Gull Harbor (26 page)

“This
is
a nice surprise,” Claire said, drinking in the serene surroundings. “It’s such a pretty place for an after-dinner walk. And the fact that I
can
walk, with no pain, makes it even better.”

He smiled down at her, a glimmer of concern in his eyes. “You’re sure we’re not pushing it?”

She shook her head firmly. Her hamstring muscles no longer throbbed under exertion—only a small twinge every once and a while reminded her it was still healing.

“Okay,” he said. “But the walk isn’t the surprise.” He steered her left, down a smaller pier, nodding at an older couple as they passed. They reached the end of the pier, and he gestured toward a large boat resting in the last slip. “That’s the surprise. Will you accompany me on a sunset cruise?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Does this belong to you?”

He laughed. “I wish, but, no. The
Wave Dancer
belongs to a friend of mine. But he lets me borrow it on occasion.” Max pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and twirled them around his finger.

“Wait a second,” she said, lifting her eyebrows anxiously. “
You’re
going to drive this enormous boat?”

He stared at her, a wounded expression on his handsome face. “Let me get this straight. You’ve spent the summer living in a haunted house, fended off a killer in the woods, but what makes you nervous is the idea of me driving a boat?”

She giggled. “Sorry. I’m used to dealing with ghosts. I haven’t been out on a boat since…well, I can’t even remember the last time.”

He drew her over to the side of the boat and helped her climb aboard. “You’ve been a resident of the Cape for eight weeks now, by my count. That pretty much makes a boat ride a requirement. And I assure you, I know what I’m doing. I even took a class, if that makes you feel better.”

Taking a deep breath, she watched him release the lines from the metal cleats attached to the dock. His movements were sure as he started the engine and began backing the boat out. Once they were free of the slip, he shifted into idle to pull the fenders in with quick efficiency.

The tension began to leave her body, and she pushed herself off one of the padded benches and joined him at the helm. “Okay, I’m officially impressed. Just how big is this boat?”

“Thirty-two feet,” he replied, checking the control panel. “Nice, huh?”

“Very,” she agreed, perching on the captain’s seat next to him.

They puttered through the no-wake zone, admiring the houses along the water. When they passed the last buoy, he turned toward her, a boyish grin on his face. “Hang on tight, I’m going to open her up.”

Claire wrapped her fingers around the metal bar in front of her and braced her bare feet against the fiberglass partition. She was just noticing the little doorway that led below deck when the boat began to pick up speed. Suddenly they were flying, bouncing along the surface of the water as the spray flew up around them.

She gripped the bar with one hand, holding her hair back with the other. The shoreline faded into the distance as they headed into the open ocean. Eventually he slowed them down, cutting the engine and setting the anchor.

He pulled her into his arms as the boat rocked with the current. “There’s more to the surprise,” he said, releasing her and levering the door to the cabin.

She peered down, squinting in the fading light. There were more benches, with a table fastened in the center, and a tiny bathroom to the right, she noted with relief. A small counter and sink lined the left side of the cabin. Max produced two crystal champagne glasses from an overhead compartment, handing them up to her with flourish. A bottle of champagne rested in an ice bucket in the sink, and he lifted it out and followed her up the step.

“Wow. Are we celebrating?”

“We are,” he answered, expertly popping the cork. He filled their glasses and held his up. “To my beautiful girlfriend, whose persistence, talent, and courage allowed her to save a lost soul. I’m thankful for your recovery, for your forgiveness, and mostly I’m thankful to have you back in my life.” He clinked their glasses together softly.

Warm tears pressed against the backs of her eyes. She lifted the glass to her lips with a shaking hand, allowing the sparkling liquid to cool the painful lump burning in her throat. After another tentative sip, she attempted speech.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m grateful, too.” Her mind latched on to the word he’d used, and she couldn’t help herself. She took another sip for bravery. “So I’m your girlfriend?” she asked, unable to suppress a smile.

“I’d be honored if you would be,” he answered, watching her with his dark blue eyes.

“I’d like that. Very much.” She hesitated, holding back the lighthearted words that wanted to come out. Then she plunged ahead anyway, her lips curling in a small smile. There was no use dancing around the past. “I’ve had two years prior experience, so I think I’ll be a good fit.”

He returned her smile with his own incredibly sexy one. “I’m glad you pointed that out, actually,” he said, setting his glass down and shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “We
have
done the boyfriend and girlfriend thing before. I feel like maybe we’re ready for something a bit more serious.”

She was still trying to make sense of his cryptic statement when she realized he had dropped to one knee. Her mouth went dry, and she was vaguely aware she was holding a drink in her hand. But she was unable to move a muscle as she stood there stunned, her mind whirling. What on earth was happening?

He answered her silent question by opening a small black velvet box. A large round diamond, flanked by two similar smaller ones, glinted in the twilight. “I think I like the term ‘fiancée’ better than ‘girlfriend,’” he said solemnly. “I love you. I never want to be without you again. Marry me, Claire.”

Chapter 35

Breathe,
she reminded herself. Her uncertainties tumbled around in her head. It was too soon. He pitied her. He just didn’t want her to leave the Cape. She shoved them aside forcefully. He’d just told her he loved her—she had to trust him.

“I…I love you too. More than anything.” Her entire body was trembling.

“Will you be my wife?” he asked, a shadow of doubt clouding his face.

“Yes. Yes! Of course I will.”

He slipped the ring from its velvety cushion and reached for her left hand. Sliding it onto her shaking finger, he rose and reached for her glass. He set it down next to his own before pulling her into his arms.

