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Dani
Neal offers me his hand and assists me out of the passenger seat of his car. Portland Marina is alive with the call of seabirds and clanging metal. We stand by the car and the afternoon sun warms my skin. I breathe deeply, taking in the fresh, salty air.
“Stunning.” I turn my head to find Neal is looking at me, not at the incredible view over the water and the yachts moored on the jetties.
I raise my brows as I meet his gaze. “I assume you’re talking about the scenery and not my poor attempt at a boating outfit?”
“The view is nothing compared to you. Your outfit has nothing to do with it.”
I giggle and blush, partly from his compliment and even more from the knowledge that I’d done some lingerie shopping and had a sweet surprise for him under my shirt and shorts.
He closes the car door, opens the trunk, and takes out my modest holdall containing a few changes of clothes, as he’d requested. “Ready?” He takes my hand again. “I have a full evening planned for us.” His eyes sparkle.
I know we’ll be spending the evening in each other’s arms. In bed. Naked.
We walk along a concrete pier where boats are tucked into slips. As we get further out, the boats are getting larger and larger, eventually becoming full yachts. I’m excited to see what kind of fabulous, over-the-top vessel a larger-than-life man like Neal owns.
He stops at a long, wide slip that has only a small speedboat tied up. “Here we are.” He glances at my face.
I pray that I’m not showing any sign of disappointment. “Oh.Great.I’ve never actually been in a boat that didn’t need to be rowed so one with an engine is lovely.” I let him help me into the boat. He hands my bag to me, then he undoes the ropes and pushes the boat so it’s moving out towards the river.
When he jumps in next to me, the little craft rocks, and I grab onto one of the front seats, the one without the wheel, and slide into it.
Neal takes the captain’s seat, starts the motor, and eases the throttle forward. He plucks a pair of sunglasses from his shirt pocket and puts them on. I find mine in my purse and slide them on, too.
He shoots me a big white smile and I send one back.
I can do happy. Actually, I am happy—if I don’t think too hard about the bigger picture.
In seconds we are out of the harbor traffic and on the channel. It’s a beautiful, peaceful day, and the river is calm.
His grin widens as he presses the throttle forward, and we start to skim across the surface, bouncing over the ripples of water as we go.
I laugh as I wrap my hair into a bun at the nape of my neck and secure it with a few ties from my purse. “Well, this is fabulous.” I peer out the front window enjoying the ride, my stomach feeling a little like we’re on a fairground dipper.
Neal expertly navigates us to a spot with no other craft around. “Okay.” He shifts the boat into neutral and stands. “Your turn at the wheel.”
My mouth drops open. I shake my head. “I don’t know how to—”
He leans over me and kisses my lips, solid and possessive, and I feel it through my entire body. “You can captain a boat easier than you can drive a car.” He takes my hands and pulls me up, then maneuvers me over to the captain’s seat. “C’mon. As slow as you like.”
My heart is thumping, and I look around. Still no boats near for me to ram into. Good. “Okay. I’ll give it a go…” I shiver with apprehension as I place my hand on the throttle.
Neal takes the passenger seat. “Cool.” He smiles, seeming proud of me.
I’ve been watching him as he steers, so I know to press the thumb button on the throttle before moving it. I slide it forward, and the motor purrs louder. We ease forward a little.
I laugh like a child with the thrill of doing something new and exciting. Easing the wheel, I take us in a large, slow circle, then straight, then around in a circle in the other direction.
Neal is grinning with satisfaction at my enjoyment, and I feel a burst of something new and exciting rise inside my chest. Deeper than admiration, more complex than friendship, and very unnerving.
He points to our left. “See that boat over there?”
I squint ahead. Far out on the horizon, I can make out something. “Yep.”
“Head towards it.” He checks around us. “We’re all clear. Start slow, then let ‘er rip.”
I shake my head and laugh. “I’m not sure I’m a ‘rip’ kind of girl.” I glance at him, but he just smiles.
