ON SATURDAY MORNING, Rue and I relaxed in our sunroom, sipping mango smoothies and eating our way through a mountain of strawberry-topped French toast triangles. She was home after the successful social media launch of a new bike rental company based in Charleston and Savannah, and I was flying high from the revival of my photography company. I’d gotten three jobs scheduled in the last two days, all referred by Aubrey.
The last one, a wedding, made me a little nervous. I usually needed a photography assistant for a job that size, but after my last assistant had turned up naked under Asshole, I wasn’t keen on the idea of hiring another. The frantic bride had explained it was a small, intimate wedding, only sixty guests, and her scheduled photographer had backed out last minute due to a medical emergency. The wedding was next weekend, and the amount she offered to pay me made me forget any lingering doubts I had. A sixty-guest wedding was doable for a single photographer. I’d be busy, but I could make it work.
And I’d make some serious bank while I was at it.
The other two jobs were pretty standard. One was an engagement photo shoot and the other was new headshots for the agents of a nearby real estate company. I’d asked for more money than I normally would, and neither party balked in the slightest at the price. There were definite perks to working in a wealthier town.
The fact that all the jobs came from Aubrey . . . Well, I still wasn’t sure what to think about that. I wanted her to be the bad guy. She kept trying to blur the lines.
Rue stretched and patted her stomach. “God, I’m such a heifer,” she said, groaning. “I’m going to end up like you and have to run.” She said the last word with a shudder and made a face.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, you’re massive.”
“Whatever. What’s up with you and West? Anything going on there?”
“Maybe. What’s the story with him and Aubrey? I’ve been meaning to ask you.” I was curious if she knew anything more than Theo.
Rue rolled her eyes. “Aubrey’s been trying to land him for years. Ain’t gonna happen. You know my parents are friends with both of their parents, right? Anyway, her parents keep pushing for a match, and West kind of humored them or some shit for awhile to keep his parents happy. Took her to high-profile events or whatever. I’m sure they screwed around some too. I mean, come on, they’re both freaking gorgeous! But I don’t think it ever meant anything to him. I do know Aubrey was super humiliated when he broke it off with her. The football player thing was an attempt to show him she could do better.” Rue waved her hand dismissively.
God, I was so attracted to West, but I did not want to deal with Aubrey. I snagged another piece of toast.
“Anyway, tell me about the pierced dude,” I said, redirecting the conversation.
Rue closed her eyes and purred. “Yeah, that totally lived up to the hype. I might be ruined for regular cocks now.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Seriously?”
Rue nodded. “Yeah, it was . . . mmm, mmm, good.” She shivered at the memory, her lips curved into a satisfied smirk.
“Did you see him again?”
“Nah. He snores. Like a fucking freight train.”
I shook my head. It was always something.
WHEN WEST PICKED me up at noon, it wasn’t in the banged-up pickup truck he’d been driving before. It was in a shiny, white extended cab dually with a company logo on the side, and his bloodhound was sticking his head out the window, drool dripping down the door.
“What’s all this?” I waved at the massive truck. Thank God it had chrome running boards to help me climb up.
“This is what I drive when I want to impress a girl. Size matters.” West wiggled his eyebrows as he opened my door.
I was almost in the front seat when I paused, looking back at him. “You weren’t trying to impress me before?”
“Nope. Before you were just, just . . .” His voice trailed off, and he left the sentence hanging. “Today, I’m taking you on a date.”
I arched an eyebrow but refrained from commenting.
As I settled my bag onto the floor of the front seat, General Beauregard scrambled around the back, trying to climb over the center console to greet me. I reached back to rub his floppy ears and ended up covered in puppy kisses. A small flock—a herd? a pack?—of butterflies took flight in my stomach, and I took a deep breath to calm myself, but I couldn’t stop a small grin from escaping.
Slipping my sunglasses on, I waited for West to climb in next to me, and I fiddled with the air conditioning vents. “Yeah, I’m impressed with the chaperone. And you never told me where we were going. Am I dressed okay?”
West’s eyes darted over me, from my flat-ironed hair to my aviators, past my racerback sundress with my bikini straps peeking out, and down to my seafoam-green painted toenails.
His lips twitched. “It’ll work.”
West turned the radio station to the same one I had picked the day he drove me home from the hotel—coincidence?—and headed toward the main parkway that ran the length of the island.
“Where are we going?” I tried again, since subtlety hadn’t gotten me very far.
“Picnic. Don’t you pay attention?”
I took a deep breath. “You’re going to be difficult, aren’t you?”
