Friday went by so smoothly; it was almost unbelievable.

Mandy had emailed several of us a list of current affairs subjects she recommended we cover in the next online edition of Satisfaction. We had to choose one subject and write about it. It made it easier to pick from a provided list rather than trying to figure out what was a good subject on our own. Mandy said this was the only time she'd give us suggestions, but she thought it was a good way to help us get started on something new. I was happy to see LGBT Rights on the list, knowing Joseph would jump on that one. I'd scanned the options about twelve times by the time I finally decided Animal Rights was what I wanted to write about. It was a subject dear to my heart and I was really looking forward to publishing an article on it.

Twenty minutes into typing up my first draft, my phone started ringing. It was nearing five o'clock and I was one of the last few people still in the building. Most of my coworkers had left by two.

"Hey, handsome," I answered, smiling at my coffee mug when I heard that familiar velvety voice.

"Good afternoon, Miss Crawford," Jesse said in a suggestive voice. "I've been thinking about you all day."

"Oh, have you?"

He chuckled softly. "Yes, I have. You made it hard to focus in my meetings."

I started biting at my lip, thinking about him having a difficult time keeping his mind off of me while he worked. I'd been thinking about him, too. I tried to envision what he might be wearing. Then my thoughts drifted to daydreams of undressing him and making him moan. Maybe spending a little more time in his home office on that desk...

I lowered my voice and held the phone closer to my mouth. "How hard, Mr. Reese?"

I could hear a hitch in his breathing. "Very hard."

"I guess we'll have to do something about that, huh?" I teased, fanning myself.

Was the room getting hotter or was it just me?

"I guess we will," he said devilishly and I could almost see the smirk that was undoubtedly dancing across his face. "Actually, I have something to ask you. Are you free tonight?"

I had planned on staying extra late at the office since I had no plans until Selena, Kacey, and I got together on Saturday night. Jesse, however, was quickly changing my mind. I'd already started shutting down my computer and gathering up my things by the time he was halfway through his sentence.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Do you remember when we went on the ferry and Jeff offered to take us on a boat ride sometime?"

I heard a car door slam and then it sounded like he was thumbing through his keys.

I nodded, closing my office door behind me. "Yeah."

"Well, I just so happen to have the keys to that boat, and I was hoping you'd accompany me for a sunset ride," Jesse offered and my heart skipped a beat at the idea.

"I'd love to," I grinned.

"Meet me at the Manhattan Yacht Club in Jersey City at five-thirty," he instructed. "I'm on my way there now."

I heard his car door slam again as I was leaving the building.

"That makes two of us. I'll see you soon," I said, ready to break into a happy dance on the way to my car.

When I reached the parking garage, Alex was still there, to my surprise. He had the hood raised on his truck and he was digging around under it.

"Everything alright?" I asked, unlocking my car.

He shifted his attention to me. His formerly neat hair was now hanging in waves over his forehead from him leaning over, and there was a small grease smudge on his shirt collar. His sleeves were rolled up and his hands were covered in grease. I noticed a tool bag on the ground beside his feet.

"Eh. It's just giving me trouble," he shrugged. "I'll have it running in a few minutes."

I took a moment to admire how manly he looked working on his truck in slacks and a button-up.

A trickle of sweat ran down his cheek and he wiped his face with his forearm, careful not to rub grease on his face.

"Can I do anything to help?" I offered and set my things in my passenger seat.

Alex smiled and leaned against the grille, taking a drink from his water bottle. "Nah. I've just about got it wrapped up, love. But I appreciate the offer."

I appreciate your appearance, I thought.

My attraction to Alex just shot up a few dozen points at the sight of him working on his truck. It made me wonder how much Jesse knew about mechanics.

"Alright," I nodded, walking around to my driver's side. "I'll see you Monday then."

"Hey, Kate?" Alex called as I was getting in the car. "I meant to ask you earlier... There's a banquet at the Four Seasons next Wednesday night. Mandy told me the editor-in-chief of the New York Times is going to be there to announce the winners of the contest. I wondered if you'd be my date."

There was an almost unnoticeable quiver in his voice when he asked. I could tell he hadn't asked out a ton of women before, as he was still a little shy about it. I found that to be pretty cute.

A slight redness had risen to his cheeks and I smiled, watching him stand there a little nervous for my answer.

"Of course, I will," I told him.

A cheesy grin broke out across his face and a couple previously unnoticed dimples made themselves known. He nodded, starting to turn back to his truck.

"Great," he smiled. "Awesome. I'll see you on Monday, Kate."

Oh, how I loved the sound of my name on his lips.

I drove out of the garage smiling so hard, my cheeks started to hurt. The scandalous part of my brain briefly wished I could just keep on like this, seeing both men. I felt like a nerdy school girl who had just been asked to prom. I was the kind of happy that makes you start giggling and you don't even know what you're giggling about.

Rush hour was kicking into full gear as I fought my way to the marina. I'd never been on a sailboat before. I imagined it would be a fun little outing. Maybe we'd go get dinner afterwards. I was starting to get a little hungry, having not had any lunch. I'd been too wrapped up in work to even go refill my coffee mug after Mandy had sent the current affairs subject list.

I pulled into the parking lot a couple dozen yards from where all the boats were docked. It was a beautiful sight. They were all so sleek and modern. Most of them had their names painted in elaborate black cursive on the back.

The sound of the water slapping against the docks was a relaxing background noise as I walked along, scanning the lot for Jesse. Not two minutes later, the familiar Maserati came whipping into the lot. I waited for him to park and shut off the engine before I started making my way to his car.

"I thought for sure I'd beat you here," Jesse chuckled, climbing out of the sports car with his usual dazzling smile.

