Tequila Rose (Tequila Rose #1) - Willow Winters Page 0,35

swear, every time we went out, he’d announce it just before pulling up the anchor. That’s one memory of him I’ll always have.

“Well, good morning,” Griffin calls out behind me, bringing me back to the present. With his beer lifted in salute, I turn to see Magnolia, a slight blush in her cheeks.

The dress she’s wearing over a simple white bathing suit that hugs her curves delectably, is nearly sheer. It’s only a cover-up with a dark blue paisley design and the color matches both the flip-flops she wears and the rim of the sunglasses propped up on her head, pushing back her beautiful blond locks. Her wavy blond hair sways as she comes close to the boat on the dock.

It takes a subtle kick from Griffin to get me moving to help her board.

“Twenty footer?” Magnolia asks casually, slipping her glasses down and pushing her hair out of her face. A white straw sun hat is in her right hand with a purse in her left, but she’s quick to slip that to her elbow so she has a spare hand.

“Twenty-two,” I tell her and hold out my hand for her to take. The second her soft hand reaches mine, heat travels through me. Small sparks ignite and judging by how quick she is to board and let go, and how her bottom lip drops before a simper appears on her beautiful expression, she felt it too.

A moment passes with her glancing at my hand, avoiding my gaze, and looking past me at the sunrise. “It’s beautiful.” I almost miss her comment altogether, the wind picking up and carrying away the words.

“Look at you, Miss Southern Belle.” I hadn’t noticed Griffin standing in the cockpit. “Welcome aboard,” he says, greeting her with the charm I typically have.

Running a hand over my hair, I watch him help Magnolia down to sit across from him before eyeing me with a look that says, “What the hell, man?”

Yeah, I know. She’s got me off my game.

I don’t know what it is about her. Maybe the chase, maybe the memories of that night and the fact that the chemistry is all still there. I don’t know, but whatever it is, I need to shake it off.

Griffin’s not exactly the best when it comes to charm, so the fact that he’s one-upping me is a sign that things are bound to go wrong.

“Just to be clear, I plan on getting a little sunbathing in.” I don’t miss how Magnolia’s gaze drops to my chest, then my abs, as I prepare the boat. “If that’s all right with you,” she adds and her voice is lowered, once again her gaze refusing to meet mine.

“Me too,” Griffin says, taking his shirt off and grabbing the sunscreen.

With the two of them getting comfortable, I go through the motions and Griffin joins me, doing his part and leaving the sunscreen with Magnolia.

It’s only once we’re out, the waves lapping at the sides of the boat that Magnolia speaks up. “You weren’t kidding,” she calls out above the sounds of the ocean that surrounds us.

“What’s that?” I yell back against the wind, still manning the steering wheel. We’re not heading out far, just a bit of privacy and open air is all we want.

When she stands to make her way to me, she slips off the cover-up, tossing it on top of her clutch and hat that now sit beside the cooler in the cockpit.

“You’re pretty darn good,” she says and this time there’s no sound at all except for the sweet compliment that comes from those lips. She stands closer than she needs to, her arm brushing against mine and with a slight rock of the boat against stubborn waves, she braces herself against me, but quickly rights herself. I’m grateful for the contact, though, and the fact that she wants to be here next to me.

“Well thanks. I’m glad you came to see me in action.” I smile and try to think of something to say, something charismatic, but not a damn thing comes to me. She’s breathtaking, she’s sweet … but she already knows that. Our gaze is locked and I know she’s waiting on something else as the salty air whips by us and she leans closer to me, her fingers brushing against the wooden helm although she doesn’t try to take it over. She’s just feeling her way.

“Does everyone call you Mags?” Griffin interrupts the moment and thank God he does. I release a