by Layla Hagen
"He is a great guy."
"He really is. He was the best dad I could wish for."
"So, it was just the two of you since you were little?"
"Yes. Dad kept a few pictures of Mom, but I realized at some point that it was hurting him to see her, so I put them in boxes. And, anyway, it was also hurtful for me. You should have seen him when I was in school. He helped me with all the plays. He’s not a touchy-feely guy, but he got involved in all the activities at school. I never realized we were different from other families until I started having sleepovers and noticed all the things moms did. Dad and I divided tasks between the two of us at home once I was old enough to reach the sink. He worked two jobs while I was growing up because there weren’t enough construction sites in our small town. Not like here. He worked in a bar in the evening after I went to bed. It was the only way we could make things work.”
“That sounds intense.”
She shrugged.
She'd had a lot on her shoulders since she was a kid. Her childhood was nothing like mine: laid-back and without any responsibilities. The only rough patches had been in those winters when there hadn’t been enough snow and my parents had to take on second jobs. I wondered if she'd ever had an easy stretch in her life, if she ever had someone focus on her. I wanted to be the one to do that.
"Okay, so my plan didn't work today. It's too late for the sunset. But we can do something else," I said on the drive back home. "We can do something from your list.”
"Hmm. Let me think." She lowered in the seat, tapping her fingers against her legs. "I've always wanted to go on a boat on the river."
I nodded. "Yeah, I've seen a few of those. There’s one near my apartment. North Cove Yacht Harbor.”
“I know. I always walk around there when my breaks between sessions are short.”
“Can you look on your phone and see if there’s any service still operating now, or are they only during the daytime?"
"Let me look." She took out her phone, tapping on it. "Hey, it says here that we can still rent one. They have several types, but for some of the big ones, you need a boating license.”
“I have a license.”
“Mr. Gallagher, I like you more with every passing day.” With a chuckle, she added, “We have to bring it back by midnight."
I nodded. "Okay. That sounds great.”
“I’m so excited. And so are you. You’re grinning.”
“Told you that you’re captivating.”
She laughed, looking at me. “Thanks again for coming with me to Dad’s and helping out.”
“No problem. Happy I met him.”
“He likes you.”
“When did he tell you that?”
“After you got him the medicine. And I think after tonight, he likes you even more.”
“How about you?” I asked. “Do you like me more?”
She drummed her fingers on the cup holders between the seats. I covered her hand with mine, bringing it to my lips. She shuddered.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I whispered.
“Hmm, I don’t know. You came with me to my dad’s and now want to take me on a boat tour,” she teased. “What do you think?”
I laughed, letting go of her hand and focusing on the road. I asked her more about her childhood on the drive, and her years at NYU. Her dad’s suburb was an hour away from Manhattan and even farther away from Mel’s place in Bay Ridge. She went to his house at least twice a week. She also helped her friend Charlotte at the shelter at least once a week, which didn’t leave her much free time. I wanted to see Mel again soon, and it seemed like she didn’t have much time in her life for me. I didn’t like that one bit.
I parked in the underground garage of my apartment building because North Cove was a few minutes away on foot.
We arrived at the parking lot of the boat rental soon after. It was surprisingly full, which meant we’d have company on the water. We walked side by side up to the boathouse, a modern construction of metal and glass. The guy in charge of it, Joseph, explained that he only had small motorboats left. All the bigger ones were still out on the water.
“Okay, we’re taking one,” I said.
“For how long? Half an hour, an hour, more?” Joseph asked before looking over his shoulder at a yacht that was pulling in. “You can decide while I deal with them.”
Mel looked at her smartphone after Joseph left. "I think we should only take it out for thirty minutes.”
"Why? It's Saturday tomorrow," I said.
"Yes, but I have a client in the morning, so I'll have to wake up and take a shower. And then I need fifty minutes from Bay Ridge to Genesis. So I have to wake up at seven.” She winced as she said it.
I flattened her against me with a hand on her waist, bringing my mouth to her ear.
"How about you sleep at my apartment tonight? You'll need five minutes in the morning. It's convenient for you.”
This wasn't the only reason I was asking her. I wanted her with me all night.
She turned around slowly as her head tilted to one side. "Oh, I could sleep more."
"That's the only reason you’re saying yes?"
"I might have a few others, but I have to keep my air of mystery. Besides, I'm still considering it," she said in a teasing tone.
I touched her cheek, pressing my thumb to the corner of her mouth. "So you’re mine for at least one more hour?”
"One hour," she whispered.
We waited until Joseph was done with the couple that had just stepped out of the boat before paying for one hour. He gave us the boat the couple had vacated. It was a Tiara that could seat up to six people. The cockpit area had glass in front of it, but it wasn’t covered, so if it rained, we’d get drenched. There was a seat next to the driver and a bench in the back. It looked comfortable enough.
I walked onto it first, then held Mel's hand while she stepped on the edge and then on the bench in the center. She bounced precariously, and her bag nearly slid off her shoulder. She clutched it tightly with her free hand.
“Whoa.”
