Forbidden Heat

Her heart compressed at those words. Why couldn’t it last forever? But that was long ago, she reminded herself. Maybe Trey had needed to explore . . . to test his desires and be with other people. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t find happiness now with Jake.

As they leaned a little to stabilize the board after bouncing over another board’s wake, Trey’s arm brushed along hers.

Did it have to be Jake, though? If Trey had been attracted to her then—she’d been the first woman he’d ever been attracted to!—then maybe . . . could she have a chance at happily-ever-after with Trey?

Her stomach churned. How could she even think such a thing? She knew how Jake cared for Trey.

“I did decide I needed to put some distance between you and me, though. You were leaving anyway, but that’s why Jake took over your lessons.”

She had felt it . . . Trey’s withdrawal back then. She had felt it as a coldness . . . him releasing their friendship . . . ready to move on. Those feelings were blown out of proportion . . . she knew that now . . . but at the time, she’d been vulnerable . . . leaving for a new place . . . having to start developing friendships over again. If they could be put aside so easily as Trey seemed to with her . . . She’d fallen into believing that friendships weren’t to be trusted either. They were dangerous to get involved in, because they hurt when they ended . . . and they would always end.

Now she realized that Trey had simply been protecting himself. And Jake.

And nothing about him had been cold, she realized now. She had simply sensed the loss of the warmth she’d felt when she’d been around him. Because he had withheld that to protect his relationship with Jake. Which she admired immensely.

“Hey, you two.” Jake sailed toward them, then turned until he glided along the water beside them. “How about lunch?”

Had Jake noticed a closeness between them, just like long ago, and this time wanted to stop it short? This time, had he decided to win Trey no matter what?

No. From everything she’d seen, Jake would give Trey all the time and space he needed to figure out what he wanted.

Maybe too much time and space.

After lunch, Jake suggested Danielle take his board and he’d watch while she went solo. She placed the board along the dock and stepped aboard, careful to stay balanced while the board drifted from the wooden planks. She picked up the sail and cautiously shifted it until it caught the wind. It pulled against her arms and she sped up. She shifted it, going faster than she liked, then glided along at a comfortable speed.

She crossed the bay, back and forth, getting a good feel for the board and the sail. A young fellow along her left side sped across the water, then bounced over a cross-wake and fell into the water. Danielle turned to avoid his board and sail as he pulled himself back onto the board.

“Hey, Jeff, good job.” Another young man, who looked so much like the man he called Jeff that they must be brothers, stopped beside him. “You’re getting better with the speed.”

Danielle felt her board picking up speed and quickly tilted the sail and slowed down a little. On shore, Jake waved at her. She turned and glided toward him.

“Dani, you’re doing great, but you seem to be afraid to take a chance.”

She tipped her head. “What do you mean?”

“It’s like you’re afraid to get wet. If you want to learn . . . and get really good at windsurfing . . . then you need to push yourself. Take a chance on getting wet.”

“But the water’s cold.”

He jumped into the water and swam toward her board, then grabbed onto it. He flung one arm up and grasped her ankle.

“I think it’s time you got wet.” He tipped the board as he pulled on her ankle and she plummeted into the water.

She pushed her head above water and sucked in a breath of air, then swam straight for him and lightly whacked him on the side of his head. He chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his body. His long, hard body.

He pulled her in for a kiss, and as soon as his warm lips met hers, she forgot all about the cold of the water.

He grinned at her. “So now you’re wet, you can take some chances. Hop back on the board and push it. Make some mistakes. You’ll have more fun in the long run.”

She climbed back onto her board and picked up the sail. She caught the wind, and this time she didn’t back off when it pulled her past her comfort zone. She rode the wind. Faster and faster. When she found she was getting a little far out, she eased the boom around—too fast, and tumbled into the water. Quickly, she climbed back on the board. As she sped toward shore again, she saw Jake waving at her, a big smile on his face.

She swung her boom around, trying to turn faster than she had before, and tumbled into the water again. She pulled herself up and began again. After a few tries, and several falls, she could turn her board fairly fast and, although a little wobbly, without falling.

“You’re doing great, Danielle.” Trey pulled in behind her, matching her speed. “You’re really improving.”

“I took Jake’s advice. He told me I should take some chances and not be afraid of falling in.”

He nodded. “Good advice.”