“We’ve already done easy. Thought I’d try something new.”
Smiling and shaking my head, I turned the radio up and looked out the window, content to wait him out. The road was lined with oak trees draped with Spanish moss that arched over the road, forming a canopy and cocooning us in dappled shade. Stripes of cirrus clouds lined the sky, and the humidity was only moderately suffocating. It was a beautiful day to hang out with a hot guy and his cute dog. The truck took a left, but I didn’t recognize the street we turned down. We passed a bait shop and a gas station, and eased into a . . . marina.
“We’re going on a boat?”
A huge grin split West’s cheeks.
“Not a boat. My boat. There’s a difference.”
I took a deep breath.
“West, you know I’m scared of the water.”
“I do. Which is why you’ll be on a boat.”
I stared at him, wondering about his intelligence level.
He sighed. “You’ll be on a boat. The boat will be in the water. You will not be in the water. See what’s happening here?”
I swallowed, uncomfortable. I could do this. I would be safe on the boat. I’m sure it had life jackets or those lifesaving rings or something. And it had West. I’d be fine.
Perfectly fine.
Pinning an apprehensive smile on my face, I jumped out of the truck, hitching my tote with my towel and things over my shoulder. West directed me to hold General Beauregard’s leash while he balanced one of the giant Coleman coolers from the bar on his shoulder and carried a large beach bag in the other hand.
As soon as I slipped my hand through the loop on the end of the leash, General Beauregard took off, pulling me through the parking lot toward the dock. “Whoa, boy,” I said, trying not to trip as we raced down the main walkway.
When we got almost to the end of the dock, General Beauregard suddenly swerved, then took a flying leap and jumped into a long white-hulled boat. Running behind him with my wrist stuck in the leash and unable to stop the momentum, my eyes grew wide as I launched myself after him, Superman-style.
I kind of made it.
My upper body cleared the side of the boat, but my hip and shin slammed into the fiberglass hull. General Beauregard was trying to get to the bow of the boat, and his continued tugging pulled me the rest of the way onboard.
Damn, that was going to bruise. Sex-ay.
Mortified, I just laid there, slumped against the sidewall, prying the leash off my wrist so that crazy ass pony that masqueraded as a dog wouldn’t drag me like a bobsled across the snowy white deck. My shin throbbed. Yeah, this is why dates were a bad idea.
West’s footsteps echoed off the aluminum dock as he approached.
“Sadie!” he called out, dropping the gear and hurdling over the side of the boat like a track star, landing gracefully on his feet.
Show off.
“Are you okay?”
He scooped me up and set me down on a large orange bean bag. I looked down. A bean bag? Yup, there were two bean bags in a big open area behind the hardtop-covered center console. He ran his hands down my legs, and I winced and hissed out a breath when he brushed over my shin. He swore and jammed his hand through his hair before jumping back to his feet.
After retrieving the rest of the supplies from the dock, he rustled around in them before returning with ice wrapped in a beach towel. He sat down next to me, pulled my leg into his lap, and placed the ice pack against my tender shin. I was mesmerized by West’s fingers as he held the cold towel against me, one hand massaging the back of my calf.
Thank God I had shaved my legs this morning.
General Beauregard walked over, tucked his tail, and looked at me with sad eyes. He whined and snuggled up next to me, nudging my hand with his nose and giving me his best doggy apology. I patted him once, forgiving him, mostly because he looked so darn remorseful with those droopy eyes and ears.
“Fuck, Sadie, I’m sorry. If you want me to just take you home, I understand.” Frustration colored West’s voice. “Wyatt was meeting with the bank guy, and I told him I’d take the dog. Dumb hound loves the boat. I didn’t think about how strong he was for someone as small as you.”
A giggle bubbled from my lips, growing until I was full on belly laughing. I fell back against the bean bag and shook my head in defeat. “Seriously, I’m not a clumsy person. But, somehow, every time I’m around you, something happens. You sure you don’t plan this shit, just so you can swoop in and play hero?”
West squeezed my calf. “I’m fucking this all up. This is why I don’t date. I don’t know how to do this right.”
General Beauregard licked my hand. I glared at him. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” Peeking at West out of the corner of my eye, I added, “You too.”
West looked at me, his eyes blazing with intensity.
Reaching out, he captured a lock of my hair and ran his fingers down the length. He tugged the end. “Want to try this again? I’m going to motor us out a little ways, and then we’ll have a floating picnic like I promised you. You can stay right here and relax. The bean bags are the best seats on the boat.”
