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A bracing gust of wind blew across the deck, making me shiver slightly. “Let’s go in,” he said, sliding an arm around my shoulders and steering me toward the covered area of the ferry.
The Alaskan ferry system was beloved. It ferried locals and visitors all up and down the coastline. There were different ferries, but they were all similar. There was an exposed open area on two levels, another outside covered area, and an inside space. This ferry had a movie theater, small cabins, and a cafeteria-style eatery with three meals served daily and snacks available.
In the summer, people could set up tents out on the open deck and under the covered area. They even had heat lamps above.
Just getting out from the wind was a relief. I didn’t know what to think about how I felt with Kenan’s arm curled over my shoulders. Even before our kisses and more, he had put his arm around my shoulders plenty of times. I just never thought much of it beyond a friendly gesture.
Now, I savored the feel of it and the sense of being sheltered and protected. He kept walking, coaxing me through a doorway leading into an open dining area by the cafeteria with booths lining the windows.
“Want some hot cocoa?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.
“I’d love some.”
“You grab a booth, and I’ll get two mugs for us.”
His arm fell away from my shoulders, and I instantly missed the feel of his touch.
“You’re being ridiculous,”I chided myself.
With a mental shake, I scanned the available booths, selecting one toward the center with a good view of the shoreline. Kenan arrived only moments later, handing me one of the cups. The hot cocoa came from one of those automated machines. It wasn’t amazing, but it was pretty good and all part of the ferry experience. I remembered loving these ferry rides with my parents and brother when I was younger. They were distinctly an Alaskan experience.
Kenan sat across from me, one of his knees bumping mine as he slipped into the booth. The subtle, brushing touch sent a jolt of electricity spinning through my body. I curled my hands around the warm paper cup before lifting it and taking a swallow. The rich, chocolatey flavor slid across my tongue. Lowering the cup, I said, “Perfect. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Do you know what time we dock in Haines?” I asked.
Kenan shifted to the side slightly to reach down and get his phone out of the pocket of his jeans. His calf bumped mine, and his foot slid between mine. He left it there as he lifted his phone. It was nothing, I told myself. Yet it felt intimate and affectionate to have his foot between mine.
He tapped on his screen. “I saved the schedule.” A second later, he added, “In two hours, there’s a movie tonight. Are we going?”
“If you want to, I’m game.”
“It’s the whole experience, Quinn. We’ve gotta do the movie.” He leaned forward with a grin.
I laughed. “Let’s do it.”
We fell into silence as we sipped our hot cocoa and were looking out the windows when an announcement came over the speakers from the captain. “For your information, a school of Dall’s porpoises is swimming nearby. They’re the fastest porpoises in the world. You can see them out on the main deck.”
“Let’s go.” Kenan waggled his brows.
We hurried toward the deck along with some other passengers. Watching over the edge of the railing, we enjoyed the view of the tiny porpoises as they zipped through the water, curling over the surface and diving down as they zoomed alongside the front of the ferry.
I glanced at Kenan, feeling a rush of joy. I loved seeing wildlife of any kind. I knew he did too. When he smiled down at me, my heart flipped in my chest.
Only moments later, the porpoises zoomed out of view, and we returned inside to reclaim the same booth. “Have you seen those before?” I asked once we were seated again.
“I’m not sure,” he replied. “Maybe when we were kids. Definitely not on any of our regular fishing trips. What about you?”
“I’m not sure either. Maybe on one of the ferry trips with my parents and brother when I was younger.”
“On a more serious note,” he began a moment later. “Any concerns about this situation with the land?”
I shook my head. “None at all. Legally, we’re in the clear.” I shrugged. “It’s just another business being greedy. It’s not as if Fireweed Industries didn’t do similar things before, especially earlier on. But we currently own the land, and we’re giving it back to the tribe. That’s the way it is. This meeting is just a formality. They filed in court, and it didn’t go anywhere, so they’re trying to negotiate something else. We’re not going for it.”
Kenan cocked his head to the side, studying me for a few beats. “You kick ass,” he said after a long moment.
“I don’t recall kicking any asses,” I teased lightly.
