One thing she’d discovered since starting her job and getting away from the college campus was that people in general were a lot more friendly than she’d ever thought. She had a cell phone if anything came up. She couldn’t imagine they were secret serial killers.
“I promise we’re not planning on chopping you up and tossing you in the ocean. We just don’t get to San Fran very often, so we try to make friends fast,” Rachel said as she crossed her heart.
If it was a bad idea to go, Ari would get a feeling deep in her gut, wouldn’t she? Besides, she was sick of always playing it safe.
“Where are you girls from, if not from here?”
“We spent our childhood between here and Italy. My dad’s American, my mom, Italian, so they compromised. Six months in Italy and six months in the U.S. The last few years we’ve been in Italy a lot more, though. I just finished with college over there so freedom is mine now. I think my parents are going to dump us off on my brother and go travel the world.”
Ari was confused. They looked over twenty-one, certainly over eighteen, so why did they need to have someone take care of them. Was something wrong – like maybe a mental issue? She didn’t know how to ask that question, though.
“I see you look confused, Ari. It’s okay. When you meet our father, you’ll understand. I’m twenty-six, and Rachel is twenty-three, but to our dad, we’re still twelve. Our brother pretty much feels the same way. I’ve moved a few times, but then dad either has security on my butt or he and my mother decide to vacation where I’m living. Plus, my brother has chased away about every guy I’ve ever even thought about dating. If I didn’t love them all so much, I think I’d hate them a little. The bottom line is, if I truly wanted to make a change in my life, they’d let me. They may not like it, but I know they love me enough to let me go. They’d just secretly stash a tracking device in my bag,” she said with a laugh.
“Wow. I thought my mom was overprotective.”
“Oh, Ari. My family has overprotective down to a science. They are amazing, though, truly amazing. You have to come with us and meet my mom. I’ll try to get her mad and then she’ll start swearing in Italian. It’s good entertainment.”
Ari couldn’t help herself. She was growing very fond of these two bubbly girls. How could she not when they talked a mile a minute and smiled constantly. She felt safe in accepting their dinner invitation.
“Sure, I’ll come to dinner with you. It sounds like fun. I’ll let my friends know after the game is over,” Ari agreed.
They played volleyball for another hour before Ari had to go jump in the water. She was burning up and had a bad feeling she’d sweated off most of her sunblock. She could feel a bit of an ache in her shoulders. She’d probably pay all week for her impromptu beach visit. She didn’t care – It would be worth it because she was having a lot of fun.
After introducing the girls to her friends and letting them know exactly where she was going, she hopped in the car with the women and enjoyed the breeze blowing through her hair as they made their way to the harbor.
When they pulled up to the marina and approached the boat, Ari was stunned. She’d expected a large vessel, since the girls had talked about a massage room, but she wasn’t expecting what was floating in the water before her. The massive thing seemed to take up the entire dock.
“Hurry. We’re really late. My brother hates it when we keep him waiting,” Lia said.
“Is he going to have a problem with you inviting a stranger onboard?” Ari asked, suddenly nervous. She wasn’t used to hanging around people with the kind of money it took to own a boat like the one she was boarding.
“He won’t mind at all,” Rachel said as if she were privy to her own inside joke.
The three of them climbed onboard, then turned around and watched as the crew pulled in the plank, and the boat began moving.
“I guess we were the last to arrive. Rafe’s going to kill us,” Rachel said, though she didn’t seem too worried.
Ari turned toward the girl, her body suddenly stiff as the boat began moving out into the water. She could still make it back to shore if she jumped now.
“What is your brother’s name?” Ari asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the motor.
“Rafe Palazzo. Do you know him?”
Chapter Eighteen
Ari began to feel light headed as she forced herself to inhale large breaths of air. She turned to look over the rail she was leaning against as the large vessel moved further and further from land, trying to gauge the swimming distance. She was seriously contemplating jumping when she heard him speak.
“I see you girls are late, as usual. We’ve been waiting on you for an hour, now.”
“Oh, Rafe. We were playing a very intense game of volleyball. Plus, we met a new friend and had to bring her along,” Rachel said.
Ari couldn’t move. She in no way wanted to turn around and see his face. She hadn’t seen him since that night almost two weeks ago. If she could force herself to move, she really would abandon ship. What had she gotten herself into?
“Welcome aboard…” Rafe began saying, when he suddenly stopped. Ari could sense he’d figured out who she was. Maybe he recognized the stiff set to her shoulders. Everything in her told her to just jump and get it over with, but she managed to plaster a fake smile on her face and stiffly turn around to meet Rafe’s eyes.
Everyone was silent as their eyes clashed – his narrowing, hers widening. Time had done nothing to lessen the man’s incredible appeal. In a suit he was gorgeous. In the skin tight polo and attractive shorts, he was devastating.
“Ari. What a coincidence that my sisters happened to run into you today,” Rafe said after a few tense moments of utter silence.
“This is your Ari,” Lia gasped way too over-dramatically. Rafe sent a glance in her direction, leaving no doubt to any of them that he wasn’t fooled.
“I’m not his Ari.” She finally found her voice and sent an incredulous stare at both Lia and Rachel before turning to face Rafe.
“That’s to be determined,” Rafe said as he took her arm. “You didn’t protect your skin. We need to get ointment on it right away or you’ll be miserable by the time you lay down tonight.”
He led her away, leaving his sisters behind. They were around a corner before Ari thought to protest and began tugging her arm. The pressure caused a burning sensation absorbing into her skin. She really had gotten too much sun. She also realized she was walking next to him in only her skimpy bikini top and shorts. She must have dropped her bag back on the deck. She felt far too exposed.