Page 65 of Forbidden Vows

And there’s no end date on the ‘L’ word.

Chapter Nineteen

Cleopatra

After dinner, he takes a moment for a phone call, leaving me with a few peaceful moments on the deck to savor the fresh air. When he comes back, he's smiling and leads me up a lovely curved staircase. My bare feet pad against the smooth floor as the gentle breeze playfully tousles my hair and makes my dress flutter. We arrive at the boat's bow, where there's a spacious sunbathing area perfect for relaxing, adorned with thick blue and white striped cushions with embroidered gold letters of the boat’s name.

I now understand why they chose the name The Aphrodisiac for the yacht. The sun, the water, the yacht's luxury, the attentive staff meeting your every need, and even the no-shoe policy—all of it puts you at ease, making you feel carefree and enlivened.

And if you’re with someone you want to be naked with, totally turned on.

My bare feet sink into the cushy pads. He gives me a hand, helping me sit, and then nestles beside me. We sit, arm against arm, hips touching, and take a quiet moment to absorb the night. Eventually, he breaks our comfortable silence. “This is my favorite part of the boat.”

“I can see why. It’s beautiful up here.” I rest my back against the bow, stretching my legs before me, feet crossed lazily at the ankle. “And so relaxing.”

There’s a bucket of ice holding a bottle of champagne with a name I neither recognize nor can pronounce. He pops the top, saying, “To us.” He pours two flutes, and soon I’m holding a chilled champagne that likely costs more than my salary, while stars twinkle in the navy sky above. A gentle breeze sweeps over the water, teasing the hem of my dress and making the water of the lake lap at the edge of the boat.

Staring over the lake makes a memory come to me. “My dad took me fishing at a lake one time. Night fishing. I loved it.”

He takes the opportunity to ask a question I feel he’s wondered about for a while now. “You and your dad never seemed that close to me. I always wondered why.”

“He was a good dad, don’t get me wrong. He loved me. I wanted for nothing, and every Sunday night was reserved for me. We hung out, binge-watching house renovation shows and eating pizza. But I think he was lonely in a way only another adult could fulfill.”

“Ma was always around.” He eyes me. “Sounds like you were alone a lot.”

“Yeah, whenever there wasn’t a girlfriend living with us, or us with her, he was out. A lot. I think that’s why I’m wound so tight most of the time, following all the rules. I had to do everything myself—ensure my homework was done, get up for school on time, and cook dinner.”

“Protein.” He nods.

“It’s all about the protein,” I agree with a light laugh. I think of that time, him and me, Sharon and Dad. “It was nice when we all lived together. Wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He gazes up at the stars. “Other than the raging hard-on I had every time you walked out of the shower in that pink robe of yours.”

Heat flushes my face. He felt the same way, then, too? This territory feels dangerous, so I change the subject. “Anyway, I don’t blame Dad, but he was always more interested in chasing the women he was dating than spending time with me.”

He chuckles. “Like marrying a woman, moving in with her and her son, then moving out months later?”

“Exactly. And after that, it was Susan. Then Karen. Then what’s her name? I can barely keep up.”

“And now, back to Ma,” he says.

“I really hope they work out this time.”

“If they do,” he draws circles over my bare thigh with his fingertip, leaving a trail of tingling in its wake. “That kinda makes a mess for us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah. We’re legally stepsiblings. If we got married, what would that make us? And if we had kids one day, what would that make them?”

“I don’t know. Cousins?”

He stares off into the starry night. “I wonder if that would be weird for them.” His voice is far away, deep in thought. I’ve never seen him this contemplative before. I wonder what he’s so deep in thought over.

I gather the courage to ask. “What’s going on in the handsome mind of yours?”

“Just thinking about our parents. Single parents. Moving around. When I get married and have kids, I want them to have stability. I want them to know that no matter what happens, their parents will be together and there for them.”

It’s the most white-picket-fence statement I’ve heard a man make. My heart flutters nonstop, and emotions make my throat go tight. All I can get out is, “Same.”

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