Page 99 of The Billionaires' Gamble

“Sure is.”

Years ago, we went for a sunset swim, and I remember looking at her just like now.

Heart in my throat.

Emotions overflowing.

Tongue-tied and frustrated with our timing.

Miraculously, we’re past all that.

“I love you,” I tell her.

The words fall so freely and easily from my lips now. It feels like I’ve been reborn. Like a weight has been lifted from my chest. I can’t stop giving voice to the things rattling around in my head. Practice makes perfect and all that.

She shoots me a serene smile that reaches her eyes. “I love you too.” Glancing back at the vivid sunset, the red, orange and pink glow paints her skin. Bittersweet relief fills me. I’d worried that she wouldn’t be able to stomach being on a boat again after the trauma she’d experienced at her mother’s hand.

Aside from an occasional double-take at the ocean, she’s rallied.

That’s really the story of Katherine Montgomery. When all is said and done and the story of her life is written, the overarching theme will be how she routinely overcame any adversity in her path. Everyone has their own struggles, mountains to climb, I guess. But I’ve always been impressed with how she’s kept her chin up when the hits kept coming.

Grabbing her hand, I tug her toward my sailboat. “Hungry?”

“Mhmm.”

Even though the day is winding down, I feel refreshed, invigorated even, and at the same time, famished.

She rests her hands on my shoulders as I hold on to the ladder, keeping us afloat. Behind us, a boat built for offense and speed sits idle, full of bodyguards with binoculars. Watching. Waiting. That was Alex’s requirement, and what helps him breathe easier, surprisingly, does the same for me, too.

We’re tucked just off the beaten path, close enough to enjoy the view of the picturesque little town. Blessedly, no one has recognized us on our trips to shore. The locals only care that we enjoy ourselves and pay our bills.

“We need a bigger boat,” I muse.

“I’d settle for access to my closet.”

With an arm around her waist, I pull her tight to me, trailing kisses down her neck and across her shoulder. “I’m happy to take you shopping.”

She nuzzles my cheek, melting against me, as the salty ocean water laps at our skin. “I know. I just meant… my closet. It feels like I’ve been living out of suitcases for weeks.”

Ahh. She’s being serious, so I sober and wait for her to finish.

“Which I know, how awful for me. Boo-hoo. But it’s like as soon as I start feeling settled, I’m leaving behind another set of clothes and toiletries and—” She pauses, reconsidering her words. “Just ignore me.”

“Never.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “You don’t have to apologize for your feelings. We’re not doing that anymore, remember?”

She pulls back, gaze roaming my face. “I don’t know if I can handle this mature, enlightened version of you.”

“You handle me just fine.”

She smirks, and I retrace my words.

Inside, I chuckle. My god, she’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met, and I can’t believe that I finally get to hold her like this. Regal, educated, kind when it counts, with a mind dirty as my own. How lucky am I? “Come on. Let’s get something to eat.”

She climbs up the ladder in front of me, and I try not to drool over her ass. I really do. But I’m only so strong.

Onboard, she grabs a towel and wraps it around her torso before heading below. I feel a hot gaze on my back and glance over my left shoulder. Paradise is all around, and yet the bodyguard has been a dark cloud since he boarded the plane. Carpenter, he said his name was. And while he’s not currently doing anything particularly untrustworthy, I’ve got a bad feeling.

If I learned any lesson this week, it’s to trust my gut.