Page 61 of Flirting with Trouble

“Mm-hm. Look at the excitement in their eyes. I remember that feeling from when we were young and our parents would show us a monkey or a colorful bird we’d never seen before. They weren’t new to my parents, but they were as excited as we were.”

“Because they were excited for you.”

“I know. Parenting is such a big undertaking. Can you imagine how great it feels every time your kid discovers something new or when they take their first steps or say their first word?”

“I’d imagine it is pretty special. Do you want a family one day?”

She blinks several times, as if she’s thinking about it. “Maybe. Look.” She points to a tank of jellyfish, their translucent bodies shimmering beneath the lights, and drags me over to them, effectively putting an end to that conversation.

It’s a good thing. She’s too easy to get lost in, and if I start imagining her holding our babies, it might just pull me over the edge.

We make our way through the aquarium, reading about the animals and chatting. When we head into Shark Alley, we’re surrounded by massive tanks. Sharks lurk in the shadowy depths, making them feel even more ominous as they come into view, their powerful bodies slicing effortlessly through the water as they pass by the viewing windows.

“It’s their cold black eyes that freak me out the most,” Victory says. “Have you ever seen a shark when you were surfing?”

“Yes, but there’s never been a shark attack near the island.”

“That’s lucky. They terrify me,” she says. “My cousin Dane is a shark researcher and tagger. Every time I see him, he offers to take me diving to show me that they’re not as dangerous as everyone thinks.”

“You should take him up on it. I’ll go with you.”

“Are you crazy? I’m not willingly going near sharks. Even walking through here makes me nervous.”

She’s so damn cute. I put my arm around her, pulling her closer. “If these tanks break, I’ll save you from the big bad sharks.”

“I’m holding you to that, Silver.”

Doesn’t she know there’s nothing I won’t do for her?

We stroll through one exhibit after another, admiring sea creatures and exchanging glances filled with unspoken affection. Every look, every touch, every joke we share and every challenge we give, draws me deeper into her. I want to spend time like this with her every day, exploring and discovering things about each other.

As we head to the tropical fish exhibit, she slides her arm around me, and I catch another alluring glance. Everything I never knew I wanted is right here in front of me. I want to jump in with both feet and tell her I’m crazy about her. But even though she’s opening up with me, I can tell she’s still holding back, and I know I have to be careful. She’s been through a lot, and it’ll take time to fully earn her trust, so I’ll take what she’s willing to give and hope that one day she’ll trust me enough to give me all of herself.

After seeing the sharks, we head into the tropical fish area. “Look how beautiful they are,” she says as we step up to a tank of vibrantly colored fish. “Can you imagine seeing something this beautiful every day?”

Thinking of seeing her every day, I say, “That would be a dream come true.”

She catches me watching her and arches a brow. “I was talking about the fish.”

“I know you were, but they don’t compare to you.”

“Do you ever turn off that charm?”

I pull her closer. “Is it still called charm if I’m being honest?”

“Everything you do is an effort to charm me.”

“Is it working?”

Her eyes narrow. “Yes. Annoyingly well.”

“In that case, you’d better get used to it, because I am not about to stop.” I lower my lips to hers.

Her phone rings, startling us apart. She pulls it out of her back pocket, and her smile fades. “Shoot. I forgot I have a video call with my family for my grandmother’s birthday.”

“We can head out so you can take it.”

“I don’t want to leave. I’m having too much fun.” She looks around. “I’ll just take it over there.”