“Yes, I know what time it is,” he replies, a smirk curling at the edges of his perfect mouth. “Doyou?”
Nolan leans back and props his elbows up on the smooth, polished rail, and I notice a thermos in one of his hands. I practically salivate at the thought of coffee.
“Unfortunately, yes,” I quip, coming to stand next to him. I lean over the railing and look out at the dark sea. He turns his body to adopt a similar posture.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asks. He’s in his uniform, the jacket buttoned up, and a red stain—strawberry, maybe?—already smeared across his sleeve. I wonder how long he’s been awake.
“It’s gorgeous. Do you come up here often?”
“Just about every morning,” he admits, and I nod. I can see why he would. The distant calling of the gulls overhead harmonizes with the soothing, repetitive crash of the waves below. Combined with the gentle breeze and the subtle rocking of the ship, it feels like a dream come to life. Waking up to thisevery morning wouldn’t heal all the sadness I’ve contended with over the past year, but it would certainly help.
“You know, you owe me an answer to my question.” Nolan’s voice breaks the comfortable silence, and I turn my head to look up at him.
“I know,” I groan, embarrassed. “But I just don’t think I can answer that question, because how could I think of justonelyric to stare at for the rest of my life?”
“You seemed to likemine.” The way he says that last word, rough-edged and roguish sends a tiny shiver down my spine, but I shake it off.
“I do, but that’s because it caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to see it inked on someone’s skin. It’s so…”
“Juvenile?” he offers teasingly, flashing me a finger-gun, then a wink for added effect.
“I wasgoingto say cool in an ironic way, but I’ve changed my mind now,” I deadpan.
Nolan laughs and bumps my shoulder with his. “Fine, I’ll give you a pass on my question. Now it’s your turn, though.”
“My turn?”
“Well, you started the game.”
“Oh, is this a game now?” I tease, hoping my tone reads as flirty and not accusatory. The way the edge of his eyes crease as his smile deepens tells me it does.
“I mean, we didn’t exactly discuss terms or anything, but I figure it’s like twenty questions,” he says, adjusting his glasses. “So, you got your one skip, and now it’s your turn to ask.”
He lifts the thermos to take a slow, deep gulp of his coffee, but his eyes remain steady on mine.
I’m beginning to realize that Nolan wasn’t embarrassed at all by my very personal question that day in the kitchen—actually, he was stumped. And, seemingly, he wasintoit.
I blow out a quiet sigh, trying to think of something interesting while also maintaining eye contact. A feat for someone like me, apparently.
Somehow, knowing that he’s enjoying this makes it even harder. Because now, not only am I self-conscious about seeming way too into him, I also don’t want to give him a question that’s either too weird, or not unique enough.
I completely blank.
Idiota.
“Alright,” I say, nodding to the thermos in Nolan’s hand. “Coffee or tea?”
He unscrews the cap, then lifts the thermos to his mouth and takes a small sip this time before answering. “Coffee.”
Seeing an opportunity, I bite my bottom lip, flicking my wide-eyed gaze from Nolan’s face to his thermos and back again, and praying he gets the message. The message being:I want your coffee. Please.
He clears his throat, his eyes darkening as he says, in as serious a tone as he can muster without laughing, “Chloe, would you happen to want some of this coffee I have here?”
I place my hand over my heart and nod eagerly.
“That’s the nicest thing a man has ever asked me,” I chirp, taking the thermos from him like the greedy little caffeine gremlin I am.
“I sincerely hope that’s not true,” he groans, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. Nolan’s gaze shifts to mine, and our eyes lock again. This time, I notice their real color, just as the early morning sun begins to bathe the world in soft light. What I thought was a warm brown before is actually a brilliant shade of mossy green, scattered with dark flecks of rich chocolate. I’ve never seen such beautiful eyes on a man before.
