Page 82 of Knot Your Sunshine
His hands come up, demonstrating while I watch three dolphins race beneath the surface. "They build angular momentum underwater, then use their tail flukes to generate torque at the surface—" He catches my expression and grins. "Sorry. I'm being a nerd."
"No, I love it." And I do. His eyes light up behind his water-spotted lenses, enthusiasm transforming his whole face. "Tell me more. Why are they even spinning?"
"Well, the really fascinating part is nobody knows exactly why." He leans closer, his breath warm on my ear as we both watch the display. "Communication maybe, different patterns for different messages. Or echolocation enhancement. Or parasite removal." He pushes his wet curls back. "Imagine having a full-body language that happens in mid-air."
“That’s crazy,” I breathe.
The pod stays with us as we cruise along the coastline, and Keanu starts naming them.
"That's definitely Brad, look at that show-off energy." He points to the one doing triple spins. "And the two that keep jumping together? Obviously Romeo and Juliet."
Josh shakes his head, but he's smiling. "You realize those are probably both males, right? Bachelor pods are common in—"
"Romeo and Julius then. Love is love, Josh."
A massive dolphin surfaces right beside the yacht, so close I could touch its dorsal fin. It rolls slightly, one dark eye meeting mine, and time stops. The intelligence there, the curiosity... my throat closes up.
"Hey there," I whisper.
The dolphin clicks at me, then dives, its tail fluke creating a small rainbow in the mist.
"You okay back there, Captain?" I call to Noa.
He's got one hand easy on the wheel, his whole body relaxed in a way I rarely see. His shirt billows in the breeze, and there's an actual smile playing at his lips. "Never better."
The dolphins follow us for another twenty minutes before peeling away one by one. When the last one disappears, Noa points toward a gap in the coastline. "There's a bay up ahead. Perfect spot for lunch."
We motor into crystal-clear water surrounded by jungle-covered hills. Limestone cliffs rise on one side, and the water shifts from deep blue to pale turquoise where it shallows near white sand.
"Jesus," Keanu breathes. "We're literally the only ones here."
The silence hits me then. No engines, no voices, no civilization at all. Just waves lapping against the hull, birds calling from the forest, the creak of the anchor line.
"It's like the world doesn't exist," I say.
"Good." Noa's voice comes from behind me. His arms circle my waist, chin resting on my head. "Let it not exist for a while."
The spread they've packed makes me laugh, someone has organized everything into perfectly sectioned containers. Fresh pineapple. Grilled mahi-mahi with citrus glaze. Coconut water in actual coconuts, complete with... paper umbrellas?
"Paper umbrellas? Really?"
"Presentation matters," Keanu insists, sprawling on the deck cushions and patting his lap. "Come here, Sunshine. Let me feed you like the queen you are."
I settle against him, his thighs warm under my shoulders. He holds a pineapple chunk above my mouth, just out of reach.
"Keanu—" I turn my head.
"Nuh-uh. You have to order me to feed you, like a queen would."
"I'll bite your fingers."
"Promise?" His grin turns wicked.
I snap at his fingers, catching the fruit. Juice runs down my chin and he wipes it with his thumb, then deliberately licks it clean. I bite my lip at the sight, heat shooting straight between my legs.
"Get a room," Josh says, but he's smiling as he stretches out beside us.
"Why bother with a room when it's just us and this beautiful nature?" Keanu's eyes hold mine, intent despite his playful tone. "Right, Sunshine?"
