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Brylee relaxed backin the water, scrubbing her hands through her hair. The water was cold but refreshing. It felt amazing to be submersed and not feel all sweaty and gross. With her stomach full, the backpack off, and her feet not in the shoes, she felt amazing, even with her wet T-shirt and running pants clinging to her.
She glanced over at Cash floating close by. With him near, she felt even more amazing. He took such good care of her. He could easily protect her and be her champion. Especially with muscles like those … whew. Cash without a shirt on was the most beautiful work of art she’d ever seen. He had a lot of scars on his upper body, the worst being the scarring low on his abdomen. She wanted to ask him about them, listen to each story of bravery and battle. She’d been too distracted staring at him and didn’t know if he could or would share battle stories. Green Beret Captain. That still blew her mind.
He’d swum away from her a few minutes ago. Had she made him uncomfortable gawking at him? She’d watched him swim under the waterfall and then decided to focus on cleaning herself up the best she could, scrubbing at her arms and feet with herhands. She also rubbed at her armpits under her shirt, checking to make sure he was still under the falls and not looking.
Relaxing onto her back, she ran her fingertips through her hair, trying to detangle it. What she wouldn’t give for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Cash still floated on his back. She appreciated how kind he’d been to her today—more than kind, truly. He had saved her life on this waterfall. Glancing up, she couldn’t see the spot where she’d defied death, but she could easily picture it.
Cash was incredible. She really, really liked him.
The only thing she hadn’t appreciated today was him saying he wished she didn’t like him. She wanted to question him on that one.
On the flip side, when he’d swooped her into his arms and then said she made him ‘wild’ … ooh baby. That had made her stomach do the salsa. She wanted to show him some wild kisses.
Brylee stood in the chest deep pool, easing closer to the flow of the falls. Her body temperature was dropping from the cool water, but she didn’t mind after being overheated all day.
Cash floated close by. He suddenly stood and watched her. Even in the semi-dark, she could make out his well-formed upper body. When he’d swept her off her feet and carried her to the pool, and then repeated the move a minute later and carried her into the water, she’d been shocked in the best possible way.
There’d been moments he’d seemed to not respond or hold himself aloof today, but for the most part he’d acted and reacted better than any dream man she’d ever fantasized about—carving a trail for her, lifting her over obstacles or offering his hand, saving her life, savoring the view arm in arm, chuckling at her silly voices, laughing with her, gifting her with his grin and a warm look in his deep brown eyes, seeming deeply interested in everything she had to say.
Was it possible to fall in love in a day?
No. But definitely like. Why didn’t he want her to like him? That was driving her insane.
Did he not like redheads? How could she ask that without sounding like she lacked confidence in herself? She did. The two-faced, cheating scum Mark had killed her confidence with his breakup line.
Sorry, Brylee, but an average blonde or brunette beats a gorgeous redhead. Every guy knows that. Unless you want to commit to dying your hair all the time for me.
She’d slapped him instead and vowed never to dye her hair. Last she’d heard, he was back with his ex-girlfriend Shylane, the ‘average’ blonde. What a jerk. She felt bad for the woman. Inside she knew Mark was a jerk, but when they’d been together she’d loved him and put her whole heart into the relationship. It had hurt.
Mark wasn’t close to as attractive, impressive, and built as Cash. If she couldn’t keep a below-average guy like Mark interested, how did she dare think she could get a man like Cash to fall for her?
Every guy liked blondes or brunettes better. Was that true? She hated that she believed anything Mark had told her.
Brylee eased back until the waterfall pounded her shoulders. It was a hard pounding, but also a fabulous natural massage. She needed it after carrying that backpack today. Tomorrow she’d be carrying the load twice as long. At least she wouldn’t be carrying it up the side of this insanely high waterfall. She wondered how Cash was faring. He was a million times tougher than her, but he’d carried a larger backpackandhe’d chopped trails for her.
An arm brushed against hers, and her eyes flew open. Cash’s large body overshadowed her. He wrapped his hand around hers, staring down at her. His gaze was intense and powerful.
Brylee’s heart raced out of control. A man didn’t look at a woman like that unless …
She blinked the waterfall spray out of her eyes. Should she second-guess her next move? She released his hand and ran her palms over the beautiful muscles of his chest, savoring his warm, taut skin and each striated muscle. Her hands worked their way across his shoulders and then encircled his neck.
Cash’s gaze intensified. His muscles tightened, but he didn’t wrap her up tight.
Maybe she should slow down and think, give him time to put his hands around her and make certain she didn’t push him in the wrong direction.
The water fell behind them, the most romantic backdrop she’d ever imagined. She could see his pulse racing in his neck and his chest rising and falling quickly.
Cash looked far too serious. She wanted to see his smile. At least his gaze was intense and full of her. He cupped her hips with his palms and suddenly the dark night was full of sparks and light. She smiled, and he returned it.
There was her signal. She wasted no time arching up toward him.
Cash responded absolutely perfectly. He bent down and their lips met in the middle.
The water splashing down on them was cool, but nothing could take away the warmth of this moment. Cash’s mouth against hers banished any worries or fears. His kiss was insistent, beautiful, and decimated any unease she’d ever had about not being enough since Mark dumped her.
Brylee was more than enough in Cash’s arms. She could taste it on his lips—she was everything he’d ever wanted, would ever need, and had never seen coming. She, Brylee Auburn, was Cash Trapper’s perfect fit. She wanted to cheer. Instead, she kissed him more deeply.
