Sailor Proof (Shore Leave 1)

“Dad.”

“What? I’m happy you’re here. Err...both of you.” He darted his gaze toward Derrick. “And I was just betting your mother—”

“Not you too. I’m not going to capsize. You people can put your stopwatches away.” Now I was fucking determined. I was tired of being the butt of jokes. And if it took being awesome at kayaking to make the laughter stop, then so be it.

For once, I listened intently to the guide’s tips and tricks.

“Now you want the more powerful, experienced person in the stern because they can tell the direction of the boat and make any correction.” The young guide had an earnest voice and an uneven tan, pale feet poking out of water sandals but darker calves.

“I can do that,” I whispered to Derrick. “I’ve probably paddled more recently than you. Don’t listen to them. I’m not that bad.”

“I’m sure you’re competent.” He gave me a patient smile that did nothing to pacify me. “But I’m heavier by a fair bit. I know from past outings that you have to balance the weight or you run into problems.”

I made a frustrated noise because he wasn’t wrong.

“If you really want to steer, you could probably go with Taylor and I could—”

“You can ride in back,” I said quickly. No way was he foisting me off on one of the kids.

Up front, the guide had moved on to explaining how it was important to pick paddles with similar blades and shafts, which made some of the teen nephews and cousins snicker.

“Oh, to be fifteen and find everything phallic.” Derrick chuckled softly next to me. “And we’ll do fine. I’m not going to let us capsize.”

“Maybe I’ll be the one to rescue you,” I snapped back.

“Maybe.” Voice thoughtful, Derrick rubbed his chin. And I wanted that, wanted to surprise him and everyone else, wanted to be the hero for once. My stomach cramped with the urge to be what Derrick needed, and not simply on the lake, but in all things, including the sex we were absolutely having later. My determination grew. I was going to impress Derrick at some point this week and that was that.

Chapter Fifteen

Derrick

“Are you sure you’ve done this before?” I finally had to ask Arthur after our kayak spun in a circle. Again. The lake was gorgeous, pristine blue waters rimmed by gently sloping mountains, but I’d enjoy it more if I was less worried about us tipping.

“Yes.” Arthur’s voice was tight. I couldn’t see his face, but his shoulders were tense too, and I wished I could rub them. It wasn’t his fault that outdoor activities weren’t his thing and that his sporty family kept giving him shit about it.

“Hey, it’s not an insult. I’m only trying to match your pattern.” We kept zigzagging our way across the lake because we couldn’t match our forward strokes. Arthur’s movements were highly erratic—fast one moment, leisurely the next, like he was trying to give paddling his best effort, but his attention kept wandering.

“Sorry. It’s not you.” Arthur looked back over his shoulder with a pained expression. “I’m tired of being hopeless. I have rhythm and coordination, I swear.”

“I know you do.” I gave a strong forward stroke in the opposite direction to correct our course before we could spin again. “Maybe you just need a beat or music.”

“Do not suggest singing where the others can hear you unless you want to be subjected to camp songs for the next four hours.”

“Consider me warned.” I laughed because even cranky Arthur was still fun, and indeed, some chatter and chanting that could be singing filtered back from the kayaks farther ahead of us. “Perhaps it’s just a matter of practice.”

“I’ve got a long list of things I’d rather be practicing.” His voice was suggestive enough to do devious things to my insides. The summer sun beat down on us, and his relatives were scattered all around us on the lake, and still I wanted to drag him behind the nearest rocky outcropping and kiss him senseless.

“Like?”

“What?” Arthur made a surprised noise that made me chuckle. I’d laughed more in the last twenty-four hours than I had in months. It made my chest expand, like suddenly I was getting fifty percent more oxygen, and I grinned at the back of Arthur’s head.

“Tell me what you want to practice.” I pitched my voice low, but the others were far enough away that I figured it was safe to tease. If I was going to have a secret fling with my pretend boyfriend, at least I was going to enjoy myself.

“You’re not going to tell me to behave?” His shock was totally worth whatever level of hell was reserved for guys like me who messed around with their best friend’s brother.

“Well, the middle of a lake is probably not the best place to flirt, but I’m way more curious than I should be about your personal wish list and how I can help you fulfill it.”