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“Right,” I mutter.
He eyes me for a long moment like he wants to say something but isn’t sure if he should. I’m sure it probably has something to do with Mateo. He was there last night when we took the boat out, and he was there when we returned it. I’m sure he picked up on something, despite my best efforts to seem natural.
“Was there something else?” I finally ask.
“Just do me a favor and be careful.” His words catch me off guard.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t get sucked into this world. You’re way too good for it.”
So he obviously knows there’ssomethinggoing on. Or well, therewassomething going on. After this morning, I doubt it’ll happen again.
“Aww, are you looking out for me now?” I tease, my way of diverting.
“I have a sister the same age as you. If she were in your position, I would hope someone would look out for her.”
So heislooking out for me. The gesture is oddly sweet. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised. Dimitri is nothing like the other men that work for Mateo. At least not the ones I’ve met.
“Well let’s hope she never is.” I swing my legs over the side of the bed, twisting from side to side to work out the stiffness in my back. “And I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m good. I promise.”
The way he looks at me tells me he doesn’t quite believe me, but thankfully he doesn’t push the issue.
“Anything in particular you want to do today?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I saw a couple of guys fishing off the dock the other day. You think that might be something we could do?” I ask.
“You like to fish?” His face contorts in surprise.
“I’m from rural Pennsylvania. Of course I like to fish,” I say, like it should be that obvious.
In truth, I’ve only been fishing a handful of times, and they were all with my ex-boyfriend from high school. He loved to hunt and fish, so I tried to love it too. And while it’s not my favorite thing, activities on the island are pretty limited and I want to keep myself busy.
“Don’t let the designer clothes fool you, I didn’t buy them,” I tack on, watching Dimitri’s lips tip in humor.
“I think it’s best I keep you as far away from the dock as I can until Mateo returns.” He gives me a knowing look and honestly I’m a little offended that he thinks I would try to run again.
Then again, if the opportunity presented itself, I can’t say that I wouldn’t. As Mateo made it very clear this morning, what happened between us didn’t change anything. So why should I accept my fate if I had the chance to get away?
“There is a good spot on the other side of the island where you can fish from the beach. We could do that if you want.”
“Yeah, that sounds fun.” I nod, knowing that I need to find something to occupy my mind. Otherwise I’ll likely lay in this room for the next couple of days obsessing over what happened with Mateo.
I swear I can still feel him everywhere, like his hands left invisible tattoos across every inch of skin. His scent still lingers in the air. In my bed. My hair. I can’t escape it.
“I’ll get some things together while you eat and get ready. I’ll be back in a little bit.”
“Okay.”
——
“YOU’RE REALLY TERRIBLEat this.” Dimitri laughs at me as I work to untangle my line for what feels like the hundredth time in the last hour.
He’s not wrong. Iamterrible. But honestly, that makes it all the more enjoyable.
I’m so thankful that Mateo left Dimitri with me and not Niko. At least with Dimitri I have someone to talk to. Niko would never have fished with me. He would have stood behind me like a statue, no doubt cursing his annoyance at being stuck with me under his breath.
“It’s not my fault,” I whine dramatically. “The lakes and ponds in Pennsylvania don’t move the way the ocean does. I don’t understand how people do this.”
