Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
As the boat rocks gently beneath us, I realize I’d spend every penny of what I have to keep seeing that look on her face. The one that says she’s afraid, excited, and completely alive all at once.
“To your left,” Pierre says, and we turn to look. Sure enough, three dolphins are swimming next to us.
“That’s amazing!” Eden turns so she can get a better look, but she never moves from my lap. We float for another five minutes or so, and she’s radiating excitement.
“You want to get a closer look?” I ask her.
“Will you come with me?”
“Try to stop me.” I smile. She nods, stands, and takes my hand, pulling me closer to the railing on the boat. I wrap my arms around her because I can sense her hesitation. “You can go closer,” I tell her.
“No, I’m good here,” she says, placing her hands over mine and gripping them tightly. I feel a slight tremble in her touch, but that doesn’t stop her.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispers.
“You’re beautiful,” I tell her softly. I don’t know who I am right now. I’ve never been this guy. The one who is constantly touching and kissing my girl. I was never like that with Violet, at least not in public. With Eden, I’ve come to realize it’s not really a choice. My body reacts before I can think better of it. I need her close to me all the time, and that smile of hers… fuck me, that smile lights me up inside.
We’re sitting at a beachfront restaurant after our dolphin tour, grabbing lunch, when her phone rings. “It’s Carrie,” she says, eyes wide.
“Answer it. We’re just waiting on our food.”
“I didn’t tell her that we were coming here. I wasn’t sure what I was allowed to say.”
“You tell her you’re with me, and we’re on vacation. You tell her you got to see the ocean and the dolphins, and anything else you want to tell her.”
“I don’t want to betray your trust or your privacy, Foster.”
“Eden, babe, we’re here together. I can’t keep my hands off you. I’m sure we’ve already been photographed. I don’t give a fuck. You’re here with me. That’s where I want you, and I hope this is where you want to be.”
“My job.” She worries her bottom lip.
“We’ll handle it. Together. Now, answer the call before it goes to voicemail. Do you need to step away for some privacy?” I ask her, nodding toward the beach.
“No.” She shakes her head and answers the call. “Hey, Care,” she says, her eyes finding mine, with a broad, yet worried smile. “I’m actually in Florida,” she replies to whatever her friend asks her. “Yeah, Foster and I decided to take a little vacation to see the ocean.” She pauses. “Yeah, together,” she answers, her eyes finding mine.
I can’t hear what Carrie is saying, but hearing her say we’re together, I don’t hate it. I pause, letting her words creep into my chest, and wait. Nothing. No panic, no itching sensation to be anywhere but here. I just feel… content. I clear my throat and look out over the blue waters. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt content in my entire life. I love being on the field. I enjoy hanging with the guys and their families. But this overwhelming sensation that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be? That’s new.
“So much fun,” she says as I tune back into their conversation. “I can’t wait to tell you all about it when we get home.”
Home.
My place feels more like a home than ever before when she’s there.
“I think we’re here for a few more days,” she answers.
“We fly home Friday,” I whisper.
“Friday,” she amends. “Foster said we fly home on Friday.” She listens, and her cheeks don’t just turn pink. They turn beet red. “Oh, um, I don’t know if it’s a meet-the-friends kind of thing,” she whispers, obviously embarrassed by her best friend’s request to meet the man she flew to another state with without telling her.
Do I want to meet her best friend? The only person in this world she considers family? Do I want her to meet mine? I can’t answer that, but I can admit that the idea doesn’t scare me away.
“Okay. I’ll check in every day,” she says, laughing softly. “Love you, too. Bye,” she says, ending the call. “Sorry about that. She’s protective.”
“Good. I’m glad that you have her looking out for you.”
She nods. “She’s my family.”
I open my mouth to ask her if she wants me to meet Carrie and her family, but our waiter appears with our food. Instead, we both dive into our meals, and the conversation moves to what’s next on our agenda today.
“I think I just want to relax. Maybe walk the beach a little?” Eden suggests.
“Sure, we can do that. Why don’t we take a drive up the coast a little, and we can find somewhere to have dinner, then we can walk the beach when we get back?”