Her gaze moved over his face, and she smiled a little. “So if I hadn’t been there?”
He stopped the golf cart in front of his drive and stared down at her. “If you weren’t there, what would have happened to the dog?”
“You saved her.”
“I can’t fight and hold the dog, too. She’d have run off, and we might never have found her again. Imagine what a life that would have been for her.”
“But we did find her, and now we’ll make sure she’s happy.”
Coop stared at her, stunned by the idea of “we.”
As if she didn’t understand the significance of what she’d just said, Phoenix dug out her phone. “I saw some pet supplies in the camp store. I’ll ask Ridley to see if they have flea shampoo, okay?”
Knowing she wanted to help, he banked the rage and managed another curt nod.
She didn’t notice his struggle. Was she that comfortable with him? Or was she just that drawn into her own recriminations?
Dog first, Coop decided.
And once he had the animal settled, then he’d deal with Phoenix.
*
Ridley glanced at the lake, thinking how nice a dip would be in the cool water. She’d been working all day and, seriously, it sucked. Her shoulders ached, her hair was a mess and her hands were chapped.
Tomorrow, for sure, she’d find gloves.
Tomorrow? Did she really plan to do this all again?
Maybe.
Tired as she might be, she also felt a sense of satisfaction. Daron had come into one cabin to repair a leak in the sink just as she’d finished cleaning. He’d whistled low and said, “Spick-and-span. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this shiny.”
Pleasure had almost made her blush. When was the last time she’d scrubbed a floor? Eons, it seemed. But she’d done it, challenged by Phoenix’s skepticism, as well as a need to keep busy.
She’d glanced around too, and realized she had done a nice job. Score one for her. “Thanks. I don’t believe in half-assing anything, you know?”
A true comedian, Daron had replied, “I’m all about the full ass.”
They’d laughed together and she’d felt an odd sort of companionship—wrought from shared work?
For sure, what she felt with the fun-loving Daron wasn’t nearly as intense as the punch of sensation from Baxter.
So here she was, multiple areas now cleaned, a bucket full of supplies in her hand, and she wondered where Baxter might be.
Shielding her eyes, she searched the beach around the lake, finally spotting him in a wet suit, the top rolled down around his lean hips leaving his upper body bare. She soaked in the sight of him, blond hair slicked back, tanned chest glistening in the sun, white teeth showing in a big grin as he talked...to two attractive women in bikinis.
She scowled. What a dick.
Would he go off with one—or both—of them? He could, she supposed, judging by their body language. One even stroked a finger down his chest, through a sprinkling of chest hair, down almost to his navel.
Never mind that other people crowded the beach, Baxter didn’t stop her. Hedonist. Exhibitionist.
Show-off.
She sighed. Confident men are so damned sexy.
As if he felt her dark scrutiny, his gaze suddenly shifted to hers and locked there. He slowly turned to face her.
Busted. Ridley told herself to put her nose in the air and walk away, but instead she cocked out a hip and smirked at him.
It wasn’t easy, showing attitude while holding a scrub bucket, but she hoped she managed it.
Without looking away, he said something to the women. Seeing their disappointment, she wasn’t surprised when he started her way.
Well, hell.
When facing off with superstuds, she preferred to look her best, not her worst. Using a wrist, she pushed a hank of hair from her face, loosened her sweaty tank from her boobs, and curled her lips into a big fat smile, determined to exude her own share of confidence.
His stride was long enough that, even though he didn’t appear to hurry, Baxter reached her in no time. Sunshine lightened the green of his eyes, making them look like emeralds as he studied her from her messy hair down to her feet and slowly back up again.
It felt like he’d just stroked her, and damn the man, she liked it enough that her nipples tightened.
A small, satisfied smile quirked one side of his mouth before he finally, reluctantly, lifted his attention to her face. “You made it through the whole day.”
Umbrage unfurled. “You thought I wouldn’t?”
“Many people don’t.”
Oh. So maybe that wasn’t a specific insult aimed at her, but rather the expected norm. Ridley shrugged. “The Rose sisters always rise to a challenge.” And Phoenix had definitely challenged her. Had she done it on purpose, just to egg her into leaving sooner? She couldn’t wait to talk to her sister, to let her know that she’d not only stuck it out, but somewhat, sort of, maybe just a little, enjoyed exerting herself for a change.
Baxter said, “Good to know...in case I ever want to challenge you.”
The two women he’d left behind walked past them, and along the way they cast frowning stares of disbelief at Ridley. She almost laughed. “It seems your adoring audience is confused.”
He didn’t look at them. “They’re interested in classes.”
“Uh-huh.” Shut up, Ridley. “They’re interested in you.”
Lowering his head in assent, he murmured, “That, too.” He rubbed a hand over his opposite shoulder and glanced up at the sun broiling down on his bare back. “Thing is, I don’t fool around with customers.”
“Well, shoot,” she heard herself say. “There go my lessons.”
His gaze locked on hers, and holy moly, some powerful tension arced between them.
He took a step closer. “It’s hot as hell out here.”
Hotter by the second. Nodding at his hips, she said, “’Specially in that suit, I bet.”
“I have a place just outside the park.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “I’m heading there to shower if you want to join me.”
Yes, she most definitely did. “Is your shower big enough for two?”
“Long as we stay real close.”
Heat gathered at her core, making her breathless. “Works for me.”
He took the bucket from her with one hand and with the other at the small of her back, turned her toward the scuba shop. “I have to change, then we can take my car.”
Excitement, hot and heady, coursed through her. Ridley didn’t even care about retrieving her purse or, as per her usual insistence, her own car.
She followed him to the scuba shop building. After setting the cleaning bucket on a bench, he used a key from a coiled band around his wrist and unlocked the door. Standing aside, he gestured for her to enter.
The interior was cool, dim and cramped with equipment.
“Give me two minutes to change.” He disappeared past a curtain into a back room.
With anticipation riding her hard, Ridley busied herself by looking around. Rows of tanks filled the bottom shelf of a tall square table. How long has it been since I had sex? She couldn’t remember, and that said something about the quality, right?
Snorkeling sets hung from standing racks. How long since I wanted the sex this much? Pretty sure the answer was never.
Regulators, goggles and fins filled various pegboards. Wet suits hung in the back. Hurry up, Baxter. If he didn’t get a move on, she just might join him back there...
A stack of T-shirts caught her eye and she read the slogan on the front.
DIVERS GO DEEPER AND STAY DOWN LONGER.
“Oh, I hope so,” she whispered, clenching her thighs in reaction.
She heard the swish of the curtain and looked up to see Baxter coming toward her. He wore a snowy-white V-neck T-shirt that stuck to wet spots on his chest and shoulders—proof that he hadn’t taken the time to really dry off. Loose cargo shorts hung low on his lean hips and he wore unlaced sneakers.
All in all, he looked impossibly casual, sexy and in a hurry.
He got close and said, “I shouldn’t have waited to do this.”