“Your dad never took you fishing as a kid?”
“Nope.” Another stab, though of a differentsort.
She seemed to appraise him. “No worries. I’llteach you.”
And she did. That is, she tried, but the instanthe figured out teaching meant a whole lot of hands-on—her hands on hiships, his arms, his back—he slowed his learning roll. Admitting to his lack offishing ability was turning out pretty damn well as she attempted to maneuverhis stance.
Competitive juices began flowing, and he gotserious, letting her move off as he lost himself. Beauty and serenity envelopedhim. Though he hadn’t landed anything more than a stick, he reveled in thehypnotic burble of water, the rhythmic casting, and the liquid gold reflectedin the stream as the sun climbed. Understanding settled over him. No wonderthis was Natalie’s church.
So enthralled was he that he didn’t realize howfar upstream he’d gone until Natalie’s shout skipped across the gurgling river.
“Watch out! It drops off there.”
Twisting to locate her, his boot slid off theslimy rock he’d been standing on, and he lost his balance, toppling into theicy water with a splash and a bracing gasp.
She reached his side quickly, setting aside hisrod, tugging on his wader straps to help him sit up. Water swirled and lappedaround his chest.
“You okay?” she asked.
“It’s f-f-fucking freezing!”
She whooped. “That’s what happens when you don’tpay attention!”
“Smartass,” he hissed.
Still laughing, she extended her hand. “Needhelp?”
He gave her a fake glower. “Oh, now shewants to help.” Grasping her hand, he gave it a quick yank, and she ploppedinto the water beside him with a gratifying yelp. “That’s what happens when youstop paying attention,” he mimicked in a falsetto.
“No fair!” she cried right before she burst intolaughter and splashed him.
He splashed back with a guffaw. “We’re doingthis?”
Laughing, yelling, they exchanged icy splashesand chased off any fish within miles. Cold, soggy, panting, they struggled outof the water and flopped on the tarp.
As she caught her breath, she gave him one ofher dazzling smiles. “I sure hope you brought that change of clothes I told youto bring.”
“I did. See? I listen.” He winked at her.
“Sometimes,” she chuffed.
Hoisting himself to his knees, he stripped offthe boots, waders, his shirt and undershirt, leaving him to make his way to thecar and his bag in nothing but squishy jeans.
With a backward glance, he asked if she neededanything from the car, but she’d gone quiet and stock-still. He rushed back andcrouched beside her. “Hey. What’s up?”
“N-nothing. Just cold.”
“Well then, let’s warmyou up.”
.~* * * ~.
Holy hotness, Batman!
Natalie’s ability to speak went missing themoment Tyler bared his torso, exposing defined muscles running the length ofhis forearms, his biceps, across his powerful shoulders and solid chest.Sweeping up his arm and spilling over his shoulder onto his pec,his tattoo was on full display in stunning, vibrant glory. Rolling her tongueback in her mouth as she fought the urge to gawk, she registered a wing, aclock, a rose, and a heart inked over his own heart,with a scroll beneath it. Flowing script adorned the scroll, though shecouldn’t make it out without gluing her eyeballs to him more than she alreadyhad.
When he dropped beside her, her breathquickened; she marveled she hadn’t gone into cardiac arrest. The only thoughtthat came to mind was a Jack London quote: “Show me a man with a tattoo andI’ll show you a man with an interesting past.”
Middle school English Lit was hastily shovedaside as the man beside her morphed into someone far more interesting than theman he’d been a few minutes ago. She was seeing him in a new light. Mysterious, borderline dangerous, and sinfully hot.
As far as the whole package went, Tyler was atestament to testosterone. A walking advertisement for all that wasbreathtakingly, beautifully masculine—all that power, all that hardness, allthose angles. She was ready to clamber up on a stage and shout out its praises.
Tyler rose, bringing her up with him, giving hera full frontal view. “Sure you’re okay?”
She blinked, thennodded. Omigod. Did her ovaries justflutter? Maybe they cheered. She wasn’t sure because her brainpower wassuspended. Yep, Hailey Hormones was driving the bus at the moment.
As he leaned into the car, Tyler’s smooth backflexed and rippled before he emerged with his bag and faced her. Unable to stopherself, she flicked her gaze over his sculpted chest to his six-pack,cataloging every muscle along the way. His wet jeans dragged low on his hips,where a tantalizing V-shape carved from a wall of male muscle descended toparts unseen. Parts she could only wonder at. Natalie had pegged him for a guyserious about fitness, but this? Nope. And unlike his ridiculous vehicle,Tyler’s physique wasn’t Arnold-Mr.-Olympia freakishly bulky. She stifled animage of her hands and mouth skimming the planes of his perfect, chiseled body.
He smirked, the cocky bastard. No doubt he wasused to blatant goggling.
Realizing she was licking her lips, she cast hereyes to the side, pretending to be totally engrossed in the river. Yeah,like that could melt my kneecaps.
Tyler’s deep voice, throaty as a muscle car,rolled over her like hot, sweet fudge. “Yo, Natalie.Shouldn’t you get out of those wet clothes?” She swiveled her head to him,thankful and disappointed a shirt now covered all that magnificence.
“Um, yeah.” Just let me strip right down. Youcan hold me to keep me warm.
As if he knew exactly what naughtythoughts were streaking through her mind and lighting her body on fire, hismouth curled up in another smug half-smile, the scar slashing his upper liplike a white stitch. He shook water from his curls.
Wonderwhat it would feel like hearing him purr in my ear while I sink my fingers inthat thick mop?
“I’ll take Ford to the river and give you someprivacy?” Hazel eyes bounced between her and the dog, whose nose pressedagainst the back window.
She felt a flush creeping up her neck as shewove her way toward him. Right. Focus, Nat.She mustered a wimpy “okay,” her brain otherwise stuck on Tyler’s body. Under Tyler’s body. Over Tyler’s body.
“Hey.” He lightly tugged on a wet strand of herhair. “How about we grab a cup of coffee to warm you up on the
