Unfazed, he lifts a brow. “Do you plan on running it into a ledge as payback for anything mean I said?”
“Well, no,” I say quickly. “Of course not. I don’t want to die.” I cringe. “I’m actually a terrible swimmer. I’d never make it.”
His eyebrows dip down thoughtfully before he grins. “Okay then, you’re driving.”
Taking a step back, he plants his hands on my waist and shifts my body in front of the ship’s wheel. Nervously, I grip it, keeping it straight and trying to ignore his hands on my body because I have a damn boat to drive.
“Like this?” I whisper, painfully aware of his hands still.
“Yep,” he says. “You’re doing great, Fireball.”
It may seem like no big deal, yet my heart races, and my skin prickles to life. I don’t know if it’s from having Ridge so close, driving a boat for the first time, or a combination of both. All I know is, I’ve been on a lot of dates, and none of them have ever come close to the one I’m on right now.
In the distance, I see the outline of the lighthouse as the sun begins to ascend. When I looked at the pictures of Maine before coming here, I knew it was going to be beautiful. What I didn’t know was how much the beauty would impact me.
“Wow,” I whisper as the light slowly hits the lighthouse.
I’ve seen plenty of calendars and screensavers, but nothing compares to this moment right now. I’m in a boat, watching the sun rise next to a gorgeous lighthouse.
I can’t believe I didn’t want to come to Maine when I first found out I had to.
“I think I take for granted that this is my office,” Ridge says slowly, only half teasingly. “One hell of a view, huh?”
I don’t know what it is, but tears threaten to spring in my eyes, and my throat grows hoarse with raw emotion as I swallow it down and nod. “Yeah. It sure is.”
Once we get close enough to it, Ridge reaches around me and pulls a throttle that takes the boat out of gear. Walking to the back of the boat, he picks up a large anchor that is clearly heavy before he steps onto the side of the boat and carries it to the bow. I watch in awe, not knowing how someone could ever be this comfortable on the ocean. And despite the sunrise being at its peak, I can’t take my eyes off him as he ties the rope to the veryfront of the boat and throws the anchor over. Once he’s done, he walks back down the side of the boat, past the thing that swings—something that I’m pretty sure lifts his traps out of the water—and jumps back down next to me.
Though I try to fight myself from shivering, I fail, and of course, Ridge notices.
“Inside the wheelhouse is nice and warm,” he says, pointing toward the door that leads into a closed-in area on the deck. “We can sit in there and watch the rest of the sunrise.” He pauses. “Or … look at the cool color the sky is now that the sun has risen.”
Laughing lightly, I shiver again and follow him through the door. Once he’s closed it behind us, he plops down on the captain’s chair with yet another ship’s wheel in front of it before patting his lap.
“Come sit with me, city girl. Let’s look at the sunrise together.” He stops, shrugging playfully. “They say nothing beats a Maine sunrise. Maybe it’ll convince you to stay here. Who knows?”
His words don’t piss me off; they just make everything I’ve been trying to avoid feeling hit me all at once. The truth is, I love everything about Maine. And everything about this place is making me question the city.
But here’s the catch that I keep going back to … is it Maine, or is it a certain guy in Maine? One I hardly know.
I am one of the most levelheaded people I know. I don’t make rash decisions. I think about everything from every angle possible, and then I decide what comes next. But even considering staying here is insanity. I know it is. And yet the thought is secretly dancing in the back of my mind.
“What are you saying, Ridge?” I shrug, unable to enjoy the damn sky anymore because all I can think about is the stupid words he just said. “That you want me to stay here?”
He doesn’t even know how to answer me, which only makes me more upset.
“Do you want me here for good, or do you just want me here a few more days for sex?” I blurt out, knowing I sound like a crazy person, but I can’t seem to stop myself from spewing out more bullshit. “Is that all this is to you? Sex?”
He stands abruptly and takes a few large strides to me and glares down. “What’s it to you, Stella? Is it sex? Is it a distraction from the holidays? Is that what I am to you?”
“I don’t—” I stop, bringing my hands to my face. “I don’t know! Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I don’t fucking know what this is anymore!”
“Well, do you want to stay?” He wastes no time barking out, “Or do you miss New York?”
I stare at him, my eyes dancing between his, and he throws his arms up.
“It’s not a hard question, Stella! You either want to stay here longer, or you want to go home. Answer me!”
“Stay here?” I yell, dropping my hands. “Ridge, I hardly know you! And you’re asking if I want to stay here?”
