Charlie stares at me. “Why would you tell me that just as we undock,” he deadpans, gladly accepting the wrapped plate of fruit. Normally, I’d not accept premade food from anyone, but I know Erica made it, so I know she took particular care in her kitchen to ensure all of it was safe for me.
“Well, it’s a funny story. You see?—”
“No, please,” Charlie interrupts me with a belly laugh. “I’m sure the story is hilarious, but maybe tell me once we’re back on dry land.”
“Fair enough.” The boat breaks through the safety of the marina and canal to take us out into the open water. The sun is starting to set over the island behind us, and the waves are gentle, the boat just coasting along. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see some dolphins. “But it really is a funny story.”
“I’m sure,” Charlie says blandly as he thoughtfully chews on a grape. “When I was with San Diego, we took a team vacation one summer to Lake Tahoe. I got on a boat with them and swore I never would again. Speedboats are not my style. I like this way better.”
“Oh yeah, speedboats are for psychos.”
Charlie laughs, big and loud. “That’s a little much.”
“Is it?”
“Maybe not,” Charlie agrees. He leans forward to peek into the basket, grinning over at me when he notices the prepackaged gluten-free chocolate-covered cookie dough bites. “Dessert too,” he says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
I wiggle my eyebrows back. “Maybe you’ll get two desserts tonight.”
“You’re really smooth, Tucker James.”
“Not really… I’ve never done this before.”
“Date?”
“No.” I play with the edge of my cardigan, suddenly shy. “Woo someone.”
“You don’t have to woo me, Tucker.” Charlie reaches out to swipe his fingers across my cheek, then he tenderly cups it with a heartbreaking smile. “I’m already wooed.”
There goes my heart again.
We eat our charcuterie in silence, but as Charlie watches the water, I watch Charlie. His hair whips into his face sometimes, but he just moves it aside, no annoyance or anger. He has crinkles at the corner of his eyes that deepen when I make him laugh. The crinkles speak of joy and lightness, of years of laughter that prove how good of a person he is.
I only realize how long I’ve been staring when Charlie perks up with childlike wonder. Seeing a giant six-foot-something man grin like it’s Christmas morning is an experience I want to repeat for the rest of my life.
“A dolphin!”
I scoot over on the net closer to Charlie, peeking over his shoulder to see where he’s pointing. Sure enough, there’s a dolphin. Actually, it’s multiple dolphins. Charlie sighs happily and leans back against me, soft and gentle. I curl my arm around his waist, pressing my hand against his stomach with a smile into his neck.
“Lots of dolphins out here in the ocean.”
Charlie chuckles. “Little shit. It’s exciting! I’ve never seen a wild one before. It feels like seeing a unicorn.”
“I get it.” I kiss his neck gently while splaying my hand just over his belly button. His breath stutters in his chest beforereleasing softly. He turns his head toward me, and I kiss him because I can’t do anything else.
Charlie kisses me back like he always does, like he’s comfortable to let me lead and he’ll follow me anywhere. I tug my hand out from under his shirt and use it to cup his jaw, wanting to kiss him forever. The salt air moves around us, drops of water spraying us when we hit a particularly large wave, but I can’t break away from him. Not now.
When Charlie moans against my mouth, I tug away to take a deep breath. Charlie’s eyes are closed tight, his lips kiss-bitten red, and I’ve never found him more beautiful. I drop my hand from his jaw, instead using it to rub his knee.
“How’s your knee?”
“Hurts,” Charlie admits, as if he’s forgotten to keep any sort of wall up with me.
“Straighten it out,” I order, voice rough even to my ears.
Charlie opens his eyes back up and immediately does as I said. He winces through the movement, but again does his best to hide it. I see it though. I see it all. I press harder against him and use my hand to massage the muscle above his knee. Charlie’s moan is borderline pornographic, his eyes closed from the bliss of the tender touch. I massage his knee and leg for a while, until he’s leaning heavily against me, almost appearing to be asleep. But when I stop, his eyes blink open and he smiles a dopey sort of smile at me.
“Thank you,” Charlie says softly.