I took a second to look around. The boat was long, easily forty feet, but was mostly empty deck. The tall bench behind the center console was embroidered with the same logo I’d seen on his truck. Vitamin Sea. A fishing pole underlined the words.
My lips quirked, and I nodded at the graphic. “Who named the boat?”
“Hailey named her.”
“Her?”
“Yep. Anything I spend that much time riding on had better be a female.”
I pointed around me at the expanse. “Is she big enough?”
He shrugged. “Depends. Are you impressed?”
“I’ve been told size matters.”
“It’s true. Want to see her flex her muscles?”
General Beauregard bayed in excitement, his tail thwacking my arm.
“Sure. Show me how your fancy toy works.”
West’s lips twitched, whether from annoyance or amusement I couldn’t tell. “This toy is my livelihood, babe. Be nice.”
As he made his way to the center console, I called after him, “Or else, what?”
“Or else I’ll make fun of your little Polaroids.”
I snapped my mouth shut. Was that a reference to Aubrey’s pictures? I had no idea if Aubrey had given him copies or not, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to ask. I brooded as West untied the lines from the dock, and we puttered out of the marina until we reached the end of the no-wake zone. Cranking the four outboard engines, West sped up, and the boat skimmed over the water, practically flying. My hair flew everywhere, and I abandoned the ice on my leg to try to salvage my tangling strands. Catching as much of it as I could, I made a messy side braid and wrapped the hair tie from my wrist around the end, securing it.
We were going so fast it was making my eyes water, even behind my Ray-Bans. Struggling to my feet, I made my way up to the center console, where the windshield provided some protection. I leaned back against the tall bench seat, keeping my knees bent to absorb the bounce of the boat as we scooted across the rolling waves.
West grinned over at me, clearly in his element. Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled me to his side, keeping his other hand relaxed on the steering wheel.
Turning his head toward me to be heard over the roar of the wind and the engines, he yelled, “Want to drive?”
Surprised at his question, I shook my head no. “I have no idea how to drive a boat!”
Laughing, he took my hand and put it on the steering wheel under his, maneuvering me so I was standing in front of him. “There. Now you’re driving a boat. This screen here is your depth finder. We need at least five feet.” The display showed thirty-four feet of water under us. Plenty deep.
Uneasy, I gripped the wheel, my body stiffening with anxiety. We hit a wave, and I smashed back against West’s chest, my head popping him in the chin and my bruised leg throbbing. Grasping my hip harder, he nudged the back of my knees with his, forcing them to unlock. “Relax. Look around. There are no other boats in sight. What are you worried about? There’s nothing to hit. We’re going to go up the coast a ways and then we’ll eat. Just keep her pointed that way.” He raised an arm and pointed straight ahead.
I licked my lips and nodded. Widening my stance, I held the wheel at two and ten, concentrating on the horizon.
The warmth from West’s hand disappeared from my side, and he moved from behind me and headed to the side of the boat. “Where are you going?” I asked, panicking.
“You’re fine. I’m just packing away the buoys from earlier. Keep going straight.”
I didn’t like him not being within reach of the controls. “Can we go slower?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Just ease back on the throttle next to you.”
I pointed at a black lever, and he nodded. I curled my fingers around it and pulled it halfway down.
We lurched forward with the sudden loss of speed, my stomach slamming into the console and West tumbling to the deck, catching himself on his hands and knees. Near the front, General Beauregard yelped as he slid into the bow of the boat.
Swearing, West picked himself up and came over to stand next to me. “Easy with my girl there, Sadie. She can handle a rough ride with the best of them, but she prefers a gentle touch.” He put my hand on the throttle and showed me how to change speed smoothly.
I tugged my hand out from underneath. “Maybe you should drive.”
“Nope. You got this. You’re going to earn your lunch.”
Leaving me again, he walked to the front of the boat and stood next to the floppy-eared dog as we hurtled over the water. The muscles in his forearms stood out as he braced himself against the rail, and I was transfixed by the strong lines of his back as the rushing wind molded his gray shirt to his ribs. His muscled thighs flexed and adjusted to the oscillation of the waves, reminding me of our night together, his hips pumping against mine.
And, yeah, I stared at his ass too.
It was a very nice ass.
After awhile, West came back and took over the wheel. “Why don’t you go back to the bean bag and put some more ice on that leg? We still have about thirty minutes to go.”
