Taking on Twins, page 14
“The rudder. It’s that handle beside you.”
After a few false starts, Leah and the kids finally got the hang of it. Enough that Greg felt free to go over and check on Corrine. She’d finally managed to dock her boat and was crawling out of it on legs resembling cooked spaghetti.
“Need a hand?”
“No thanks, I’ve got it.” She wound the last of the rope around the dock cleat and secured it tightly.
“Not with the boat.”
“Sorry?” She tried to rise and instead collapsed onto her rump like a toddler taking her first few steps. An ecstatic Belle piled into her lap.
“Down, pup.” Corrine gently nudged the dog away.
Greg reached out and lifted her in one easy movement. “Help with standing.”
“Wait!” She wrapped an arm around his neck before her feet went out from under her again.
Her reaction was automatic, but that didn’t stop Greg from taking advantage of the moment. “Steady, now.” He wound his own arm snugly around her waist.
“I thought you and Russ were filming today.”
“We were. This morning. He and Paulette are editing this afternoon and doing whatever other magic stuff they have up their sleeves. I only get in the way, so they told me to beat it.” He brushed the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “You’re face is pink. You forgot sunscreen.”
“Damn, I did.” She tried to wiggle free.
He held fast, telling himself it was for her own good. “Can you walk now?”
“Never again, I’m afraid.”
She smelled great, like sunshine and cool breezes. His favorite scent. She felt even better, all weak and wobbly and womanly. A desirable change from her usual tough-as-nails self. And speaking of desire…
He hated letting her go, but did so before his body betrayed him. “Come on.” He retrieved Belle’s leash. “I’ll help you up the hill to the parking lot.”
“I can manage.”
“Yeah? This I’ve got to see.”
Corrine made it three steps before stopping to rest. “Stupid, stupid,” she cursed herself, reluctantly accepting Greg’s assistance.
He glanced backward. Leah and the kids were managing the boat fine and appeared to be having a wonderful time. If they even noticed him and Corrine, they gave no indication. He satisfied himself with knowing he’d have a clear view of the entire lake from the top of the rise and could reach the shore in a jiffy if they ran into trouble.
“Cut yourself some slack,” he told Corrine. “Paddleboating is hard work. And you’re out of shape.”
“I am not out of shape!”
Damn straight. He’s just been holding her next to him for the last few minutes and could attest to just what exquisite shape she was in.
Their progress up the hill was slow. They could have taken forever as far as Greg was concerned. He thoroughly enjoyed the climb, the beautiful view, the gorgeous weather and Corrine leaning heavily on him. Belle added to his contentment by being on her best behavior, walking obediently at his heels. He had Corrine and her sage advice to thank for that, too. She really was good for him.
Now, if only he could convince her of just how good he could be for her.
“Where’s your car?” he asked when they reached the parking lot.
“I didn’t bring it.”
“How did you get here?”
“I rode my bike.”
“You did what?” He drew to a halt and gaped at her. “Are you nuts?”
“That’s it over there.”
He should have figured out she’d biked, from ogling her skintight shorts and sports top. “No wonder your legs gave out. The ranch has got to be ten miles from here.”
“Six point seven. I clocked it.”
“Up and down the whole way.”
“No lectures, please. I admit to being overambitious.”
“I’m not lecturing. That’s jealousy rearing its ugly head. I couldn’t bike six point seven miles on a flat, straight road, much less these killer ones.”
“Yes, you could. You’re very fit.”
He grinned. She’d been checking out his shape, too. “Why, thank you.”
“It was an observation. Not a compliment.” She braced a foot on the metal guardrail at the parking lot entrance and retied one athletic shoe.
“Sounded like one to me,” he said, absorbed in studying her shape from this new and interesting angle.
“Take it however you want.” Retying her shoe appeared to have sapped the last of her strength. Moving with the speed and agility of someone wearing a full body cast, she started out. “See you later.”
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You’re not riding that bike.”
She stopped and turned. “That was my intention.”
“You’ll kill yourself.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You can hardly walk. Let me drive you home.” He caught up with her in two easy strides. She wasn’t going very fast, after all.
“There’s not enough room in your SUV for me and the bike.”
“There’s plenty of room. The third-row seats fold down.”
“The bike’s too big.”
“We’ll take the front wheel off.”
“You can do that?”
“You can’t?”
“I’m sure I could if I tried,” she answered with an offended huff.
“You could if you weren’t ready to collapse.”
“We need the right tools.”
“Which I happen to have.”
She planted her hands on her hips. Probably because holding them at her sides was too exhausting. “Don’t you think the ride home will be a tad uncomfortable?”
He glanced down at the lake. Leah and the kids had completed one full circuit and were starting a second. From what he could see, she was letting Ben steer. Annie was tossing pieces of the bread they’d brought with them to the family of ducks following in the gentle wake of the small boat.
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But it’s a short drive, as opposed to a long and grueling bike ride. You don’t want to wear yourself out so much you can’t work tomorrow.”
He could see his argument was having some effect. She must be a lot more exhausted that she let on.
