Read Do Not Disturb for Free Online Page B

scar
sliced the side of his knee. His white t-shirt proclaimed he liked to sail in
Annapolis and a hat confirmed he’d been diving in Belize. An overnight growth
of beard brought visions of how he must look as he tumbled out of bed each
morning.
    Oh god, she was hot, and they weren't even in the
sun yet.
    And she should be cool, with her curls plaited
into a braid down her back and loose navy Tampa Cycling Club t-shirt over
cotton gray shorts. But sweat trickled down her sides and the backs of her legs
stuck to the leather seats. She sat very still, knowing if she moved them, they
would make that embarrassing sucking sound.
    She’d be a lovely sight today. Her sensitive skin
was already slathered in sunblock, but she knew her freckles would pop out
after only a few minutes in the sun.
    He looked like he'd lived all his life in Florida
and she looked like she’d never been outside. Oh well, at least she wouldn’t
wrinkle early.
    "Everybody grab something and we can make it
in one trip." Brett jumped out of the Range Rover and opened the back.
    After loading everyone’s arms with gear, he led
the way to a slip at the end of the dock crowded with weekend water junkies.
Brett climbed on the back of the 19-foot Grady White powerboat and set the
cooler down. He braced his leg against the rear of the craft, muscles popping
out along his calves. "Be careful, girls." He held out a hand and
helped Caroline, then Kelly, before looking at Allison. "Ready?"
    She stepped on board. He kept her hand in his as
she landed next to him. The girls had moved to the front of the boat and
settled in on the cushions. Brett squeezed her fingers and spoke softly.
"Your legs are even sexier without the suit skirt."
    Allison's mouth opened. If this was the way he was
going to act all day, she’d never get out of her shorts and t-shirt.
    He released her and reached for the life jackets
in the side storage bins. "Here. Put these on." He threw two up to
the front of the boat.
    "You can store your bag over here,” he
pointed to an empty bin, “and then sit in this chair." He motioned toward
the seat next to where he’d be driving.
    "Need help launching?" She snatched her
baseball cap out of her bag and tugged it on, threading her braid through the
hole in the back.
    Her father’s boats weren’t as fancy as Brett’s,
but were more than adequate to carry her family fishing most Sunday afternoons.
She’d loved being on the water, but hated the gooey worms her brothers used for
bait. She swore she’d never go fishing again when she moved away...and had
stuck with it.
    But even if she’d cringed at every worm her
brothers stabbed with a hook, she appreciated learning to handle a boat and had
wonderful memories of being with her family.
    "I can do it.” He grinned. “You just sit
there and look pretty."
    "Stop." She nudged her shoulder toward
the front. "They'll hear you."
    He shrugged. "I don't mind." He looked
over her head. "But I don't think they're paying any attention to us
anyway. Look."
    She turned around. Kelly and Caroline had their
heads together and their eyes on a gangly teenage boy walking down the dock to
a boat two slips over.
    "Oh no." Allison clapped her hand over
her mouth. "I can't handle that yet."
    "I know what you mean. I don't think I'll let
Caro date until she's twenty.” He shook his head slowly. “Know any good all
girls' schools we can send them to in Tampa? Or maybe we could take up home
schooling.”
    Allison laughed and Brett looked at her, one hand
on his hip. “I think we’re going to have a great day.”
     
    #
     
    The sun toasted Allison's legs as she stretched
them out past the edge of the boat’s canopy. The noise of the engine made
conversation difficult, so she relaxed and let the world whirl by. Brett tapped
her arms a few times during the ride, pointing out some dolphins, a nude
sunbather on a yacht and a massive house being constructed by the bay.
    When he leaned over to give his approval for her
to