Reckless Hearts (Oak Harbor #2)(24)

“Come on,” I laugh, “you know what I mean.”

Will shrugs and looks away. “I try not to do too much planning these days. I used to have everything figured out, and the universe decided to prove me wrong. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted.”

“Like what?” I ask, curious.

“The usual bullshit,” Will looks reluctant. “A bigger apartment, a cooler car, the next promotion at work.”

“That doesn’t seem like you,” I note, and I’m rewarded with a smile.

“I didn’t think so either, but I still got sucked into it all. It’s like stepping on a treadmill,” he explains with a sigh, “you keep moving, but the finish line gets further and further away, so really, you’re just spinning your wheels in place.”

“Until you stepped off the machine,” I say, and he gives a wry laugh.

“Or got pushed. But either way, I’m glad to be done with it. There are more important things than chasing the next dollar. More important people, too.”

Will pulls the oars again, steering us downstream. I watch from behind my shades, thoughtful. It takes a lot for someone to just upend their life and start over, and I can’t help admiring him for taking that step. Sure, I might still be a little baffled by his choice to come down here after a chance meeting in the street, but it’s a sign of courage, too. The confidence to follow his instincts, not caring about what the rest of the world says he needs in order to be a success. The self-reliance to know he’ll make it work, whatever happens.

Damn, the more I find out about this guy, the sexier he gets.

“So what about you, honey?” Will gives me a teasing grin. “How was your day at the office?”

I laugh. “Good, it’s been busy. But my boss is going on vacation soon, so it’s my chance to hold down the fort on my own.” I explain about my plans to take over the office one day. I’m cautious, remembering how most guys tune out the minute I start talking about my career, or crack jokes about me being a “ball-buster,” but instead, Will is nothing but enthusiastic.

“That’s great, you’ll kill it,” he declares. “Hell, you sold me on moving down here without even trying. I don’t even want to think what you could talk me into if you really wanted.” He flashes me a grin, but it’s not what I want to talk him into that’s the problem—it’s what I want to talk him out of.

Like that T-shirt.

And those jeans.

I look around. “This is a good spot,” I say, before I get too far thinking about stripping him naked right here in the middle of the creek. “We can set up here.”

“As you wish.” Will pulls the oars back into the boat, letting us drift gently on the current. I reach for my rod and set about threading the line and fixing the right tackle and bait from my box. Will watches, then whistles. “You know what you’re doing, huh?”

“I still hold the title for biggest bass in the county.” I pull back the rod, then flick the line out into the water in one smooth swoop. The buoy bobs on the surface, marking the spot, so I nestle the rod into the nook of the oar rest, then settle down on the floor of the boat and flip the top of the cooler. “Ooh, Dove bars, good call.”

I rip into one, savoring the cool creamy sweetness. When I look up, Will is still watching at me. “That’s it?” he asks, looking amused. “I thought you came here to fish.”

“I am,” I nod to the line. “The fish will bite in their own time.”

I let out a yawn, and stretch my legs out, resting my feet up on the side of the boat beside my rod. I lean back, and let the afternoon sun warm me from the inside out. It’s been a long, strange week, but right now, everything feels just right: I have no place to be, nothing to do, ice cream in the cooler, and oh yeah, a hot guy trapped in the boat with me.

Not bad for a Friday afternoon.

I hear Will chuckle. “Pass me one of those,” he says, so I toss him a Dove bar. He makes himself comfortable, and licks melting ice cream off his thumb.

Hello.

He glances up and finds me watching from over the top of my shades. “How are you doing over there?” he asks. “Getting . . . hot?”

“I’m fine,” I answer sweetly. “But you’re welcome to go take a dip.”

He grins. “Not necessary.”

Too bad. A spot of skinny dipping would definitely amp things up a notch. In fact . . . I give him another look. Will seems to be totally at ease, but his posture seems kind of tense.

I slowly cross and recross my bare legs. His jaw clenches, just a flicker.

Interesting . . .

I finish up my ice cream and set the wrapper aside. Casually, I straighten up, and slowly lift my tank top over my head to reveal the red bikini top I’m wearing underneath. I feel Will’s eyes burning on my skin as I stretch, yawning. “The sun’s hot today,” I say innocently, digging in my bag for a bottle of sun lotion. “Would you mind getting my back?”

Will meets my gaze. His lips curl in a smile, like he knows just what I’m doing right now. “Sure.” He takes the bottle and I turn, sweeping my hair to one side to reveal my bare back.

I feel Will shift closer. There’s a pause, and then I feel the cool spread of lotion on my skin, and Will’s strong, steady hands smoothing it over my shoulders.