“You’re good. I’ve got you,” I said as she sat down on the seat next to the driver. Joseph walked us through safety measures and insisted we put on life preservers. After that, he explained we had enough time to drive to the Statue of Liberty.
Mel clapped her hands. “That would be awesome.”
“Then we have our course,” I said, maneuvering the wheel to the right.
Mel looked around with a huge smile. She lit up when she was happy. "This is so cool. I've never seen the city lights from the water."
"Neither have I," I admitted.
"I kind of thought we wouldn't see anything in the dark. I wonder how it looks during the day."
"We can come back once during the day."
She looked at me with wide eyes and raised brows.
Why was she so surprised? I wanted to please her.
"You, sir, are a bit dangerous to me. You make my dad laugh. And now you want to give me boat tours through the city."
"Is that a problem?" I asked.
She lowered her gaze to the water, then looked back up at me. I knew what she was thinking—what she didn't want to say out loud. This wasn't what we agreed on, but I didn't particularly care. It felt good, and I didn't want to throw it away.
She sat on the chair next to the driver seat while I steered the wheel. The city lights were beautiful, as was Ellis Island straight in front of us. The water was calm tonight.
Standing up, she held her phone for a selfie. We both smiled into it. The skyscrapers were huge behind us, with the flickering lights casting a glow in the picture. It contrasted starkly with the image in front—water surrounded us everywhere, with the lights around Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty piercing the darkness. The air smelled salty—even fishy.
“Is it more difficult steering a boat than a car?” she asked after a while.
“No, it’s easier. I’m feeling very warm for some reason.”
>
“I suggest you roll up those sleeves.”
“Why? Won’t make a difference.”
“Oh no. That’s entirely for my benefit. Eye candy and all that.”
I rolled each of the sleeves.
“I love those forearms. They’re my kryptonite.”
“Good to know.” After a while, as we passed by Ellis Island, I said, “This is the most relaxed I’ve been since moving to the city,” I said when we passed by Ellis Island.
“Happy to hear that. Project Z is taking a toll on you, isn’t it?”
“We didn’t need the additional workload.”
“I admire you for taking this on,” she said, surprising the hell out of me.
“Most of the people outside my family think Ian and I are insane.”
“Well, I don’t. It’s one of the things that made me rethink my resolution. Though your kissing skills played a role too.”
“I like what I’m hearing,” I said with a laugh, steering the wheel with one hand so I could half turn to look at her.
She crossed her legs, and those perfectly toned calves were driving me crazy. She slid lower on the seat, looking up at the sky.
“I’ve never learned the constellations, but it’s not like you see too many stars in New York.”
“Dad taught me a few constellations, but I don’t remember them. We used to go fishing and camp a lot when Ian and I were kids.”
“Are you younger or older than Ian?”
“Older. He used to drive me crazy when we were kids before he started hero-worshiping me and tried to copy everything I was doing. Then when I was at the end of high school, he decided to be completely different. It was hilarious.”
“And now?”
“Now he’s my best friend,” I replied.
“Seemed that way. I always wanted siblings, but Dad never got serious with a woman. He never even told me when he was dating someone. I wish he’d found someone, because he’s lonely, even with all his activities and Buddy. By the way, did you give any more thought to adopting a dog for yourself?”
I shook my head. “It really wouldn’t be fair to the animal. I wouldn’t even have time to take it out for a walk every day.”
“Hmm... but you seemed so happy with the puppy around.”
“That was all you, Mel. Trust me.”
We were close to the Statue of Liberty now, and I had to admit it was quite a sight at night.
“This is gorgeous,” she whispered. “It looks magical with all these lights around it.”
I circled it twice at a speed that was low enough for us to take in the sight but fast enough to cut through the waves.
She licked her lips, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Her short skirt had hiked up to mid-thigh, and all I wanted was to explore her body. But I planned to wait until we got home for that. I wasn’t going to have her on this damn boat.
“Eyes up, mister,” she said in a playful tone. “This is not the time to check me out.”
“Every time is the right time to check you out,” I said seriously.
She swallowed hard. I nearly let go of the steering wheel to lean over and claim her mouth.
“We don’t want any accidents, do we?” she asked.
“No, we don’t.”
I sped back toward North Cove. We were silent on the way, taking in our surroundings. The salty air was making me thirsty, but I didn’t have any water. We reached the docks a few minutes later, and Joseph wasn’t in sight.
"Let’s wait for Joseph to come and stabilize the boat before we get out."
"Sure." She rose to her feet, looking around. “Where did I put my bag? Oh, here it is.”
She walked to the back of the boat, picking it up from the bench, but then it slid between her fingers, falling on the edge with a thud before slipping down in the water.
“Shit.” She leaned overboard.
"Mel, careful. Don't bend too—”
Splash.
She fell into the water.
I dove in after her, instantly feeling the cold water engulf my skin. One second later, my lungs started protesting.
“Holy shit," Mel exclaimed.
"Mel, are you okay? Do you know how to swim?"
We both had life vests on, but seawater was tricky.
