“Good deal.” Colin takes my hand, strolling down the dock and helping me onto the boat. “You mind if Amy joins? She won’t be a nuisance. I promise.”
“That’s more than fine. I bet she loves the water.” Colin jogs back to let Amy out. She sprints for the dock, knowing exactly where she’s going.
“Amy, girl! Come here!” I slap at my knee to entice her to come onto the boat, rubbing the dog’s head and ears affectionately with praise when she jumps onto the boat and plops her front paws onto my lap. Colin climbs aboard, patting Amy rewardingly, and gives her a treat to chew on before getting back down to busy himself untying the ropes that dock the boat. Jumping aboard, he lifts the anchor so we can take off.
I know practically nothing about boating, but everything seems to be going fine considering the boat is moving. With a slight breeze and eighty-three degrees for a high, it is just downright wonderful.An absolutely perfect day for being on the water.I extend my legs out in front of me and lean back on the padded seating.
If I were alone right now, a nap would be in order, but I’m not, and the thought of sleeping while Colin is standing there steering and looking all sexy doesn’t appeal to me. His eyes travel up my legs, and he winks at me. Yeah, sleep can definitely wait.
Colin’s hair is tousling in the breeze, giving me the sudden urge to run my fingers through it. He looks over at me again and smiles with that knowing, sexy smile that tugs on my insides. He caught me staring and knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Where are we going for the picnic?” I rub my stomach lightly and giggle. “I am starving.”
“In a few minutes, you’ll see a little island over to the east. We should be there in about twenty, so not much longer. I promise. Then your stomach will love me.”
“Is it private?”
“Yeah, it’s not big at all. Amy and I like to come out here and throw the ball around from time to time. It has a small beach area too, so we can swim if you’d like. I know Amy will.” Amy looks up at Colin adoringly at the sound of her name and ‘grrrrumphhhhs’. We laugh at her enthusiasm.
Twentyish minutes later, Colin drops the anchor, the boat slowing from its drag as it approaches shallow water. He launches his sandals out onto the sand at the water’s edge and jumps down into the shallower water to tie the boat to the metal fixtures attached to some wooden poles someone dug deep into the sand from previous times of being here. He gets the bottom of his shorts wet, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
“There’s a small ladder somewhere against the side of the boat near you. Do you see it?” I nod, grabbing it. “There should be hooks for you to hook it to the boat somewhere in front of you so that you can get down. Do me a favor though and hand me the picnic basket before you climb over please.” I hook it up, handover the basket, throw my sandals over by Colin’s, and climb gingerly over the rail. I descend toward the water while he takes the basket to shore. I slip on the last step and fall ass first into the water. So much for the white shorts.
“Sydney, you alright?” Colin rushes back into the water, snickering in amusement, to help me stand as I wring out my soppy mess of an outfit gone to waste. At least the water wasn’t a muddy mess.
“I’m ok. Just slipped on that last step. Looks like my shoes are about the only thing that got off the boat dry. I’m so glad the water isn’t ice cold.” I laugh, all the while thanking God for waterproof mascara. “Guess that just means I’ll have to change into my swimsuit early.”
Colin gulps, eyeing my soaked-through shorts while trying to hide his amusement as we both climb back up the steps to get bathing suits. “You can go down into the small cabin and change into your suit. I’ll change up here.”
“Thanks.” I grab my white tote and climb down below to change. I’m glad that I remembered to pack my see-through red cover-up. It is sure to get Colin’s blood pumping. Maybe falling into the water had worked out to my advantage.
I hear another splash, taking that as my cue that he’s decent and that I can come up. To echo that thought, I can hear Amy barking and splashing around on the shore. I climb back up the steps and catch Colin stumbling over his feet as he takes in my suit and cover. His hand comes up to cover his mouth then rubs across his jawline. I hear a groan escape his lips and smile at the knowledge that this will be sweet torture for him. I manage to gracefully crawl down the steps into the water this time.
Colin has already laid out the blanket and set out the uncovered food for us. He kisses me quickly before I settle down on the ground. He flings the ball once more for Amy to retrieve.
“That cover-up is killing me. I’m just gonna put that out there. You will catch me staring.” He grins and pops a grape into his mouth.
“Well, it’d be more even if you’d take off that shirt of yours.”
Colin happily strips the shirt, throwing it over by our shoes. “Better?”
“Oh, yes, much better,” I practically purr, soaking in what has got to be one of the sexiest sculpted chests I’ve ever seen. He has just a light dusting of hair in the very center of his chest. No carpet. Check. His pecs and abs are beyond ripped. Add to that the biceps and cut lines of a Spartan warrior and I have the best dessert ever sitting right in front of me. To think that all of this is mine makes me grin devilishly at him.
Colin grins right back. “I made turkey sandwiches on wheat with pepper jack cheese. I hope you like it. I also have some green grapes and strawberries.”
My answer comes from the depths of my belly. We both laugh at the timing as Colin hands me a sandwich. We eat and chat comfortably for the next half hour, feeding each other grapes and strawberries, enjoying the moment and stealing a few kisses.
“Come on,” Colin says, standing and reaching down to grab my hand and pull me up. “Let’s go swimming.” I pull off my cover, watching him take in my curves as I drop it onto the blanket. Before I can take a step, Colin sweeps me up fireman style, running with me into the water, both of us laughing and me squealing when he throws me in. He ducks himself into the water to cool off. When I bob under and come to the surface, he pulls me close, wrapping my legs around his waist, and pushes back a wet strand of hair near my eyes.
“Stay with me tonight,” he says, his voice husky. I answer with a kiss that smolders between us, kindling a fire that willsoon lick up through our veins, only quenchable by hours of lovemaking.
By the time we finish swimming, playing with Amy, and sunbathing, it’s around five o’clock. Colin grabs a makeshift plank thingy from his boat to help Amy crawl on board then unties the boat while I love on Amy’s ears. My soaked clothes from earlier are dry now, but there is no point in putting them back on. I watch as Colin pulls up the anchor and puts it out of the way so nobody trips over it. I admire how the muscles of his back flex and move so nicely. Amy curls up in her bed near the back of the boat, exhausted from hours of playing and snacking on the beach. Getting back takes a little more time since we are going against the breeze. After docking, I hurry back to my place to get ready for dinner and my first night with Colin.
Chapter 10
Colin
The day out on the boat and beach with Sydney couldn’t have gone any better. I had gotten to the point where I couldn’t wait a minute longer to see her so I’d taken off from the office early since there hadn’t been that many appointments and my partner Jim had returned from vacation along with the interns. I’m sure I have an hour to myself before Sydney comes back over, so I take a long, hot shower to ease my tense muscles then take my time dressing in a pair of faded blue jeans with a maroon tee. I keep the leather flip flops on and squirt on some cologne again. She commented the other day that she loved the way it smelled when we were making out, so it is one of my go-tos now. Tonight, I will need all the help in order to get things right for the woman I’m falling for.