He immediately pulled me in for a long, deep kiss that made me blush and have to catch my breath. His lips tasted divine and I was tempted to push him back inside the car and carry out my dirty fantasies right then. His wardrobe certainly wasn't helping either. He was wearing those same jeans he wore the day I'd met him in the coffee shop. They fit just a little too tight in all the right places. I licked my lips, unable to keep from glancing down to the obvious bulge in his jeans.

"You taste good," I said before I could stop myself.

Jesse breathed a sexy laugh and pinned me up against the side of his car. His gaze flicked from my eyes to my mouth and back again.

"I'm more interested in how you taste this evening, Miss Crawford," he whispered seductively in my ear, making sure to grind his growing erection against me.

He let his lips linger and placed a few steamy kisses to my neck. His tongue teased the skin just below my ear and sent my senses ablaze in one quick stroke.

"I think you should find out," I moaned and slid my hands slowly down his sides.

Jesse smirked and stepped back, running his fingers through his wind-whipped hair. "Oh, believe me. I plan on it."

I raised up on my tiptoes to give him another fiery kiss. Then he placed a hand at my lower back and started guiding me in the direction of the boats.

The wind chill was a lot more uncomfortable the closer we got to the water. A cluster of large thunderheads had begun to move in and I remembered the meteorologist saying there was a chance of freezing rain later in the evening. That sounded terribly unpleasant and I silently hoped the weather wouldn't interfere with our plans.

"Are you cold?" Jesse asked and tugged me a little closer, wrapping his arm tighter around my waist.

I hadn't realized I'd started to shiver. I leaned in and rested my head against his shoulder as we walked along the docks.

"I'm alright." I smiled up at him and slid an arm around his waist, too.

Jesse gave me a gentle squeeze and kissed my forehead. We came to a stop near the end of the path and my jaw nearly hit the ground when I laid eyes on the vessel we were about to board.

"Are you shitting me?" I looked at Jesse, dumbfounded.

What I'd expected to be a regular sailboat turned out to be a thirty-six-meter long sailing yacht – and an absolutely breathtaking one at that!

He chuckled at my shocked expression and rubbed his palm up and down on my back. The wind was blowing his midnight hair, leaving it tousled like he'd just had a wild night of sex; and for a few seconds, I stopped breathing, getting completely lost in his eyes. They were hypnotic when he flashed me his famous salacious smirk. I couldn't look away.

"She's called Carpathia," Jesse said, looking fondly at the yacht. "Named after the ship that rescued the survivors of Titanic."

"That thing is huge!" I raised my eyebrows, still surprised. "I thought we were going to go on a sailboat. Like... an actual boat. Not a yacht."

His amused grin widened and he gestured for me to follow him onto Carpathia.

The yacht was painted white with her name in a vibrant dark blue on both the back and sides. There were three magnificent sails, each one white, too. It was a classy, elegant style with stainless steel rails encircling the deck. I looked at my surroundings in awe.

"Shall I give you the grand tour?" Jesse suggested, taking my hand in his.

"Of course." How could I refuse?

Jesse lead me to the back of the vessel where the controls and the wheel were. I shied away from getting too close, for fear I'd accidentally mess up a setting or something. Even the wheel was stunning!

Behind where the captain would stand was a lounge area, complete with pillows and a blanket. The American flag whipped in the wind at the back of the yacht. On the opposite side of the captain's post was a sitting area styled like a wrap-around restaurant booth with a table in the center.

Next, Jesse escorted me to each of the four immaculate staterooms. Each stateroom could host two guests and was set up like a small luxury hotel room. There was a TV in each room, as well a queen size bed with designer bedding, a sitting area, and plenty of storage space to house months' worth of clothing and toiletries. Each room was a different neutral color and they all looked like they belonged in Better Homes and Gardens or on HGTV. I was floored by the sheer beauty of the yacht. Even every square inch of wood was polished and shined to perfection. It was absolutely flawless.

The last space to explore was the main living room which, while relatively small, housed quite a bit of seating and counter space, and there was a very nice kitchenette, too.

"This is incredible," I said, glancing up at the recessed lighting.

Jesse smiled proudly and fetched a drink from one of the mini fridges nearby. "Do you want anything, Kate?"

I wouldn't have been surprised if waiters had waltzed in in tuxedos right that moment carrying plates of filet mignon and escargot.

"I have champagne and wine, if you're in the mood. Or there's water and soda, too," he told me and took a sip of water. "I can also make coffee."

I continued to stand there in awe of the yacht and the equally flawless man in front of me. Obviously, he was used to this vessel, so he didn't seem to think much of it; but me, having never been near a luxury yacht... I was stunned.

"Kate?" Jesse cocked a brow. "You alright?"

"I'm just... Wow," I mumbled, taking in the detail around us. "This is so gorgeous, Jesse."

He smiled warmly and sauntered over to where I stood, pulling me in for a slow, sweet kiss that quickly took my mind off of Carpathia and invited saucy temptations into my thoughts.

I was glad we had the ability to be inside on the yacht where it was heated, rather than freezing our asses off on a sailboat. I'd endured enough teeth chattering just on the walk across the parking lot.

"So what are you planning tonight?" I asked Jesse when we finally pulled apart.

He ran his hands through his hair, trying to smooth it back.

"I'm going to take you out for a while," he said. "We'll sail around lower Manhattan. You'll see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. As long as the weather holds up, we'll venture out a way along the south side of Long Island and I'll probably idle us there for a bit before we head back."

"Wait a minute." I held up a finger. "You're sailing this thing?"

"Captain Reese, at your service, ma'am." He winked and headed out to the deck to start up the engine.

This man just kept getting more and more intriguing. I wondered what other impressive tricks he had up his sleeve.