“You mean my job?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m a personal trainer,” she said and pulled in front of him in one big power stroke. That explained her ease with the paddleboard.
He watched her paddle for a moment. “Make sure you put your back into the stroke, not your arms,” he called. “Dip the paddle deep into the water and do one long stroke.”
“Got it.”
He caught up with her. They paddled for a few minutes, the only sound their paddles dipping into the water. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the occasional car from the road by the dock was a distant soft hum. He took a deep breath in and out, relaxing.
He turned, caught her gaze, and they grinned at each other.
“I missed being out in nature like this,” she said.
“Me too.”
“I thought you did this all the time, Mr. Expert Paddleboarder.”
“It’s been a while.” For more than just paddleboarding. As jaded as he’d become with women, she was like a breath of fresh air. He really liked her.
They paddled in companionable silence. The distant din of work and his constant to-do list fell away. No wonder Josh was one happy guy. This was the life. Casual dates with sweet what-you-see-is-what-you-get girls, no stress, no deadlines, just life on his terms. Damn, he could get used to this.
But this wasn’t his life. And he wasn’t so sure one date would be enough with Jenny. He paddled and told himself to focus on the beautiful scenery, but the thought lodged in his brain, how to make this time with Jenny more than a onetime thing. He quickly decided if things went as well as he hoped today, he’d jet home every weekend. She’d never have to know he wasn’t local.
No. That wasn’t the Josh way. Casual meant casual. One date just for fun.
He glanced over at her sexy body, lingering on the curve of her smooth shoulder. How did Josh do casual when he actually met someone he liked? Had he ever met someone he liked on one of these casual blind dates? His board suddenly wobbled as his paddle tangled with some plants. Damn. He wasn’t paying attention. He tore his gaze away from her shoulder. That could’ve been bad. Soaked in the river over one sweet shoulder.
“You okay there, foxy?” she asked in a teasing voice.
“Just fine, thank you.”
She laughed.
He had the strangest urge to say I really like you, I want to see you again, I want to hear that throaty, husky voice all night long, but he couldn’t. Because he was Josh. He suddenly wanted to reveal who he really was. But Josh hadn’t done his switcheroo date yet, that started at dinner tonight. And if Jenny got mad and told Hailey, which he was sure she would, women stuck together, they’d both be dumped. So he said the only thing he could say.
“Race you to the bridge.”
He put his back into it, taking off with powerful strokes, and she did too. It was on.
Chapter Four
Claire was having a fabulous time paddling down the river. Jenny was initially a role, but as she relaxed with Josh, who was supremely sweet and considerate, she became more and more herself. And holy crap, he was hot. The man did not need to be doing blind dates at all. She met plenty of gorgeous men, and, while Josh wasn’t chiseled perfection, he was extremely appealing. His thick dark brown hair curled a bit at the nape of his neck, making her itch to run her fingers through it. Add in sexy stubble along a square jaw and an athletic muscular build, and all she wanted to do was rub shamelessly against him. And she was not the kind to rush into anything physical. Not with her past experiences with men eager to kiss and tell. But it was so much more than his looks. Something that pulled at her in a magnetic attraction. Confidence? The sparkle of good humor in those deep brown eyes? Pheromones? He smelled fantastic when she’d gotten up close to him back on shore, like warm woodsy spice and man. The attraction was real, even if Jenny wasn’t, like a living breathing thing between them.
He hadn’t recognized her, which was a little shocking, honestly. Even with the red-haired wig and green contacts, she thought he would. She’d been planning to swear him to secrecy or sic Mad on him, but…nothing. Maybe he was one of those rare people who didn’t see her movies. Her biggest hits were chick flicks. Maybe he was a car chase movie kind of guy. But did he never see her splashed on magazine covers, the Internet, or supermarket tabloids? How could he not recognize her? It was a little disconcerting. She would certainly recognize a famous face even with different coloring. Did she look that un-glam without makeup? She almost wanted to ask him if she looked familiar, but that would just be her ego needing a pat. She kept paddling, sneaking looks at his muscular arms flexing as he paddled. With the jumbo shades she wore, he couldn’t tell she was checking him out.