Page 56 of The Deadly Shallows

He chuckled.

She tilted her head. “What?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head, his smiling growing.

Her face scrunched. “You’re clearly thinking something . . .”

“You’re just always on the go.” He liked to move but was quite content to enjoy a good book, watch a movie, or simply sit on his back deck to watch the sunset.

“I’m not always on the go,” she insisted. “For instance, I am sitting here enjoying breakfast with you.” Of course she’d argue the point.

When didn’t the woman argue? But he found it an oddly enjoyable method of flirting, strange as it might seem to onlookers. Between them, it was all in fun . . . with maybe a smidge of competition.

“And I sat out here during our last two dinners together,” she added.

He smirked.

Her beautiful green eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Do you ever just sit when a meal is not involved?”

“Yes,” she said a little too quickly.

He dipped his head, trying to fight how entranced he was in her presence. “So you enjoy just being still?”

Her lips pursed. “What do you mean by still?”

“You know. No agenda. Just chilling. Enjoying a cup of coffee on the dock to start off your day?”

“Yes.” Her voice hit a higher-than-usual octave. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I do,” she said again, clearly forcing her voice to settle.

He arched his brows. “Really?”

She pursed her lips. “We really ought to get that water sample, don’t you think?”

She stood, and he let her off the hook . . . for the moment.

Caleb headed to his car and retrieved the water-sample kit from his trunk but had barely rounded the house when a high-pitched scream pierced his ears.

Austin raced past him. “I think that’s Megan.”

“Who?” He set down the kit and caught up with Austin’s frantic pace as they raced for the water.

“Neighbor kid,” she said. “Next to the canoe, about a hundred feet out.”

“Who’s in the canoe?” he asked, yanking off his boots.

“Her brother Billy.”

Billy was pulling his sister’s arm, struggling to get her up into the canoe—not an easy task.

“I’m coming,” Caleb hollered. Once the cold water hit his waist, he swam for Megan and Billy.

A moment later a splash sounded behind him, ripples moving along the water.

Austin. Stubborn as the day is long. With her sore shoulder. But given the situation, he’d have done the same.

“My leg is stuck,” Megan cried as he got closer, the water level dipping.