Page 39 of His Secret Gift

She shakes her head, managing a small smile. “It’s okay, Jack. I’m over it now. Lessons learned, right?”

“Right,” I agree, my mind drifting back to Harper and the way she’d shattered my trust. I find myself wanting to share more with Kayla, something I never do. And I’m completely sober.

“Harper wanted me to give her my mother’s engagement ring. But I couldn’t.” Like in my recurring nightmares, she had insinuated that she wanted it on multiple occasions. The memories still feel so raw that I can taste them. “But my mom is gone, and that ring was supposed to be for someone special. I guess Harper got scared it would never happen, so she took her first chance to jump into another’s bed.”

“Jack…” Kayla murmurs, her eyes filled with understanding and empathy. The connection between us intensifies, and I can see she genuinely cares about what I’ve just shared.

We stand there in silence for a few moments, two people with broken pasts, finding solace in each other’s company. The temptation to reach for her is almost unbearable, but I know it’swrong. She works for me, and the power dynamics make things complicated.

A sudden snort from Kayla breaks the silence, and I can’t help but raise an eyebrow in question. “What’s so amusing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she asks, a teasing glint in her eyes after she wipes them from tears. “We’re so similar, Jack. Both of us lost our mothers and had exes who thought it appropriate and just to cheat on us. No wonder we’ve got issues. Yet somehow, we managed to find our way to each other.” One more errant ball of moisture runs down her cheek, and I rub it off with my thumb. I didn’t realize she also lost her mom.

“Yeah, we’re something else, aren’t we?” I say after wiping her natural moisture on my pants.

“Definitely,” she murmurs, her gaze locked onto mine.

My heart races as I take a step closer, drawn to her like a moth to a flame. I know it’s wrong, but the pull between us is too strong to resist. My hand moves to her chin, gently lifting it toward me. Her breath hitches, and I can see the anticipation in her eyes.

She’s as intoxicating to me as the red wine she drank is to her.

“Kayla…” I whisper, leaning down to capture her lips. The moment our mouths meet, a surge of electricity courses through me, sending shivers down my spine. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before—passionate, intense, and utterly consuming. It feels like a wild, irresistible storm I never want to escape from, but our moment of passion is cut short.

“Kayla!” a voice suddenly calls out. The sound of her voice startles us, and we break apart, our eyes wide with shock and embarrassment.

When I look over, I see that the source of the interruption was Callie, another steward.

“I’m so sorry,” Callie stammers, a blush creeping across her fair cheeks as she takes in the scene before her. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I say as calmly as I can, trying to regain composure. “Kayla was just leaving.” I turn to her, seeking confirmation.

She nods, biting her lip as she glances between me and Callie. “Yeah, I should probably get to bed.” Her eyes are filled with a mixture of longing and regret, and it tears at my heart.

“Goodnight,” she whispers, her voice barely audible above the sound of the waves crashing against the yacht.

“Goodnight,” I reply, my voice rough with emotion.

As Kayla retreats into the shadows, disappearing from my sight, I pick up the Thermos. The warmth of the liquid inside reminds me of the heat of her lips, and the fire that danced between us as we kissed.

But along with the desire, there’s a sinking feeling in my chest—a heavy realization that I’ve walked down this path before.

I know all too well the consequences of mixing business and pleasure, of allowing my heart to rule over my head. It’s a dangerous game, and one that I’ve sworn not to play again. And yet, here I am, making the same mistakes, and folding to my almost irresistible desire for Kayla.

None of this is worth it.I think while shaking my head and raking my fingers through my short hair. “Is it?” I ask aloud to nobody but myself, with my hands now scratching down each side of my face.

Chapter 13

Salacious and Smutty – Kayla

“It’s not what you think,” I say to Callie as soon as she pulls me into her cabin.

In response, she crosses her arms and raises her eyebrows. “Is that right? I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that kissing could be seen for anything other than what it is… KISSING!”

My head flies back, I close my eyes, and I grunt. “I know.” Then, I slump down on her bed. She quickly joins me.

“Listen, I’m not one who likes to pry… I honestly just came to look for you. If I’d known—”

“It’s fine. We shouldn’t have been doing that in the first place.”

---