Page 176 of Risky Obsession
Every time I walked onboard, I had to pinch myself.
I parked my car, and the wind whipped through my hair as I strolled along the pontoons toward his yacht. I leaped onto the deck, and my heart thundered in my chest as I searched for him. He wouldn’t be expecting me this early. “Kane,” I called as I strolled through the entertaining area.
He strode from the passageway. “Hey, I hope this means everything is okay?”
I raced into his arms, and he pulled me tight against his chest. “Yes. It’s over.” I buried my face in his chest. “We’re free of all the crimes, and I can keep my job.”
He tightened his arms around me. “That’s great news, though I was never worried.”
“There’s more,” I said, leaning back to look up at him. “For the first time in my life, I’ve taken a month off work.”
“You have? What happened to always moving forward?”
I chuckled. “Well, that wasn’t really doing it for me, so I thought I’d try something different.”
His face lit up. “Then we need to go now before you change your mind.”
He clutched my hand and led me to the bridge. As he guidedDevil’s Fortuneaway from the dock, it was like I was finally leaving behind my years of guilt and shame.
We were like two giddy teenagers sneaking away on a first date, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Kane kept grinning at me, too, and it was like he could feel my relief. Or maybe he, too, felt like the shadows of his past wouldn’t feature in his present again.
The wind streaming through the open window tousled my hair and as Kane navigated through the clear waters, the weight of the past few weeks lifted, and a wonderful sense of freedom took its place. Kane increased the speed and unable to contain my curiosity, I asked, “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere special.” His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.
As the setting sun painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange, pink, and purple, he turned down the engine. On one side ofDevil’s Fortunewas a vast expanse of water that stretched to the darkening horizon. The other side had a small island with a lighthouse.
I frowned. The lighthouse didn’t look in good shape.
Kane turned off the engine, and a thumping noise confirmed he’d dropped the anchors.
“Where are we?” I nodded toward the island.
“That’s Kangaroo Island.” He clutched my hand and led me out to the side deck, so we had a better view. “Do you know the history behind this island?”
“Was this the place where all those people got killed when they were trying to make a movie?” I recalled seeing the missing persons poster for the lead actor.
“That’s the one.”
“The actor, Neon Bloom, went missing.”
“Yes. The luxury resort over there went broke, and the island has been abandoned for so long that the plants have taken over every building.”
“Is this where you come when you need to escape the world?”
He nodded. “I like the peace here. But the demise of this resort proves that no matter how much money you have, things can still go to shit.”
A thatched building was barely visible through the thick trees, but a field of pomegranate-colored flowers covered the roof.
“You know what I see?” I asked
He frowned. “What?”
“I see those beautiful flowers.” I pointed to the vibrant blossoms. “That proves that no matter how far your world crumbles, there is always some beauty around you. You just need to find it.”
He cupped my cheek, guiding my eyes to his. “You’re the beauty around me.” He caressed my cheek with his thumb as he leaned in and brushed his lips to mine.
His kiss was so tender as he pulled me closer. The gentle lapping of waves against the hull and the distant cries of seabirds provided a soothing soundtrack to this glorious moment and my heart swelled to bursting.