“No,” I practically snarl. “I’m not scared of water, I’m not a fan of what lies beneath it. Especially in practically black waters likethis,” I say as I gesture around us. “Now will you please get away from the edge?”
She raises her hands innocently and steps away from the edge, heading inside the dining area before getting a glass of champagne.
“I’ll have the same, thank you, Jackie.”
Once we all have our beverages, we all fan out across the boat as we begin to move through the water. I opt for a secure recliner inside the dining area while the others are out on the decks. The view is just fine from in here, though.
I’m catching up on some emails on my phone when I hear someone sit down across from me. I don’t have to look up to know who it is, though. I can practically feel them. Like my body knows it’s them before even I do.
Not allowing her to distract me from my work, I continue typing out my response when she speaks.
“Are you going to hide in here the whole time? Kinda hard to fish from inside.”
“I’ll exit the dining room once we have stopped moving.”
I hear her mutter something akin to ‘big baby’ and it has me setting my phone down in irritation.
“You want to know why I don’t like the water? I was eight years old and I went out on a boat with my dad. We ended up breaking down and were trapped in the middle of nowhere. He decided to go swim for help and was eaten by a shark right in front of my goddamn eyes.”
Cassi’s eyes round with horror as she stares at me.
“Are you serious?”
“No, but imagine if I was? You’d feel pretty shitty for judging me.”
Her mouth hangs open in shock before I’m assaulted with a pillow. She is smacking me over and over again and I can’t help but laugh at her outrage.
“You’re such an ass! Just when I started to feel sorry for you! Jesus, you’re the fucking worst. So you’re dad isn’t really dead?”
“Oh no,” I say. “He is, it was just too much whisky and cheeseburgers that took him out, though.”
She stares at me in disbelief, shaking her head like she’s in complete shock.
“Shouldn’t judge others. Things aren’t always so surface level, bunny.”
“Bunny?” she asks with a wrinkle of her nose.
“Yeah, it’s your new nickname. I can make them up too.”
She scoffs and shakes her head. “Well, could you come up with one that makes sense? That’s just stupid.”
I cock my head as I lift my glass of champagne.
“Not really. You’re a little rope bunny. I shortened it up. Unless you prefer the whole title.”
Her cheeks instantly flush a deep red as she drops her eyes, a reaction that I know is a rare one for her.
“I thought we were going to forget it ever happened,” she mutters quietly.
I lift a brow to her in question. “Have you forgotten?”
Slowly, her bright eyes come to me and all the answers I needed lay right there. That’s what I thought.
“If I’m the rope bunny, you’re definitely the rope master,” she throws out, like she will somehow gain control of the conversation.
I take a considering sip of my champagne and nod.
“You would know.”
