Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
All she could do was nod in agreement. Dune had played her body like a fiddle, making her succumb to his personal brand of magic repeatedly. At one point, she not only saw stars, but became one, and when she began crashing back to earth, he caught and held her. Caroline feared she would liken any man to Dune. He ruined her for others.
She smiled at him for the first time in what felt like years instead of hours. The past day and a half had been the longest of her life, missing everything about him. The way he held her in his brawny arms. His deep, rumbly laugh that reverberated through her, often causing her to laugh for no reason. Those piercing blue eyes and smoldering gaze of his that made her weak in the knees. Mostly, it was his presence. Everyone gravitated toward him, as if to pull from his energy. In the many days she had spent with him, she never saw him angry or upset, even when something didn’t go exactly as planned at work.
Caroline was the exact opposite of Dune. Her emotions were fight first. Assume the worst. Get frustrated and pout. She supposed that was part of her upbringing. Her mom was similar. But she didn’t want to be like her mom. Caroline wanted to be strong. Independent. She appreciated that Dune challenged her, especially when he offered her the job at Blue Lobster Adventures. He saw the person she strived to be, the one hidden under the designer labels and couture clothing.
Caroline set her roses down and walked toward the small table where an assortment of crackers, meats and cheeses sat. She picked a grape and popped it into her mouth before turning to face him.
“Now what?”
Dune had his hands in his pockets and looked at her longingly, despite the sadness in his eyes. “Come with me,” he whispered over the sounds of water sloshing around them.
“Where?”
He shrugged and nodded toward the water. “Out there, where it’s calm and we can have privacy. Where we can enjoy each other’s company without people watching us or speculating about what’s going on. Where I can hold you and feel your heart beat against my chest.” Dune stepped toward her. “Where we can dance, sway to the motion the waves provide, where we can sit in silence or talk about everything.”
“We can do that here,” she pointed out.
“We can, but the water is where I’m the most comfortable. It’s freeing. It’s where we first met.”
Caroline couldn’t disagree with him. She looked at the water and nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?” he asked, and she nodded again. He went to the helm and started the motor and then pulled the rope from the cleat.
“What’s this boat?”
“It’s the party barge or the pontoon boat.” He directed the barge out into the water. “We haven’t used it much this year, mostly because of staffing, but Wilson is going to add some events to the website. Private rentals, that sort of thing.”
Unlike with the other boats she’d been on, she didn’t have to sit while it was in motion. The ride was smoother because of the low speed.
“Did you do all of this?”
“Not all. Wilson helped me. In full disclosure, most of this was his idea.”
Knowing this made her heart sink a bit.
“It’s not what you think,” Dune said. Her expression must’ve changed. She glanced at him and saw him eyeing her with concern. “He came over and I told him I needed to win you back.” Dune shrugged. “He reminded me that the one thing you wanted to do while you were here was dance. I thought I had accomplished that with Carter’s—”
“You did,” she interrupted.
“Maybe so, but now it’s open to everyone when that wasn’t my goal. This.” He paused and spread his arms out wide. “Is for us.”
They motored into the harbor and dropped anchor near the bridge, which was lit up. From where they were, they could see Seaport and the lively island nightlife. Dune came up behind Caroline and said, “If you’re missing the Sea Shanty, we can go later.”
She chuckled. Dune hated the Sea Shanty, but only because of the unreasonable prices and tourists who commandeered the establishment, making it impossible for locals to enjoy it.
“They have the best pina coladas.”
“I only know this because I like the taste of the rum on your lips.”
Caroline turned to face Dune. His hands went to her waist, and he swayed. Soft music played from the speaker. She put her arms over his shoulders and matched his tempo.
“I can’t imagine what it was like for you, meeting Bryant like that. Had I known he was outside of the diner, I would’ve taken you with me. Not because I’m ashamed of who I am, but because of who he is and the lies he tells.”