Corrine in a weakened state did have a certain appeal.
Without warning, she threw a monkey wrench into his plans. “I’ll call the ranch. Someone can come pick me up.”
Luck was on his side. Her cell phone had no bars. Neither did his, which he proved by holding the phone out for her inspection. The only public phone in the area was one installed by the highway department to call for a tow truck in case of a vehicle emergency.
“Bikes don’t count,” he told her when he spotted her staring longingly at the phone. “Look, we’re all adults here. Okay, not all of us,” he corrected, before she could. “But Ben and Annie aren’t the ones feeling uncomfortable.”
“Okay,” Corrine conceded. “Only if you can live up to your boasting and get the front wheel off the bike.”
“I wasn’t boasting.”
She didn’t acknowledge his remark. “Also, if Leah so much as crooks an eyebrow at me, I’m getting out and walking.”
“Fine by me.”
“Then we have a deal.” She stuck out her hand.
He took it. In her depleted condition, a small tug was all it required to pull her off balance—and into his arms. He caught her and lowered his mouth to hers before she could object.
“I prefer to seal my deals another way.”
“You’re incorrigible,” she said, and promptly melted against him, her arms going around his waist.
He kissed her swiftly but thoroughly, relishing the sweet taste of her and her even sweeter response. Their encounter ended too soon, leaving her breathless and flushed and him desperate for more. Unwilling to let her go, he set her slowly aside, letting his hands linger on her enticing curves.
“Rest assured,” he said, more than a little breathless himself, “we’re going to take this up later. When it’s dark, and we’re not standing in the middle of a public parking lot.”
“You know I think that’s a bad idea.”
“Yeah, I noticed what a bad idea you thought it was, right before you hand snuck up my shirt.”
“Not for one second was my hand anywhere near your shirt.”
“Oh, yeah?” He pointed to his T-shirt, part of which had been tugged loose from the waistband of his jeans.
She looked mortified.
“Don’t worry,” he said, suppressing a smile. “We can take that up later, too.”
“Not on your life.”
Even she had to hear the complete lack of conviction in her voice.
“Come on. Quit your pouting and let’s get the tire off that bike of yours.”
Anger had rejuvenated her. She didn’t require his help to traverse the short distance across the parking lot to the bike rack. She unlocked the chain and Greg wheeled the bicycle over to where the SUV was parked.
Within a matter of minutes, he had the front wheel off and the bike loaded into the cargo compartment, demonstrating that he was a man of his word.
Corrine didn’t comment, but her eyes widened with appreciation—or was it gratitude?—when he returned the toolbox to its place under the rear seat and slammed the door.
“Mind if I check on the kids?”
“Not at all. Mind if I wait here?”
“I might be a few minutes.” He tossed her his keys. “Get in and run the air-conditioning before you keel over.”
She didn’t have to be told twice.
“DADDY, DADDY!” Annie’s and Ben’s voices carried across the water to the dock.
“How’re you guys doing?” Greg waved back.
“Ready to call it a day, I think,” Leah said. She’d done most of the paddling, as Ben’s and Annie’s legs weren’t quite long enough to reach the pedals. “At least as far as boating goes.”
Greg caught the rope Ben tossed him and moored the craft. “You sure? We can wait awhile.”
“Did Corrine leave?” Annie asked.
“Ms. Sweetwater,” Greg corrected. “And no, she’s going back with us.”
“What about her car?” Leah’s tone was difficult to interpret.
“She biked here and overextended herself. She can hardly walk, much less ride her bicycle back to the ranch.”
“I see.”
Small waves rocked the boat, which bumped into the dock. “Do you have a problem with that?” He helped Annie and then Ben out of the boat.
“Not at all. It’s your vehicle.”
He suspected Leah did have a problem, but wouldn’t admit to it in front of the kids.
“Mommy, I don’t want to go home yet.” Annie held up her bag of bread. “I have to finish feeding the ducks.”
“And you said I could catch some guppies.” Ben had brought a small net and plastic Ziploc bag for just that purpose, which he extracted from his back pocket.
“What about Corrine?” Leah asked.
“She’s okay for now.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.” Greg didn’t confess that he’d disabled Corrine’s bike so she couldn’t get away even if she wanted to.
They spent another twenty minutes feeding ducks and catching guppies before Leah had a fit about the kids getting wet and muddy. Greg made a mental note to bring them back to the lake after she left, and let them muck around to their hearts’ content.
Corrine was apparently dozing, and sat up with a start when Greg opened the passenger door to let the kids pile in. The discomfort she’d predicted came about when Leah realized Corrine would be riding in the backseat with the kids. Greg diffused the tension by suggesting she ride up front with him, an arrangement that suited him better, anyway.
He drove straight to Leah’s cabin. He assumed she wanted to be dropped off first, and the kids with her. As it turned out, he was correct.
“Bye, Daddy.” Annie stood in the backseat and reached around the headrest to kiss his cheek.
“See you at dinner, sweetie.”