I was grateful to give up captain duty. I dug another handful of ice cubes out of the cooler and plopped back down on the squishy seat. Just as I nestled into a comfy position with the makeshift icepack secure around my shin, General Beauregard snuggled up next to me, putting his head in my lap. “Oh, now you want to play nice,” I said.
The hound whined and covered one of his eyes with his paw before burrowing closer.
At least the ocean was pretty calm today. The waves were slow, gentle rollers and the hull sliced through the tops of them, rocking us softly.
Closing my eyes against the bright sun, I rubbed the dog’s long ears and let my mind drift.
The next thing I knew, I was startled awake by West’s fingers brushing wayward strands of hair off my forehead.
“I’m botching this whole date thing, aren’t I?” he said, looking adorably disgruntled. “Now I’ve literally bored you to sleep.”
I yawned and removed my arm from under the dog, stretching my arms high above my head to get the kinks out.
Yuck. My entire left hand was covered in puppy drool.
Casting a devious glance at West, I reached out and wiped my wet hand all over his shirt and tried to get some in his hair, but he dodged my fingers and snagged my wrist in a firm grip. He held it until I raised my eyes to his, our gazes locking. Twisting his lips into a sexy smirk, he dragged my hand down his chest.
“Better?”
I nodded, feeling the definition of each hard ab muscle as my fingers passed over them.
He laughed. “Now you’ve gotten me all dirty.”
“I’m sure you were plenty dirty before you ever met me.”
My hand fell to my lap as West backed away from me and stripped his damp shirt over his head. I breathed out and forgot to inhale.
Dear Lord, the man was beautiful. His tan skin stretched over taut muscles that I ached to trace, to explore, to taste. From his broad shoulders and defined chest, down the ruggedness of his abs and those delicious obliques that angled past his hips, I was in serious danger of imitating General Beauregard and drooling on sight.
I swiped a quick finger across my chin just in case.
West laid his shirt across the bench seat to dry, and I tried to redirect my focus away from the onboard scenery.
I gulped and got to my feet, twisting to look in all directions.
Water, all around us, as far as I could see.
I squinted at it, raising my sunglasses to the top of my head to get a clearer view. The water looked different out here, the color softer. The translucent green was clearer than I’d expected. Closer to shore, it mixed with a deeper blue and became impenetrable, frothing with agitation. But this—this expanse of ocean looked less sinister. The undulations seemed gentle, almost welcoming. It was hard to explain.
I looked at West, bewildered.
“We’re a couple miles offshore.” He grinned, reading my mind. “Once you hit the Gulf Stream, the ocean changes personalities. Isn’t she gorgeous?” He swept his arm out, like he was presenting me with a gift.
For a few minutes, I studied the ocean around us, taking in the differences. I could see down at least twenty feet. It wasn’t crystal clear, like you see in photos of the Caribbean, but it wasn’t what I was used to either. I watched a pelican circle before diving, hitting the water at an awkward angle before floating and shaking its head.
“Why is the water so much calmer out here?” I asked, perplexed.
“The water’s a lot deeper. Waves tend to be more pronounced in shallower water.”
General Beauregard let out a long exaggerated bay from the other side of the boat as he propped his feet up on the side, his tail beating with excitement. We both turned and scanned the ocean, trying to see what had him worked up.
West pointed. “Look! A sea turtle.”
Indeed, the graceful creature was swimming about twenty feet away from us, its shell bigger than West’s oversized truck tire. “It’s huge!” I said, turning to West in surprise.
He smirked. “That’s what they all say.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head in mock disgust. “Your modesty is by far your best quality.”
“No, I’m pretty sure that’s my—” I slapped my hand over his mouth, muffling the rest of his words.
“Don’t ruin such a nice moment by talking. Just don’t,” I admonished, giving him the side eye.
The laughter left his gaze, and he brought his long fingers up to my arm, holding my hand against his lips. He kissed my palm and then my inner wrist, leaving the sensitive flesh tingling. Then he laced our fingers together and wrapped our conjoined hands behind my lower back, forcing me against his warm, bare chest.
“Wouldn’t want to do that,” he murmured, his lips just grazing mine as he spoke.
He pulled me closer, raising me up on my tiptoes, and I braced my free hand on his shoulder. His lips brushed mine, a mere tease of a kiss. Humming deep in his throat, he cupped the side of my neck, holding me in place as he deepened the contact. His mouth settled over mine with lazy intent, molding my lips with his. The tip of his tongue traced the seam of my lips, and I smiled beneath him, but he didn’t push for more. He dropped hot kisses across my jawline until his breath warmed my ear as he nuzzled my neck with his nose.
“Hungry?”