Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
I reached my fork across the table and began eating off his plate. As I leaned forward, I accidentally rested my foot on top of his at one point. To my surprise, he didn’t move it away. The contact sent a rush of desire through me.
I popped a piece of pineapple into my mouth. “Do anything interesting when you got back to your room last night?”
“Not particularly.” He chewed.
“After what you said about contemplating eating me, I think you might be lying.”
He stopped mid-bite and shook his head. “Even if I did do what you’re implying, I wouldn’t admit it.”
“I’m pretty sure you just did.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your face is red. You’re fidgeting. The signs are all there.”
I strategically selected a banana, holding it firmly in my hand as I slowly peeled it and took a big bite. Tate’s eyes remained fixed on me the entire time. “It was the only way I could sleep,” I added.
He nearly choked on his coffee.
“What you said riled me up,” I told him.
“Some things can remain private.” He glared. “You know?”
“So, you don’t want to know about my soothing Epsom salt foot soak?”
Tate reached across the table, grabbed my banana, and took a frustrated bite.
***
After breakfast, I went back to my room to change for our kayaking adventure. Then I met Tate in the lobby, and we walked together down to the pier, where the rented kayak awaited us.
“Have you ever been kayaking before?” he asked.
“Yes. We rent a summer home on a lake.”
“Ah, nice.”
I climbed in first as he got in behind me.
He put a hand on my shoulder. “You okay leading the way?”
“Why not?”
“Just making sure.”
As we took off, I was highly aware of his big feet at my back.
“I’m surprised you didn’t insist on sitting in front,” I said. “You know, considering how controlling you normally are.”
“How else would I get to look at you?”
I stopped paddling for a moment. “Are you flirting with me, Tate?”
“I think that’s obvious by now, Doris-Delores.”
Goose bumps covered my skin. If all else failed and nothing transpired between us by the end of this trip, I sure as hell was having fun flirting with this man.
We paddled quietly for several minutes. The glistening water was as calm as the sky was blue today. We couldn’t have asked for better weather.
I sighed. “God, it’s so peaceful out here. It feels like we’re the only ones in the world.”
The low rumble of his voice vibrated against my back. “Strangely, that’s kind of how it’s felt since the moment I met you.”
I felt my eyes widen. “Is that a compliment?”
“It is.”
We settled into a blissful calm after that, but about half an hour later, we were out in the middle of the ocean when something suddenly jumped at us from the water. Everything after happened in quick succession. I jerked away, which nearly sent us toppling over. I couldn’t tell you how, but Tate swung his arm out to the side and somehow managed to get us back on track.
My heart raced as I got my bearings again. “What the hell was that? Did you see it jump out of the water?”
“Yeah. Not sure what the fuck it was. It was alive, though. Noticed it right before you almost took us out.”
“Thank you for steadying the boat.” I panted.
“It was instinct.”
A shiver moved all the way through my body.
“You okay?” He placed a hand on my back. “You’re good. I’ve got you.”
“Thanks. Just a little rattled.”
Tate rubbed my back. I closed my eyes for a moment, relishing the feel of his hand against my skin.
“Wanna turn around and go back?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Let’s do that.”
***
Twenty-five minutes later, Tate and I safely made it back to land without further incident.
“What’s next on the agenda?” I joked after we returned to the resort. “Anything else we can do where I almost get us killed?”
He scoffed. “We would’ve been fine with our lifejackets.”
“Not if that freakish sea monster jumped out of the ocean again and got us.”
Tate’s eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
“You’d risk your life when you haven’t even known me two days?”
“I would not have to think twice about saving you.”
I playfully knocked my elbow into his. “I liked when you rubbed my back earlier. It made almost dying worth it.”
Tate shook his head and smiled. “You’re something else, Doris-Delores.”
Once inside the hotel, we stood in the lobby staring at each other.
“What’s next? I don’t want to go back to my room yet,” I confessed. “Can we sit for a bit?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
We meandered over to a café just outside the lobby. He ordered two iced lattes, and we took them over to a seating area.
After my first sip, I sighed. “I have no desire to go home. This trip is going by way too fast.”