Free Blended (Redemption #1) by Sasha Brümmer

Global.”
    “Huh, well I suppose that makes sense considering the lap of luxury that you live in.”
    “Does it bother you?”
    “I’m not sure yet. I’ve been in the orbit of it before, but I’m not one to experience it on such a direct level. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.”
    “I’ll take that as an implication that you wouldn’t mind my taking you out again.”
    She glances away from me when the waiter appears with our tumblers. She takes hers and lifts it to her lush lips, taking a drink before placing it down in front of her. My eyes do not move from her mouth, and she knows it.
    “That would depend on how the rest of the date goes.”
    “I’ll take that over being let down. Now tell me . . .” I take a drink and watch her, unable to take my eyes off her beauty. “Why did you corrupt my phone with your outlandish nickname?”
    A small laugh rises from her before she answers and fuck, I want to hear that sound again. I want to swallow it as I take her mouth with mine again. Who the fuck is this woman?
    “Well, it’s not all a nickname. My last name is Rye, so I figured it would work well with you.”
    “Rye, huh? I’ll be damned.”
    She moves her hair to the side, but her curls move back into place a moment later. “Mmm-hmm, now you tell me something. Why did you break your rules for me?”
    “It was a risk-or-regret situation. What would you have chosen?”
    The grin she gives me is not one that I’ve seen before. She looks content at this moment as if no one has taken a risk on her before and for some reason that truly bothers me.
    “If given the choice, I would have taken the risk.”
    “Precisely.”
    A few moments of silence pass between us as we both absorb the truth of our taking a risk on each other. I feel the yacht hit a larger wave that rocks the vessel harder than normal for this kind of weather. I lift my chin and look out into the darkness at Chicago’s skyline in the distance.
    “Come with me.”
    This time, she gets up and places her napkin on her seat without an argument. I’m surprised that I didn’t have to ask her twice. I walk with her to the bow on the upper deck and stand next to her with one hand in my pocket and the other turning the whiskey tumbler between my fingers.
    “Glance to your left. Chicago is showing off for you this evening.”
    She looks in the direction of the Chicago skyline, which is lit up in all of its grandeur. “Oh,” she gasps and reaches for my pocketed hand. I slip it out and move my arm around her waist to pull her side against mine. She doesn’t resist my advances, and she takes her own risk too, by resting her head against my bicep.
    A clearing of a throat interrupts us. I glance over my shoulder, ready to maul the motherfucker who just ruined this for her.
    “My apologies for the interruption, Mr. Brass. However, the storm that was forecast to hit the city in two hours has sped up tremendously, and we are right on the edge of it now. I would advise you to make your way to the vessel’s interior immediately.”
    “Thank you,” I say dismissively, and he leaves without another word.
    Hadley’s body stiffens in my hold. “Are we going to be okay? I mean, we’re so far away from the city.”
    “We’re farther out than I would like to be during a storm of this magnitude, but my captain is well trained and capable of handling her in the rougher waters.”
    She scrunches up her face at my words as the first few drops of water hit us. “Uhm, I think we better head inside if that’s what he asked then.”
    “I agree.”
    I take her hand and walk her back to the table where I place my tumbler down and grab my suit jacket just as the skies open up above with a crack of thunder. Large chaotic drops hit us as the gusts of wind carry them around, extinguishing the torches with harsh hisses.
    She squeals and steps closer to me, but we’re soaked within seconds. Platinum blonde tendrils cling to her cheeks, and I couldn’t give a