Treasure Tides Part 16

Tomorrow promised to be a long day on the water, and Landon needed to be ready for trouble. With Vamps in town, trouble was sure to follow.

Stifling a yawn, he closed his bedroom door and stripped before climbing into bed. The body temperature of Were increased substantially at night. The least amount of clothes they had to wear after dark, the more comfortable they were.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Becki struggled to open her eyes against daylight streaming in through the window.

"Ommff," she groaned deciding it was best to keep her eyes closed for the moment. Seriously, what had happened last night? She remembered dancing with Trevor and getting into a discussion about nights and days? No, that didn't seem right. She wrinkled her brow as she struggled to recall the details of the previous night.

It came to her in a flash...not days and nights. Rather-- White Knights and Dark Lords! Dark Lords? Oh yes, Royce.

"Jacka.s.s," she mumbled pulling the covers firmly over her head. Scenes from last night flashed through her mind. She frowned as she remembered Royce bodily ripping her away from Trevor just as Trevor was going to kiss her.

"Hypocritical Jacka.s.s," she amended.

Things became a little blurry after that although... she sort of remembered seeing Landon. She would have to call him later and thank him for bringing her home. She needed coffee. Black gold was the only thing that would help this hang-over. She forced herself to throw back the covers, but she hadn't yet worked up the courage to open her eyes.

"What an idiot," she groaned, attempting to force her body to cooperate. There was a long list of things to be done today starting with a huge pile of laundry. She really needed to get moving. Gritting her teeth in determination, she opened her eyes and rolled her body hard to the right. Becki's momentum was interrupted as she collided with a wall of solid muscle. Becki screamed as she sat up rapidly.

"Way to charm her, Royce," said a sarcastic voice from the open doorway.

Royce? Where was she? Becki realized that she was not at home after all. How long had Royce been lying next to her? Watching her? Narrowing her eyes to stare more intently at him, she saw humor simmering just below the surface.

To h.e.l.l with this! If he thought he could kidnap her and then laugh at her, he could think again.

Becki quickly rolled to her left. Her eyes darted to the doorway calculating the fastest escape route. To compound an already uncomfortable situation, the bimbo Royce had been fawning over yesterday was standing in the open doorway. However, today she was dressed in a short robe with a towel turbaned around her head.

Becki stopped mid-roll... her eyes wide-open now.

"You'd better start charming her, Royce. She looks ready to bolt," said the tramp in the towel, as she pushed off the doorway and strolled gracefully away. She turned to smile and say, "I've got coffee made."

Ok, maybe she wasn't such a troll after all. However, the grinning male lying beside her was even more of a jacka.s.s than she thought. Becki fought the nearly overwhelming urge to beat him soundly about the head, neck, and shoulders. She pushed into a more comfortable sitting position as she prepared to scramble off the bed and away from Royce.

A warm hand rested on her thigh for a moment before dragging her back down into the bed. Before she could think to react, Royce was looming over her trapping her body beneath his.

'Like a rat caught in a trap,' as her friend Jayne always said. Only in this case, the rat was the trap! Fury surrounded Becki. She felt as though she might actually drown in the emotions coursing through her body. She began to struggle for her freedom; she had to get away! Becki wanted to go home and forget that she had ever known Royce St. John. While she was at it, she also wanted to forget the fact that her heart felt like it was breaking. She wanted to forget the fact that she had just awakened in his bed, and that the first thing her eyes focused on was his girlfriend.

Feeling somewhat fragile this morning, Becki struggled intently trying to push Royce away from her. Tears hovered incredibly close to the surface.

"Get the h.e.l.l off me," she forced through gritted teeth. She tried to dislodge him using her entire body. She arched into him several times trying to gain a few inches of freedom.

"Becki," Royce said, in a whisper. That whisper went straight to her heart, cracking it open even further.

"Don't talk to me! Don't say my name, and don't touch me ever again. I thought we covered this last night," she said hatefully. "What did you do, Royce? Bring me back here for a threesome?"

Anger flooded Royce's body as her words grew increasingly ugly.

As soon as she felt him tense, she should have known she had gone too far. Of course, Becki never did know when to just keep her mouth shut and had to push the envelope a little further. "Well I've got news for you; I don't play in that s.h.i.+t. Now get off me, you sick son-of-a-bi--"

There was very little time to give it much consideration as his lips crushed hers mid-curse.

d.a.m.n him! Why did he have to be such a good kisser? As he kissed her silent, Becki momentarily forgot that she was madder than h.e.l.l. Once Royce lifted his lips from hers, it all came cras.h.i.+ng back with a powerful surge of emotion.

Becki closed her eyes and felt the fight leave her body. Incredible anger had been replaced with hollowness.

"You need to stop and listen, Darlin', before you say something you'll surely regret," Royce said softly.

"The only thing I regret right now," Becki managed, "is that I ever met you."

