Page 91 of Wicked Dares
“I can stay with Alexis until I find a new apartment.”
“Nope. Not necessary, because you’re staying with me. The contract says so, which means this isn’t up for discussion.”
“Oh my gosh. You’re going to be the death of me.”
He rests his hands on my shoulders and shakes his head. “No. I’m making sure you don’t die.”
Heat blooms through me at the quiet conviction in his voice.
“Now grab a seat and enjoy the sun. We’re gonna be out here all day.”
“All day?”
“All day, babe. All day.”
He smiles and does his habitual faux kiss—two fingers pressed to his lips before tapping them gently against mine.
With a wink, he backs away and returns to the helm.
I realize I’m trapped on a yacht with the most dangerously persuasive man I’ve ever met.
And honestly… it doesn’t feel so bad.
Chapter Twenty
PIPER
We’re so far out, there’s nothing but water around me now. Not a sign of land in sight.
I settle onto one of the cushioned benches near the middle of the deck and tuck my legs beneath me, trying not to stare at Levi too much while he moves around the boat.
It’s hard not to when he looks like a walking fantasy.
The wind pushes through his dark hair while he moves confidently, adjusting ropes and checking things I don’t understand. Every so often, he glances up toward the sails overhead like he’s reading something written in the sky.
I watch him loosen one rope slightly before securing it again before he nods to himself.
“What exactly are you doing?” I finally ask.
Levi looks over at me with a faint smile. “Trying to stop us from ending up stranded in the Atlantic.”
I snort softly. “Comforting.”
He laughs under his breath and walks toward me. “The sails catch the wind differently depending on the direction we’re moving.” He gestures upward toward the massive white sailsabove me. “Too much tension, and they fight the wind. Too little, and they lose power. Each rope has a different function.”
I follow his gaze. There are a lot of ropes. “I never knew that.”
His mouth twitches. “You get to know them the longer you sail.”
“How long has it been for you?” He moves around like he was born out here.
“All my life.”
I wasn’t far off.
“That’s a long time.”
He tugs on the rope. “Yeah. It’s practically second nature to me. I used to do it all the time. Now it’s once a month. Sometimes twice.”
