“Ecstatic. I’ll put the bourbon away on my way out. It’s time to get dressed for my date with Tracy tonight. By the way, we’ve already shared all our contact information, even our email addresses. We’re way ahead of you.”
He swipes the glass from my hand when he stands and takes the bottle from the table, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again. He’s right about one thing, I’m in an ominous place when I turn to bourbon, and it takes me to even deeper levels of moodiness. Time to shake that shit off and make sure Daisy has a good time tonight.
After raiding the in-room snack bar to help counteract the alcohol, I take a quick shower to wash off the day’s worth of salt and sand I accumulated on the Jet Ski and beach. Standing in front of the mirror after, I take a long, hard look at myself. I can’t deny what Juliana or Kevin said about me. When it comes to my sister and my niece, I’ll fight to the death to meet their every need. My automatic response with matters of the heart with anyone else is to flee, far and fast.
That’s why I’m taking this new status with Daisy one minute at a time.
Reaching in to grab my hairbrush, I realize the bathroom vanity drawer is mostly empty. The thing is, it was full of Daisy’s makeup and hair accessories this morning. Rifling through the other drawers and cabinets reveals the same—her belongings are gone. Did she pack everything before she left to go shopping with Tracy? Was their outing a lie so she could get away from me?
I stomp over to the closet and jerk the door open, preparing myself to see more missing items. But her suitcase and clothes are still there, in the same place she left them when she first unpacked. For a minute there, I honestly believed she’d taken all her things and ghosted me.
The thought of her leaving me bothered me more than I thought it would and opened old wounds I’d rather not contend with right now. Or ever, truth be told.
Just to be sure, I want to call her and ask what time she’ll be back. But as Kevin so eloquently pointed out, I don’t have her number. I could go through the hassle of having Kevin get it from Tracy, but that makes me look desperate.
Knowing she’ll be back calms my churning stomach enough to finish dressing for our evening out on the water. It’s still hot as hell outside, so I dress in a collared pullover and khaki shorts for dinner. I can’t wait to surprise her with our reservations tonight. The cruise is usually for multiple couples, but I rented the entire boat for the night so we can enjoy the views with a modicum of privacy.
Before long, I hear the click of the doorknob turning and she walks in, dressed to the nines and all made up for our date. She stops in her tracks when her eyes meet mine, the hunger in them radiating in heated waves. I take in her appearance slowly and fully, from head to toe. When I make my way back up, her flushed cheeks and rapidly rising and falling chest leave no doubt she feels it too. The intense attraction, the powerful spell we’re under, the passion threatening to boil over at any second.
Now I realize why I’ve never grown attached to anyone else. These feelings make me feel alive and buzzing with energy, and only she invokes them in me.
“Damn, you look amazing, Daisy. Excuse me while I pick my tongue up off the floor.”
The way she fills out a little black dress should be criminal. Her matching jewelry only accentuates some of her best assets. The silver chain hangs low, drawing my eye to her cleavage. She pulled her hair up off her shoulders, leaving soft curled tendrils hanging loose around her face. Long, shiny earrings dangle from her ears and match the bracelets on her wrist and the ankle bracelet that sits above her heel.
She walks toward me, keeping her chin up, and her eyes locked on mine. Now I know why her makeup bag was missing from the bathroom. Her smoky eyeshadow adds an extra layer of sex appeal to her already sensual look. No more doubting her on my part. She’s outdone herself today, and she did it all for me.
I meet her halfway and slide my hands along her waist until they meet behind her back. Before she has the opportunity to say anything, I lean down and steal a long, lingering kiss.
“Wow. What did I do to deserve that?”
“I missed you.” That’s the truth. Despite everything that happened in this room while she was away, it all boils down to that simple answer.
“Should I go out and come back in again?”
“Are you coming back in naked, wearing nothing but those heels? If not, then forget it. I’m not letting you out of my sight again for anything less.”
“We can save that for dessert later tonight.”
“Don’t tease, woman. You’re killing me as it is. We should probably get going now before I change my mind and keep you to myself all night.”
“Lead the way, handsome. You haven’t told me what we’re doing, but I’m game for whatever you have in mind.”
We walk hand in hand to the docks with her admiring the large yachts along the way. When we reach the catamaran, I extend my arm toward the gangway, signaling for her to board first.
“We’re doing a sunset cruise?”
“We are, with dinner, music, and dancing too. Just you and me for as long as you want to stay out on the water.”
She’s beyond excited as she hurries on to the boat. The staff greets us with a glass of champagne and offers various types of hors
