Protecting You - Complete

Chapter 23 - Ana

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked Christian as he held my hand in the back seat of his SUV.

"That's for me to know and you to wonder about," he replied with a cocky grin. Sawyer had picked me up after work as usual, but he'd driven me only a few blocks away, then into an alley where he pulled up beside a very familiar black Audi. Now installed in the back seat with Christian, he announced he was taking me away for the weekend.

"Don't I need to pack?" I asked, sincerely hoping Christian would not use a lack of clothing as an excuse to buy even more things for me.

"No. Mrs. Jones packed for us. She'll have included everything you need."

Christian was in an excellent mood. He explained he'd signed off on a major deal early, so his weekend would now be free from work. Since we had no commitments, he'd planned a few days away for us. If I needed any more proof that we'd moved from housemates to something more, this was it—our first weekend getaway.

The sun was still bright in the sky when we pulled into the marina. "Here. Put these on," Christian said, passing me a cap, a baggy sweatshirt, and a pair of aviators. Instructing Taylor to pull as close as possible, Christian explained he was taking me out on his boat, and that we'd be staying onboard overnight.

"There doesn't appear to be any paparazzi around, but just in case, as soon as we're onboard go down below. Mac has already prepared her, and she's ready to go. He'll help me get her out of the mooring and then it'll be just us, baby."

I smiled, leaning over to kiss Christian before tucking my hair up into the cap and pulling the sweatshirt over my work clothes. With the aviators on, I was set to go.

"Which one is yours?" I asked, looking at the large boats in this section of the marina.

"Mine's the biggest," he said, a boyish grin on his face.

I was on board in a matter of moments, following Taylor down below. He set our overnight bags down in a sumptuously appointed open plan saloon.

"Everything is stocked. I hope you have an enjoyable few days," Taylor said with a smile before climbing the stairs and disappearing from view. Like Christian, he was in a good mood. It made sense since if Christian was spending the weekend here, Taylor presumably was getting most of the weekend off.

Christian hadn't been lying when he'd said his boat was the biggest. This thing was freaking enormous! I could hear Taylor speaking with Christian and Mac up on deck, so I took the time to look around. With a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining, and sitting area, everything was decorated in pale nautical colors. Complete with a television, comfy-looking sofas, and a well-supplied bar, I opened the fridge to find it likewise well stocked. There were two foil-covered casserole dishes, each with a post-it with Mrs. Jones' neat handwriting on top. Dinner, no doubt. I noticed there was also milk, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, and several types of cold cuts and cheeses along with juices and plenty of beer and wine. In the pantry, I found a range of staples, including a fresh pack of Twinings English Breakfast tea. I couldn't help but smile. Gail thought of everything.

On the furthest wall of the saloon was an archway leading into a short passage with doors on the right and left. Checking each, I discovered an office and three double bedrooms, each with an attached bathroom. At the far end of the passage were double doors. Opening these, I found myself in the largest bedroom. Boasting a king-sized bed, there were small windows on either side and across the back letting the golden rays of the sun illuminate the space. To one side was a bathroom. Half hidden by walls, the centerpiece was an enormous two-person bathtub open to the bedroom. I fully intended to use that later on!