Hidden Away (KGI #3)(29)

Her face lit on fire and her cheeks were so tight, she thought she might explode. Whether from embarrassment or awareness, she wasn’t sure.

Her gaze jerked up to the fresh scar on his shoulder. There were other scars. Much older. Some more faded than others. The one at his shoulder was still angry and puckered looking. He followed her stare and slid his palm over the scar.

She flushed guiltily. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. Well, I guess I did. I was curious. Sorry, though. Does it still hurt?” And God, was she babbling. Like an idiot.

He shrugged. “Some days more than others. Hey, I was about to go for a swim. Want to come?”

She blinked in surprise and took a step back. “Swimming?”

His eyes glittered with amusement. “Yeah. You know, that thing you do in the ocean? In bathing suits usually, although I wouldn’t be opposed to skinny-dipping.”

“Oh. Well. I mean, I came over to invite you to dinner.”

“Really? I’d be happy to. But no reason we couldn’t go for a swim first. Unless you’re cooking a pig or something and have to start on it now.”

He was totally ribbing her and she grinned as some of the panic melted away under the warmth of this smile. “No pig, but I did buy a fair piece of a cow.”

He rubbed his belly and sighed. “You do know how to tempt a man. So, how about that swim? I’ll help cook after we’re done.”

“Oh no you don’t,” she said with a shake of her head. “You did all the cooking last time. This time, you’re going to sit on the deck with the beer I bought for you while I do all the cooking. I already baked a cake.”

“Damn. You’re spoiling me, woman.”

Her cheeks tightened again and the warmth spread into her chest. “And yes, I think I would like to swim. I’ll just go change and meet you back here.”

“Great. I’ll wait for you on the beach.”

Sarah flew back to her cottage and rummaged through her things for the swimsuit she’d purchased just a few days after arriving on the island. She hadn’t used it yet. Not even once. But suddenly she was eager to feel the ocean.

It was a modest one-piece, and by modest, it covered everything. High-necked, broad shoulder straps and a skirt that fell midway to her knees. She felt like a granny, although she doubted many grandmothers wore suits this ugly.

Knowing she was about as attractive as a toad should have dimmed some of her enthusiasm, but she found she just didn’t care. Garrett didn’t seem to mind her odd behavior and her eccentricities. She was going to enjoy today if it killed her.

She mentally flipped Allen and Stanley Cross the bird as she trekked down the steps of her deck and onto the sun-warmed sand. Allen was already in hell, and Stanley could kiss her ass. If there was any justice in the world, he’d join his brother there eventually.

As promised, Garrett waited in front of his cottage, a towel slung over his shoulder. She slowed as she approached and realized she’d forgotten to bring one.

“I’m an idiot,” she said.

Garrett raised a brow.

“I forgot a towel. I need to go back and get one.”

He grinned. “No need. You can use one of mine. Let’s hit the water.”

She turned her gaze to the ocean and the gorgeous canvas of blue that sparkled like a cascade of diamonds. “Is it cold?”

He gaped in exaggerated fashion. “You mean you don’t know? You haven’t been in yet?”

She shook her head and grimaced.

“It’s warm. Feels pretty damn good. No crap on the bottom. Sand is smooth. No seaweed.”

Laughter bubbled up. “Well, thank goodness there’s no crap on the bottom. That would suck.”

He winked at her. “When you’ve waded through as much shit as I have, you tend to appreciate nice, clean water.”

“Last one in is a rotten egg,” she yelled, just as she took off for the water.

“Why, you little!” Garrett yelled. “Cheater!”

She hit the water with a resounding splash. Garrett barged in behind her and promptly tipped her into the surf. She came up sputtering, hair in her face but grinning like an idiot.

“I won,” she said triumphantly.

“You cheated.”

She sniffed and shoved at her bedraggled hair. “According to my rules, I won.”

Garrett laughed. “I know better by now than to argue with a woman when it comes to rules.”

She flopped back, rocking over the gentle swells as she stared up at the sky. “You were right. The water’s great and no crap on the bottom.”

He turned over onto his back and spread out his arms as he floated lazily beside her. “It’s good. I didn’t think it would be. I was thoroughly prepared to hate it here.”

Her brow scrunched up and she tried to glance over at him, but got a face full of water. “Why on earth did you come here then?”

He went silent for a minute. “Let’s just say my family was leaning on me pretty heavily to take a vacation. They put me on a plane and here I am. I hate to admit it, but they were right. I needed the downtime. I feel almost a hundred percent again.”

“Almost?”

“Yeah, I’m getting there.”

“Me too,” she murmured.

His fingers brushed hers as he stroked in the water. He snagged her finger, just one, but he held on, keeping that connection between them as they bobbed along with the waves. Here in a vast body of water, no one around for miles, she should have felt incredibly isolated and alone. She didn’t. For the first time in a year, she felt a connection to another person. A man. It helped heal a little part of her soul. The part that wondered if she was doomed to forever lock herself away from other people.