“On you,” I stated the obvious. “The unknown depths of the ocean? Did you not see Jaws?”
She rolled her eyes at me and bent her head to kiss me. “I’ll protect you.”
“From a genetically engineered shark? I think I’ll pass.” I was actually willing to try scuba diving, but I still wanted her to go skydiving with me.
“Fair point, but at least we’d go together. That’d be something. The dolphin that got eaten by the genetically engineered shark with that girl who was about to take the bar.” Her eyes crinkled as she laughed.
I tucked her hair behind her ear and planted a kiss on her collarbone. “You are so much more than the ‘girl who was about to take the bar.’ If they made a movie about our untimely, grisly demise, the girl who plays you would be the main character.”
She punched my arm and rolled off of me. “Gee, thanks. While you’re thinking about scuba diving, wanna give me another go at the jet skis?”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you sure that you’re ready to face that level of defeat again?”
“Oh, I plan on schooling your ass this time, Mr. Skye.” She brushed the sand off her body as she stood. Her ass jiggled in the most delicious way. Blood surged to my cock.
That motel beckoned to me again, but first, we were going to hit play on the race she’d paused the first time that we’d gone jet skiing. “Are you now? I’d like to see you try, Ms. Ralls.”
She ran all the way to the man renting the jet skis, gestured to me, accepted her life jacket, and then mounted her jet ski with the expertise that she’d shown the last time. She gunned the throttle before I’d made a single move towards the stand.
I stood watching her for a second, transfixed by her. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, then jogged to grab my own life jacket and jet ski.
She shrieked as I came up behind her. “Motherfucker, how are you so fast?”
“I have many hidden talents that I’d be willing to demonstrate for you. For instance, did you know that I can juggle?” Her jaw dropped at the exact moment that I spun and raised my prop to send a shower of water over her.
“You asshole,” she sputtered as she laughed.
She took off, her delicate wrist pulling the throttle all the way back. The jet ski skidded on the wake of an incoming ski boat, and she lost control, flying into the air and landing with hardly a splash in the water.
My heart pounded in my chest as I raced over. I couldn’t breathe. My mind swirled until I saw her curls break water. She laughed and swam toward her jet ski. It had cut out when she’d been flung from it.
I angled to her carefully, not wanting to make any extra waves for her to deal with. Worry clouded my vision. I couldn’t think straight. She looked fine, but I wouldn’t believe it until I heard her say it. “You okay, Gabbi?”
“I’m fine, babe. Really, the wake just caught me off guard. Don’t worry about it.” Icy fingers clutched at my heart as she called me babe. It just seemed so easy. I knew I should not be feeling these kinds of things. Especially not with Gabrielle.
We played around for another hour or so before I decided that it was time to break for lunch.
“Only if it means that we’re even,” she insisted.
I was miles ahead, and she knew it, but I was willing to let it go for her. This one time. My competitive side groaned, and I pushed it down. “Okay, but then we’re having lunch where I want.”
I hadn’t taken her to the Spanish place yet, and it was only a short walk up the beach from where we were.
“Fine, your pick for lunch, but you better make it good.” She took off and beached her jet ski with expert precision.
“Don’t I always?” I muttered to myself and took off after her.
The Spanish place was exactly as my teammate had described it, and it didn’t disappoint.
Gabrielle clapped her hands together as she inspected the platter of tapas that the server placed on our table. “This looks divine!”
“I thought that you might like it.” I smirked and gave myself a mental pat on the back.
She sampled some of the cold meats from the platter. Her eyes lit up, then fluttered closed. I loved that she appreciated good food the same way that I did and that she didn’t give a damn about pigging out in front me.
“You have to try that one,” she said. “It’s delicious.”
She dove into the rest, trying everything at least once, and spouted off random facts about the different tapas that she had learned from her mother.