Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story by Krista Lakes Read Free Book Online Page B

seriously.
    I was about to ask him more, but
Jack called out a greeting to Owen, and I turned.
    "Hey, Owen! Glad you decided
to join us. I got worried when Kaylee arrived by herself. I was sure the two of
you would be arriving together," Emma called, slurring her speech a
little. Jack kept a straight face, but I was sure I saw Emma wink. I sighed. I
was never going to live this down.
    "Who's to say we didn't? Maybe
we did and we're just trying to confuse you?" Owen gave me a wink of his
own as he sauntered across the deck. I couldn't help but blush, turning out
toward the ocean so my sister wouldn't see.
    "Sure. The girl who falls in
love at the drop of a hat and the man who can't help but charm every female he
runs across, both of whom disappeared together for an entire afternoon together ,
arrived separately in order to confuse us. Sounds perfectly legit," Emma
said. I wondered just how many glasses of champagne she'd had in order to spout
these blunt truths so freely.
    A silence fell across the deck as
everyone avoided eye contact. Jack frowned at her and snatched her glass.
"I think that's good for now, Emma. Why don't you go sit down and look for
dolphins?"
    She pouted for a moment, looking at
her glass, but then trotted off to a deck chair. She swayed as she walked and
it wasn't because the boat was moving. Jack just shook his head at her and hid
her champagne.
    Robbie broke the awkward silence,
announcing that everyone was aboard and we were shoving off. I glanced up at
the sails, expecting them to unfurl and propel us across the blue water, but
instead a motor revved and we started moving.
    "Don't worry, we'll use the
sails. We just need to get out in open water," Robbie assured me when he
saw my disappointed look. It was only a few minutes before Robbie deemed the
wind right and turned off the motor. Robbie, Jack, and an experienced looking
crewman worked the sails, the boat suddenly flying across the water.
    I stood at the bow, the warm wind
skimming the ocean's surface. The water was turning from tropical aqua to a
sapphire blue as we headed away from land. It wasn't long before all I could
see was the gently rippling horizon in every direction.
    Owen leaned against the railing
beside me, close enough to touch if we wanted, but far enough away that the
others wouldn't tease. "You look like you've seen a miracle," he
said.
    "I've never been out on the
ocean before. Heck, I'd never even seen the ocean before I got here. It's
spectacular." I gazed out at the water as it started to catch the light
from the setting sun. The waves shone with tiny mirrors as the water began to
turn golden with the sunset.
    "You're doing well for a
first-timer. Have you been on a boat before?"
    I shook my head. "The only
'boat' I've been on is a paddle-boat at Gray's Lake. But even though I loved
that, this is so much better."
    Owen stared out at the horizon,
nodding gently. He was about to speak when we hit a wave and the  boat lurched.
I wasn't expecting it, but Owen caught my hand and steadied me.
    "No falling overboard. I don't
really like swimming in my nice clothes," he said with an easy grin. He
held onto my hand, not letting it go despite the fact that I no longer needed
it. I was glad; I didn't want him to.
    We stood there, looking out at the
water as the sun kissed the horizon and turned the world to gold and crimson.
It was spectacular, but over in an instant, as the dark night surrounded our
tiny boat. It was so beautiful I was sure it had to be a dream. The sky began
to twinkle, the sky full of more stars than I had ever seen. With Owen's hand
in mine, I was sure I would wake up at any moment. It was all just too good to
be true.
    Owen slipped his arm around my
shoulders, his warmth seeping into me as the heat from the sun dissipated. I
knew that Emma, Jack and Robbie could clearly see us, but I didn't care.
Despite my best intentions, I was falling hard for this charming man. I glanced
over at him, taking in his golden hair,