Chapter 12
Sunset Key, Florida
Jack held both of their overnight bags in one hand and steered Charli along the marina boardwalk with the other.
They had passed several ridiculously enormous yachts and catamarans before he stopped in front of a single-masted sailboat and shouted out, “Ahoy, captain!”, with a huge grin on his face.
A head popped up from below deck, and the skipper turned to look at them with squinty eyes. “It’s about damn time you got here. Any later and we’d miss the damn sunset,” he replied with a smirk.
Jack grinned. “Permission to come aboard, sir.”
The captain’s mouth curled at the corner. “Cut the crap, Jack and get your ass over here. You have lines to manage.”
Charli blinked at the exchange, wondering what in the world Jack had gotten them into. But he only chuckled and helped her on board.
“Here...you can sit over here.” He pointed to a bench behind the large navigation wheel. “I need to help David get us ready to sail.”
The captain dropped down from the top of the cabin next to Jack and looked expectantly back and forth between the two of them. “Well, dumbass? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Jack made an annoyed sound from the back of his throat. “David, this is my new partner, Charli.” He waved his hand toward the captain. “Charli, this is my rude and much older brother, David.”
Jack’s brother scoffed. “It’s Captain David to you, dipshit, and you should be honest to the lovely lady and introduce me as your much handsomer brother.
” He glanced at Charli and grinned—she immediately saw the resemblance in their square jaws and brown eyes.
“And you can call me Dave, angel eyes,” he crooned with a wink.
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you ‘angel eyes’ my girl, you jackass. And knock it off with the winking. She isn’t some random tourist you’re trying to bag,” he growled.
Charli blinked at Jack’s spicy response.
My girl?
Her heart warmed at the words and her core clenched at his possessive tone.
David released an evil snicker. “So Janie was right. She is your girlfriend.”
Jack released a rough breath and frowned at his brother, his voice returning to a normal timbre. “Yes, she’s my girlfriend. So hands off and just sail the damned boat.”
Charli froze, her eyes growing even wider. Her heart pounded a little at the word, and rather than the usual feeling of panic and suffocation when a man pushed too close, a bloom of excitement shot through her.
David smacked Jack on the back. “Okay, little brother, calm down. I’ll behave myself...for now.” He gestured toward the bow of the boat. “But you may want to take her up there. You know women find my masculine charms irresistible.”
He winked at Charli again. “Wouldn’t want to steal your girl out from under you while you’re trying to romance her.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed and his lip curled. “God, you’re a dick. Are you sure you weren’t adopted?” He held his hand out to Charli. “Come on. Let’s get you set up front.”
He held her hand as he walked her along the deck. “The view up here is better anyway,” he mumbled as he showed her where to sit. Once she was settled, he leaned down to kiss her.
“Sorry about that,” he whispered into her lips. “David can be difficult sometimes, but he’s a good guy and a great captain.”
Charli chuckled. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” Her hand slipped to the back of his neck and holding him place as their lips met again.
“Get a room, you two,” David snarked. “Jack, get your ass over here. You have work to do.”
He groaned as he drew away. “I need to help him with the lines so we can get out of here. We’ll leave in just a minute, so you just relax up here, okay? I’ll be back soon.” He swooped in for another quick kiss and then turned to help his brother.
Several minutes later they were motoring out of the marina and into the channel, heading due west. David and Jack worked the lines and the mainsail began to rise up the mast. When the sail was up, David turned the boat to capture the breeze and the sail filled with a taut snap of cloth under strain.
Suddenly the sound of the motor died and the only sound was the rhythmic crashing of the hull into the waves.
Charli leaned her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the salty breeze, the occasional splash of water, and the boat’s rocking motion as it carved through the waves. It was all intoxicating.
She jumped when Jack dropped down beside her—she’d been so focused on all the sensations of the wind and the boat that she hadn’t heard him approach. He grinned at her response and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his body and leaning in for a soft kiss.
“It’s great, isn’t it?” he asked when he eased back, his eyes dazzling with excitement.
Charli smiled. “I love it.” She took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. “I can’t ever remember feeling so relaxed and peaceful.”
