must have had help, maybe Jennifer. He even remembers I like artichokes on my burger. As we eat, the water gently laps the sides of the boat. This is only my second time sailing, but I can tell how much it means to Ryan. I munch on an onion ring, belatedly worrying over my breath. Will it matter since he is eating them too? When I excuse myself to use the restroom, I'm thrilled to see a bowl of mints below deck.
Ryan is cleaning up when I come back up. After stowing a trash bag, he crooks his finger at me, motioning me to come to him. He's crouched when I stand in front of him. He slowly rises, running his hands up the sides of my legs as he does. My breath catches in my throat as I think back to what Jennifer had said. Does he want to sleep with me? Tonight? There’s a cushioned bench behind him, and he tugs me down with him as he sits. I am in his lap, my legs draped over to one side.
My hands are on his shoulders. He has one arm tightly wrapped around my waist. His other arm starts on the small of my back and slides upward and under my hair to the back of my neck. He pulls my face to his. My arms tighten around his neck when he bites my lip. I moan when he moves his lips to my neck and then lower, to the curves visible from the top of my V-neck. The bench is wide enough for him to shift us to where we are lying side by side. He gently runs his fingers up and down my arm, laughing at the sea of goose bumps his fingers leave in their wake. Shivering, I move closer to him. He moves his hand to my neck. His fingers are in my hair, and his thumb draws lazy circles on my earlobe.
"You are so lovely."
I bury my face in his neck, embarrassed.
"Don't be shy."
I keep my head down, shaking it. This whole thing is so surreal and different from where I was just two months ago. It’s hard for me to reconcile that point of my life to now. It almost doesn’t feel real. Here I am, on a boat, in the Gulf of Mexico, in the arms of a beautiful man.
"Grace, look at me."
My eyes rise to meet his, and I'm trapped in the intensity of them. We're almost nose to nose, and time seems to stop as I feel his desire. I bite my lip and watch as his eyes drop to my mouth, the corners of his lips turning up as he brings his eyes back to mine. We both turn at the sound of a large splash near the boat.
"What was that?"
"Don’t worry. Probably just a big fish." He laughs at my expression. "You’re safe with me."
I snuggle back into his arms, and he softly rubs his hand up and down my back. I’m not sure what kind of cologne he uses but love the way it smells. I remember the day I held his hoodie to my face to smell it. This is way better. Something about the rocking of the boat and the warmth of his embrace lulls me to sleep. I wake with a start when he nibbles on my ear. It takes me a moment to understand where I am, and then my eyes snap to his shirt to make sure I've not done something embarrassing like drool on him. Thankfully, I have not.
"We should be heading back."
"Why? Let's just stay out here."
"Not tonight. But maybe we can sail one weekend somewhere."
"I'd like that."
His lips move to my neck. "Now that I've woken you. I don’t want to go back."
"Then don’t."
"Would you really like to sleep out here?"
I turn and look up at the sky. It’s like I've never seen it before. So clear and full of stars, but as warm as Ryan is, it is getting chilly.
"It is a bit cold, but it's so beautiful."
"It’s warmer in the cabin. There's a bed down there if you'd like to sleep on the boat tonight."
"Where will you sleep?"
"I'll be fine up here with some blankets."
"Would you like to go in the cabin with me?"
"I don’t want you to feel pressured to do anything."
"I don’t. I just like the idea of falling asleep in your arms. Besides, we've slept in the same room before."