"I want some answers, Becki," Royce demanded. He was tired of being punished for a crime he hadn't committed.

"Maybe if you actually asked the questions, Royce, I could answer them for you. And then, you can let me up, so I can go home and get on with my life," Becki said with resolve.

"Ok, why don't we start at the beginning," Royce suggested. "Why did you ignore my texts and phone calls yesterday?"

Becki tightened her jaw and turned her face as far away from him as she could.

"No response? Fine! Next question... why were you snuggled up with Simmons on the dance floor when I walked in the Pub last night?" he asked, clearly p.i.s.sed off.

"You're jealous? Oh, that's rich coming from you, you big oaf," Becki scoffed and pushed on his chest again. She tried not to notice how the springy curls, scattered across his chest, tickled her hands; practically begging her to run her fingers through them. Right-- her fingers-- and the fingers of every other female around apparently. When pus.h.i.+ng didn't work, she resorted to hitting him with her fists. The blows bounced off his pecs like cotton b.a.l.l.s.

Capturing her hands, he trapped them both in one of his and pinned them above her head effectively halting the a.s.sault. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it, the move lined his body up with hers from head to toe. He began thinking about how good she felt under him, how he could get used to waking up with her every morning, and how great it would be making up after their fights. That was when he noticed she was crying.

Royce immediately released her arms and rolled off her body. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Did I hurt you?"

His apparent concern promptly turned the quiet tears trickling down her cheeks into full blown sobs. He heard the bedroom door quietly close and decided that his baby sister had, indeed, grown up.

"Becki, honey, please stop crying. I'm trying to understand what is going on here, and we'll talk more about that in a minute. But first, I need to know if I hurt you?" He fought an internal battle. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, but judging from her recent reactions, he didn't know whether he should or not. "You're killing me, sweetheart. I want to hold you. Can I do that, please?" he waited stiffly for her reply.

Becki finally nodded her permission. His arms slid around her body, cradling her to him. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Becki. I'm sorry."

Becki took a hitching breath, and then blurted it out, "You didn't hurt me, not today. But you hurt me so much yesterday. I saw you holding her hand and kissing her, laughing with her like you laughed with me earlier that morning. I'm not good at relations.h.i.+ps, Royce. I don't share well. I don't trust easily either, but I had started to trust you."

Whatever reaction she had expected from him, it certainly wasn't the reaction she received. She felt his body begin to shake with...laughter?

He was laughing at her! She was coc.o.o.ned in his arms, spilling her heart out to him with his girlfriend in the next room, and he had the audacity to laugh at her? It was too much-- it was just too much! She tried to roll away from him, but he tightened his arms like steel bands and bellowed, "Jo, get in here."

Becki's eyes grew wide and round as she wondered what kind of kink he had in mind. She wasn't into sharing, and she certainly wasn't into group s.e.x. She tensed as she heard the door open. Suddenly the "other woman" was staring down at Becki. She looked even more gorgeous than she had yesterday. She was wearing a bikini which revealed not one ounce of flab anywhere on her body. Becki hated her even more, if that was possible.

"What do you want, Royce?" she snapped. "I'm trying to get ready to leave. Remember, we have to be at the dock in an hour."

"Becki," Royce said warmly, "I want you to meet Joanna... my baby sister."

"Oh G.o.d, shoot me now," she pleaded. Becki closed her eyes and prayed for the world to end.

"It's nice to meet you, Becki. I'm sorry about last night. How does your head feel this morning?" Joanna asked with a friendly smile.

Royce had loosed his death grip which allowed Becki to turn and look at Royce. "Can I get up now, please?" she asked sweetly, too sweetly.

"Do you promise not to hurt me?" he asked with a grin.

"No," Becki answered as she pushed him out of the way and swung her legs off the bed. Ignoring Royce completely, she asked Joanna, "Did you say something about coffee?"

"Sure did. Follow me," Joanna said, leading the way to salvation.

Royce watched them walk out of his room with a grin on his face. He wasted little time in the shower. It wasn't hard to imagine the kind of stories Becki would drag out of a more-than-eager-to-embarra.s.s-herbrother Joanna. He grabbed a cup from the cabinet and kissed the top of Becki's head as he pa.s.sed by.

"Where's Sean?" he asked Joanna.

"He is downstairs waiting for me. We're going to drive separately, so you can drop Becki at her house. I've already arranged to have her car delivered by the time you get there. I need to go now." She breezed out, and then moved back into the room with surprising speed. She handed something to Royce with a whisper and disappeared again.

As he looked at the stone necklace in his hand, he heard Joanna's whisper echo in his ear, "Make sure she wears it...red jasper for protection."

"Thanks, Jo," He said long after the front door slammed. She would still hear him. He knew she might have grown up, but she was still his bossy sister. She would wait around just long enough to make sure he followed her instructions.

Becki stood at the window taking in the breathtaking view of the gardens.

Royce slid his arms around her and pulled her to lean into his chest.

