“Yikes. That’s awful.”
“I guess it was pretty bad. My aunt and uncle had all but given up on having a child when she came along. She was the most coddled child in the history of the world. When she needed to bust loose, she came to our house.”
“You guys had so much fun.”
“We still do.”
“So what kind of fish are we looking for out here?”
“Anything from grouper to swordfish to sailfish. Tarpon is the most commonly found fish in this area, but they’re out of season until about May, so it’d be rare to find one this time of year. We’re heading out to the Bodenhamer wreck, one of the best spots in the area. We might see some snapper and amberjack out there, too.”
“It’s very sexy that you know all this.”
I waggle my brows at him. “Wait till you see me bait a hook.”
“Hot as fuck.”
He makes me laugh as easily as I breathe, and I love being with him. I don’t care what we’re doing or not doing. It’s so easy with him. I realize that’s the way it should be, and because we might be short on time, I want to share that with him. “Can I tell you something?”
“Anything.”
“I’ve never felt an easier connection to anyone who wasn’t my family than I do with you.”
He draws me in closer to him with an arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “I feel it, too. Why do you think I came back here?”
“You had a job interview.”
“If there were no Dee Giordino, there’d be no job interview.”
“Ah-ha, I knew it! You did come back because of me.”
“Of course I did. You were there in that hotel room after the wedding. You know exactly why I came back—for more of that and more of this—the talking, the laughing, the fishing.”
I bump my hip against him. “You didn’t know we were going fishing.”
“I knew I’d have all the fun with you. And it turns out I was right.”
“But you didn’t plan to tell me about your situation.”
“No, I didn’t. I hope you know… It’s just so ingrained in who I am after all this time that not telling people is my default.”
“I get that. I wouldn’t want to be defined by something like that, either, especially with everything you’ve accomplished since then.”
“That’s far more important to me. I’ve tried to make lemonade from the lemons, and I’d much rather focus on that.”
“I’ve only known you a short time, but I’m so proud of how you’ve handled what had to be such a huge challenge.”
“Aw, thanks. I wasn’t always admirable. I was an awful patient. I drove everyone crazy with my impatience. I wanted out of that hospital in the worst possible way.”
“That’s kind of funny when you consider what you do for a living.”
“I know, but there’s a big difference between being there because I want to be and not being allowed to leave because of the machines keeping me alive.”
“That had to suck.”
“It was the worst.” He gives me an affectionate squeeze. “Thanks for letting me talk to you about this stuff. Hiding such a big part of who I am can be exhausting sometimes.”
“I always want you to feel like you can talk to me about anything, and you have to promise me that if you ever don’t feel well, you’ll tell me. You can’t hide it from me.”
“I won’t.”
I look up at him. “You promise?”
“I promise.”
We seal the promise with a kiss that quickly turns into two kisses and then three.
I break apart from him, laughing, and glance behind us to see the zigzagging pattern of the boat’s wake. “Look what you made me do.”
“Um, ma’am, are you under the influence?”
“Yes, Officer, I’m under the influence of a sexy doctor who’s very distracting.”
His hand slides down my back to cup my ass, and it’s all I can do to remain standing. I want him so much. “In that case, we’d better take you in and give you a full exam.”
I swallow hard. “Is that necessary, Officer?”
“Very necessary.”
And then we’re kissing again, and I couldn’t care less if the boat spins in circles. I have the presence of mind to pull the throttle back to idle before I curl my arms around his neck and open my mouth to his tongue. Dear God, the man can kiss like a dream, and I just want to gorge on him. I have no idea how long we stand there kissing each other’s faces off, but it feels like it could’ve been an hour. Or maybe it was just ten minutes. Who knows? Who cares?
“We’re supposed to be fishing,” I remind him when we come up for air. “The fish won’t catch themselves.”
“Ah, right. Fish. I’d forgotten about that.”
I love the way he makes me feel so desired. That’s such a revelation to me. Being with Wyatt has shown me I love his kind of affection and the emotional connection that comes with it.
We spend the afternoon at one of my dad’s favorite spots, made up of a reef created around the sunken O.L. Bodenhamer Liberty Ship. I know exactly where it is because I’ve been there so often. We’re the only ones out here, and the fish are cooperative. Wyatt quickly catches a grouper and then a snapper. We put them in the Styrofoam cooler full of ice the marina provided.
He’s so excited to be fishing that his joy has become mine. Just that quickly, if he’s happy, so am I. I’ve stepped way outside my comfort zone over the last few remarkable hours with him. I was with Marcus for six months before I told him I loved him. To be all in with Wyatt this fast is a huge departure for me, but nothing has ever felt so good or so right.
I get another text from Carmen. Jason told me about Wyatt. I need to talk to you. Call me.
I know what she’s going to say: Are you out of your ever-loving mind? Maybe I am, but I’m not going to let her or my sister or anyone talk me out of loving Wyatt for as long as I possibly can. I don’t care what happens in the future, and I sure as hell don’t want to hear all the reasons it’s a bad idea.
While I ignore my phone, I troll for sailfish, impressing Wyatt with my technique. The lure skips across the surface of the water. I hit the jackpot with a twenty-pounder that fights me every step of the way. My arms are toast by the time Wyatt helps me land him.
“You’re a total badass,” he declares when we have my fish on ice with the others.
“I’m exhausted.” I shake out my arms. “I’m glad I’m off this weekend.”
“I’m glad you’re off, too. How’d that happen, anyway? Aren’t weekends prime time at the restaurant?”
“They are, but I alternate weekends with Sofia. She’s a single mom, and her ex has her son every other weekend, so we take turns. Her son had a brain tumor, and Jason operated on him. He discovered it when he was volunteering at the free clinic where Maria works. He saved Mateo’s life.”
“That sounds like Jay. Speaking of badasses. Neuro is the rocket science of medicine.”
“Cardiac is pretty impressive, too.”
He shrugs. “It’s not neuro. Jason is one of the most brilliant doctors I’ve ever met. He was a rock star from the start in med school. The rest of us had to scramble to keep up with him.”