Page 75 of Love on the Rocks
“Thanks for bringing him back. He’s not used to drinking in excess, despite his line of work.” She wrapped her arm around Jake’s waist.
“You look like a cute little pumpkin,” he said sliding his hand over her stomach. “Did I do that?”
“I sure hope so.” She laughed as she led him inside.
Callie narrowed her eyes at me. “You don’t seem drunk.”
“Seem being the operative word.” I leaned heavily against the door and hiccupped.
“Okay, I take it back. Good night.” She turned me around by the shoulders and gave me a gentle push.
“What, no good night kiss?” I asked.
“In your dreams,” came her voice from behind the closed door.
* * *
The next day, I stayed away, reasoning that she might prefer to be by herself. But as the sun began to set, I spotted her alone on her terrace and figured she probably could use something to distract her.
I hopped in my boat and puttered over. The evening was still warm, the sea calm. The sky was cranberry, purple, and orange like an electric fever dream.
She crossed her arms when she saw me. The sleeves of her dark blue dress fell back to reveal smooth skin. She was barefoot with her hair down in loose waves around her shoulders. Her eyes were hidden under dark glasses despite the setting sun, making it impossible to read her. “You again.”
“I thought you might want some company,” I said, pulling up closer to her dock. “Plus, I promised to show you the sea urchins.”
“Right. How could I have forgotten?”
“Ah, come on, they’ll go perfectly with this.” I held up a bottle of Stamatis’s sparkling white that I had in a cooler.
“Well, now you’ve convinced me.” She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and stepped down to the water’s edge. For the first time, when I reached my hand out, she didn’t draw back.
She brushed against me as she sat on the bench, and her hair smelled like the jasmine blooming in my garden. “Okay, captain, I’m ready.”
I hit the motor and steered toward our cove. Funny how I’d come to think of it that way.
Once there, I angled the boat near the rocks where the mollusks clung to the stones and dropped anchor. Rifling through my utility box, I found a net and gloves. I kicked off my shoes and then pulled my T-shirt over my head, enjoying her eyes on me as they skimmed down my naked torso.
“A striptease is part of the program?” Her lip turned up at the corner.
“Sure,” I said as I undid my belt buckle.
“Wait, wait. You need to open that bottle and pour me a glass before you continue.” She gestured toward the ice box.
“As you wish,asteri mou.” She rolled her eyes like she always did when I used Angelos’s nickname for Mia. I uncorked the bottle and poured her a glass.
She took a sip and leaned back. “You may continue.”
When I dropped my pants, she spit out her drink, doubled over laughing. Not exactly the reaction I was expecting. “What?”
“You’re wearing Dolce & Gabbana underwear! With gold embroidery!” Her shoulders shook. “You are not allowed to comment on my designer clothes anymore, you hypocrite.”
I crossed my arms and waited for her to come up for air. “Are you finished now? I’ll have you know these were a Christmas gift from my grandmother.”
She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. “Oh my God, even better!”
“All right, I’ll let you get control of yourself while I do the serious work. Unless you want to swim out there too?” I gestured at the rocks.
“No swimming for me tonight. I’ll just wait here and enjoy the view.” She leaned back on her elbow and let her eyes skim down my body again. I was getting hard already, so I took a deep breath and dove into the sea.
