So when he calls his team to bring us his sailboat, I climb on, no questions asked.
We are as safe as humanly possible. Kai has her entire team out on boats surrounding and protecting us, but it still feels strange to be on a boat by ourselves.
I sit on the side of the boat as I watch Langston work, pulling on ropes and getting the sail into the position he wants. At one point, he loses his shirt, giving me an exquisite view of his rippling muscles.
Finally, he must be satisfied with the work he’s done on the sail. He reaches into a cooler and pulls out a bottle of champagne and a couple of flutes.
“Come here,” he says, sitting and patting the spot in front of his lap.
My stomach does a little flip as I sit in his lap. If he were truly mine, then sitting between his legs under the stars while we sip champagne would be the most romantic thing in the world. Despite the fact that we are legally married, despite the fact that we care deeply for each other, have said that we belong to each other, it’s not true.
He’s not mine.
I repeat those words to myself as I lean back against his bare chest.
He hands me a glass of champagne, which I take, even though I don’t want any alcohol tonight. I have a feeling I’ll be replaying this night forever in my head, and I don’t want to forget a single detail.
His arms wrap around my stomach, pulling me tighter against his chest until we can both look up at the stars.
Then Langston starts softly singing John Legend’s ‘All of Me.’ My heart stops beating as he sings the first verse, wondering what’s going on in my mind. Next, my breathing stops as he nears the chorus. I wait to hear the words I’ve been dying to hear from him since I was seventeen, maybe even longer.
“…hates all of you,” he sings, changing the lyrics.
I chuckle. It’s what the moment needs, but god, does it sting to not hear him sing the one word that’s missing from my life.
But if he were to say he loves me, it will end up killing him. It’s for the best.
Tell that to my lovesick heart.
He continues to sing the rest of the song, and every time he says ‘hate’ instead of ‘love,’ I wince. He must notice, but he doesn’t say anything.
Finally, when my heart can’t take anymore, I get up from his lap and walk to the other end of the boat. Maybe I should have drunk some of that champagne after all?
“You okay?” Langston asks.
I nod, not trusting my voice.
His hand slides up and down my back. “You’re tense. How about a soak in the tub and massage?”
I nod again.
I feel his breath on my neck; I hiss because he feels so good without even touching me. I can’t fight giving him my heart anymore. It’s his—it’s always been his. Now to decide if it’s fair to tell him or not.
He walks away from me, removing the cover of the hot tub. He presses a button to turn it on, and bubbles come to life.
I smile. Only Langston would have a sailboat with a hot tub on the top deck.
Silently, he walks back to me. We haven’t spoken much since he sang his song. He grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it up and over my body. Then he moves to my pants, taking his time sliding them down my body until I’m in nothing but boxers from the plane.
He sucks in a breath as his eyes rake over my bare chest. He hooks his fingers into the waistband and pushes them down too.
“Are you going undress me, or do I have to do that too?” he asks with a smirk.
“You seem to be doing a pretty good job yourself.”
His grin turns vicious. He shoves his pants and boxers down in one push before yanking us backward into the hot tub.
The water engulfs us, warmth soothing my aching muscles, but his body against mine is cruel. I want him forever, instead of just this one fairytale of a day.