Page 62 of Off the Hook

“It’s kind of sweet that they kept it just for them,” I mused, feeling suddenly sorry that my mom had been robbed of all the special moments she might have had with my dad.

“Dad would often say that he was taking mom for a date on the water. And it was almost always in this skiff. I never understood it when I was a kid. We had way nicer boats than this old thing. This must’ve been where they came.”

“It’s great that they managed to take time for themselves, even with 6 kids.”

“Maybe that was the secret to their great marriage.”

“It’s interesting that your youngest brother is the first to get married, after you all had the model of a happy marriage.”

“Well, to be fair, I was ready to get married long before Trouble was,” he chuckled. “Or at least I thought I was.”

“Oh right.” I felt like an idiot. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. Looking back, I think I was trying to emulate my parents, hoping to find with Kylie what they had. What I didn’t realize at the time was that neither of us really knew who we were back then.”

“Do you now?” I asked, cutting off another piece of Havarti.

“More so every day. I definitely know what I want now,” Coulter said with a grin.

“What’s that?”

“You,” he said, lurching toward me to push me onto my back and landing squarely on top of me.

“That’s a relief,” I said, staring up into his eyes.

His mouth curled into a smile. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

“Because I want you, too. I’m really sorry I hurt you, Coulter.”

“Stop apologizing,” he said with a piercing gaze that took my breath. “I forgive you.” His lips lowered to mine, kissing me softly. My heart pounded in my chest, pulsing between us under his weight. Trailing his fingers up my thigh, my whole body lit up like fireworks. I had never wanted a man like I wanted him.

His hands roamed my body as the kiss grew deeper. I was hoping he’d strip me down and kiss me all over, but his lips pulled away and he sat up, reaching for a strawberry.

I pushed up to sit beside him, rubbing his back. “You okay?”

He nodded, murmuring “Uh huh,” while plopping a strawberry into his mouth.

After washing the strawberry down with a swig of Prosecco, he said, “It’s kind of strange thinking of my parents making out here.”

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I bet imagining them here brings up some interesting emotions.”

“Makes me miss my mom, and feel sorry for my dad. He’s getting better now, but he was really a mess for months after she died.”

“I can only imagine. I was so young I barely remember when my father died. But my mom told me years later that it was all she could do to get herself out of bed to take care of me for over a year after he passed.” I shuddered at the thought. “I’m happy she found love again. Only took twenty five years.”

“I can’t see my dad ever dating. But what do I know?” His eyes turned sad as he shook his head. “I thought I knew everything about him, about both of them. But obviously I didn’t,” he said, motioning at our surroundings.

“You never knoweverythingabout someone,” I said, stroking his arm

“What if you want to?” he asked softly.

“What do you mean?” I asked, resting my hand on his arm.

“I mean, what if I want to know everything there is to know about you?”

“That could take a while…”

His long fingers cupped my chin before he planted a peck of a kiss on my lips. “I’m counting on it,” he said with a playful twinkle in his eyes. He stroked my cheek, his gaze intense. “What do you say we go back to your place?”

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