Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
When we pulled into the marina, I shot Ryland a questioning glance, but he simply went about removing all my bags from the trunk. Ted was at the ready to take the car and zipped off at Ryland’s go ahead.
I followed him on wobbly legs across the docks until we reached what I was certain must be a joke.
“There she is.” Ryland gestured to a tiny vessel bobbing in the sea.
I didn’t know much about boats either, but this one was old and weathered and rather small. It was the polar opposite of the car he drove, and I couldn’t see the comparison.
Of course, I took his outstretched hand after he unloaded the bags and stepped onboard. I wasn’t about to be a snob about the type of boat ride I would accept, especially when I’d never been on one to begin with.
But as the boat rocked to and fro in the gentle sway of the ocean, I gripped the leather seat with white knuckles and a certain look of terror on my face. It occurred to me that we were venturing out into the open water on this tiny vessel. I’d never swum in the ocean, but I knew there were creatures lurking in there much bigger than this. I had on occasion been forced to watch the Discovery channel when Brayden managed to scab some free cable. All I could think about now were killer whales coming up beneath us.
Ryland buckled me in with an amused grin before prying my hands from the sides of the seat and placing them in my lap.
“First time on a boat?”
“Gee, how’d you guess?” I quipped.
“You’re going to be fine,” he assured me. “You’re in competent hands.”
I wanted to tell him that made him sound arrogant, but I kept my mouth shut as he messed with all the doohickeys by the steering wheel. I figured he would probably need all of his focus not to kill us, so I didn’t want to give him any distractions.
The motor roared to life, and Ryland came alive as he pushed us out to sea. It was the strangest transformation, all of his tension and stress rolling off of him as he took on the open water.
Once I calmed down enough to look around me, I started to enjoy myself. The Bay area was a sight to behold with the twinkling lights of the city falling into the backdrop and the Golden Gate Bridge off to the side.
The salt air cooled my face and refreshed me in a way I was unfamiliar with. I closed my eyes and inhaled, adding another first to my memory bank. When I opened them again, I caught a glimpse of Ryland as he messed with the old-fashioned knobs on his radio. For someone so tech savvy, I couldn’t believe how much he fit into this picture. He was in his element, and I was in awe of the sight before me.
The moonlight shimmered off the open water and reflected the lights of an unknown place up ahead. But it was Ryland’s profile that I drank in, seeing one of those rare candid moments when he was simply Ryland. Not Ryland Bennett, billionaire. Not Ryland, the ruthless businessman. Not even Ryland the puppet master who had control of my fate.
This was the face of the Ryland I had first glimpsed on my front porch. The man who had an appeal to him I could never quite put my finger on. He was obviously handsome, but that was never what did it to me. With my family, I never had too many high hopes for attracting a good-looking boyfriend. The best I could have hoped for was that he was sweet and could handle the crazy of Norma-Jean and an overly protective Brayden. But Ryland was none of those things. He was dark and mysterious, and the type of man my mother warned me was bad for a woman’s heart.
I could still hear her gravelly voice in my head as she let out a bitter laugh.
Those men are just like your father. Good for nothing, low life, scum of the earth.
A shudder ran through me, and I was surprised when Ryland kneeled down and ran his hands over my arms. We’d stopped at a private dock, and I hadn’t even noticed.
“Are you cold?” he asked, concern etched on his face.
“No.” I shook my head and let the memories of the past fade away. “I’m fine. Are we here?”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “This is the place.”
He unbuckled me, and as I glanced at his face, I thought I saw a hint of nerves there. He helped me up onto the dock before following with the bags.
There was a heavy silence as he led me up the dock and to a tiny staircase that looked to be the length of the Great Wall of China. Only, it was carved up the side of a steep embankment.