Surrender 01 - Surrender

again and embarrassing Rafe’s guest.”
    Another blush stole over Ari’s cheeks. “Don’t mind me at all,” she murmured.
    “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving. That volleyball game really sapped my strength,” Rachel said, saving them from the slightly awkward moment.
    “I’ll second that emotion,” Lia piped in.
    “Yes, Ari was saying she was quite hungry herself. You must have played a strenuous game. I may have to join you next time,” Rafe said as he looked down into Ari’s eyes, which widened in a bit of panic. She’s really cute when she’s … off guard , Rafe told himself. No, not cute, but sexy as sin. I’ve been giving her too much space.
    “A couple of our opponents sure wanted to whisk Ari off to the high seas,” Rachel said with a mischievous grin at Rafe. He glared at his little sister before turning to Ari, who was looking at Rachel in horror.
    “Really? Do tell,” Rafe commanded.
    “Oh, I think it was the red bikini. She looked hot with a capital H . The guys were tripping over themselves to offer her drinks and help her up when she fell, and then, of course, there was a dinner-and-drinks invitation. We were a little tempted to accept and tag along just to watch the show, but the boat was calling our names,” Lia answered.
    Neither of his sisters was fooling him. He knew exactly what they were doing. Knowing didn’t matter, though. The thought of these unknown men flirting with Ari was causing a low burn in his gut. He needed to brand her — let the world know she wasn’t up for grabs. And he had to do it soon.
    “I need to speak to the captain. Why doesn’t everyone get seated? I’ll ask that dinner be served immediately,” Rafe snapped as he walked from the room.
    He decided right then that they were staying out for the night. His family wouldn’t mind, he knew, and he wanted to keep Ari trapped on ship with him — where she couldn’t possibly escape. He would show her who it was she belonged to.
    He returned shortly and the first course was served. As she sat next to him, his temper cooled, but his desire continued to escalate.
    Conversation filled the room as his exuberant family all spoke at once. Rafe enjoyed nothing better than sitting back and listening to his loved ones all clamoring to be heard, especially now. It helped soothe his easily roused temper.
    “Ari, has Rafe told you yet what a hellion he was as a teenager?” Lia asked with a twinkle in her eye.
    “Lia…” Rafe said in a warning tone which she completely ignored.
    “I somehow can’t imagine Mr.… um… him as a child,” Ari quickly corrected herself. Rafe was rather disappointed that she hadn’t slipped up. He had big plans for different forms of exotic punishment.
    His hand slid beneath the table and landed on her bare thigh, causing her to jump and nearly knock her wineglass over.
    “Is everything OK, Ari?” his mother asked.
    “Yes. Sorry about that. I’m being a bit clumsy. I think I got a little too much sun today,” Ari said as she tried to push his hand away without causing a scene. He just squeezed her leg a little tighter, letting her know he had no intentions whatsoever of letting her go.
    She sent a desperate look his way before responding to a question his father asked her. As his fingers danced along her thigh, she sat tensely next to him with her legs clamped tightly shut. He had no doubt he could outlast her. She’d grow too tired to hold herself so stiffly long before he’d lose interest in caressing her.
    “Back to my story, Ari. Rafe was once a child, though I do understand how that’s difficult to believe, considering he rarely takes off his suits now. He was a horrible monster, always playing tricks on Rachel and me . Here’s the worst thing he did, and it’s a doozy. I was exhausted after a late night volunteering at our church, and the room was dark. I turned on my lamp and pulled back the covers and a seven-foot snake was slithering across my sheets. I screamed so loud that my dad burst through the doors a few seconds later with the shotgun raised. Yes, Rafe had put that snake in my bed. I was pretty satisfied when Rafe got grounded for a month. To this day if I see any snake, even a gardener one, I freak out,” Lia said.
    “How did he get that big a snake to stay in your bed?”
    “Oh, it was his friend’s pet. After that incident, Mom wouldn’t allow him to have one of his own, which he was close to talking her into. I was