"Yeah, I know how to swim, but the water is cold." Her teeth started to chatter.
"Are you two okay?" Joseph asked, sounding bored. I guess we weren't the only idiots to fall into the water.
"We're just cold,” I replied. “Help her out, okay, man?"
“There’s a staircase on this side of the dock.” He pointed to the right, and we both swam in that direction.
At the staircase, Joseph took Mel’s hand, pulling her out of the water while I pushed myself up on my own. I immediately got to my feet, inspecting Mel.
“I’ll go fish out your suit jacket,” Joseph said, heading back to the boat.
Mel laughed. "Well, this is unexpected."
"Come on. We’ll feel better after a hot shower."
"If I didn’t know better, I'd think you did this on purpose to make sure I come with you."
"You’re the one who lost her balance looking for your bag," I reminded her.
She groaned. "Oh, my bag." She looked out at the water. “I'm guessing it's at the bottom. Or it’ll wash out of the city tomorrow."
“Let’s see if Joseph fished it out of the water along with my suit jacket.”
She was shivering, so I put an arm around her shoulders. Not that it helped much since I was drenched too.
“Joseph, did you find a bag too?” she asked.
He shook his head, holding up my jacket. “Nah, this is all. Bags usually sink right away. They’re heavier.”
I took the jacket, checking the pockets. My phone was in there—probably dead. My wallet was also still inside—ruined too, I was sure of it.
"Did you have anything valuable in your bag?"
"Only my phone and my wallet with my ID. Oh, and the keys to my apartment, but I keep another set of keys at the gym in case I lock myself out. Nothing that can't be replaced, I guess."
“Looks like I’ll have to replace everything too,” I said.
She laughed again but was shivering even more now.
“Come on. Let's go before you catch a cold. Can you break into a run?”
“In these shoes? Not really. But I’ll try.”
Chapter Sixteen
Dylan
We ran as fast as possible to my building. The doorman’s eyes bulged when he saw us.
I led Mel to the elevator. Holding a hand to the small of her back, I ushered her in, where we met two neighbors. They stared at us with their mouths wide open. No wonder, since we were dripping with water. Mel was pressing her lips together, clearly trying to hold back a smile. I was trying too, because the whole situation was hilarious.
When we reached the seventh floor, I noticed the puddle we’d left in the elevator when we got out. Our shoes were squeaking as we approached my unit, where I unlocked my door.
"Come on, let's go straight to the bathroom," I said as we took off our shoes in the foyer.
"Yes, please." Even though the guest bathroom was closer, I wanted us to go to the one in the master bedroom. It was bigger.
Opening the door to the bathroom, I started undoing the buttons of my shirt. Mel began to disrobe as well. She took off her shirt, then pushed down her skirt. The teeth chattering was worse, so I started the hot water, and we stood under it without saying anything. It was scalding hot, but it still took us a few minutes to warm up. Only when the bathroom was full of steam did I turn it off.
"Now that's better," Mel said. Her lips had been blue before, but now they were back to that delicious tempting pink.
I couldn't help but drink her in. Fuck, she was beautiful, and I was the luckiest guy in the world that she was here with me. I pulled her flat against me, kissing her hard, pressing her against the tiles. She moaned against my mouth, lacing her hands at the
back of my neck, pulling me even closer. I was addicted to her. I had no idea how it had happened, but I was.
She smiled, pulling back. "Now, this is so much more efficient than the shower. We should have started with this," she said in a sassy tone, making me laugh.
"We can continue with this."
"Yeah, it's warming me up much faster than the water did."
We stepped out of the shower, and I handed her a towel before wrapping one around myself.
She looked at me, cocking a brow. "Do you have a bigger towel? This is just going to cover one boob." She put the towel around her to demonstrate her point. It was true. It was too small to cover the whole of her; it covered either her upper body or her lower body. Since I only used a towel to dry off and never wrapped them around me, I only had small ones.
"I don't have anything bigger, but I can give you two towels."
"Okay," she said reluctantly, wrapping the first towel around her lower body and the second one around her upper body.
"I feel like a mummy. This is ridiculous," she said.
Glancing at the pile of wet clothes on the floor, she wrinkled her nose.
"Do you have a dryer?”
"Yeah, it's in the guest bathroom."
"Okay, I'm going to have to put them in right away. Otherwise, I won't have anything to wear tomorrow." She bent at the waist to pick up the clothes. The towel around her lower body fell to the floor, revealing that perfect ass. It drove me insane. I had no idea how I could want this woman all the time with such intensity.
I went closer to her, patting her ass cheeks. She startled, losing her balance and pressing her ass right against my cock.
I groaned. "Mel, fuck."
She stood immediately, turning to face me. "I didn't mean to do that.”
“It turned me on anyway."
She grinned. "Everything turns you on."
“No, not everything, Mel. Just you, only you, all the fucking time."
Her eyes widened. "The dryer," she reminded me, wrapping the towel around herself again.
"Yeah, come on." I picked up my clothes and then led her to the guest bathroom.