Jack hummed and she could tell he was satisfied with her answer. “I don’t get to do this nearly as much as I’d like, but it’s probably my favorite thing to do around here. There’s nothing like being out on the water and the view of the sunset is stellar.”
Charli glanced over her shoulder and found David standing at the wheel. He winked at her again and smiled when he met her eyes. She snickered and turned back to Jack.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” she asked.
Jack huffed. “Too many, if you ask me,” he grumbled. “You’ve met Janie and David. I have one other bossy older sister, Marie. She and her family live further up the keys in Islamorada.”
Charli’s mouth curved up. She was an only child and had always wanted siblings. “Are you the youngest?”
Jack grimaced, but his eyes twinkled with warmth. “Yeah, and they all still treat me like I’m five,” he grumbled good-naturedly.
Charli laughed at his complaint. She could believe that after watching his interactions with his sister and brother. But the affection between them was obvious. “I always wanted a brother or sister,” she said wistfully.
His brows rose. “You’re an only child?”
Charli nodded. “Uh huh. My parents retired and moved to Arizona years ago. So it’s just been me for a while now.
I’ve wondered a time or two what it would be like to have a sister to call when I need to vent or just to visit.
Normally Annette fills that role for me, and she truly is like a sister after all these years. ”
Jack grinned and shook his head in amused disbelief. “It isn’t nearly as much fun as you seem to think. But, you can have as many of mine as you’d like. They’ve always been a pain in my ass.”
She grinned at that. Growing up, she’d been so lonely, and most times it had only been her and her mother when her father had been traveling for business.
Now, she only heard from them on holidays and birthdays.
She’d always been envious of her friends that had large families, jealous of their closeness.
Even though Jack complained about his brother and sisters, she could tell that they were close.
She nudged him with her shoulder. “I assume your parents still live here?”
“Yeah, they have a place over on Riviera Drive, near the airport,” he answered. “They live on a canal and have a small boat that they like to take out every once in a while. They’re mostly retired now with Janie and David running the business.”
“That’s nice,” she replied. She snuggled into him and waved her hand in the air. “So, where are we headed?”
Jack nuzzled her temple and kissed her softly. “David’s gonna take us out a bit further west so we can watch the sunset in peace and then he’ll drop us off at Sunset Key.”
“Hmmmm.” She grinned up at him. “I researched Sunset Key. It’s looks romantic.”
Jack gave her a lopsided grin. “That’s the idea. We’ll have dinner at Tropics and then head to the cottage, where I plan to keep you for the entire weekend.”
A chill moved down her spine and she shivered. Her nipples tightened and her lady parts tingled at the thought of being stuck on an island with Jack.
He looked at her and frowned. “Are you cold?”
She released a big sigh. “Nope. Just enjoying myself.” She stared off into the distance where the sun was lazily approaching the horizon. “Tropics looked interesting. Do you go there often?”
Jack pursed his lips. “Not really. I’ve been there once or twice when I was meeting with a client.
But it’s more of a place for couples, rather than business meetings.
You have to take a short ferry ride from the west docks to get there and forget getting a ride there if you don’t have a reservation or aren’t staying on the island.
” He pulled her in even closer. “Most couples go there to watch the sunset as they eat their dinner. My sisters rave about it.”
Charli hummed and pressed her lips against his throat. “I can’t wait.”
As the sun sank below the horizon, Charli jumped as several loud blasts sounded off behind them.
She glanced around to find the source and met David’s gaze as he stood confidently at the helm.
He only grinned and tossed a thumb over his shoulder.
“It’s just the tourist ships. They like to shoot their cannons at sunset. ”
He spun the wheel and the boat gracefully turned north, the boom swinging around as the boat came about and the sail filling again. “Headed to Sunset Key,” he announced formally.
* * * *
As the boat approached the pier, Jack jumped off as it pulled level with the dock and tied the boat securely to the piling.
David handed him their bags and then turned to Charli.
He grinned and took her hand, lifting it gallantly to his lips and gave it a light peck, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
“It was lovely meeting you, Charli.” He chuckled when Jack growled. “Just let me know when you get tired of the kid.” He nodded his head toward Jack. “And want a real man.”
Jack reached over and grabbed her other hand. “Knock it off, asshole and let go of her.”