After All(57)

"Anyway, I'm sorry that I didn't get it. I know now why you've acted the way you have, you were trying to stay true to yourself in a world that doesn't want you to. And you'll pay for it." I pause. "Do you have any chips?"

He frowns at me and then nods to the cabin. "I think there are some stale salt and vinegar ones in the galley."

"Yes!" I exclaim, doing a fist pump before I scramble downstairs. When I come back up, Emmett is staring at me quizzically.

"What?" I ask through a mouthful.

He shakes his head. "Nothing. I mean … I guess it's just weird to have someone understand. And even weirder to have someone apologize for judging me. I'm not sure I deserve that. I've done some pretty dickish things."

"Because you're a scoundrel," I tell him with a smile. "And one I happen to like very much."

Oh shit. Did I just say that?

"I mean … "

Emmett raises his hand, breaking into a grin. "Nope!" he says loudly. "Too late. You admitted that you like me. Let the council have that written down on record. Alyssa Martin admits she likes Emmett Hill. Very much, I might add."

"I didn't mean it," I protest. "I'm high!"

"Sure you are, sunshine." He chuckles to himself. "Now you'll never be able to pretend you hate me again."

"Unless you totally screw things up," I point out.

His smile falters slightly but he shrugs. "Maybe I won't. First time for everything."

After that, we go around the bay a few more times, both of us seeming to have more appreciation at the sense of freedom out here. No prying eyes, no societal constraints. Just the salt air and the ocean and the sunshine and the gorgeous land around us. Just us. And Emmett opens up to me about his work schedule, how he misses the security and consistency of doing the plays in London, the anonymity of his day-to-day life, how the passion almost eclipsed his need for more recognition. Almost, but not quite.

When we start heading back, I'm pretty sure the pot cookies are starting to wear off so when he asks me if I want to steer, I don't say no.

That said, I'm still pretty hesitant.

"I'll show you," he says, coming behind me as I stand at the wheel, trying to put his arms down either side of mine. 

"I'm good," I tell him, trying to shrug him off. "You're too enticing to have so close."

He laughs. "You really are something today. What happened to my prickly Alyssa? I'll have to throw out the cactus and get a sunflower instead."

My prickly Alyssa.

Ignore the prickly part.

He called me his.

And the funny thing is, I liked it.

"Just tell me what to do," I tell him. I don't dare look over my shoulder at him because I know he's got that wicked smile on his face.

"Oh really? Anything?"

"Emmett," I warn.

"All right well let me take it off auto-pilot." He lifts off me and pushes a few buttons on a console and suddenly I feel the pull of the wheel. "Just try to aim for that building over there, the sail should hold. Don't make any sudden movements or turn too much in either direction, or we'll lose it."

Seems pretty straight forward. I keep the wheel as straight as possible with an iron grip, even as the wind starts to pick up and I have to fight it a bit.

Emmett, meanwhile, stands by the boom with a beer in hand, grinning at me like a fool.

"Are you enjoying this?" I yell over the wind.

"Sexiest fucking sight I've ever seen," he says to me. "Why don't you show me your tit and make it even better."

I balk. "Fuck you. Let's see your dick then."

He considers it, then nods. "Okay." Starts to unzip his jeans.

"Stop," I tell him. "I was kidding."

"Secretly you weren't," he says, reaching into his boxer briefs.

I should look away, I really should but I'm also curious to see if he's hard or not.

My brain wins at the last minute.

Just as he starts whipping it out, I throw up my hands to shield my eyes.

It all happens in slow motion.

I let go of the wheel.

The wheel starts to violently spin.

The boat begins to turn.

The boom begins to swing.

The boom comes across hard and strikes Emmett in the shoulder and sends him, his dick, and his beer, soaring through the air and right over the side of the boat.

Into the water.

Splash.

Man overboard.

"Emmett!" I scream, my hands grabbing onto the wheel and trying to control the boat as it keeps sailing forward. I look over at my shoulder to see him surfacing and starting to tread water, gasping for air.

"Hold on I'm coming!" I yell at him, trying to turn the boat around but now the boom is swinging the other way. "How do I reverse?!"