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“What’s it worth to you?” I ask, finishing my coffee.
He straightens the knot in his tie in the reflection of the small mirror by the back door. Turning around, his eyes take me in. I don’t often wear a dress, so I get his surprise. I just wish I could ignore the desire in his gorgeous brown eyes.
We’re heading to the adoption ceremony for Adam and Lucy and their new baby girl. I opted for a navy wrap dress that stops a few inches above my knee and paired it with a set of heels that hopefully make my legs look great. Based on Cam’s reaction, I picked right.
“You mean what’ll I give you in return?” He walks toward me.
My breath halts and he reaches past me, grabbing a coffee mug from behind me on the counter. He smells magnificent. I want him to stay right where he is, but he steps back and smiles at me.
“A charter?” I say with raised eyebrows and a smirk.
“Yeah, right. I’m the low one on the list so far.” He pours coffee into a mug and sits at the table.
Thankfully, he is last on the list right now. Rowdy is number two and I’m number one. I’ve been able to keep a level head and not brag too much. I’m afraid if I do, one of them will sabotage one of my charters.
“Does it bother you?” I stay a safe distance away from his gorgeous body that smells too good not to touch.
“Does what?” He leans back in the chair and looks at me.
“Not being the best?”
A slow and easy smile crosses his face. “Am I usually the best?”
I regret my choice of words. “I guess what I mean is, does it bother you that you suck at the fishing excursion thing?”
He chuckles. “There’s the girl I know.”
“What does that mean?” I frown.
“You never want to compliment me.”
“I compliment you plenty.”
He sips his coffee and swallows. “It doesn’t bother me because I’m just getting started. Plus, I don’t see it as my endgame. I have other things that are more important to me.”
“Like running the marina?”
He shrugs. “Maybe.”
“Do you really want to spend all your time cooped up in an office? Have people not like you?” I sit at the table. We have a few minutes before we have to leave.
“And be rich?”
My head tilts. “Is money that important to you?”
“Well, I’ve never not had it. It’s a nice life, I can’t lie.”
I don’t know if he’s purposely being this way or if he thinks he can’t be straight with me. Maybe he’s afraid to be vulnerable with me.
“I guess we’re different in that way then.”
“What do you really wanna ask me, Chevelle?”
I stare across the table, and he raises his eyebrows at me. “I guess I’m wondering if you really want to make a living at the fishing excursion thing. You have the personality and arrogance that fishermen would trust. This is your chance to get out from under your dad’s thumb.”
“With the boat he bought me? With the profits he’s taking? I’m far from being out from under my dad’s thumb right now.”
“Well, maybe you could make arrangements to buy it from him?”