He got a high five from Ben. “Be sure and put those guppies in a pail of water right away,” he instructed.
Pulling back onto the road, Greg observed, “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Neither is a viral infection, but that doesn’t mean I want one.”
Belle stood with her squat front legs on the rear passenger window, staring after the kids and whining.
Greg headed toward Corrine’s sister’s cabin. “Don’t sweat it. Leah will be gone on Sunday. You won’t have to see her again after that.”
Corrine hunkered down in her seat.
“She’s nothing we need to worry about.”
“There is no ‘we.’”
“I was thinking the same thing in the parking lot earlier when your hand was inside my shirt.”
She groaned. “Please don’t bring that up again.”
“I like it when you lose control around me.”
“Well, I don’t.”
Here, in his opinion, was the crux of Corrine’s dilemma, with him and with work. If she would just lighten up a little, unwind and let loose, she might enjoy herself more than she thought possible.
“Why is it so hard for you to trust other people?”
“I do trust people. Certain ones. Like my family and my commanding officers.”
“Then is it yourself you don’t trust?”
She twisted sideways in her seat. “If there’s anyone in the world I trust implicitly, it’s myself.”
“Except around me.”
Her mouth silently opened and shut, kind of like the nice rainbow trout he’d caught that morning. Then she turned away to glower out the window.
Carolina’s cabin came into view.
“Great,” Corrine grumbled. “What’s wrong?”
“My sister has company.”
“Like in the kind of company you don’t want to disturb?”
“I recognize the car.” She laid her head back on the rest. “All I want is a hot shower, a couple of ibuprofens and a couch to lie on.”
“I have all those things in my cabin.”
“Forget it. Take me to the kitchen.”
“You’re not working tonight.” He threw the SUV in reverse and turned it around. “If I have to kidnap you, I will.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Let’s go to my cabin. I promise not to make a pass.” She snorted.
“Scout’s honor.” He didn’t wait for her to agree, and took the bend in the road leading away from the main lodge and dining hall.
She didn’t make a fuss. Greg contemplated placing a hand on her forehead and checking to see if she had a fever to go along with her exhaustion. Corrine Sweetwater never went down without a fight. When they pulled into the parking space beside his cabin and she still hadn’t murmured a word, he began to really worry.
She climbed gingerly out of the vehicle and followed him and Belle, her steps leaden. Still wondering what was going on with her, he inserted his key and opened the door. Belle scrambled inside. In the small space of time his back was turned, Corrine had walked over to one of the metal lawn chairs and plopped down in it.
“You’re that tired?” He sat in the empty chair adjacent to hers.
“I’m that scared.”
“Of what?”
“You.” She pushed her sun visor back and gave him a rueful smile.
“Why? I promised to behave.”
“And I believe you.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
She gazed up at him. “If I go into that cabin with you, what do you think the odds are we’ll wind up in bed together?”
“Zero.” He struggled to remain calm. It wasn’t easy with his pulse suddenly skyrocketing. “Be serious.”
“Corrine.” He took a risk and reached for her hand. “I repeat what I said in the car. I won’t take advantage of you.”
“What if I take advantage of you?”
“I can’t lie. I’d be pretty darn happy if you did.” He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, as much to relax himself as reassure her. “But that’s not going happen. Not today.” Unless he counted his imagination, which was busy putting him and Corrine together in a dozen different, intensely provocative scenarios. “You’re too tired.”
“Not that tired.” She peeked at him through lowered eyelashes. “Especially if I was lying down.”
Oh, brother.
Greg grabbed the armrest with his free hand. It was that or leap out of his chair and ravish her on the spot. To hell with his neighbors.
“Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“Yes.” Her answer drifted out in a whisper.
He wanted her, was beginning to think he’d go crazy if he didn’t have her—and soon. But she’d been the one to constantly put on the brakes, and he had to be sure of her commitment before they went one step further.
“You probably think I’m really stupid—Russ sure as heck would—but I feel compelled to remind you of the conversation we had a couple weeks ago. The one where you stated, adamantly, I might add, that you didn’t want to get involved with me.”
“I remember.”
“What’s changed your mind?” He sensed a return of the pressure he was applying to her fingers.
“I haven’t changed my mind. Not in the way you think. You’re still leaving soon, and I’m still worried about falling for you.”
She was falling for him?
“Then why take any chances?”
“Because I’ve finally realized Carolina and Paulette are right.”
“Paulette?”
Corrine nodded. “I’ve shut myself away for too long, scared of being hurt again. Scared of making mistakes.”
No doubt about it. She was definitely squeezing his fingers. Somehow, Greg managed to hang on to the last vestiges of his control.
“Now you’re not?”
“Hardly.” She looked at him. “But I’m more scared of the regrets I’ll have if we don’t spend what little time you have left here together.”
“What happened to you?” he asked tenderly.
“Can we talk about it inside?”
“Talking isn’t what I’ll be doing after we cross that threshold.” He had a different method of communication in mind. One that involved a lot of touching and tasting and exploring all her soft, intimate places with his hands and mouth.
