Chapter 6
BLAIR
The next morning, I woke up happier than I’d been in a long time.
The prospect of seeing Tate again filled me with anticipation. It was a wonder I’d gotten any sleep.
His words from last night still replayed in my head over and over.
“A responsible person wouldn’t be struggling with whether to protect you or eat you.”
God, I hoped he ultimately chose the latter.
We hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers, so I was pleased to see a message come through the dating app from him.
Tate: I’m heading down to breakfast in a few. Care to join me?
Blair: Only if you order me four different kinds of beverages to choose from. BTW, it’s never too early for an espresso martini.
Tate: You’re about two years too early.
I laughed as I typed.
Blair: Very funny.
Tate: See you in a few?
Blair: Maybe…
Tate: Brat.
Blair: You like that about me.
Tate: You’re not wrong.
My mouth hurt from smiling.
When I got downstairs, I saw Tate before he saw me.
He sat at a table with a huge pile of food spread before him.
How did this man look even more hot today?
He wore his baseball hat backward, which was absolutely my weakness.
The way pieces of his hair poked out the sides?
Scrumptious. Every look he’d rocked was sexier than the last.
I walked over to where he was sitting. “Hey, you.”
He gave me a once-over, and his eyes filled with something that seemed a hell of a lot like desire as he appraised the floral sundress I wore, the top of which was held up by two skimpy strings. My current look wasn’t as dramatic as last night’s, though. Today I had gone for fresh-faced and sassy.
“Well, hello.” He smiled. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby…”
“No comment.”
“You’d better not.” I took the seat across from him. “How did you sleep?”
“Best sleep I’ve had in a while, actually.”
“Must have been the company you kept the night before.”
“I did have an amazing time with you last night.” Tate smiled.
He seemed genuine, and I felt myself blush. “Likewise.” I gestured to the food. “Hungry much?”
There were eggs, bacon, a huge stack of pancakes, home fries, and fruit.
“All of this is for both of us. Have you seen that buffet line? I waited for like twenty minutes. Didn’t want you to have to do the same.”
“Well, I guess I win for being fashionably late. Thank you.” I grinned. “Between the variety of drinks the first time we met and this private buffet, I’m starting to think this is your thing—hoarding food.”
He gestured to the plates. “Eat up.”
How I wish I could.
For some reason, I wasn’t all that hungry—at least for food. But it was amusing to watch this big, strong man devour his breakfast.
“What are your plans today?” I asked as he munched.
“Depends on whether a certain girl wants to hang out with me.”
“I wasn’t gonna be presumptuous. You’re the one who’s been resistant.”
“Only to certain things and for your own good,” he clarified. “I’m not resistant to your company in the least. I quite like it.”
“So what’s another safe activity we can do so you don’t have to feel like a creeper?”
Tate stopped chewing for a moment. “I was thinking maybe we could go kayaking, if you’re up for it.”
My mouth curved into a smile. “I would love that, actually.”
In truth, I could take or leave kayaking. But any activity where I’d be in close proximity to Tate today was fine by me.
“Cool. I already booked it.”
“Now you’re the one being presumptuous.”
“Maybe, yeah.” He winked before stuffing a big piece of pancake into his mouth.
Never thought I could be jealous of a pancake, but here we were.
I reached my fork across the table and began eating off his plate. As I leaned forward, I accidentally rested my foot on top of his at one point. To my surprise, he didn’t move it away. The contact sent a rush of desire through me.
I popped a piece of pineapple into my mouth. “Do anything interesting when you got back to your room last night?”
“Not particularly.” He chewed.
“After what you said about contemplating eating me, I think you might be lying.”
He stopped mid-bite and shook his head. “Even if I did do what you’re implying, I wouldn’t admit it.”
“I’m pretty sure you just did.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your face is red. You’re fidgeting. The signs are all there.”
I strategically selected a banana, holding it firmly in my hand as I slowly peeled it and took a big bite. Tate’s eyes remained fixed on me the entire time. “It was the only way I could sleep,” I added.
He nearly choked on his coffee.
“What you said riled me up,” I told him.
“Some things can remain private.” He glared. “You know?”
“So, you don’t want to know about my soothing Epsom salt foot soak?”
Tate reached across the table, grabbed my banana, and took a frustrated bite.
***
After breakfast, I went back to my room to change for our kayaking adventure. Then I met Tate in the lobby, and we walked together down to the pier, where the rented kayak awaited us.
“Have you ever been kayaking before?” he asked.
“Yes. We rent a summer home on a lake.”
“Ah, nice.”
I climbed in first as he got in behind me.
He put a hand on my shoulder. “You okay leading the way?”
