She shrugged as he helped her from his truck, one hand on her waist. Her shirt had hitched up, and his hand grazed her skin. The hand that performed delicate surgeries so deftly that she got shivers thinking of it. “You’ll have to initiate me.”
“Let me be your guide into the dark, illicit world of sluicing.” He laughed mischievously—but the sun shone overhead, baking down on them. “We’ll need sunscreen, unless you put some on at home.”
She’d overlooked it, in her rush to get back to Jasher’s side. “I did forget.”
“Good.” How could a single syllable be so loaded? He tossed her a bottle. “If you need any help, I’ll get any hard-to-reach places.”
She just might. “There’s a spot on the back of my neck I always miss.”
“I’m here for you, Sage.” He sounded as if he meant it—in more than one way. Sage got tingles from her head to her toes.
They climbed the steep incline to the canal’s level above the road. A woman with a camera slung round her neck stood, looking interested.
“So, it’s you, is it? Sage Everton?” The camera-woman snickered. “For once this thing has some potential.”
“You’re Inchy’s photographer?” Jasher shook her hand.
“Rhoda Riley.” The woman’s hair fuzzed out in a gray cloud around her head. “Aspiring professional photographer. Volunteering to add to my portfolio.”
“Is this going to take long?” he asked.
Good question. The sooner Sage had some alone time with Jasher, the sooner she could start her game plan of persuading him of Mendon’s perfections.
“Might take me a while to get some perfect candids.”
Oh, dear. Sage didn’t need a third wheel on this date. She only had five chances to be alone with Jasher. She couldn’t squander them. “What if we posed instead?”
“Inchy wants candids. And what Inchy wants … you know.”
Sage didn’t let that derail her. “We could pose as if they’re candid. Like this.” She took the towels out of Jasher’s hands and tossed them on the weeds between the wheel ruts of the road flanking the canal. “Jasher will get in and then we’ll do a shot of him helping me into the water.”
Rhoda clapped. “Oh, that would help me so much! Thank you! I never have had a cooperative couple before. Cade always tells me to get lost.”
Of course he would. That selfish creep.
“We’re glad to help, Rhoda.” Jasher lowered his voice and leaned close to Sage’s skin. “Anything to speed this along.”
With a glint in his eye, he leapt down into the water. He didn’t even seem to flinch at the temperature, which had to be cold. “All right, Sage.” He turned and extended his arms out to Sage. “Fall for me.”
Cheese. Beautiful, delicious cheese. “I can do that.” She shouldn’t have said it. For a lot of reasons. His gaze met hers, dark and inviting. Those arms and shoulders strained against the confines of his black t-shirt.
“Oh, wait for me!” Rhoda scurried twenty paces upstream. “This is perfect. The afternoon light is filtering through the poplar tree leaves just there. So nice!”
“We’re here for you, Rhoda.” Sage turned to her and smiled. Then, she angled back toward Jasher and readied herself to leap.
“Whoa.” The water parted at Jasher’s waist, going around him. When had he slipped off his t-shirt? Sage’s brain went into man-chest shutdown mode for a moment, just like it had when he’d stripped off his shirt to save that spider monkey mom’s life.
“Are you scared? The water’s not cold. I’ll hold you the whole time, I promise.”
Sage’s knees went watery. Suddenly, she blanched. This was getting real. She was jumping into moving water, with no lifeguard on duty.
“Catch me?” Sage asked. Not that she hadn’t been in ponds and lakes, but moving water had its dangers. A friend of hers had bridge jumped into the Elk River back in high school and never come up. This wasn’t the same, but … it was.
“It’s not deep. I’ve got you.” He beckoned with his hands and his eyes. Those eyes. Dark brown and inviting. “Don’t worry, Sage. I’m here.”
She tilted off the edge, and landed safely in his arms. He pulled her close, as the water’s flow pulled against her t-shirt and shorts and skin.
“See?” he asked, his lips close to her ear.