captain?”
“You’re looking at him.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. There has to be someone else helping.”
“Sorry, Princess, I’m all you get.” I try to come up with something to say, some argument to tell him this is crazy, but I’ve been rendered completely speechless. No words seem able to leave my mouth. Nothing. I stand in front of him openly gaping.
“Relax, I’m just messing with you. Luciano will be on board to help me.”
“Who the hell is Luciano?”
“He’s an old friend. His family owns the company that chartered the boat to me. Any time I sail Amalfi, he comes with me. Honestly, you won’t even notice him. He’s like a sailing ninja.”
“That’s not comforting, at all.”
“Just trust me will ya?” He says this as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. And it might be, but I still don’t think I can do this.
“I don’t think I can do this. No, I know I can’t do this. In the past—”
“Stop. Stop, Aria. Your story is not yet written. Don’t let your past dictate your next move. Live every day with intention. And today you intend to do something new. You intend to face your fear. This boat is safe. I’ve been sailing boats this size since I was a kid, so has Luciano. You will be okay.”
“Promise?” I choke out. His eyes lock on mine. Not a hint of humor. His irises have grown and darkened, making his usual steel blue appear black.
“I promise, and I’ll never break a promise to you, okay?” His unwavering gaze penetrates, makes me believe.
“Okay.” He smiles at my answer, and my heart warms. “Um, Chase. Is there a bathroom on this thing?”
“You’re on a boat now. If you have to pee, you have to say ‘I have to hit the head.’ Got it?”
My eyes roll blatantly at him.
“Aye Aye, Captain.”
“Don’t get smart with me, or I’ll make you walk the plank.”
“For someone so cute, you have the cheesiest lines I’ve ever heard.” My words leave my mouth faster than my brain works, and I immediately clamp my hand over my mouth. Shit. He’ll never let me live that down.
“So . . . you think I’m cute?”
“Oh, good God, Chase. You know you’re cute, so shut up.”
“Well, you are not cute.” My eyes widen at his words. It’s like a sucker punch to my gut, and I didn’t understand why. Who cares what he thinks of me?
“You’re gorgeous, Princess.” My heart skips a beat, and I just stare at him, because once again he’d rendered me speechless. Who cares what he thinks of me? Answer . . . me.
I stand motionless, and his eyebrow arches suggestively at me. “So . . . you want to get out of here and start an amazing adventure together?”
“Why not? What do I have to lose?” What do I have to lose? No one would miss me, anyway. “Yeah, let’s do this. What do you need me to do?” From across the front of the boat—the bow, Chase called it—I spot an older man with olive skin and salt and pepper hair. He’s not at all how I imagined Luciano, so I wonder who he is. But as Chase points to the man across the ship and he gives a wave in my direction, I realize it’s the sailing ninja himself.
“Okay, I’m going to talk to Luciano. You stay here. We’re going to sail to the island of Ponza. It should take us an about an hour. Can I get you something from the galley?”
“The what?” My eyes go round, and I imagine the confusion is evident on my face.
“Kitchen. Would you like something from the kitchen?” His lips start to pull up, forming a sexy crooked smile.
“No, thank you. I’ll just sit here and enjoy the view.”
In what seems no time, the sun is setting, and we begin to sail toward our next destination. Colors streak across the horizon like vibrant ribbons dancing in the night. The ocean breeze hits my face as we coast across the distance. The air tastes salty on my tongue. My posture tenses as I see how vast the ocean is and fear shoots through me.
“Are you okay?” I hear Chase say and I
“You’re looking at him.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. There has to be someone else helping.”
“Sorry, Princess, I’m all you get.” I try to come up with something to say, some argument to tell him this is crazy, but I’ve been rendered completely speechless. No words seem able to leave my mouth. Nothing. I stand in front of him openly gaping.
“Relax, I’m just messing with you. Luciano will be on board to help me.”
“Who the hell is Luciano?”
“He’s an old friend. His family owns the company that chartered the boat to me. Any time I sail Amalfi, he comes with me. Honestly, you won’t even notice him. He’s like a sailing ninja.”
“That’s not comforting, at all.”
“Just trust me will ya?” He says this as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. And it might be, but I still don’t think I can do this.
“I don’t think I can do this. No, I know I can’t do this. In the past—”
“Stop. Stop, Aria. Your story is not yet written. Don’t let your past dictate your next move. Live every day with intention. And today you intend to do something new. You intend to face your fear. This boat is safe. I’ve been sailing boats this size since I was a kid, so has Luciano. You will be okay.”
“Promise?” I choke out. His eyes lock on mine. Not a hint of humor. His irises have grown and darkened, making his usual steel blue appear black.
“I promise, and I’ll never break a promise to you, okay?” His unwavering gaze penetrates, makes me believe.
“Okay.” He smiles at my answer, and my heart warms. “Um, Chase. Is there a bathroom on this thing?”
“You’re on a boat now. If you have to pee, you have to say ‘I have to hit the head.’ Got it?”
My eyes roll blatantly at him.
“Aye Aye, Captain.”
“Don’t get smart with me, or I’ll make you walk the plank.”
“For someone so cute, you have the cheesiest lines I’ve ever heard.” My words leave my mouth faster than my brain works, and I immediately clamp my hand over my mouth. Shit. He’ll never let me live that down.
“So . . . you think I’m cute?”
“Oh, good God, Chase. You know you’re cute, so shut up.”
“Well, you are not cute.” My eyes widen at his words. It’s like a sucker punch to my gut, and I didn’t understand why. Who cares what he thinks of me?
“You’re gorgeous, Princess.” My heart skips a beat, and I just stare at him, because once again he’d rendered me speechless. Who cares what he thinks of me? Answer . . . me.
I stand motionless, and his eyebrow arches suggestively at me. “So . . . you want to get out of here and start an amazing adventure together?”
“Why not? What do I have to lose?” What do I have to lose? No one would miss me, anyway. “Yeah, let’s do this. What do you need me to do?” From across the front of the boat—the bow, Chase called it—I spot an older man with olive skin and salt and pepper hair. He’s not at all how I imagined Luciano, so I wonder who he is. But as Chase points to the man across the ship and he gives a wave in my direction, I realize it’s the sailing ninja himself.
“Okay, I’m going to talk to Luciano. You stay here. We’re going to sail to the island of Ponza. It should take us an about an hour. Can I get you something from the galley?”
“The what?” My eyes go round, and I imagine the confusion is evident on my face.
“Kitchen. Would you like something from the kitchen?” His lips start to pull up, forming a sexy crooked smile.
“No, thank you. I’ll just sit here and enjoy the view.”
In what seems no time, the sun is setting, and we begin to sail toward our next destination. Colors streak across the horizon like vibrant ribbons dancing in the night. The ocean breeze hits my face as we coast across the distance. The air tastes salty on my tongue. My posture tenses as I see how vast the ocean is and fear shoots through me.
“Are you okay?” I hear Chase say and I
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