“I get it. But you’re gonna love the sushi tonight, aren’t you?”
Hypocritical as it may be, it was the truth. “Absofuckinglutely,” I grinned. “Speaking of food. I’m starving. Where are those sandwiches? Hopefully not under the tuna.”
His hazel eyes glittered, amused. He opened the door on the side of the console and pulled a small Yeti cooler from the hold. “Lunch is in here,” he said, motioning me to the bow.
I nestled into the big padded triangular seat at the front of the boat while Kai opened the cooler. When he produced two plastic champagne flutes, I giggled. “You did not. Please tell me that you did!”
I recognized the orange label immediately when he pulled a dripping bottle from the ice. “My favorite Prosecco.”
“I know,” he said, chillingly sincere.
Awestruck, I watched him pop the cork and pour the glasses. It wasn’t just his muscles glinting in the sun, or the eyes that saw straight into my soul. It was his effort to make this moment special. To make me feel special. His thoughtfulness gave him more points on the hotness scale than his pretty face and ripped body ever could.
“To our first real date,” he toasted.
“Way better than our real first date,” I smirked, clinking the edge of my plastic flute.
I brushed damp hair from my cheek. “You know… my dad took me fishing quite a bit when I was a kid. I didn’t get it. But now, I think I do. I enjoyed the hell out of that.”
Kai’s smile softened. “I didn’t know your dad took you fishing.”
“I guess you learned two things about me today.” Holding his gaze, my palms snaked around his waist.
“For what it’s worth—you fought that one like a pro. I bet your old man would be proud.”
The warmth in his voice hit deeper than the praise. “He’d be just as proud of you for getting me out here.”
“Maybe we can take him fishing next time he’s down.”
“Oh my god,” I beamed, “he would love that.” So would I.
Kai thinking toward the future warmed me to my core. The whole month I’d known him, we’d barely been able to think beyond when the bad guys might return.
Kai smiled, unwrapping a sandwich. “Looks like this is the caprese.” He set it between us. “Which means,” he said, tearing into the second one, “this is the prosciutto and gouda.” He placed it on the wrapper beside the first. “I thought we could share.”
“I love that,” I said, my voice taking a wistful trail. There was so much I wanted to share with him. The rest of my life, for example.
My teeth sank into the crusty baguette, and I groaned at the flavor explosion of mozzarella, tomato, basil, and balsamic glaze as thick as honey.
“No matter what you eat, it tastes ten times better on a boat with no land in sight,” Kai chuckled.
We must have both been famished, devouring the sandwiches in gulps, washed down with bubbly. Nestled between Kai’s knees,leaned back against his chest, I stared out over the deep indigo expanse. “It doesn’t get much better than this.”
A gentle kiss to my temple was his only reply. For several minutes we floated, drifting in the current, soaking in the bliss. Kai’s chest rose beneath me, a deep breath that he released ever so slowly. My weight sank further into him. “I almost feel like I can breathe again,” he said softly.
“Yeah, almost,” I said, with a tinge of sadness. Part of me wished we could motor east, run off to the Bahamas. Leave all the danger and secrets behind and never look back
“I’m sorry, this is not normal. Thanks for sticking around.” He snuggled me in his arms and kissed my temple again.
A lone, fluffy white cloud drifted overhead, and his words were music to my ears. “Normal is overrated,” I mused.
“Or underachieving,” he said with a low laugh that vibrated through me. “No, but seriously, I appreciate you, and the calm you bring.”
My stomach fluttered, and I squeezed his forearms. “I feel the same way.”
“Thanks for calling me on my shit. I should have been honest with you from the start.”
I sat up, turning to face him. “I understand why you weren’t. You don’t have to apologize anymore.” We all have our reasons for the secrets we keep.