“Why not?”
“Just making sure.”
As we took off, I was highly aware of his big feet at my back.
“I’m surprised you didn’t insist on sitting in front,” I said. “You know, considering how controlling you normally are.”
“How else would I get to look at you?”
I stopped paddling for a moment. “Are you flirting with me, Tate?”
“I think that’s obvious by now, Doris-Delores.”
Goose bumps covered my skin. If all else failed and nothing transpired between us by the end of this trip, I sure as hell was having fun flirting with this man.
We paddled quietly for several minutes. The glistening water was as calm as the sky was blue today. We couldn’t have asked for better weather.
I sighed. “God, it’s so peaceful out here. It feels like we’re the only ones in the world.”
The low rumble of his voice vibrated against my back. “Strangely, that’s kind of how it’s felt since the moment I met you.”
I felt my eyes widen. “Is that a compliment?”
“It is.”
We settled into a blissful calm after that, but about half an hour later, we were out in the middle of the ocean when something suddenly jumped at us from the water.
Everything after happened in quick succession.
I jerked away, which nearly sent us toppling over.
I couldn’t tell you how, but Tate swung his arm out to the side and somehow managed to get us back on track.
My heart raced as I got my bearings again. “What the hell was that? Did you see it jump out of the water?”
“Yeah. Not sure what the fuck it was. It was alive, though. Noticed it right before you almost took us out.”
“Thank you for steadying the boat.” I panted.
“It was instinct.”
A shiver moved all the way through my body.
“You okay?” He placed a hand on my back. “You’re good. I’ve got you.”
“Thanks. Just a little rattled.”
Tate rubbed my back. I closed my eyes for a moment, relishing the feel of his hand against my skin.
“Wanna turn around and go back?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Let’s do that.”
***
Twenty-five minutes later, Tate and I safely made it back to land without further incident.
“What’s next on the agenda?” I joked after we returned to the resort. “Anything else we can do where I almost get us killed?”
He scoffed. “We would’ve been fine with our lifejackets.”
“Not if that freakish sea monster jumped out of the ocean again and got us.”
Tate’s eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
“You’d risk your life when you haven’t even known me two days?”
“I would not have to think twice about saving you.”
I playfully knocked my elbow into his. “I liked when you rubbed my back earlier. It made almost dying worth it.”
Tate shook his head and smiled. “You’re something else, Doris-Delores.”
Once inside the hotel, we stood in the lobby staring at each other.
“What’s next? I don’t want to go back to my room yet,” I confessed. “Can we sit for a bit?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
We meandered over to a café just outside the lobby. He ordered two iced lattes, and we took them over to a seating area.
After my first sip, I sighed. “I have no desire to go home. This trip is going by way too fast.”
“Tell me what you’re heading back to that makes you not want to leave this place,” he said. “What does your day-to-day life look like?”
I took another long sip of my coffee. “Nothing that brings me joy, to be honest. Lots of school work. An apartment that reminds me of my ex, which in turn reminds me of the fact that I wasn’t enough for someone I thought the world of.”
Tate shook his head. “He did you a favor.”
I raised a brow. “You think?”
“You don’t need to be tied down at your age. You’ll find out eventually that there was a reason it happened. It left room for something bigger and better.”
“Bigger and better is sitting right here, but doesn’t want me, either,” I teased. Well, maybe I was half serious. I couldn’t help but feel a bit self-conscious about Tate’s continued resistance. Despite our age difference, hadn’t I proven myself by now?
There wasn’t even a hint of amusement on Tate’s face after that comment. “It’s not about not wanting you.” His jaw tightened. “I want you very badly.”
“Say that again.”
He looked into my eyes and repeated, “I want you very fucking badly.”
“Even better when you add the expletive.” I smiled, but then it faded.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’re sending me mixed messages.”
“I know that.” He frowned. “It’s a reflection of the confusion I feel.”
“You’re physically attracted to me. And you think I’m nice, even mature for nineteen-almost-twenty. But you’ve still written me off because of my age.”
He nodded. “There might be some truth to that.”
“I’m not asking for a relationship with you, Tate.
I just want to make some memories while we’re here, to experience something I never have.
Something thrilling with someone I feel a true connection with.
It will give me something to think about when I’m old and gray—you know, the present time for you. ”
He broke out into laughter. “You little wiseass.”
I stirred around the ice in my cup. “Okay, but the truth is, even if we never hook up?” I grinned. “I’m still having the time of my life, and I’m grateful to have crossed paths with you.”
“Well, good.” He smiled. “Right back at you, DD.”
I stood suddenly. “What are we doing next?”
“Your choice,” he said.
Yes. I knew just the thing.