Maggie gives me a hug and waves goodbye to everyone, then the two of them leave. I’m kind of bummed they go; I could very easily keep them here all day. They’re so cool, I feel like a star-struck child who has just met her idol. The joys of being a nerd. You think everyone is cooler than you.
Rhett stands. “You up for the jet ski?”
He’s talking to me.
Why is he talking to me?
I don’t ride jet skis. Has he met me? Has he seen me?
“You’re surely not talking to me,” I say, pointing to my chest.
“I’m talkin’ to you. You’re out here to get the full experience, are you not?”
I blink. “Yes,” I squeak.
“Then stand up, I’m takin’ you on the jet ski.”
“Oh, no. You don’t understand. I don’t go near things with motors, or heartbeats, or minds of their own ... you saw how it ended with Porky.”
He shrugs it off, as if he’s unbothered by my resistance. “Stand up, you’re gettin’ the whole experience.”
“No. Nope.”
“Yep, let’s go.”
He reaches for me hand and hauls me out of my chair as if I weigh nothing, and I know for a damned fact I do. Kara wiggles her brows at me and gives me a thumbs up, so much for her protecting her best friend in her time of need.
“Thanks a lot,” I mutter as Rhett pulls me away.
“Damsel in distress, honey, now is your chance,” she calls with a laugh.
Bitch.
Rhett takes me outside and I protest the entire time, which he completely ignores.
“Seriously,” I say, as he hands me a lifejacket. “You don’t understand, this won’t end well.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll go easy. Come on, put the jacket on.”
Go easy.
Does a man like Rhett go easy?
“I just ate ...”
“An hour ago.”
“It’s still in my stomach ...”
“You’ll be fine. Get on the jet ski.”
I stare at the jet ski and shake my head. “Nope. No. I can’t.”
“I’ll pick you up, Lei, and I’ll throw your ass on. Get on.”
I blink at him and then cross my arms, cocking my hip out to the side. “You couldn’t lift me if you tried.”
No way in the world he’s getting me off the ground.
He steps toward me, leans down, and throws a shoulder into my stomach. With an oomph, I’m thrown up and over his shoulder. It’s effortless, like I weigh no more than a child. I squeal in a mixture of delight and horror as he throws me down onto the jet ski that’s sitting at the edge of the water. I land on it, wobbling all over the place as I try to get my balance.
“I could lift five of you, sweetheart.”
He gets on in front of me, while I’m still in shock. He’s taking the chance to make sure I can’t argue, because I’m still in utter awe that he just lifted me the way he did. Not to mention how good it felt to be thrown around. I’m starting to believe it when the girls say he’d be a wild time. A man like Rhett would make every person that came after him nothing more than average.
“You’ll want to hang on.”
I reach around his waist, cheeks going rosy at the proximity of our bodies. My groin is pressed right up against his bottom, and I’m not going to lie, it feels really good. He takes off, catching me by surprise. I squeal and my grip tightens as he flies across the water. It only takes a mere moment for my squeals to turn into delighted laughter as a rush goes through my body. We bounce through the water, getting sopping wet, but it feels as though I’m flying. I don’t think I could ever tire of this feeling.
It’s exhilarating.
I laugh until my mouth hurts and scream until my voice is hoarse. We stop out in the middle of the lake and Rhett turns the engine off before glancing over his shoulder at me. “You want a go?”
“Me?” I breathe. “Drive this thing?”
“Yeah.”
“I mean ... I kind of want to. Are you going to stay on?”
“Yep.”
He stands and maneuvers around so I can scootch forward, then he sits down behind me and reaches forward, curling his hands over mine to show me how it all works. I lose all the air in my lungs as his hard chest presses against my body, his breath tickles my ear and his hands capture mine in a way that makes my heart race. I can’t think, let alone pay any attention to what he’s saying.
“You get that?”
Shit.
I shake my head, slowly. “I don’t ... I don’t think I should drive this.”
“You’ll be fine. Just go steady. I’ll help you. Ready?”
I nod.
He twists my hand and the jet ski lurches forward. I scream and then laugh wildly as I realize the power just beneath my palms. I twist it again and we fly forward, but this time I don’t let it go. I can hear Rhett’s low chuckle behind me as I spin around the lake, having the time of my life. I’ll never admit it, but I’m glad he made me get on now. This is the best thing I’ve ever done, hands down.