I didn’t mean to say it, or even believed it, but the heat and humidity had softened my tongue.
Ryder looked at me before uttering a single, deep belly laugh. “I won’t tell him you said that.” He smiled like he had the night before in the booth. “But thanks, I needed that.”
“No worries,” I said, hoping no one had heard me. “But, no, we…” I stopped myself. Why let him know Tyler didn’t want to room with him? “I know you better than the other guys. And you’re not a slob.”
Ryder glanced sideways before turning his face to meet mine. “Great point.” His eyes flicked down to my lips before looking away. “But you know that means we’re on the same jet ski, right?”
I smirked. “You’ve had a motorcycle for years. I’m in the best hands out of anyone here.”
“That’s the fucking truth.” Ryder wet his lips, then glanced at me again. “Don’t forget it.”
The way he said it made that weird, nervous jolt hit my stomach again. “I could never,” I said, holding his gaze.
Ryder laughed and shoved me with his shoulder. “I’m driving first.”
The marina was right on the bay, where the water was calmer and better for watercraft, as they called it. After we took the unexpected multiple-choice test and sat through the mandatory tutorial on how to drive the skis, we were off.
Ryder was a man possessed, shooting out at full throttle. He kept the course straight out for much longer than the others. We sliced, jumped, and splashed at full speed for a solid five minutes, until I lost sight of the guys.
Once gone, Ryder eased up, slowed down, and brought us closer to the shore of a small island. It was the only land not filled with high rises or million-dollar condos. We’d gone much farther than we were supposed to, but it allowed me to watch the wildlife and lush Florida greenery pass by. I loved how alive Miami was in every way. A constant hum of life emanated from everywhere, even from the underbrush.
The other thing alive in every way was the man I held onto for dear life. Not that Ihatedbeing on a jet ski, but I hated being on a jet ski. I didn’t know they were so fast. Or how high they jumped. Or how easy it was to fall off. I almost did several times.
I clung to Ryder so hard I could feel his heartbeat thumping through his life vest and mine. My chin was so far up his shoulder, and my chest pressed so hard against his back, I couldn’t help but smell him. It wasn’t his usual wood-scented cologne or the not-so-cheap hotel soap. He smelled like sun-warmed skin, salt water, and something so painfully familiar it made my head swim.
It was weird in ways I couldn’t understand. This living, breathing man, held so tight in my arms. His abs flexed when he hit the throttle, and his back arched as we crashed back into the water. He was alive in a way that spoke all on its own. Something I had never noticed or experienced with anyone else.
Which led to the worst thing coming to life—my dick.
A low, slow throb from the engine’s vibration had me on edge since we set out, but it had filled out to an erection in my swim trunks. I was thankful Ryder couldn’t notice it snaking up my thigh. But my gut surged with that deep random-boner dread every guy knows from puberty.
Anyone would get excited sitting on a giant, water-bound vibrator. Especially someone like me, who had last jerked it a few days before leaving. I could imagine a woman in my position with someone like Connor getting even more excited than she bargained for.
I clenched my eyes and shook my head. It was a soothing thought, but it was bullshit. That imaginary woman, or anyone, would have to want the person driving them in some way. Which meant somehow, someway, I felt that about Ryder. My stomach sank worse than any of the splash landings. I’d been wrong, I must’ve liked Ryder’s flirting with my dick, too.
Ryder opened the throttle to jump a passing boat’s wake, sending him sliding back into me, and my shame boner. He didn’t react, not more than tensing his shoulders, which he did whenever we got air.
It was so fast he couldn’t have felt it. And seconds after we splashed back into the water, he scooted up, and I receded into my happy, flaccid form.
The rest of his turn passed by with little fear of falling off, no more jumps and splash landings, but in a daze of confusion,frustration, and simmering panic. By the time he pulled up to the marshy bank of what looked to be a private residential golf club to switch roles, I had already banished the shameful memory.
“Okay, your turn. You know how to drive it, right?” Ryder said over the dull roar of the idling engine as he dismounted.
I splashed into the water. “Uh… Yeah. From that tutorial.”
“Yup.” He chuckled, giving me a weird look. “From the tutorial.” He hopped on and patted the space in front of his crotch. “C’mon, I don’t think we’re supposed to be here.”
I didn’t take to driving it as easily as Ryder had. For the next ten minutes, Ryder wrapped himself around me, re-teaching me how to operate the thing. Once I got it, I opened the throttle, but nowhere near as much as he did. No wake-chasing or wave jumping. I just tried my best to keep the damn thing in the water.
It was a good thing too, since I wouldn’t have been able to hear him otherwise.
“I enjoyed hanging out with you last night,” he said into my ear. I let up on the throttle when he did.
I shouted back, “Yeah, me too,” but didn’t need to be so loud.
“You looked so good last night.” His voice dropped an octave.
That strange feeling in my stomach returned. But it was there whenever someone complimented me. Especially someone with an opinion I appreciated, and I very much respected Ryder’s.
