RHINO: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (With FREE Bonus Novel OFFSIDE!) by Abbey Foxx

I’ve ever heard, I’m inclined to shit myself, just a little.
    Alex, on the other hand, looks so comfortable he could be enjoying it. I stumble from side to side if I get up, feel even worse if I try and sit down.
    “ Are you alright?” he asks.
    “ No, I’m not fucking alright.”
    “ It’ll pass.”
    It doesn’t feel like it’s going to pass. I’ve seen films with people in this same situation and it never ends well. One minute you’re enjoying a lovely sunbathe and a swim in calm blue waters, the next, it feels like someone has transported you to the tempestuous waters at the gates of hell. Seriously. I’ve seen rapid weather changes before, but this? Nothing like this.
    The boat creaks, shudders and threatens to split right open. Why the fuck does the engine not work? Who’s fucking idea was it anyway to come out here when a storm was due and why is Alex just sat there, glass of wine still in his hand looking at me like I’m a mad woman?
    I could be literally anywhere else. We could be in his mansion on the island. We could be at one of his several other residences. We could even be at mine, drinking wine, chatting, flirting with each other, passing the time. Instead, we’ve got to be here hoping we don’t die.
    I’m a strong woman but, fuck- suddenly a wall of water hits the boat with such force I lose my balance, trip and end up on top of Alex. Not by the side, not holding his arm to steady myself, but on top. Both of us sliding without grace and ending up on the floor a mess of arms legs and embarrassed looks.
    “ If you wanted to lie on top of me-”, he says calmly.
    “ Hey, that was gravity alright?”
    The boat lurches, yawns and finally rights itself again. Out of the window, all I can see is water, and for all I know we could be underwater already.
    I quickly peel myself away from Alex, even though in his arms is probably the place in which I feel the safest of all, but stay low, in case I tumble over again.
    “ Exciting, huh?”
    Exciting? What the fuck is wrong with him? Alex live-on-the-edge-because-there-isn’t-enough-space-left-in-the-middle Vann Haden might be enjoying this, but I’m not. Then again, he might just be putting in on, like he’s got used to doing with pretty much everything in his life so far.
    The last thing I want to do is let him see that I’m vulnerable. If I do that, he’ll think he’ll be able to protect me and get all manly, and then when this really is over he’ll think he’s done enough to create a connection. Not going to happen, no matter how much I’d like to be back in those arms and rested against that chest again. If I wasn’t shitting myself about the very real possibility that I could die out here in the middle of nowhere, without really having achieved anything at all with my life, I might allow myself a moment to enjoy this.
    More rain hits the roof so loudly it feels like lumps of ice, while the wind picks up around us and howls like a baying dog.
    “ Why don’t you want to fuck me?” he says.
    “ Seriously? You’re asking me that question now?”
    “ Sure, when else am I going to ask you it?”
    “ When? I don’t know, never.”
    “ I told you, I’m direct.”
    “ I’m the one that’s supposed to be asking the questions.”
    “ You don’t look like you are capable of doing anything at the moment but shitting yourself.”
    “ I’m not shitting myself”, I say.
    “ I bet you don’t like amusement parks.”
    “ No-one likes amusement parks unless they are under the age of fifteen.”
    Alex makes the short distance over to where I’m sort of lying, sort of cowering, and sits alongside me.
    “ We’re not going to die. This boat is super solid and storms always sound worse than they actually are anyway. We are going to be fine, and afterward, you’re just going to appreciate life even more”, he says.
    “ If we manage not to die in this storm, I’ll still be trapped on this boat with you.”
    “ Then you’ll just have