His mouth seized hers as their bodies twined together. He claimed her lips with his own, leaving her breathless and quivering when they parted. Handing her champagne back to her, he lifted his glass again. “To my bride.”

She brought the delicate rim to her swollen lips and took a hearty sip. “You sure know how to do a surprise right,” she said, glancing down in disbelief at the engagement ring on her finger.

“Do you like it?”

She laughed. “Are you kidding? It’s beautiful. You’ve outdone yourself. This has by far been the most romantic evening of my life.”

“It’s not over yet,” he said, refilling their glasses. “The rest of the night is up to you. We’ll do whatever you want.” He put his arm around her and turned her toward the setting sun. She rested her head on his shoulder, watching the brilliant colors radiate across the horizon.

“Do we need to get the boat back?” she asked. “It’s going to be dark soon.”

“No, we can stay out as long as we want—the channel is marked with lighted buoys and the boat has a GPS system. We’re fine.”

She raised her head and looked at him thoughtfully. “Hmm. In that case, I think it would be nice to lie down and watch the stars come out.”

“Oh?” he answered, running his palm down her bare arm. “Well, it just so happens, I brought some blankets.” He flashed her a wicked grin.

“You certainly thought ahead,” she commented innocently.

He lifted a seat cushion and reached into the storage bench. “Yes, well, I spend a good deal of my time thinking about being with you.”

“Interesting,” she said, watching him spread the blankets out on the deck. “I’ve actually had some thoughts as well—especially since the doctor cleared me this morning for, um…physical activity. Why don’t we curl up and see if any of our thoughts are similar?”

He pulled her down gently onto the pile of blankets, his eyes glowing with a potent mix of desire and concern. “Are you sure you feel okay?”

She answered him by shifting onto his lap, her hands slipping under his shirt. Her new ring tugged against the fabric as she slid her palms over the hard planes and muscles of his back. “Let’s get this off,” she murmured, pulling it over his head.

He removed both their shirts quickly and lowered her down carefully. The boat rocked with the current as he straddled her, releasing the front clasp of her lacy bra. He bent his head to nuzzle her breasts, and she closed her eyes against the darkening sky as the sensations washed over her.

His teeth grazed her nipple and she squirmed with need. She rubbed her hands against the front of his jeans, savoring the feel of his erection through the rough denim. He moaned as she dipped her eager fingers below the waistband to touch the rigid skin.

They shed the remainder of their clothes as the last of the violet light faded from the sky. Cloaked in darkness, their bodies pressed together with increasing urgency.

She groaned as his lips trailed a fiery path down her belly and between her thighs. Clutching fistfuls of the blanket, she shuddered under the touch of his tongue. “Please,” she whispered, begging for release.

He entered her slowly, inch by exquisite inch, filling her. She arched up to meet him, her hips moving desperately. He matched her pace, linking her outstretched hands with his own, joining her when she came.

Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, accompanied by the rush of their mingled breaths and the rocking of the boat. He held himself above her, his eyes locked with hers, his hair brushing her forehead.

“Do you feel okay?” he asked, a thread of worry in his low voice.

She smiled lazily. “Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever felt better in my life.”

He withdrew and rolled off her gently, and she responded with a plaintive sigh. He laughed softly in the moonlit shadows. “I believe you wanted to watch the stars come out. I’m pretty sure I was blocking your view.”

“Hmm. Well, I don’t want to offend Mother Nature, but in my book, my fiancé lying on top of me is the best view imaginable.”

He laughed again and gathered her in his arms, pulling the blanket over their damp skin. “If you’re sure about that, then I think we can probably arrange a similar scenario again very soon.”

Cuddling into the warmth of his body, she gazed at the inky heavens. Out here on the tranquil waters of Cape Cod, away from the lights of any major city, the stars shimmered with unrivaled brilliance.

“Do you think they’re up there?” she murmured. “My mom, your dad, Maria?”

“Yes, I do. Maybe they can’t communicate anymore, but their spirits still exist somewhere. And you are the reason that all three of them can now rest in peace. You’re an amazing woman, Claire.”

A surge of blood heated her cheeks. “I had help. Without you, I would never have even had the courage to embrace my gift. You made it all possible.”

“We make a good team,” he replied, echoing the words he’d said on the day of their first kiss. Reaching for one of her curls, he twirled the lock of hair around his finger. “We did back then, we do now, and we will in the future. That was my thought process behind the three diamonds in the ring. One for our past, one for the present, and one for our future.”

Her heart shivered with pleasure. Tears of happiness welled up in her eyes, smearing her vision. “It’s perfect,” she managed. Drawing in a deep breath, she continued, “And while I can’t wait for a future with you, I have to admit…the present is pretty incredible.”

“Agreed.” He tipped his head down and pressed a kiss onto her temple.

She gazed at the constellations that hung in the sky, her eyes catching on three bright stars lined up in a row. Joy bloomed in her chest as she touched the band of her engagement ring with her thumb. The cool, smooth metal reassured her that this extraordinary night was real. Shifting slightly, she pressed herself even closer to the man who would share all her tomorrows.

A word about the author...

As a child, Kathryn Knight kept her parents on a constant quest to find enough reading material to last her through each week. An early fondness for books about horses later gave way to a lasting preference for both love stories and ghost stories; as a writer, the paranormal romance genre is a perfect fit.

Gull Harbor
is Kathryn's second novel;
Silver Lake
was published in September of 2012. She lives in New England with her husband, her sons, and a number of rescued animals.

Please visit her at www.kathrynknightbooks.com or on Facebook at Kathryn Knight books.

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