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"Where are we going?" I asked as he fired it up.
"My favorite restaurant is on a beach on the other side of the island. It's faster and more fun to boat around than to take a cab through the busy town. When I dock here, I always rent a boat from James and go for a cruise to get there."
"And do you always have a woman with you that you take to dinner?" I arched an eyebrow as he navigated the small boat through the marina.
"Never." He shifted the boat into a faster gear. "You're the first."
The first.
I loved being the first, but there was something special about being the first woman to accompany Alejandro to his favorite restaurant in the Bahamas.
I tried to conceal my smile, but I failed. He grinned back at me, and then we took off once we made it out of the marina. The warm, salty air licked my skin as we skirted around the island, the soft moonlight guiding our way until we arrived at a small inlet. He guided the boat up to a dock, slowing to a stop and asking me to secure the bow line. I had boated enough times to know the basics, but I had him check my knot after he'd finished docking.
"You did perfect, Cariño."
"Cariño?"
"Darling. It means darling."
"Oh." A soft smile lifted my lips as that girlish tingle lit up my stomach. "I like that."
He took my hand and helped me onto the dock.
"So, you obviously speak Spanish. Where were you raised?" I asked as we walked along the wooden planks between the small boats bobbing beside us.
"Granada, Spain."
"Spain?" I turned to look at him, and the moonlight hitting his bronze skin brought out the highlights from beneath it.
"Yes. Spain. It's beautiful there. Have you been?"
Memories of our Wilder Widows trip to Spain to run with the bulls flooded back to me, causing an eruption of laughter. He tipped his head.
"Sorry," I said between chuckles. "Yes. I was in Spain. Last year, actually. And you won't believe it, but I actually ran with the bulls."
He slammed to a stop. "You what?"
Nodding my head, I clucked my cheek. "Yep. In stiletto heels, no less. And in fact, I bought one. I am the proud owner of El Diablo, a fighting bull who now lives on a dude ranch with my friend, Doris."
Alejandro stared at me, blinking, then burst into laughter. "I knew there was something different about you the moment I saw you. A fierce and fiery woman beneath the cool exterior. But this? This goes far beyond my expectations. I'm going to need to hear the whole story. Start from the beginning."
After a long exhale, I started from the beginning of the Wilder Widows club. We walked down the beach as I told our story, still talking when we made it to the small, rustic beachfront restaurant with the tables scattered throughout the sand. With amazement at our escapades, I told the story from the start, and Alejandro hung on my every word through our cocktails, appetizers, and entrees. We were at dessert when I finished with our arrival on his cruise ship.
"And that is where we are now." I lifted my martini and took a slow sip.
Alejandro blew out a long breath. "Incredible. What an adventure you ladies are on. If only more people were brave enough to follow their dreams like you."
"And you? Was being a ship captain your dream?"
His eyes lit up with the question. "From the time I was a boy and climbed on my first ship, I knew there was nothing else for me."
"And what draws you to it?"
"Everything." He flagged the waitress for another round of drinks. "The water is my home. Travel is my oxygen. As a cruise captain, I get to travel the world on the water, combining my two favorite loves."
"Tell me more about your travels," I asked, settling back into my seat to do something I hadn't done in years ... listen to a man talk.
Normally I didn't care about what their mouth was doing except for how good of a kisser they were, but every word out of Alejandro's perfect, full lips held me captive. His life was filled with adventure and excitement, and hearing how he spoke with such passion only deepened my already scorching attraction. And something else that hadn't happened to me with a man in countless years happened as we sat beside the ocean waves lapping at the shore.
