Free Tied for Two by Lyla Sinclair

Chapter One
    I sat in my car at the end of the pier, a nervous wreck for two good reasons. First, I was about to go to a yacht party given by a man whom I’d lusted after for the last year but I was never brave enough to let him know.
    I use the term “lust” because I didn’t feel like I was in love with Eric. There was just something that happened to me every time I was around him. My breathing changed. My body tingled. It was raw physical excitement. Maybe it was because he was movie star gorgeous, with the blonde hair, highlighted by the sun and eyes in Brad Pitt blue. Or maybe it was because he reminded me of the boys back in school who wouldn’t give me the time of day because I wasn’t the right pedigree and my clothes were secondhand.
    I really didn’t know him that well. We were mostly ships that passed in the day, since we visited the same cable companies as reps for different pay movie channels.
    I’d even seen him act like an ass a couple of times toward the product trainer that worked for his company, Alexis, although it didn’t seem to faze her one bit. If Eric snapped at her, she’d just raise one eyebrow at him and give him the silent treatment until he settled down.
    Alexis was the other reason I was nervous. There was something about the way she looked at me. Her eyes were hazel, but they were shaped like cat eyes, which made her seem aloof and mysterious.
    When she watched me, the corners of her mouth turned up ever-so slightly, but I never could figure out what she was thinking. However, her unabashed stare always made me want to fidget. I hoped she wasn’t at the party. As shy as I was, I was still wishing for a chance to hook up with Eric. I wasn’t exactly well-practiced at the art of seduction, so I didn’t want it to happen in front of Alexis.
    I adjusted my rearview mirror so I could check myself one more time. The makeup seemed okay. Understated, I hoped.
    I opened the car door and stepped out.
    The party was supposed to be beach casual, but I wasn’t about to wear a bathing suit to meet a bunch of strangers. I’d bought a pair of dressy-looking tap pant-style shorts, a silk t-shirt, and I was wearing my canvas wedges, which were necessary since I was only five foot two.
    As I walked through the parking lot, it struck me that there weren’t many cars around, considering a party was going on. I hoped this wasn’t one of those groups who invited you for seven, but everyone showed up an hour late. That could be uncomfortable, although, maybe it would get me that “alone time” I wanted with Eric.
    I found the slip number and looked up at the yacht docked there. It was definitely bigger than most of the boats around it, but not quite the size I would have expected for a party. I could hear music playing, but I couldn’t see anyone on deck. Was I at the right place?
    I stood at the foot of the steps. Should I go up?
    “What are you waiting for?” A woman’s voice called from above. I knew that voice. It was Alexis. My anxiety instantly tripled. When I looked up, her cat-eyes stared down at me as if daring me to chicken out.
    “I wasn’t sure if this was the place,” I said as I walked up. When I got on deck, I saw little sign of a party other than some bottles of wine. “Am I early?” I asked.
    “No, you’re right on time,” Alexis said.
    The yacht was supposed to belong to Eric’s family, but Alexis acted like she was hosting.
    Were she and Eric dating? That would suck.
    “Where’s the host?” I tried to sound casual.
    “Eric! Tanya’s here!” Alexis called.
    A few seconds later, Eric came from below. He smiled widely when he saw me and I
    almost passed out. He was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous in his unbuttoned linen shirt and casual drawstring pants. His chest was tanned and smooth, unless you counted the roller-coaster ride of muscles from the bottom of his ribs to the top of his pants.
    He reached for me and gave me a leisurely kiss on the cheek as though we were