揧eah??Her grin widens and her eyes sparkle with relief. 揢m, me too. It抯 the most fun I抳e had since…？
Thank God she doesn抰 finish that thought.
Her smile just digs my grave deeper梠r is it a tunnel straight to hell?
Without even realizing it, I抳e crossed a boundary that was sacrosanct, and we抣l have to acknowledge it eventually.
Just like we抣l have to decide if we want to breach that red line again.
I have no clue what I抣l say. I can抰 convince myself that this is right.
Though I抦 not sure I抎 ever regret taking this woman to bed.
Not true, you caveman prick, I think. You live for rules.
You also don抰 fuck strange women behind your daughter抯 back.
You don抰 ask for pain.
All you have are regrets.
No, not quite.
All I have are what-ifs, and they stab me every time I let myself fall a little deeper into Eliza Angelo抯 smile, the way her chestnut hair splashes down her shoulders, the soft curve of her body against mine…
What if Destiny hadn抰 come?
I know where there抯 a hammock in a secluded corner, not far from where the trees begin. I don抰 think anyone knows about it. I could have led her there.
I could have stripped off her soaking wet panties and splayed her legs open and mounted her like a bull in rut.
My cock pulses at the thought. I have to fight not to grind myself against her like a dog.
Fucking hell.
What if instead of apologizing for the colossal mess I抳e made by acting on my attraction, I grab her by the hand and lead us both into stupidity?
What if we抮e so addicted to the fireworks it doesn抰 stop when we get home?
What if I let this breezy little snack of a hellion sink her teeth into me? All while I lie back and enjoy it.
And what the hell if it抯 more than just sex? What if it turns into candlelit dinners and tense sit-downs with HR and introductions to everyone as a 揷ouple?and?I hate that I almost physically push her away when I stagger back.
Just in time, too, because I hear Destiny calling.
揇ad! Dad, come quick桰 think I see a turtle!?
Brakes slammed.
So hard it hurts when I look back at Eliza and see the confusion lashing in her eyes.
Yeah, I抳e been down this road before, regardless of whether or not this route has different twists and turns.
I know where they inevitably lead.
Calamity.
Clearing my throat, I step away from Eliza, muttering, 揑 should keep a closer eye on Dess. The evening waves can get strong out here without notice and she keeps leaning on the railing. Don抰 want her falling over.?
Eliza抯 eyes barely register the comment before I抳e darted away to find Dess again. Thankfully, she抯 still so obsessed with sea critters that she抯 oblivious to the dynamite kiss that was going off behind her the entire time.
With precious space, maybe I can think before tripping into chaos.
Destiny grins from ear to ear as she looks up at me. 揟his is so cool! If you抮e quiet, the guy in the back told me the dolphins come closer sometimes. Eliza deserves a raise for this.?
揧ou think it抯 her doing??I ask.
揇ad. You抮e encouraging and all, but with both of you on this boat with me桰 dunno桰抦 not afraid. Not even for a second.?Dess turns her face up, gleaming in the sun. I try not to see a younger Aster. 揝he抯 just a chill lady and it makes everything easier. You抎 better give her a beast of a bonus when we抮e home.?
I smile at her. 揥e抣l see. With that enthusiasm, maybe you should explore marine biology after all.?
揙h, I抦 thinking about it.?Her smile thins into a serious line.
Damn. I was still half joking, but there抯 nothing whimsical in that look.
She抯 young, but if she truly thinks there抯 a future in this and she can get past the ocean and its bad memories…well, I抣l be damned if I抣l keep her chained to a family legacy.
A few minutes later, I hear soft footsteps padding on the deck behind us.
Eliza stands so close to me we抮e barely touching. I won抰 meet her eyes as she looks at Dess. 揑f you抮e having fun on the boat, I think there抯 a local tour around here. They抣l take you out deep enough in the water to snorkel and swim with the dolphins.?
揙h!?Destiny meets my eyes. 揅an we go, Dad? I…I think I抦 ready,?she adds in a small voice.
My phone buzzes with a text. I pick it up, see a message from Troy, and frown before I feel Destiny抯 eyes still on me, waiting for an answer.
I look up.
揑抣l see when my schedule aligns again with Miss Angelo抯，？I say neutrally, finally looking at this storm of a woman I want to regret kissing.
The shine in her eyes won抰 let me.
Her sunny, curious gaze just makes me want more梟o matter how recklessly intense or monumentally stupid acting on that want might be.