Page 22 of Never Yours

Caleb steps out of the boat, laughing, “You said you knew how! Are you sure you’re not a princess?”

“It didn’t look difficult!”

He swiftly pulls the rope from the anchor and then ushers me into the boat. “Get in, Your Majesty. We’re adding knots to your bucket list.”

I roll my eyes but do as he asks, carefully boarding. Growing up, I was more of an ‘eat snacks and read on the boat’ girl, never having to worry about anchors, gear shifts, or what type of fuel a boat needs. Knots? No fucking idea.

Glancing out onto the water, he notes, “It’s a bit choppy today, so we should have the lake to ourselves.” Starting the motor, we push off from the dock, and the cool lake air whips around me. “Fuck, Ingrid. You had to wear that?”

I look down at my sundress, which mimics Marilyn Monroe’s steam vent moment. I grip the sides and sit on the closest seat. “What? It’s hot today…”

“You’ve been in the city too long. You know damn well it gets windy on the water.”

Oh, I’m well aware of what to expect on the lake.

When we were younger, he’d look at me with heat and hunger in his eyes. The way he looks at me now, there’s love, etched with pain… but no fire. I was selfishly hoping that by showing a little skin, I’d see it again. Instead of itching to rip my dress off me, he’s growling like he wants me to cover up.

Caleb takes us around one of the banks and out of sight of the other boats, then slows his speed and turns the motor off. “The water is too rough today to go further out,” he explains, dropping the anchor.

“Why are we out here, then?”

“Come here.”

I get up and make my way to him, my dress lifting sporadically with the wind. Beneath his sunglasses and hat, I can’t gauge his reaction. I stand between his legs, biting my lip as he takes his hat off. After a quick rake of his hair, puts his cap on backward, and slowly slides his hands up the sides of my dress.

“Fuck.” He traces the waistband of my bottoms. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep my hands to myself with you?”

I take off his sunglasses and set them in the cup holder. I’m still waiting to see the fire in his honey-brown eyes. I’m nothing if not determined, though this feels like a game of chicken I’m going to lose. This dress was a mistake, but only because he wasn’t wrong about the lake—it’s freezing.

Caleb slides his palms to my ass and pulls me closer. His grip is firm, but it’s as if he’s holding back. Cautious. I don’t want any of it. I’ve spent most of my life running from whatever this is between us, and when I’m ready to give in—ready for us to give in—he’s taking his time. Even if it’s only for a few weeks, I want to try.

Keeping one hand firmly on my ass, his other follows the outline of my swimsuit bottom around my hip until his fingers are dipping dangerously close to where I desperately want him. I can’t take the teasing and press against him, wishing with all of my being that he’ll touch me. I don’t have to wait long, gasping as his fingers slip under the fabric and press inside me.

A soft moan escapes me as I whisper, “You know, if you can’t keep your hands to yourself, maybe it’s time I learn how to tie a proper knot?”

He presses another finger inside me. “Come for me, and I’ll show you.”

“Show me, and I’ll come for you,” I counter, clenching my pussy around his fingers.

“So fucking stubborn.” Pulling out of me, he brings his fingers to my lips and commands, “Open, princess.” I do as he asks—even though I’m not loving the pet name—and he slides his coated fingers along my tongue. I close my lips around them and suck them clean, loving the flicker I’ve been craving dancing in his eyes. He closes the distance and kisses me—unexpectedly soft and sweet. The passion I yearn for is definitely there, full of…

Oh, fuck. He’s making love to my mouth.

And I’m letting him?

When I told him to make me fall in love with him, I think he took me seriously.

As we break apart, he guides me back a step and falls to one knee. Shivers cascade down my limbs as his hands slide under my dress again, this time to remove my swimsuit bottoms.

“I thought you were going to teach me how to tie a proper knot,” I tease, unable to tear my eyes away from him as he stands, stuffing them in his pocket.

“You don’t need underwear to tie a knot.” About to kiss me, he notices the goosebumps on my arms. “Damn it, Ingrid, you’re freezing.” He takes off his long-sleeved flannel shirt and helps me slip it on. His scowl softens, replaced with a smile that meets his eyes. “Fuck, you look good in my clothes.” I can’t help returning his smile as I wrap it tighter around me, and he reaches into his bag, pulling out nylon rope that’s thinner than the one attached to the anchor. Sitting back in his seat, I stand between his legs and unravel half of it. “Perfect. That’s enough. So, this one you can use for anything you need a loop for.”

“Like your hands?”

It earns me a small chuckle. “Yeah, like my hands. Here, I’ll show you.” I excitedly offer my wrists, and he creates a small loop in the rope. “You’ll overlap the rope here, slip the slack through the hole.” He wraps the rope around my wrists and slips it into the small loop where he overlapped the rope. “Loop it around and back into the hole.” He pulls it tight, and I’m unable to free my hands. “Bowline.” Like magic, he unties me and reaches into his bag again, this time pulling out a tactical knife. “Just in case.”

Caleb offers his wrists willingly and walks me through the same steps. When I pull it tight, I squeal, “I did it!”

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