“Sorry, Jesse, that’s another zero for your team,” Bolt announced. “Maybe it’s good we work these things out before the wedding, eh?”
The crowd laughed louder.
I could see Jesse’s face turning red, and it looked like he was holding his breath. Was this douche-nozzle having a temper tantrum?
And why did that please me so much?
“Kendra, what did your card say?” Bolt asked.
Kendra sucked her lips into her mouth and flipped over her card. “Eco-Boat Tours.”
My heart soared as I flipped over my card, and we added another point on the board.
Bolt waited for the crowd to stop clapping before he turned to Jesse. “Now it’s the men’s turn. Jesse, what is the nickname you have for your fiancée?”
Jesse’s smug expression returned as he flipped over his card that read, “Blondie.”
True hit him with her card that said, “Babe.”
Sad trombone. Laughing.
“Too bad, so sad,” Bolt said toTeam Wanker Plus One. “If Team Rowett gets this next question right, they win the whole enchilada. Rowan, what is your nickname for Kendra?”
My card said, “Goldilocks.”
Kendra didn’t waste time holding hers up to show we were a match. I stood, letting the rest of the cards fall to the floor, as she jumped out of her chair and grabbed my face. “We won!”
“We did,” I said before she pressed her lips to mine and kissed me.
As our lips met, time stood still, and the world faded into a whisper. The kiss was soft yet electrifying, a delicate combination of warmth and tenderness. It felt as if she was telling me a secret and making an intimate promise that needed no words. Her lips, sweet as strawberries and cream, left a lingering taste that stirred something within me.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tight, lifting her off the floor. Deepening the kiss and demanding she openfor me. My tongue swept into her mouth to taste and to claim anything she would be willing to give me.
At that moment, I didn’t care who she secretly lusted after, who she thought was her soulmate, or who she would spend a weekend in the Keys. All that mattered was right here. Right now. The two of us locked in an embrace while everything else faded away - the worries of my disability, expectations from my father, and the noise from the outside world - it was just us. In a cocoon of something much more than lust. Something deeper that should have scared the shit out of me, but damn, if I wouldn’t sign up for twice as much more if she’d give me a chance.
A tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality. I gently eased away from the kiss, remaining as close to my woman as she would let me. Staring into her blue eyes as they searched mine for answers I couldn’t put into words yet.
“Are you two done sucking face?” An annoyed voice broke the spell. “True’s returned to Demeter House in a huff, and I need a ride.”
Kendra touched two fingers to her swollen lips and then glanced at Jesse. She pulled out of my embrace so fast I had skid marks on my arms.
“Sure, sure!” Kendra said quickly. “No problem. Let’s go!”
She ran away from us. Two idiots on the stage.
“I hate to watch her go, but I love to watch her leave,” Jesse muttered, smacking me on the chest. “Am I right?”
“Fucking wanker.” I punched him in the arm and felt gratified when he stumbled. “Be more respectful. And come on. I can see her leaving us here if we don’t hurry.”
Chapter 20
Captain Kendra’s Log: It’s just a coincidence.
An incessant knockingat the houseboat door jolted me from my thoughts, causing my heart to race with excitement and impatience. Hastily, I tied a robe around my damp body, the fabric clinging to my skin, and threw my wet hair into a towel, my pulse quickening at the thought of the evening ahead. “Coming!” I yelled, my voice barely masking the thrill that coursed through me as I hustled out of the bathroom. A young man in a delivery uniform stood outside the door, a playful smile lighting up his face as he waved at me through the window.
I caught my breath, a hint of annoyance mingling with surprise. I opened the door. “Why didn’t you leave it on the mat?” I asked.
His headphones blaring music made it impossible for him to hear me, but he simply beamed and shoved a garment bag into my hands. Without another word, he turned and bounded down the gangplank, disappearing toward the parking lot.
