I watch Nadine holding her breath as I’m slowly raised higher and higher. Sr. Gonzalez heads to the steering wheel, taking the boat out of its parked position and hitting the gas to get us all moving again. I am smacked in the face by the wind mixed with the smell of the saltwater. It feels invigorating. It’s a beautiful, clear day in Cabo, granting me the ability to see for miles. Not only can I see the entire beach we’re on, but two and three beaches down shore. I don’t bother pulling out my phone to take pictures. I’d rather take it all in and store these images in my memory bank. All too soon, the ride ends, and I’m being lowered to the boat, but I’m even more excited for Nadine to try it.
“Are you sure these straps are secure?”
“He’s sure,” I answer, using my hands to double check all of the equipment and make sure it’s fastened correctly. “Are you ready?”
She nods her head in the affirmative, a nervous smile on her lips.
“You’ll be fine.” Lowering, I press a quick kiss to her lips. The tension in her shoulders lets up slightly.
I step back and she starts moving backwards from me, the natural propulsion of the sail beginning to carry her higher and higher. She raises up even higher when the boat picks up speed. I resist the urge to yell at Sr. Gonzalez to slow the boat down for some reason. Not having her in my grasp begins to cause me nervousness for some reason.
I move closer to the edge of the boat to get a better look at her face. Squinting, I work to see if I can pinpoint any signs of distress. I tell myself it’s just because I promised her that she would be okay with me. I never break a fucking promise.
Relief courses through my body when I hear her giggling. “This is beautiful!” she calls down, her voice full of a lightness I haven’t heard before.
“Are you holding on tight enough?” I cup my mouth to shout to her.
She glances down at her hands, then back to me. She nods. “Yeah, I think so. Whoah” she yelps when the boat hits a small wave.
“Watch the fuck out!” I angrily growl at the man steering the boat.
He looks at me in confusion. “Sorry,” he hurriedly responds.
I turn back to Nadine, whose legs are happily swinging as she looks around at the same views I was privy to not too long ago.
“Bring her down,” I turn and insist.
Sr. Gonzalez and his employee seem confused.
I repeat myself in Spanish.
“Is something wrong?”
“I want to go up there with her.”
Nodding, Sr. Gonzalez begins slowing the boat down, causing Nadine’s parachute to fall lower and lower, until she reaches the water. I help the employee bring her back onto the boat. Minutes later, we’re both strapped into the harnesses and slowly rising off the back of the boat, moving higher and higher.
“This is fun. Thank you for convincing me to do this,” she says cheerily once we reach the maximum height. “I doubt I would’ve done this on my own.”
“Glad I could pop that cherry for you.” My entire body feels more alive when she throws her head back, laughing at my words.
“C’mere,” I nearly groan.
She leans toward me, and I reward her by grazing my lips against hers. A small sigh escapes her lips.
Something over Nadine’s shoulder catches my eye, causing me to pull back. “Look.” I point in the direction.
She turns and gasps. “No way!” she exclaims at the sight that continues to hold my attention as well. “Another one!” she yells, pointing as the fin of what I presume to be a humpback whale rises in the distance. “I read whale sightings were common in this area.”
The scene is breathtaking. I can’t tell which view holds my attention more—the whales or the enthusiastic smile plastered on Nadine’s face. Both are sights to behold.
The rest of the afternoon is spent on the boat, inching closer and closer to the whales so Nadine can take at least a hundred pictures of them. I had to pay Sr. Gonzalez extra for that, but to see her excitement is well worth it.
Chapter Five
Janine
“Where are we going tonight?” I question as Emanuel leads me off the elevators and into the lobby of our hotel. Once again, he refuses to tell me what his plans are until the last minute. The only thing he told me was to wear something sexy with high heels.
