“Hello?” I say hesitantly.
“You must be something else to have my boy tied up in knots like this. Paige, was it?” he asks.
“Yes,” I answer.
“So what do you want to know?”
“I just . . . well, I just was thinking that it might not be the smartest move to be sitting on a private beach at night with a guy I barely know,” I repeat the words, not really knowing what else to say.
A deep chuckle booms over the line. “Let me tell you something, sweetheart, you couldn’t be in better hands. My boy will take good care of you. Hell, he sounds excited to be there with you, and lately, well, let’s just say that lately he’s not been himself. I can already tell this trip has been good for him. I assume I have you to thank for that,” he says.
“We just met earlier today,” I argue.
“Doesn’t matter. Something has him sounding like his old self, and since I’m not there, you get all the credit.”
“Thank you,” I say, because what else do I say to that? I hand the phone back to Michael, and he tells his friend thank you and then hangs up.
“I know talking to a friend of mine isn’t the best form of reassurance, but I hope it at least helped a little?” he asks, hopeful.
“He said I couldn’t be in better hands,” I tell him.
This causes him to smile. “G and I go way back. Listen, Paige, I would like to spend more time with you while we’re both here. I’ll be gone most of the day tomorrow, but the next day, can I see you?” Again, his voice sounds hopeful and maybe a little hesitant.
“I’d like that.”
“Good, let’s get you home.” He stands and offers me his hand once again, lacing his fingers through mine. We walk in silence with nothing but the sound of the waves between us.
When we reach my house, I let go of his hand and turn to face him. “Thank you for dinner and for your company tonight. I really did have a good time, even though I freaked out a little there at the end,” the words spew from my mouth.
“I can’t wait to see you again.”
His words cause a flurry of butterflies in my stomach. I’m excited to spend more time with him. Deciding to take a chance, I stand on my tiptoes and place a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for tonight. I’ll see you soon.” And without giving him a chance to reply, I begin my journey up the steps leading into the house, not once looking over my shoulder.
Chatper 5
Logan
I wake to the sun rising over the ocean and a gentle breeze flowing through my bedroom window. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow last night. Stacy and I took in what feels like all of Hawaii yesterday. We ended our night at a luau. It was amazing, as was the way those dancers moved.
Today is a new day. It’s also the day I agreed to see Michael again. I don’t even know what that means really. Are we going to hang out at his place, or ours? Are we just going to chill on the beach? I don’t know, but I’m excited to see what the day holds.
After we’ve both showered, Stacy and I sit on the deck and drink our coffee, just enjoying the beauty that is Hawaii. She and I both need at least two cups before we feel human. This is an addiction we both picked up in college.
Ready for my second cup, I reach for Stacy’s before heading inside to fill up both. I hear him before I see him. Michael’s deep voice filters through the open door as he talks to Stacy. I’m giddy at the thought of seeing him again. Squaring my shoulders and wiping the huge-ass grin off my face, I walk back out to the deck and set Stacy’s coffee in front of her.
“Michael, hi. Did you want a cup?” I raise my steaming cup of Joe in the air.
“No, actually, I was wondering what you ladies had on your agenda today?”
“We got nothing,” Stacy answers before I can.
“Good, how would you like to spend the day with me?” He then focuses his gaze on me, those blue eyes sparkling in the morning sun. “You said I could see you today, so I took the liberty of chartering a . . . boat. I thought the three of us could spend the day on the water.”
“Hell, yeah! That sounds awesome.” Stacy jumps out of her chair, still holding her coffee and not spilling a drop. How she managed to do that, I have no idea. “Let’s go, woman!” she yells over her shoulder. “Get your ass changed, adventure awaits.”
She disappears into the house. I stand to follow her when I feel his strong arm wrap around my waist. He lowers his lips to my ear. “I’ve been counting down the minutes until I saw you again. You’re beautiful in the morning sun.” He kisses my neck right below my ear, so soft and so quick that if my body was not humming for his, I might have missed it. He releases me and I continue forward into the house.
Turns out, the boat Michael chartered is actually a yacht. It’s spectacular and is an experience neither Stacy nor I would have gotten had we not run into him. Michael takes us on a tour of the yacht, and it’s eye opening to see how the other half lives. My parents are middle class; they both work hard for what we have. We’ve never wanted for anything, always having the comforts of home, clean clothes, new shoes, and food on the table, but this . . . this is not something that would ever have been within our means.
Brunch is prepared for us on the top deck. Michael waves his arm toward the stairs, allowing us to go first. Stacy shoots up the steps, eager to see more. I take a more leisurely approach. One, because I don’t want to fall on my face and embarrass myself, and two, I’m hoping to get another stolen moment with him. He doesn’t disappoint as he joins me on the stairs and rests his hand on the small of my back, leading me. The heat of his touch filters through my thin tank, which is saying a lot considering the temperature out here today.
Brunch is delicious and the company is even better. The three of us fall into easy conversation. Stacy drills Michael with questions about the yacht; she’s suddenly fascinated. This leads us to a visit with the captain of our vessel. He offers to let Stacy stand at the wheel, and she gleefully accepts. Michael and I retreat to the lower-level deck where there is more shade.
“He’s not really going to let her drive this thing, is he?” I ask Michael.
He throws his head back and laughs. “Yeah, but it’s easy. All she has to do is steer. He won’t let us get off course.”
“If you say so,” I mutter. I mean, really, we’re in the middle of the freaking ocean. She should not be in control.
We sit in silence, just enjoying the day, eventually the lull of the waves and the gentle motion of the beast of a boat rock me to sleep.
I wake later to see the sun setting in the sky. Michael stands when he sees that I’m awake. “Hey, sleepyhead,” he whispers the words.
As I allow him to pull me to my feet, we hit a heavy wave, causing the boat to rock and me to lose my balance. Michael catches me with ease as I fall into his arms. Once I’ve regained my balance, he doesn’t let go. Instead, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, my chest aligned with his. “What . . . what are we doing?”
“Well, I would like to say we’re dancing,” he replies.
“But there’s no music,” I counter.