I raised a brow, unconvinced. “Like?”
“I canoe.”
“Youcanoe?” I couldn’t help but look her up and down. I couldn’t imagine that fresh set of nails and tailored pants climbing in a thin boat and cutting through rushing waters.
Rae tilted her chin up slightly at my disbelief. But where there probably should have been offense was amusement. The smile playing on her glossy lips slipped a hook into my heart. Just a corner piece. Something I could easily nudge out. I left it there for the time being. If poison laced it, I was screwed.
“That’s surprising?” Rae rested her hands on the railing and leaned over, closing some of the distance between us. A bit of her wing brushed against my shoulder. My gaze flickered down to her waist and the peek of skin revealed as her top rode up.
“I hunt ghosts for a living across all fifty states, and canoeing is something I’m incapable of?” Rae asked.
“I didn’t say you were incapable.” I swallowed, mythroat gone dry after a rogue breeze carried her smoky scent to me.
“Not in so many words,” she teased.
“You just…don’t look like you enjoy getting dirty.” I shrugged.
“Wow, well, now I have to fix this gross bit of disinformation.” She tsked, her smile ever-present. “What do you say about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
“You and me, the open water? My chance at changing the narrative?” she asked. “The DJ’s related to the Rainwoods. He said I could use his access to Boulder Lake any time I wanted. He has canoes.”
My brows furrowed. “How did you have time to talk to the DJ about his canoes?”
“I’m a busybody. Hazard of the trade.”
“Impressive.”
“Say yes.” She feigned a desperate plea, her eyes growing bigger and more wanting than the moon. “It’ll be fun.”
“Lots of things on land are fun.”
“Yes, but I’m really good at things in the water, so I need that leg up,” she said. “A fair shot at impressing you.”
“I think the moment you fended off a demon from ripping my flesh from my body was impressive enough,” I whispered.
“Yeah, well, that was an accident,” she whispered back and winked.
“Right. Very comforting to be reminded.”
“This time my protection won’t be accidental.”
“I don’t think it ever should, considering your choice of career.”
Rae laughed and offered me her hand. Or, atleast, I thought she was offering it to me. But instead of shaking, she leaned into me, using my stability to help her swing her leg over the railing. She straddled it, swinging her feet back and forth as she handed me the check.
I accepted it, assuming she wanted to brag a bit. “Nice work. You all look amazing. What are you going to do with your prize money?”
“Read who it’s made out to?”
I frowned and looked closer at the cursive writing. Before, I’d only noted the three zeroes. This time I saw the name of my ranch.
“Why is…?” I blinked, rereading.
“A gift.” Rae beamed. “We wanted to be in the competition for fun and figured the prize could help buy a few things around the ranch.”
“I can’t take your money.” I tried to give it back.
