." The warmth of the spring sunshine was still in his clothes as she leaned into him and took in his spicy scent.

"Nothing can prepare you for what we're about to do and I think you'll be wowed."

She lifted her eyebrow. "Oh yeah?" Nearly everything about Jon was wow so she didn't know what more to expect.

"Yeah." He punctuated it with a kiss and then slapped her ass. "Now go and give Jonathan the money, he's making us coffees to go." He pressed his forehead against hers. "I need to talk to you about something as well but I will tonight. If that's OK?" He breathed in her hair. "God I can't wait to be alone with you."

Her blood rushed to her head and she swallowed the thick lump in her throat. "Oh? Sure." She couldn't wait to be alone with him either but now she was nervous. The way he'd said it, it wasn't going to be about the kid’s latest grades from school. God, he wasn't going to push her again was he? Her breath hitched as his hand drifted up the side of her pink spaghetti strap tank-top and he fingered the strap.

"You look amazing."

She felt under-dressed but it was Jon that had suggested casual and specifically that jeans were ideal for wherever they were going. She'd paired them with matching pink flip-flops and a chunky white string of beads that looped around her neck. "Thanks. So do you. You should wear red more."

"Everyone tells me that. You should wear jeans more. You have a great ass." He gave it a squeeze and she laughed and linked his hand in hers.

 "C'mon then you." She blew out her breath as she locked the office door behind her and they walked back through to the reception where Jonathan was popping lids onto their coffees.

"Black for you and your usual for milady."

"Thanks babe. Here's the money and thanks again for looking after the place. Seriously." She handed him the envelope and gave him a quick hug.

"You're welcome now go kids and have fun. Oh! I almost forgot." He handed her a tube of Aloe Vera. "Just in-case."

Jon laughed and her cheeks burned, again. Jesus Christ. She snatched it and narrowed her eyes. "Thank you. You'll keep and so will you." She nudged Jon in the ribs.

"Oh I'm counting on it."

 ~

She took the last long sip of her hazelnut latte as they wound around the coastal road in New Jersey. They'd been on the road for an hour and she still had no idea where they were headed. She pushed her sunglasses up and changed the song on to the stereo. Maybe it was appropriate that the next song was by the Beach Boys as sheets of sparkling blue water came into view.

The windows were down and the salty breeze threaded through her hair and the gravel crunched under the tires. "So, are we there yet?"

He snorted. "You're worse than my kids." "I hate surprises and I'm impatient."

She grinned as she reapplied her lip gloss in the small mirror on the sun shade above her.

"And bossy. Don't forget bossy." He smirked as he rounded a corner and applied the gas.

She popped her cap and then her lips. "You like when I'm bossy. Admit it."

"Depends what I'm getting out of it in the end."

She laughed. "Of course it is and you never answered the question." She smacked his knee playfully. "Where are we going?"

 "Where do you think we're going?" "Your home in Redbank since we just passed a sign."

"Wrong. I would have turned off back there."

"Well do I look like, walking GPS? I don't know the street you live on, just the area."

He chuckled and turned off the stereo as they pulled into the marina at the bottom of the road. "We're here now bossy-pants."

Her brow winged. "We're going on a boat? Where?"

"The ocean."

"Oh wow. You mean like sailing?"

"That's generally what you do on the water, yes."

"Stop teasing me. Are we sailing? Do you even know how to?"

"That's why it's called chartered sailing. Just us and one discrete captain who has his own quarters. We'll never see him unless there's a problem."

Her eyes were wide. Jonathan was right, this was the life of the rich and famous. She had no idea how much it cost here but back home only the who's-who of the country did things like this. "Holy shit! Oh my god--Jon this is-" She loved the ocean and it was no secret she missed it like crazy since moving to New York. She just hadn't ventured out enough to find it but now, wow but now here she was.

"So it was a good choice then?" He killed the ignition and leaned in giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I knew you'd like it."

"Brat but it's just so much I mean-"

"Hey. I told you money wasn't an issue this weekend for you and I meant it. It's not that much really, and besides I need the getaway and something tells me you do too Miss-I've-never-been-away-from-my-shop-in-forever."

