Page 14 of Acadia Falls

“Good for her.” Blondie’s future held no interest to me. I wasn’t even sure why I’d invited her to come along to McKinley’s, but when I’d seen her last night, I’d asked without thinking.

“So why’re we ferrying Alex and Blondie to Somes Sound?”

“They finished with the Vejas’s Hinckley. We’re just going to help.”

“Does she even know how to drive that thing?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” Hinckley boats were gorgeous, hand-crafted yachts made in Acadia. They sold for about a million dollars a pop. “You might have to drive it back.”

Tommy raised his eyebrows. “All that money, and she needs our help picking up her yacht? Sounds like a setup to me.”

“Shut it, Tommy.”

The girls were waiting for us down on the dock. I barely registered Alex as we said hello; I couldn’t keep my eyes off Blondie. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, all the better to showcase her jawline and long neck. Loose-fitting jeans, flip-flops, and a white hoodie somehow made her look like a Victoria’s Secret model.

Blondie was gorgeous. I had to give her that.

Of course, there were some other things I could give her…

“Hey, Jack.” She roused me from my thoughts. “Nice to see you.”

Did I imagine it, or was she teasing me?

“You too.”

She leaned closer as I went to untie the boat. “Maran—my name’s Maran.”

“Oh, I know.” I gave her a quick nod. “It’s not like I’m gonna forget.”

Tommy and I threw the bumpers on the boat, and he grabbed the wheel, steering us into the harbor. Alex went up and chatted with him while Maran smiled at the mountains.

“It’s so gorgeous here!” She had to raise her voice over the motor.

I nodded. Maran was like three thousand other girls I’d met over the years. From the city, real pretty, and gobsmacked by Acadia’s natural beauty. She would probably tell herself that someday she would change her life and move up here. But the truth was, she’d return to the city and re-acclimate to the stench and the hustle. She’d forget all about how pretty those green mountains were, the gentle swell of the cold water, and the hot fisherman she’d had a fling with.

I’d seen it more times than I could count.

“Did you grow up here?” she asked.

I nodded.

“You lied to me.” She laughed.

“Yeah, I did.” I laughed, too.

We passed the colossal osprey nest by Diamond Island, and I couldn’t help it—I pointed it out to her. She oohed and aahed, and I checked out her tits. They were perfect, just like I remembered. I felt myself getting hard and counted backward from ten, interspersed with a mantra of no more city girls. Because… no more city girls.

Like I said, this wasn’t my first rodeo.

“Are we going to McKinley’s dock?” Tommy called.

“Yep—Alex can take the boat right home.”

Maran was suddenly beside me. I could smell her, a scent earthy and spicy and clean. “Does she actually know how to drive her boat?”

The corner of my mouth quirked up. “I doubt it. I think that’s why she asked for a ride.”

Maran nodded, eyes wide. “Glad you came.”