Page 64 of The Other Half

“Jake? You there?” A voice called across the water. With wide eyes, Cassie and I shot each other a look. Hank barked and his big tail wagged while he bounced on the seat he and Poppy had been snoozing on.

“What the hell?” Cassie whispered while we fumbled to pull the towel out from under us. “You said we were alone!”

Just as we got the towel over our naked bodies, a boat pulled up beside us.

“Jake! You on there or did you fall over, and I need to call the Coast Guard?”

Aaron. Figures.

“I’m here, Aaron. Go away!” I called back to him.

The motor on his boat softened while it slid up beside us. I saw his bearded face appear over the edge while he peered with wide eyes into the bottom of the boat where Cassie and I lay covered.

“Whoa!” Aaron laughed. “You are on the boat. And back on the horse I might add.” A sly smirk lifted his furry lips while a triumphant nod tipped his head up and down.

“Shut up, Aaron,” I called back, trying not to laugh while I held the towel tight around Cassie.

“I saw the boat, and it looked abandoned. I just came over to check on you. I see you’re okay. Very okay.” His grin grew.

Two men and a young boy appeared behind him and all eyes showed white when they saw us.

“Divert your eyes, young ‘un,” Aaron said, covering the wide eyes of the teenage boy staring at us. “It seems they’re okay and we can be on our way. Jake’s got other things on his mind than fishing today.”

“Oh, God,” I groaned while his charter clients stared at us.

“Back to fishing we go! And no... we won’t pull a woman like that out of the water. But I can put you on the salmon for sure! And let’s be honest... salmon are a hell of a lot less trouble than women.”

The charter group laughed while Aaron gave me a sly nod.

“Get out of here,” I growled, but the laughter hovered just beneath the words.

“We’re going. We’re going. Well done, man. Well done.” He crossed his arms and smiled down at us.

“Go!” Cassie and I shouted in unison.

“All right, all right... I’m going. You two have yourselves a wonderful afternoon.” He winked then disappeared over the edge and back onto his boat.

The motor chugged while he pulled away. Cassie and I exchanged a horrified glance and then dissolved into laughter.

“Alone?” she said through her hysterics while slapping me on the shoulder. “Alone? You said we were alone! He almost saw me naked!”

“I’d have had to drown him. No one sees you naked but me.” I laughed and peeked under the towel. “That is all mine now.”

“Then don’t make me get naked out in public where your friends are gonna see me!” She slapped me on the shoulder again. I broke through her feigned resistance and pressed a kiss to the lips she pursed shut.

“You can try, but it’s not gonna work.” I kissed her again, feeling the firm lips soften then give in to my persistence. Our tongues reconnected while she melted into my demands. She sighed the sweet sound I loved hearing her make.

“I’m getting dressed,” she said between kisses.

“I’m sure he won’t come back. Maybe just one more—”

“Jake!” she scolded then tugged the towel away, leaving me naked on the floor of the boat. Scurrying to pull up my shorts, I laughed while she leveled me with a glare.

After tying her suit back together, I slapped her on the bottom and kissed her cheek. “There. You’re safe.”

“Thanks, baby.” She leaned back and brushed a kiss on my cheek. It amazed me how every word from her mouth and every touch could send me into a whirlwind of emotions that ignited the darkness inside me, drowning out every painful memory I had.

Hank saw a duck flap past and land in the water beside the boat. With a powerful push he flew over the edge. The splash soaked us both and Cassie screamed her displeasure.