How did he get this here? I’ve never been on a boat before. It looks sporty and fun though. The front bow is open for sitting, then there’s a canopy that covers a cockpit holding a couple tan and white leather chairs before opening back up to an L shaped couch and table. The part of the boat that faces us, the back part, has a wooden platform with three seats that look like they can lay back or fold down when not in use. It’s sharp and expensive looking.
On the old wooden dock, the water sloshes against the giant boat, the smell of fish strong and colors of the sun bouncing off the water creating a rainbow of blue hues. It’s gorgeous.
Kieran steps onto the platform with bare feet and then helps me aboard. His concern for my safety always making me blush. My eyes scan the high-tech gadgets by the wheel and the spotless seats. My hand runs down the fine leather, my feet on the soft wool carpet. This is definitely new.
Standing behind the wheel he starts the engine, and it rumbles and growls in the water, the whole boat vibrating beneath my feet. Coming up beside him, I hold on to the seat behind me for balance and he slowly pulls the boat away from the dock. The cabin and Eddie slowly becoming smaller the further we go. The warm wind blows against my face, the sound of the water and engine relaxing me as we race away from land. I close my eyes and imagine us getting lost at sea and never coming back. Be gone with our parents, the mafia, and the roles we’re demanded to play in this fucked up world. We could let our emotional walls crumble and actually be who we want to be rather than who we’re meant to be. There’s nobody guarding us with guns, deals to be handled or swept under the rug. I don’t have to hold my head high and pretend to be some pretentious bitch that has everything under control. I can laugh, joke, and just be me… who ever that girl is these days.
The sun reflects off the water and warms my face, the boat skidding across the waves so fast I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. Kieran glances over his shoulder to look at me and grins. He is so sexy when he smiles, I wish he did it more often. Reaching his arm back, he grabs my hand and interlocks his fingers with mine. The gesture small but saying a lot for the two of us. Taking my gaze from our locked palms, I look up at him, and his eyes are looking forward. One hand on the wheel, and the other holding my hand like it’s a natural thing we do together. But it’s not, this hand-holding thing speaks volumes, at least for me it does. Finally, he looks over his bold shoulder and grins, he knows what he’s doing holding my hand. Yet, here I am letting him play with me like a new toy. Either I’m an idiot and okay with self-destruction, or he and I are really connecting. Sitting in the captain’s chair, him standing behind the wheel, I wrap my legs around him and rest my chin on his shoulder. The feel of his back against my chest feels right, like my whole life has led up to this very moment. He doesn’t tense or pull away and my heart beats a little harder knowing he likes it. It feels like something a normal couple would do, not two people who are in the line of criminal dynasty with people out to kill them. This doesn’t feel forced either, like I have to put on a smile and pretend to be happy with him. I am generally having a good time and very into Kieran.
“Where are we going?” I whisper into his ear.
“Where ever she takes us,” he says, referring to her as the boat. The vessel slices through the Atlantic Ocean like she owns the sea. Like we own the world and we ride forever, the scenery never boring. Bonnet Shores is a place I never want to leave, it’s season of summer, one I’ll never forget. Little touches of our hands and sneaking glances at one another all adding up to tension ready to combust at any moment.
We stop when the sun sets on the farthest side of the darkening sky, it’s not hot but cold either. Kieran walks to the back of the boat opening a hatch he pulls out a basket with assorted fruits. The crisp smell of strawberries and cantaloupe make my mouth water. Why fruit? It’s the sexiest and most romantic food he could have brought. He pulls out another container with cubes of cold cheese and hands me a sparkling strawberry water. Smiling, I take it gladly. I really like these, I wonder if we can get them in New York?