“Have you ever just sat around and done nothing?” Cruce asks, jolting me out of my reverie. He reels in his line, pulls it all the way out of the water, then sits the pole on the dock beside him.

“Huh?”

“You said you feel guilty,” he reminds me, compounding said guilt not only for sitting here doing nothing, but also for disobeying the rules that were put in place to keep me safe. “Have you never truly just relaxed?”

Putting my hands on the dock slightly behind me, I lean back, lifting my face to the sun for a moment. I tip my head to the right, settling my gaze on him before I answer.

He’s so handsome. So good and attentive and sexy and genuine. I owe my life to him, as well as all the ways in which I’ve changed over our time together.

Slowly, I shake my head. “No. I’ve never just done this, and I need to thank you.”

“Why?” he asks as he rolls to lay fully on the deck.

I follow suit, sliding my hand over to find his and turning my face back to the sun as I close my eyes against the brightness. Our fingers link. “Thank you for making me see the pleasure in just laying here on a hot wooden dock on a sunny day while doing nothing. Thank you for making me slow down sometimes.”

He rubs his thumb over the back of my hand. “Promise me you’ll continue to do this back in the real world.”

“Won’t be as fun without you,” I reply, internally wincing when I realize saying that may be way too forward.

Too clingy? Needy? Girlie? Desperate?

His hand jumps in mine slightly before he locks onto me with a tight squeeze. It’s enough to make me turn my head, the hard wood of the dock hurting my skull, as I open my eyes.

He stares straight at me. “Wouldn’t want to deprive you of fun.”

Hope swells within me, and my lips curve upward. “Really?”

Cruce gives a careless shrug. “I mean… you’re all right to hang out with.”

I pull my hand free of his, only to use it to pop him in the stomach. He curls up, grabbing onto his stomach, and looks pained. Smiling, I only roll my eyes. I hadn’t hit him hard.

Grinning, he leans over and puts a palm on the nape of my neck, pulling me up into a sitting position. His mouth touches mine, and I can’t help but sigh into the kiss.

If feels so damn right.

I feel like I belong to him.