Page 80 of Of the Stars and Sea

Water falls from the line of his jaw as he smiles widely. “I believe that may have been the first one I’ve ever heard uttered from his lips.” Grayson presses a kiss to my forehead.

“So, I should feel honored?” I scowl, still not ready to give the bastard an inch after the shit he pulled the last time we stood upon this deck together.

“You’ll both come around in your own time. I only ask that you give him a chance.”

Arching a brow, I lean into him, feeling the weight of my fatigue take hold.

Grayson’s brows pinch together. “We can argue about this another time. We need to get you back into bed.”

“But we haven’t made it out of the storm yet,” I protest and try to stand up on my own without leaning into him to steady me. My knees crumple and Grayson catches me, lifting me up from under my arms. I bunch my hands into fists around the center of his tunic; water seeps out, spilling over my hands to join the rest of the rain water falling across our bodies.

“Little Pearl, if you think I can’t navigate my own ship out of a storm, then you wound me most severely.”

I stare at him. Realization dawning. “You only brought me up here because you knew I would throw a fit if you didn’t. You didn’t care about my advice at all.”

A threatening growl emanates from his throat. “We can talk about this downstairs. In the cabin. Where it’s dry.”

“No.” I move to cross my arms, then think better of it as another swell rocks theCaelestiafrom side to side. “We can talk about it right here.”

“Do I really need to toss you over my shoulder again?” he threatens.

I narrow my gaze on him. “It’s too risky. You wouldn’t put my life in danger just to prove a point.”

His scowl deepens and I know I’ve got him cornered. “Do I value your input as a captain? Yes, I do. You are a brilliant navigator and right now, a giant pain in my ass. But to answer your question truthfully, no, I did notneedyour advice to navigate around the twisters. Though, I did find your input to be thoughtful and courageous. Most captains I know would have frozen in the face of what we just endured.” He tugs me closer and I don’t pull away. “There’s nothing wrong with giving someone what they need.”

“And you think I needed to be the one to get us through that?”

His hand moves up to cup the side of my face. His voice lowers as he says, “I think you needed to feel like you were in control of your own fate after what happened on that beach.”

His words clang around my mind as I think back to that moment when the lightning barreled toward me and I was certain the bright white light signified my ending. Buthehad been there. Grayson saw the strike coming for me and he refused to let that be my end. While I just stood there, helpless. Then thesame thing happened again when I jumped from the longboat and the freezing cold water ripped away any sense to survive. I was going to let fear win. I was going to let myself sink to the bottom of the ocean and let that watery grave be my end.

But he was there again.

In the face of losing me, Grayson laughed and damned fate to the hells. He did not waver. He did not let the cruelty of this world win.

Both times, he reached out and took what he wanted.

And maybe he’s right. Maybe I want—no,need—to regain control over my own life. Maybe that’s why I risked everything when I asked my crew to help me steal the Serpent’s Key.

“Thank you.” The words brush past my cold lips.

“For what?” Bending his knees, he braces us for the next wave.

“For knowing what I needed before I did—and then allowing me to have it. I don’t understand what’s happening between us, but I’m . . .” I trail off, not quite sure what to say, because words don’t seem to be enough.

“I know.” Closing his eyes, he brings his forehead down to mine. “I have wished upon every star in the heavens to find you. Now that I have, I will never let you go.”

Grasping onto his forearm with one hand, I move my other over his chest, letting loose a long breath when I feel his heart beat beneath my palm.

“And what if I wish to go?”

His chest vibrates as he hums.

“Then I shall watch you from a distance, praying that you might find your way back to me.”

Chapter 20

“Good morning,” Grayson says as I stretch my arms overhead and shift to face him.