A Father's Secret

“You’re off now then?” Sasha asked, looking up from the book.

“Yeah, you two have a good day and don’t hesitate to call if there are any problems with Riley.”

“I promise,” Sasha said, giving him a strange look.

Maybe he’d overplayed it, he thought as he let himself out the back door and headed toward the pier. But when it came to his child, he’d do whatever it took to keep him safe, no matter what anyone thought.

Ten

Motoring back toward Connell Bay, Erin took a moment to enjoy her surroundings. It had been idyllic on the lake, although the breeze across the water had been chilly. For now, Sam was at the helm and Erin took a moment to relish the sight of him. So tall, so strong, so entirely masculine. He looked happier than he had when he’d arrived at Connell Lodge, and the outing today had thrown extra color into his cheeks. God, how would she cope when he had to return to San Francisco?

Her heart was utterly and irrevocably wrapped up in this man. Being alone with him today had only underscored her growing feelings for him. There’d been a sense of togetherness, of unity, that she’d never experienced with anyone else before. Today had been a gift of time.

“Where do you want to anchor?” Sam asked as he dropped the engine speed back to a slow cruise.

“Just a little farther.” She stood close behind him, one hand on his shoulder, the other pointing to the spot she had in mind for their picnic. “There’s a natural shelf just there. It’s the best place to drop anchor.”

He deftly maneuvered the vessel to where she’d indicated and activated the winch to release the anchor to settle onto the lake floor below them. Once he was satisfied they were secured, he shut the motor off.

“That was great. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed boating.”

“You did really well. You had a boat back home in New Zealand?”

“Oh, yeah. Similar to this beauty. I miss it, actually. I might look into getting a berth and something like this when I’m back in San Francisco.”

She felt the words as if they were barbed arrows fired straight at her chest. She forced a bright smile to her face, determined not to think about that time when he might be leaving and to make the most of their time today.

“Hungry?” she asked, heading into the cabin where she’d stowed the picnic basket.

“Definitely. Do you need a hand?”

“Sure. I put a bottle of wine in the refrigerator. Can you grab it and the glasses from the rack above? I’ll set the food out.”

Erin brushed against him as they moved about in the compact galley, her senses swinging into high alert as they did so. She wanted nothing more than to wrestle him down onto one of the banquettes and have her wicked way with him right now, but she’d planned everything about this day so carefully, she wasn’t about to give in to rash impulses now. A tiny smile played around her lips as she thought about what she had in mind.

“Care to share the joke?” Sam asked, bringing the wine and glasses to the table she’d set up on the back deck of the launch.

“Soon,” she promised.

“Soon, huh? I am intrigued. Are you going to give me a hint?”

She shook her head. “Nothing you won’t enjoy, later.”

He laughed and reached out to cup her face with one large warm hand. She turned her face in toward him, kissing his palm.

“There, that’ll have to suffice for now.”

“I can’t wait,” he said with one brow raised.

Heat suffused her cheeks. She could barely wait either, but anticipation was half of the fun today. They had time to really enjoy one another, and they would. She quickly laid out the food she’d packed and put together the fixings she’d brought for a smoked chicken and papaya salad, her much-loved buttermilk dressing, crusty French bread and a selection of sliced fruit to enjoy after lunch. Sam poured them each a small glass of the perfectly chilled sauvignon blanc and lifted his in a toast.

“To the perfect hostess,” he said, clinking his glass with hers.

“To the perfect guest,” she answered, lifting her glass and taking a sip of the crisp wine.

He didn’t take his eyes off her as she drank and she felt the hum that had been simmering through her body since early this morning step up a gear. He didn’t say a word, but she knew exactly what he was thinking as his eyes dropped to her lips. She licked them, savoring the taste of the wine, but savoring the expression on his face even more. His pupils dilated, his cheeks flushed with a heat that had nothing to do with the breeze or the sun they’d enjoyed so far today.

A tingle ran up her spine and she averted her gaze, concentrating instead on picking up her fork and sampling the salad. Sam eventually did the same.