Page 120 of Meant to be Mine

I came apart with my face pressed into his shoulder, his name broken into pieces on my lips. He followed me over the edge with a low groan that rumbled through his whole chest, his hips stuttering, his grip on me tightening like he was afraid I’d float away.

He collapsed on top of me before scooting his upper half to the side.

“I’m going to invest in steel furniture,” he said.

“What?”

“I foresee lots of outdoor sex. I don’t want things to fall apart.”

I laughed and got a glimpse of our future together. It was a whole new chapter. A whole new life.

39

DREW

I’d been unemployed for two weeks and it suited me perfectly. The investment stuff was in early stages. A few calls with Adrian and Sebastian, some preliminary meetings about portfolio restructuring. Nothing big. I wasn’t in a big hurry. I could already see how this would give me plenty of work while making everyone a lot more money than I’d ever managed at the store. After a year of retail schedules and vendor meetings and constant fires to put out, the open calendar felt like freedom.

I rolled over in bed Tuesday morning, grabbed my phone, and texted Kensey before I was fully awake. She stayed the night at her parents’ place last night. Game night or something.

Me: Want to see my yacht? Pack a bag, nothing fancy, overnight.

Kensey: YES. When?

I texted her the address for the marina, then dragged myself out of bed to get ready. I called the marina to arrange for a crew to prep the boat along with groceries and made it clear they wouldn’t be coming with us. I’d be driving my own yacht. It wasn’t so big that I couldn’t handle it by myself. Then, I jumped in the shower.

By eleven I was at the marina, watching the crew finish their work. They’d stocked the galley like I’d requested, checked all the mechanical systems, topped off the fuel. The yacht gleamed in the morning sun, all white fiberglass and polished chrome. I’d bought it years ago, right after Kensey moved to New Jersey. At the time I’d told myself it was a smart investment, something I could use for entertaining clients or impressing business partners. But the truth was I’d bought it because I was lonely and angry at myself for letting her leave without telling her how I felt.

I used it all the time. It was a great way to get away from things and feel refreshed.

The crew finished and headed off with a wave. I did a final walkthrough, checking that everything was secured and ready. Then I settled on the deck with a beer to wait. I saw a car pull into the parking lot. I watched her get out, overnight bag slung over one shoulder, sunglasses on. She was wearing cutoff shorts and a loose tank top. She looked so good it made my chest ache and my dick hard.

She walked down the dock toward me, pushing her sunglasses up. Her eyes swept over the yacht with obvious appreciation. When she reached the boat, she stopped and grinned up at me.

“Permission to come aboard, captain?”

I laughed and extended my hand to help her up. “Granted.”

She stepped onto the deck. I pulled her against me, kissing her properly. She tasted like coffee and mint.

“You weren’t kidding about the yacht,” she said when we broke apart. “This thing is huge.”

“It’s not that big. Wait until you see the inside.”

I gave her the full tour. The main cabin with its wraparound seating and entertainment center. The galley with full-sized appliances and granite countertops. The master stateroom with a king bed and en suite bathroom. The guest cabin that was smaller but still comfortable. The upper deck with lounge chairs and a wet bar.

She turned to look at me, eyes wide. “This is insane. When did you buy this?”

“Right after you moved to New Jersey.”

Her expression softened. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” I didn’t elaborate. I didn’t need to. She understood.

“Well.” She set her bag down in the master stateroom. “I’m glad I finally get to see it.”

“Me too.”

I got us out of the marina without incident, navigating through the channel and out into open water. Kensey settled up front on one of the cushioned seats, her face turned toward the sun. I watched her from the helm, the way the wind caught her hair, the relaxed set of her shoulders. This was what I’d imagined when I’d bought the boat. I think I always imagined it would be Kensey beside me. Both of us escaping the world for a while.