It was an incredibly sweet thing for him to do and she loved the ocean and he knew it. "I'm speechless." She slid her sunglasses down her nose and peered over crystal blue waters. Something about the ocean made her feel free. And this weekend she was going to be free, free from any worries or responsibilities and that was overwhelming in itself in the best possible way. Jon was giving her so much and he didn't even realize the magnitude of it.

"That might be a first." He snorted and opened his door. "C'mon then."

Jon locked his car and signed in his keys with the parking lot staff while she stood and took in the view across the water. The wind whipped around her and spray of the ocean was just metres away. She swung her bag over her shoulder and followed Jon down to the wharf where rows of white boats bobbed in the water. Some were tiny fishing boats and some were bigger day cruisers and yachts. Lots and lots of yachts with their masts that stretched high into the heavens. She'd sailed a lot with her Dad when they were younger and since the whole country was surrounded by water so it really wasn't that hard to get to a beach. She took it for granted back then, both the beach and her Dad.

"Devon." Jon called her over to a handsome yacht that looked big enough for a family. It was just big enough for a handful of cabins and had a large deck set on the back at the water’s edge. Complete and utter paradise.

"You like?"

"I like? Holy crap it's gorgeous." It's blue and white neat trim was very traditional and it had a matching main sail that flapped like a giant sheet on the laundry line in the breeze.

"I even had it named." He wiggled his eyebrows and nodded towards the boat.

She lowered her gaze and choked on her laugh, "Bossy Woman." was sprawled in fancy pink font against the boats white bottom. "You are such a shit!"

His laugh rumbled and he clutched his tummy. "I thought you'd get a kick out of that one. This is our captain, Bob." Bob was an older man with round warm face and an amazing tan, clearly spending a lot of time out on yachts.

"Hi Bob, thank you so much for chartering us." He took of his sailors cap and bowed. "My pleasure Miss Devon. You won't even know I'm on board."

"Damn right we won't because Bob's wife Mildred could come for the ride too."

"Hello darlings!" A lady poked her head out of the smaller cabin near the front of the boat.

"Wow, how awesome." Jon slapped his hands together. "Right, I'll give you the tour and then we'll get going in say ten minutes, Bob?"

Bob checked his watch and nodded. "Sure thing Jon. We should be smooth sailing to where we anchor for the night. The weather looks fantastic all the way."

"Where are we anchoring?" Devon asked as Jon held out his hand for her to board the boat.

"That's a surprise. I'll let you know when we're there."

"You just relax Little Devon and leave the rest to me." Bob grinned and tucked his cap back on before returning up front.

"They seem awfully sweet. You know them?"

"Old family friends. But they come highly recommended and Bob is an ex-navy man so he knows how to sail a boat."

"I'd love to sail with him at some point, I haven't done it in so long not since Dad and I used to sail around the bays in the summertime."

 "We'll make that happen. It's not a plane so I've always got the option of diving overboard if you capsize us."

 "Hey! You watch it or there will be no sex."

"Oh please, you've just about had an orgasm over the fact we're going sailing. There's no way you will resist me."

"Arrogant much?" But he was dead right. She would just about give him anything for this and she had a few ideas on just where to start once they were settled.

He wrapped his arms around her as they stood on the deck and brushed his lips across hers. "I wanted this to be something different, something for just us. I've always been pretty shitty at making "we" time for my wife. So if this has any chance of going somewhere, I really want to start this off the way I intend to keep it."

She closed her eyes as she melted into his kiss and her fingers skimmed up along his jawline. She wanted that too, she wanted the dream and everything that came with it. His hand ran down her back and rested at the small of her back reeling her in and when she moaned it came out more like a sigh. The man could kiss.

She wound her arm up around his neck and deepened the kiss as she let her tongue slide into his mouth but her eyes opened as he stood back and broke the kiss. "Let's save this for a little later." He pushed a lock of her hair back from her face and smirked. "See. Told you."

"What?" She asked as she folded her arms and he took two steps backwards onto the boat.

"I throw a yacht at you and now you want to seduce me." He shrugged. "Perfect formula I'd say." His cheeky grin disappeared into the main cabin with his own bags.

She laughed and paused, looked behind her at the Jersey shore behind her where her responsibilities and the life she was escaping for a little were, and then ran inside after him.