Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You-Chapter 60: Sailing

Back then continues...

Matthew

It would be a bold-faced lie if I said I didn’t feel anything when I kissed Sarah Wilson.

Unfortunately, that’s the problem. I felt something—a lot more than I should have.

I watch her walk next to me, her back straight and her shoulders confident, as if she’s already won. And in a way, I suppose she has. I never expected her to press me like this. I certainly never expected that kiss. I had hoped I could keep it simple, keep it controlled, but she’s like a force I can’t seem to outrun.

And that damn kiss...

It was supposed to be nothing. Just a moment to shut her up. A little exchange that would let her feel like she had won, to quiet that cocky little smile of hers.

But instead, it made my pulse spike. It left me with a lingering warmth I couldn’t ignore, a fire that I didn’t want to admit was there.

I drag my hand through my hair, trying to shake off the heat crawling up my neck. "Get it together," I mutter under my breath.

She turns around. "Did you say something?"

I stop walking. "Where are you going?"

"To the dock," she replies.

I raise an eyebrow. "What’s there?"

"A boat. I thought you’d enjoy going sailing. My dad gave it to me when I turned seventeen."

Of course, he did.

"You don’t have to go if you don’t want to," she says, looking back at me.

I force a smile. "It’s fine. Lead the way."

She starts walking again, her pace steady but casual.

We reach the dock, and the sight of the boat catches me off guard. It’s a small sailboat, sleek and well-maintained.

She gestures toward it with a grin. "Well? What do you think?"

I nod, unable to mask the surprise in my voice. "It’s nice." I pause, glancing at her. "Do you actually know how to sail?"

"Of course I do," she chirps. "Daddy taught me when I was thirteen."

I follow her to the boat. "Isn’t it dangerous to sail at night?"

"No, its not. Come on," she says, already climbing aboard with the ease of someone who’s done it a thousand times.

"It’s not going to be a long trip," she says, moving around the boat, checking things I don’t understand. "Just around the bay and back."

I stand awkwardly, unsure where to place myself. "Need any help?"

She looks up, a genuine smile replacing her usual smirk. "Actually, yes. Can you untie us from the dock?"

I do it while she continues her preparations. The boat rocks gently beneath us, and as we drift away from the dock, I realize I’ve just willingly put myself at her mercy. Out here, I can’t just walk away when things get uncomfortable.

"Sit there," she instructs, pointing to a spot across from her. "And duck when I tell you to. The boom can swing pretty fast."

"The what?" I ask, but she’s already pulling on ropes, and suddenly the sail catches wind, filling like a lung taking a deep breath.

The boat lurches forward, and I grab the side to steady myself. Sarah laughs, and this time it’s real—full and bright, carried away on the wind.

"Relax, Matthew," she calls over the sound of water slapping against the hull. "I promise not to drown you."

The problem is, I’m already drowning. Just not in the way she means.

Her laughter lingers in the air, and for a moment, I find myself smiling. She is easy to be around in this space, in the quiet rhythm of the water and the subtle sway of the boat.

"You’re getting the hang of it," she teases.

"Yeah, sitting here is easy," I mutter, adjusting my position, my hands still gripping the edge of the boat like it’s the only thing holding me together.

Sarah steadies the wheel, her focus sharp as she steers the boat into a curve. The wind catches the sail, and I’m reminded of how much control she has over all of this. Over everything.

"I didn’t expect you to be so...," I trail off, trying to find the right word, but coming up short.

"So...what?" she asks.

"So...skilled at something like this," I finish quietly.

Her smile widens. "You thought I am some spoiled princess who doesn’t do anything but shop and party?"

I chuckle at that. "Of course not. I saw how you handled things at your father’s company. You are clearly capable of doing things more than leisurely things."

Sarah blushes. "Thanks."

"So, you’ve done this a lot?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says with a shrug, her eyes scanning the horizon. "It relaxes me."

I nod. "I can see that. It’s really nice out here," I say as I reach down and touch the water.

"Out here, the world feels smaller. Less complicated," she says.

"True," I remark.

"And I thought it would cheer you up. Do you feel better?" she asks and looks at me curiously.

I don’t reply to that. Instead, I ask, "You really do like me, don’t you Sarah?"

She smiles at that. "Yes. I do. I know it’s some kind of young girl crush, but it’s not. It’s more than that."

"I see," I say, aware that my voice sounded raspy.

"Can you come and sit next to me for a bit?" she asks.

I hesitate for a moment then slide across the boat carefully, trying not to rock it too much, and sit next to her. There’s something soft and genuine about her voice that makes it hard to say no to her.

Sarah glances at me, her lips curling into a small smile. "I’ve never taken someone in my boat before," she admits. "It’s my quiet time. But I guess... I just wanted you to be here."

I look at her, trying to read the sincerity in her eyes. "I’m here."

And I mean it. There’s something about this moment, the quiet between us, that feels like more than just the night or the boat. It feels like we’re two people, maybe for the first time, letting down our guards.

"I’m glad," she says, almost to herself, as she leans back slightly against the side of the boat, her face illuminated by the faint glow of the moon.

I follow her lead, leaning back too, the cool breeze stirring my hair. There’s no rush to speak, no pressure to fill the silence with words. We just sit there, letting the boat carry us through the still waters.

For a while, it’s just us and the world around us—no expectations, no obligations, just a simple kind of peace that feels like it’s been a long time coming.

I turn to Sarah after a while, my voice quieter now. "I don’t know what I was expecting from tonight, but this... this is good."

"Just...good?" she presses.

"Don’t push it, Wilson," I tease.

"Okay, fine. I will take it. At least you aren’t saying you are miserable," she says and leans toward me.

I narrow my eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I want to kiss again. Can we?" she breathes.