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Sid nodded. “I have to be extremely careful with my reputation right now.”
Jayna stiffened. “And a relationship with me would damage your reputation?”
“No! It’s not you that’s damaging my reputation. It’s Crystal.” Sid stepped forward and took her hands. “Whether we like it or not, our relationship will be news. If we don’t proactively announce it, then she’s going to control the narrative.”
Jayna felt a wave of panic creep in. “So, what you’re saying is that we need to define our relationship and then—what? Issue a press release?”
Sid gave her a sheepish smile. “Something like that.”
Jayna took a step back. She had expected a discussion about their relationship. But a public statement? “I don’t know, Sid. I mean, up until two days ago, I couldn’t even admit to myself I had feelings for you.”
The corner of Sid’s mouth quirked up. “So, you do have feelings for me?”
She tried to think of a sarcastic quote from Dr. Tierney, something she could use to deny her feelings and claim the kiss had been an impulsive mistake.
But while it may have been impulsive, she wanted desperately to believe it hadn’t been a mistake. “Yes, I do have feelings for you.” She put her arms around him and pulled him close. “Feelings like I’ve never had for anyone. And the sudden intensity of these feelings scares me.”
Sid held her tight. “Would it help if I told you that I’m scared, too?”
Jayna leaned back so she could see into his eyes. She saw his vulnerability.
“To be honest, yes,” she said. “And scared or not, I want to explore whatever this is between us, even if it means we have to issue a press release.”
Sid smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
He leaned in for another kiss, but Jayna put a finger on his lips to stop him. “I do have one condition, though.”
He took her hand in his and kissed it. “Name it,” he said.
“I need you to let me call my mom first. If she sees on her streams that I have a boyfriend before I’ve had a chance to tell her myself, she will never let me hear the end of it.”
Sid laughed softly. “Fair enough.” Then he frowned. “Speaking of mothers, mine wants to meet you at the regatta tomorrow.”
“Your mother wants to meet me?” Jayna didn’t know if she should be flattered or concerned at this sudden escalation. “What have you told her about us?”
Sid held up his hands. “Nothing. I swear. She saw your Merathlon win and told me not to show up on the Ghidorah without you.”
“The what?”
Sid’s mouth tightened. “The Ghidorah. My stepbrother’s yacht.”
Jayna laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Within the space of an hour, she had gone from questioning her feelings about Sid to issuing a relationship-status press release and meeting his family. “Sure. Why not? A regatta party on a yacht sounds like fun.”
Chapter 24
When they arrived at the triple-hulled monstrosity that was the Ghidorah, Sid’s mother Brianna greeted them both with open arms and a bright smile, then promptly sent them below deck. “You two go change into something more suitable for lounging on a yacht.”
They did as they were directed, and Sid tried to ignore Jayna’s wide-eyed fascination at the opulence of his stepbrother’s yacht. It still bothered him that his mother called the Ghidorah home, and the fact that she would rather live with Peter than with her own son was just one more way he felt bested by his stepbrother.
Sid couldn’t fault his mother for her choice, though. Peter was a true man of leisure, sailing his luxurious yacht around the world on a perpetual holiday. And for all his arrogance and excess, Peter really did take good care of her.
Brianna had started out in humble circumstances but with a beauty that had been both her biggest blessing and greatest curse. She had been married seven times—twice to Sid’s father. The constant change during Sid’s upbringing had taught him that he could always start over if things went wrong and made him the successful businessperson that he was, constantly craving the next new adventure.
But it had also left him cautious in the realm of relationships. Despite all the change and turmoil, or maybe because of it, he and his mother had been extremely close. Of all the things Peter had taken from him, Sid missed that closeness with his mother most of all.
He changed, and as he emerged from the cabin, he could hear Peter and Jayna out on deck. “We have a little fusion reactor, but it’s not big enough to power the engines. Instead, it runs continuously to convert seawater and atmospheric carbon into an energy-dense fuel, which then powers the generators to supplement thrust provided by the wingsail. There’s an observation platform at the top of the sail. Would you like to see the view?” Peter asked.
“That would be great!”
