Page 50 of Let Me Say It Again

He placed a hand gently over mine in my lap, the one that wasn’t holding onto my hat for dear life, afraid it would blow it away with the occasional light gusts of wind. “You don’t ever talk about your parents. What were they like?”

I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat because it felt like a frog was sitting in there, but this one was sitting on my windpipe. “Parents. They were like parents,” I croaked. In reality, there wasn’t much more to say about them. They’d changed my life in ways I hadn’t even known, but they were gone. I accepted that.

He nodded, wetting his lips. “Don’t think you’re doing me any favors by telling me. If you want to, I’ll lend my ears, but if not, then great, less I have to listen to.”

I wondered where he got his gentlemanly ways from. “I found the ring,” I blurted out, deciding that if he wanted me to talk about something that hurt, then my parents—adoptive or birth—weren’t the answer.

His gaze shifted down to my hand and the engagement ring that drew more attention than that time I’d walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper hanging off my pants. What? It came from the floor. And, yes, it was gross, tell me about it. “When did you lose it?” he questioned, his brows furrowed.

Of course he’d think I was talking about this one. I wasn’t. “I didn’t lose it. I never take it off, so how could I lose it?”

“You never take it off? Not even when you’re alone?”

That was whatnever take it offmeant. I nodded. “It’s just easier that way. Not that I don’t want to. This thing weighs so much. It’s like twenty-four seven weight training for my finger.”

“Glad I could contribute to your muscle strengthening.”

My head snapped his way. “You think I need strengthening?” I tossed him a dirty look.

“I don’t think you need anything. I think you’re perfect.”

My heart raced, and my hands got sweaty. “What’d I say about that sappy shit?” I pulled my hand away from him.

“I thought that was only when I was eating you out,” he responded smugly.

“It’s applicable always. We’re not a real couple,” I practically seethed.

His jaw twitched as he leaned over, his hot breath hitting the shell of my ear and causing a sensation to travel down my spine. “Lower your voice, Jade. Someone could overhear you,” he whispered. Then he backed away and angled his head. “Now let’s kiss, so it looks legit.”

“What? You’re not making any sense. How does that—”

Without hearing my argument out, he cupped my cheeks, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over them romantically as he savagely claimed my lips. Goose bumps rolled over my body. I scooped his bottom lip into my mouth. In response, he traced my upper lip with his tongue before driving it into my mouth, fully exploring.

I snaked a hand between us and flattened my palm on his chest, my other hand loosening its grip on my hat. “Mmm,” I moaned, which only egged him on. I didn’t mean to, but it sort of escaped.

It was only his tongue that was inside me, but it felt like he was inside me in every sense of the word. Like he’d gotten in my head, and if I was being honest, I didn’t know if I wanted him to leave.

What was I saying? I used my palm and pushed him off me, licking my swollen lips as he gave me a befuddled look. Of course he was confused. I was confused. But shit like that could never happen again.

Someone get me a sticky note that I could stick on my forehead. I did not belong with a man like Red. Period. A giant period. Because that was the end of the story.

“So, what ring did you find?”

His question startled me, my eyes growing wide and my mind whirling. Oh, right. I’d told him I’d found the ring. Nate’s ring. Except I’d left that part out, so I told him now.

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his face went pale. I wasn’t sure why he looked sick, but fine. “You found the engagement ring Nate bought for you?”

“Yep.” I knew I had opened the floodgates on this one, but I didn’t know if I wanted to get into it. It was like opening old wounds. Maybe they were better left festering beneath the surface. One thing I knew for a fact was people had enoughof their own problems and they didn’t need to take on anyone else’s. That was why I kept everything inside. I didn’t feel the need to burden someone in that way.

I got up, still holding my hat and fingering the rim as I walked to the back railing and looked out at the water. I closed my eyes and let the feeling of calm wash over me. This, to me, was a luxury. I was going to Newport for no good reason and wearing clothes that cost more than my last car.

I shuddered when an arm wrapped around my waist.Red.I opened my eyes. “I don’t have anything else to say. Wouldn’t want you to have to listen unnecessarily.”

He kept his hand on the small of my back, standing next to me, looking out onto the water with me. “Fine by me. I’m just here for the view.”

“The view all around the ferry—water?” I knew this was Red’s lame attempt at trying to be there for me. It was nice. Would have been nicer if I cared about things like that. I let out a deep breath. “I thought Nate was going to propose. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise, so I merely put it back where I’d found it.”

“But he didn’t propose.”

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