The Wrong Gentleman(40)

“Well, we know he’s single. And he seems like a nice guy. What if he was rich? Would you want him then?”

“He’s not.”

“I don’t get it, Skylar—surely you want to be happy? You’ve got your list and you think if you meet a guy that can provide a tick against each one, that will make you happy, but what if you meet that guy and you don’t actually like him? There’s a lot to be said for . . . chemistry. For passion—great sex.”

I groaned. Chemistry and passion were what my parents shared. And that was exactly what I was trying to avoid. “Then I’ll end up on my own. It doesn’t scare me.”

“You’ll end up a lonely old cat lady.”

At least I’d be alive. And I liked cats.

“I just want to see you happy,” August continued. “Landon doesn’t have to be a forever man. You know what yachting’s like—everyone’s kinda passing through—you can just have a holiday romance and then walk away.”

The problem was, I didn’t know if I would be able to walk away, and I didn’t want to end up desperate for someone who ended up letting me down.

Last night had been last night.

“How did you leave things with him?” August asked after a few moments had passed.

I sucked in a breath. I’d run off in the middle of the night without telling Landon I was leaving. As much as I tried to tell myself that he’d be relieved that I wasn’t there when he woke up, something niggled at the back of my brain that told me he’d be pissed.

“I’m not sure how we left things. I just—August, it’s not as easy as you make it out.”

Landon had told me he wasn’t ready to walk away after last night. And instead, I’d run. But now, listening to August, who was convinced it was so easy, I wanted to believe her, go find Landon, and have him kiss me in that incredible way he did. Would it be possible to let my defenses down for just a few weeks? Could I tear up my list and just do what felt right rather than what my history was telling me I should do? For a summer?





Twenty-Four





Landon


After a night like last night, I should have been in a better mood. I pushed my sunglasses to the top of my head as I kicked off my shoes before boarding the Sapphire. I’d woken up to an empty bed more disappointed than I had any right to be. I’d not changed my mind about wanting Skylar again, but she’d made it clear I wasn’t the man for her on several occasions. I was fucked off that she’d run off before I woke up, but I should have seen it coming.

“Hey,” Peter said. “You made it back right on time.”

I’d made the most of the hotel this morning. I wanted my irritation at Skylar to have simmered down before I saw her again, so I’d completed a punishing workout in the gym, watched some sports, and had a quick shower.

“I’ll change and then be ready for whatever,” I said.

“Where did you get to last night? You should have been with us at the club; we had such a good time. Foreign girls are so much hotter.”

I grinned, trying to pretend I was interested. “Did you get lucky?” I asked, ignoring his question to me.

“Of course I did. The choices were fucking phenomenal. You missed out, man.”

I shook my head in feigned disappointment. “I’ll be back when I’m changed.” One thing was for sure, I hadn’t missed out last night. Not for a second.

I headed inside and toward the galley.

“Hey, Anton,” I said as I passed through the galley.

“Landon.”

“Hey,” Skylar said as she closed the fridge door that had hidden her from view.

My pulse tripped in my neck, despite my irritation at her. She hadn’t lost her ability to leave me breathless. She had her hair up and was back in her uniform of navy skirt and light-blue polo. Somehow she managed to wear it better than the rest of us. “Hi,” I replied and turned to head through to the stairs down to the crew quarters.

It wasn’t that I was going to be an arsehole and ignore her, but I really had nothing to say. She’d made her position clear. So had I. I wasn’t about to beg her for more.

As I descended the spiral staircase, I turned at the sound of footsteps behind me. It was Skylar. I shot her a smile, but continued toward my cabin.

“Hey, Landon, can I talk to you?” she asked as I turned the handle to my room.

I turned around and waited for her to say whatever was on her mind.

She got to the bottom of the stairs and looked around. All the crew cabin doors were shut, and I couldn’t hear anything, so people were probably either asleep or out.

“Erm, can you come into my room for a second?” she asked.

“I have to get changed. I told Peter I’d be right up.” No doubt she wanted to ask me not to tell anyone about last night, but there was no need. I didn’t offer up information like that to anyone.

“Just for a second. Please?”

I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to resist her when she begged. “It will have to be quick.”

She smiled at me, relief in her eyes, and I followed her into her empty cabin.

With the door firmly shut, she held my gaze for a few seconds, chewing on the inside of her lip before she spoke. “I’m sorry I ran off this morning.” She wrinkled her nose, as if she was bracing herself for me to be angry. I was irritated, disappointed, but she was obviously expecting a more forceful reaction.