Page 89 of Rating the Book Boyfriend

“Hey, handsome,” I say when I open the door and find Riggs standing there in his graphite-gray sweater. With one hand stuffed casually into the pocket of his black pants, he looks like a damn model. Well, technically, he is.

“Happy New Year’s Eve,” he says, holding out the yellow roses he has in his other hand.

“Riggs, you’ve got to stop spoiling me.”

“Nope.” He presses a firm kiss on my lips. “It’s my right as a book boyfriend to do what-the-fuck-ever I want.”

My grin is so big it almost hurts my face as I take the flowers and lead him into the kitchen. “Well, thank you. It’s sweet of you, but you didn’t have to. You bought me so many clothes for Christmas.”

“This looks cute on you, by the way,” he says, taking in the slim navy pants and yellow sweater with blue and yellow trim around the V-neck. Soft brown Sperry loafers complete the look. “Very yacht-like.”

“Are we really going on a yacht tonight?” I ask, putting the flowers in a glass vase and adding water.

“Yep. I’m thinking of buying it, and I want you to help me decide.”

I blink rapidly and shake my head. “I don’t know anything about yachts, Riggs. I’ve never even been to a party on a boat.”

His smile is soft as he winds a lock of my hair around his index finger. “I know, but I’m not buying this to be a party vessel. It’s mainly just for us to enjoy, so I want you to let me know if you like it.”

“Just for us?” I question, unsure if I’ve heard him correctly.

“During our first meeting, we talked about what would make us happy, and you said you wanted to be out on a boat with your computer so you could write. Words and water, remember?”

Curling my arms around his waist, I bury my face in his neck and inhale his fresh scent. He smells like expensive sunshine.

“I remember. I can’t believe you do though.”

His arms tighten around me, binding me to his hard body. “I remember everything about you, Libby-girl. Everything.”

Dear god, I am so fucking in love with this big, beautiful man. I only hope that maybe one day he’ll feel the same.

“What do you think?” Riggs asks.

“It’s beautiful,” I assure him. “I love all the wood and recessed lighting inside. It’s fancy without being opulent, if that makes sense. Makes it feel cozy.”

“That was my thought as well. It’s big but not obnoxiously so, which is what I like about it. I want you to be comfortable here.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders as we stand on the deck and look around. He anchored the boat about a mile offshore before giving me the tour. “It can be a place for just the two of us.”

“I’m a fan of the master bedroom,” I tell him with a coy smile, and he cops a feel of my boob and squeezes.

“You’re going to be even more of a fan once we christen it tonight.”

“Make it good, and I’ll write yacht sex into my next book,” I promise.

Riggs chuckles. “Challenge accepted, Miss Hill. Now let’s have dinner while the sun sets.”

“This has been the perfect night,” I sigh, cuddling into Riggs. We’re sharing a luxurious lounge bed on the upper deck, simply enjoying the sounds of the water lapping against the sides of the boat.

We’d had a divine dinner of seared scallops and roasted vegetables as we watched the sun descend until it was gone. Then we’d cruised around for a few hours with me sitting on Riggs’s lap. He even let me take the helm and work the controls for a while, and I managed not to run into anything, which was pretty easy, given that we were on open water.

He rolls toward me and presses his palm against my cheek. “I’m feeling so fucking lucky right now.”

“Why?”

“Because this is your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve night. No wild parties or fancy restaurants. Just you and me out here on the water together.”

I smile and turn my head a little to kiss his palm. “I can’t think of anything more romantic.”

Riggs leans up on one elbow, his thumb tracing my cheekbone as he looms over me. “You mean so much to me, Libby. I know it’s only been a little over two months, but I can’t ever imagine being with anyone else.”

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