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Chapter Fifteen
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Freshwater Kisses Chapter Sixteen
I took a deep breath and smiled. Robbie's chest rose and fell with a relaxing rhythm, his heartbeat pulsing gently in my ear. I felt like I could stay like this forever, wrapped up in Robbie's arms and perfectly happy. The sun peeked over the horizon, filling the room with a glorious golden warmth. We had enjoyed the rest of the evening, sailing naked and just acting like kids again. When we had arrived at Owen's place, we had been so tired that we barely got the boat tied down before falling into bed together. Now it was morning, and I was ready to get up. Robbie, however, shifted under me, turning his head from the light. I sat up on my elbow and lightly kissed his temple, making him smile in his sleep. With careful movements, I slid out of the soft bed and padded gently across the floor to the open balcony. The salt air caressed my skin; the ocean was calling my name. I closed the curtains, darkening the room to a soft gray. Robbie snored softly as I tiptoed to the closet and fou
Freshwater Kisses Chapter Seventeen
I released the sheet, letting it fall back into the starting position for what felt like the millionth time. Robbie and I were doing drills to prepare for the Invitational, and the best way to get good and fast at something was to do it a billion times. "You ready for a break?" Robbie called out as I lowered the jib sail to prepare for yet another drill. I nodded eagerly, glad to have a little break from practicing. I felt like we were making real progress in our teamwork and sailing. Despite the hard work, I was having a good time. Robbie turned the boat into the wind, and I lowered the mainsail so that we would just float out on the open ocean. Several other white sails bobbed within sight of the island, but they were far enough away that it felt like we had the entire ocean to ourselves. Together, we sat on the bow of the ship. The sky was bright blue and the clouds seemed too perfect to be real. Sunlight glimmered off of the faceted waves, sparkling into eternity. Everything wa
Freshwater Kisses Chapter Eighteen
We maneuvered the two boats toward Shark Tooth Rock. A jagged piece of gray granite reared out of the water, looking very much like a giant shark had left a tooth pointing to the sky. I had the jib up, the wind crackling through the sail as we coaxed our boat to a strong starting speed. Robbie and Grant exchanged nods as they both crossed the imaginary starting line emanating from the rock. I grinned. The race was on. The buoy was upwind, so we began a series of tacks. The Gauntlet and Avery's Hope crisscrossed paths as we each zigzagged at 45 degree angles to the wind, allowing us to sail "against" the wind. Each turn required us to change the sheet positions, controlling the sails in unison. If we didn't do them properly, or in sync, we would fall behind. The sails crackled like strange clouds, and water sprayed up into the air, shimmering like diamonds as it landed on the boat. My feet thudded against the deck as I hurried to and fro, adjusting sheets and following Robbie's comma
Freshwater Kisses Chapter Nineteen
I stumbled into the bedroom and started stripping. Everything was sore. I didn't know it was even possible for my eyelashes to ache, but somehow they did. All I wanted was to crawl into a hot shower, eat something full of carbs and fat, and crawl into bed with Robbie. We had been sailing nonstop for three days since losing the race to Thomas Grant. Robbie had taken the loss personally and was determined to get us ready for the Invitational. We had risen before the sun today, stopping our tacking drills only long enough to eat a quick lunch. A storm was beginning to brew. Not a hurricane, but it was bad enough that the sails were tangling and the going was rough. I was grateful he had decided to let us end the day early. I was so tired I was starting to make mistakes. We still had one more day of practice left on the island before leaving for Chicago for the race. Even though the Invitational was still three days away, I was already nervous. We had improved dramatically in the short
Freshwater Kisses Chapter Twenty
I stepped into the Chicago Yacht Club, feeling a nervous exhilaration rippling through my body. I was here. I was finally, actually here. Robbie guided me gently inside, the two of us heading for the pre-race skippers' meeting. We were to go over the sailing instructions one last time, any potential weather hazards, and any clarifications needed on the rules and regulations of the Invitational. I usually hated these boring meetings, but because this was the Champion of Champions Invitational, I was actually excited to attend. Robbie pulled out a chair in front of a prettily decorated table near the windows. The meeting wasn't supposed to start for a few minutes yet, so I stared out through the glass at the view. Chicago's skyline rose in the distance, the gray and metallic buildings looking over the undulating waters of Lake Michigan. Yachts of all sizes bobbed gently in the early morning waters, the sun had started its journey into the day and turned the sky into a brilliant scarlet
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I was awakened before my alarm by being thrown out of the bunk and onto the floor. The boat was sloshing from side to side, and I felt like we were suddenly out in the open ocean instead of an inland lake. The radio hissed a Coast Guard warning. "...expected 70 mile per hour winds, tornado warnings... high wind advisories in effect..." the pre-recorded voice droned as interference crackled through the speakers. This was not a good time to be out on the water. I picked up the radio, ready to call in our position, but we were too far out. The lake surrounded us like an ocean, and with the storm, we couldn't call out. We were on our own. I stumbled to my feet, feeling the boat roll beneath me as I worked my way up the hatch and out onto the deck. Robbie stood tall at the helm, the wind whipping his hair as he kept our course straight. He smiled as he saw me. The sky was dark, but lightning was beginning to flash along the horizon, silhouetting him against the black sky. Where the sai
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The room was dark, and I could hear rain on the window. Something had awakened me, but I wasn't sure what, so I sat up slowly in the unfamiliar room. There was a dull pressure behind my left eye; I wondered if going back to sleep would make it go away. I knew it wouldn't, but getting up and finding some medicine seemed like a worse choice than just staying in bed and dealing with the pain. Every muscle of my body ached, and any movement sent tendrils of fire into my limbs. To say that I had overdone it yesterday was an understatement. I had never pushed my body as hard or as fast as I had in that storm. I knew I needed at least a glass of water and a potty break if I was going to go back to sleep. I coaxed my weak body to sit on the edge of the bed, letting my feet dangle just above the cold, hardwood floor. The room was decorated with a cheerful maritime theme, and I could hear activity in the rooms below. Dark curtains kept whatever sunshine was outside at bay and gave me no concep
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I slipped on a comfy pair of sweats and headed down the stairs. The little bed and breakfast was cozy and warm with a maritime theme. Paintings of ocean scenes and ships decorated the walls, with soft yellow and navy blue accents. I could hear laughter coming from the kitchen so I made my way there. Avery and Robbie sat drinking tea out of doll-sized tea-cups at the cozy wooden table. Grace wasn't in the kitchen, but I figured she must be nearby. I leaned against the doorway, watching Robbie play at tea with Avery. "Would you like some sugar, sir?" Avery asked him, batting her eyelashes as she poured more imaginary tea into his cup. "Why yes, good miss. I'd love some more," he answered her solemnly. His arm was nestled against his chest in a dark blue sling. Sandy hair brushed the tops of his eyebrows; his green eyes were bright despite his pale skin. My heart ached with happiness to see him sitting there alive and well. I had been terrified that I might lose him. "Hi, Aunt Sam!"
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