AllFreeNovel
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“This is amazing.”
Mamba wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “If your hungry, I had Lenny stock the galley and the fridge.”
“That was the cryptic call you made before?”
“Yep, I haven’t been out here for a while, so I wanted to make sure everything was ready to go.”
Her head swiveled in all directions, taking in the distant mountains and sandy beaches that dotted the coastline.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“Wait till you see where I’m headed. You’re gonna love it.” He angled her chin and grabbed her lips with his. Nothing fuckin’ better than zipping across the water with a gorgeous woman by his side who made his dick hard as steel.
* * *
Just when Mandy thought she had Mamba figured out, he turned around and completely shocked her. Back in Searchlight, she thought for sure he was going to tumble her back into bed, but instead, he hopped out and coaxed her onto his Harley. Her first ride on a motorcycle turned out to be amazing. He wouldn’t tell her where they were going until they ended up at a marina in Arizona where he owned a boat.
Now, they were skimming across the clearest water she’d ever seen in his forty-foot cabin cruiser. If this was a dream, she didn’t want it to end. She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed the side of his neck, earning her a sexy smile.
Fifteen minutes later, he slowed the engine and angled them into a cove, each side surrounded by low mountains covered with scrubby bushes and sand. The waterway narrowed as Mamba eased the boat to the end of the inlet. He cut the engine, dropped the anchor, and Mandy marveled at the absolute silence.
“Pretty great, right?”
“Perfection.”
Mamba opened the galley’s small fridge and pulled out ready-made trays of cheese, crackers, and cut-up meats. He set them on the table, then turned to her. “I got beer, soda, even a bottle of wine.”
“I’ll take a beer.” She peered over his shoulder, spying an assortment of soda, beer, and a bottle of red and white wine. “You believe in being prepared.”
“Wasn’t sure what you liked, but I had a feeling you’d want a beer.”
He popped the caps and held the bottle out to her.
“Here’s to my first boat ride.” Mandy clinked her bottle with his.
“You’re shittin’ me. You’ve never been on a boat?”
“Nope, never been out of Nevada. Hardly been out of Vegas.” She played with the Corona label on the bottle. “Money’s always been tight.” Especially with Achilles’ medical bills, but she left that part out. Mamba felt bad enough about that night without her reminding him, and she didn’t want to spoil what was turning into a fantastic day.
“Yeah, I get it.” He settled next to her on the bench seat in the galley. “I feel like I’ve lived everywhere and nowhere. Never had any real roots or a place to call home. I’ve thought about buying property here, and finally having something of my own. A real home.”
“Were you born in Nevada?”
“That’s what my birth certificate says, but my father always had some bullshit story about the actual place I was born. He and my mother were up in Reno at the time, and neither of them was sure which side of the state line they were on.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Not really. Knowing my parents, they were probably too high, too drunk, or too deep in their drama to get the facts straight.”
“Oh.” Mandy didn’t know what else to say. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, it was a long-ass time ago. My mother ran off soon after I was born, and my father didn’t deserve the title of being anyone’s parent.” Mamba took a long slug of beer. “Enough about me.”
“It's funny … before my father left us, I had a normal childhood. Presents at birthdays and Christmas, but then it all fell apart. Money got tight, Ajax joined the Marauders, and Achilles started cage fighting. They did that for fast money, but I’d like to think if things had been different, maybe their futures would’ve been different too.”
Mamba laid his beer on the table and took her hand. “You know I’d do anything to change how it all turned out with Achilles.”
Mandy focused on his light brown eyes. “I don’t blame you. I blame the circumstances.”