"You can trust me, Becki. I would never knowingly do anything to hurt you."

Turning in the circle of his arms to face him, she said, "I know that in my heart, my head is just a little thicker. I'm sorry for acting like such a b.i.t.c.h."

He kissed her softly and pulled her in close for a hug. "Just so you know, the next time I see you in another man's arms, he is going to be missing his front teeth and maybe a few other body parts before I am done with him. And you," he continued, "you won't like your punishment. Not one bit."

"My punishment? Oh, Royce, don't tease me so," she said fluttering her eyelashes.

He swiveled her around to face the window once again and placed something around her neck. Looking down, she touched the fiery red stone dangling from an intricately woven gold chain.

"It's beautiful, but what is this all about?" Becki asked trying to turn and face him.

He held her in place nibbling on her ear, which he knew drove her crazy. "Promise me you will wear it every day and not take it off," he asked. "Feel free to wear something black and s.e.xy with it tonight when I pick you up for our date. Ok?" he whispered in her ear.

How could a girl say no to that? How could a girl speak period? She nodded her head.

"We need to go. I'm going to be late."

"Lead the way," Becki said tucking her hand in his.

The drive to her house was glorious; there was no other way to describe it. His car was just as fast as she remembered. They rode with the top down enjoying the warm breeze blowing through their hair. Glancing over to smile at Becki every once in a while, Royce held her hand all the way home. This day promised to be perfect!

Royce pulled up in front of her house. "Don't touch the door handle," he warned before getting out of the car. "That's the rule from here on out." He walked around the car, opened her door, and offered his hand to help her out of the car.

She placed her hand in his as if she were a queen. "Thank you, Sir. You shall receive a token of my favor. A kiss, I think."

Royce jerked her to him and kissed her right there, dipping her backward over his arm with flair. Becki came up laughing. "Ok, you are not going to blame me for being late. Go play, I will see you tonight."

Royce insisted on walking her to the door, and he made sure she locked it behind her.

"I will look forward to seeing you in that s.e.xy black dress," he said through the door. Then turning, he strutted toward his bad-a.s.s car. He felt like he was twenty years old again as he roared out of the drive way. Royce loved this car; he loved the girl, too.

"Where is Royce?" Landon asked as he boarded the boat. "He had to stop by Becki's house," Sean answered.

"Great," Landon said with mock impatience, "he'll be late for sure now."

"Looks like you brought plenty of gear, Kurt," Landon observed.

"Did you forget how to count?"

"Nope," Kurt responded, secretly looking forward to Landon's reaction to Joanna. It was time someone knocked him off his "Mr.

Irresistible" ego trip. Joanna was a far cry from the busty but brainless variety he seemed to be drawn to lately. This promised to be an interesting dive in more ways than one. Kurt punched in the GPS coordinates and settled into the Caption's chair to wait for the fireworks. Royce strolled down the dock whistling as he walked. He couldn't wait to see Becki this evening. If she thought dancing with that wicked warlock was fun, wait until she saw his dance moves.

"Hi, beautiful day for a cruise," he called to the trio on deck.

"Where's Jo?" he asked Sean.

"Jo's below working out a problem with our computer systems," Sean said absently. He was checking and double checking the coordinates in his system. Royce chose to use a more hands-on approach and grabbed the paper maps.

"Is Jo another member of the special ops team?" Landon asked Kurt. "Yep," Kurt answered truthfully.

"I don't think we've met," Landon frowned.

"Let's get this party started," Kurt announced as he fired up the engines, completely ignoring Landon's line of questioning. "It's going to be a hot one today folks, but the water is fairly calm and visibility is good. Hopefully, Neptune will smile on us today."

The ride to the harbor would take a fair bit of time, so Kurt settled in to enjoy the ride. He loved the coastline. Wildlife was abundant and could be spotted in and out of the water. South Carolina was the perfect place to live.

"Sean, did you consider the possibility of tunnels along the harbor?" a feminine voice asked from below deck.

"No, I never even thought of that possibility!" he said practically leaping down the stairs. "You are a genius, Jo. What made you think of that? It would explain so much--"

"Joe certainly has a high pitched voice," Landon whispered to Kurt. "Not Joe, J O E. It's Jo-- J O, as in Joanna St. John, Royce's little sister," Kurt explained.

"d.a.m.n, I thought I scented a woman. I a.s.sumed it was residual,"

Landon snapped. "Are you seriously telling me there is a woman on this boat, heading into G.o.d knows what?"

"Here we go," Kurt laughed as he antic.i.p.ated Joanna would make an appearance anytime now. After all, Landon had made no attempt to hide his anger at the possibility of compromising the mission with the presence of a woman.

Landon was somewhat superst.i.tious. He believed that a woman's presence on a boat was a bad omen and made the seas angry. Of course, he also believed that disaster was sure to follow if you stepped onto a boat with your left foot first.