Page 44 of Fake it With Me

“Wait until we get to where we’re going. It gets better.”

I stood there trying to process the moment. I was on a private yacht, heading God knows where, with a man who made my heart race and his daughter who I was falling in love with.

How had this become my life?

“Come on,” Darek said, touching my elbow lightly. “I want to show you something.”

He led me to the wheelhouse—that’s what he called it, though it looked more like the bridge of a spaceship than anything I would ever associate with boats. Screens and controls and equipment I couldn’t begin to identify.

And Darek, taking the helm himself.

“You drive it?” I asked, surprised. “I thought the crew was here to drive this thing.”

“They can, but I prefer to do it myself when I can. What’s the point of owning a yacht if you’re not going to actually pilot it?” He made some adjustments to the controls, completely at ease. “Want to help?”

“I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“I’ll teach you. Come here.”

He gestured me over, and before I could overthink it, I was standing in front of him, his hands guiding mine to the wheel.

“Feel that?” he said, his voice close to my ear. “The way she responds to the slightest touch? You have to be gentle but confident. Show her where you want to go.”

I was acutely aware of his chest against my back. The close proximity with his scent washing over me was intoxicating.

“Where are we going?” I managed to ask.

He laughed, his breath moving through my hair. “It’s a surprise. Has anyone ever told you you are terrible with surprises?”

I thought about it. “No. But then again, I don’t really have a lot of people offering me surprises in my life.”

“That’s too bad,” he said in a deep voice. “I’m all about surprises.”

A shiver rolled down my spine. He was making me very hot and bothered.

“I should check on Daisie,” I said.

I stepped away from him. He made a motion for one of the guys in a polo and the man stepped up to take over the controls.

“Come on, she loves to watch from the lower deck,” he said. “And before you ask, one of the crew is with her. I’m not that irresponsible. I wouldn’t just leave her to her own devices.”

“Darek, I would never think that.”

“Sorry. I guess I’m a little defensive.”

“It’s understandable, but I know you’re a good father. And it’s clear Daisie is a smart kid. She knows her way around the boat. She’s not about to do anything reckless.”

“I’ve taught her how to be safe,” he said. “She doesn’t need to wear a lifejacket when we’re on the yacht, but if we’re on one of the smaller ones, I make sure she does.”

I could tell he was trying to prove he was taking good care of her. He didn’t need to. I had witnessed how well he watched out for her.

Too bad Sasha hadn’t stuck around to see how well he took care of her.

16

DAREK

We’d been cruising for about an hour when Liza asked for the third time where we were going.