go fishing, remember?”
Nathan nodded. “Oh, yeah.” A sly grin made an appearance.
Libby returned his smile. “And while we’re fishing, we can take our own swim.” She’d just keep her clothes on. Nathan would understand. Then at least she could rinse off the stench of the day in order to feel normal again.
As soon as they completed raking the straw, Nathan grabbed her hand. “C’mon. We gotta tell Pa we’re going fishing. I hope he won’t mind.”
As they neared the spring, it was all Libby could do to hold herself back from jumping into the inviting pool of water. The desire to cool off and to rid herself of grime and the scent of eau de horses was too overwhelming to ignore. Except, that would just raise questions, which would lead to other questions.
Colin stepped onto the bank in all his glory. Water sluiced off his shoulders. Droplets ran down the length of a well-built chest, going lower all the way to… Libby’s breath hitched in her throat and she forced her focus higher. She knew she was practically gawking, but he had a gorgeous body. His muscles bunched as he wiped drips off his face and hair, holding her rapt attention.
“Come join us,” Colin called. Her gaze slid to his eyes and Libby couldn’t look away from that same heart-stopping stare. “The water’s great.”
She was tempted to do exactly as he requested. Thankfully her senses returned just in the nick of time. Good grief! Heat engulfed her face. Remember, Libby, you’re an engaged woman who has no business drooling over some Adonis-like model who lives in the past. Don’t look at him. She cast her focus at her feet and cleared her throat, struggling for an intelligent reply.
“We’re goin’ fishin’ instead,” Nathan piped up, saving her from making more of an idiot of herself. “Is that OK, Pa?” He turned to look at Gus. “We’ll cool off at the fishin’ hole.”
“ Ja .” Gus emerged from the water, drawing Libby’s focus. And even though he was just as well built as Colin, seeing his blue-eyed gaze or watching water sluice off his back did nothing to make her heartbeat falter. “Fishing sounds like a good way to spend the rest of a lazy afternoon.”
Libby glanced from him to Colin.
Colin’s grin widened. “If we didn’t have so much work, we might be inclined to join you.”
“C’mon, Libby.” Nathan reached for her hand and tugged.
Still red-faced and unable to articulate a decent farewell, Libby offered a quick smile and waved. The entire time they walked away, she felt the heat of the two men’s gazes on her back. But only one gaze concerned her.
Maybe sticking around a day or so wasn’t such a good idea. Unfortunately, the thought of making it home right now was just as unsettling.
Chapter 4
“The fishin’ hole is this way.” Nathan ran ahead. By now the two were out of earshot from Colin and Gus.
Libby shrugged. “Sure.” Heaven help her. What she had gotten herself into? She shuddered over the idea of actually touching live bait or slimy fish.
“Great.”
Libby only laughed, praying for the fortitude to last a day or two. She wasn’t sure she was up to it, especially considering what she’d just witnessed.
Hopefully she could figure out why she was here and make the trip home sooner rather than later. Colin Thorpe was just too tempting to be around for long without somehow giving herself away.
They walked about a mile to a small lake with trees clustered around the perimeter, creating an idyllic scene. The clear, calm water mirrored the surrounding countryside in a vivid display. Every now and then a fish would jump and produce a ripple, distorting the image for a few seconds. She grasped that she was seeing a view of the past that no longer existed. She would have remembered something this breathtaking in her own time.
Nathan walked over to a bush and moved a rock, yielding two hidden poles. “Since Pa’s swimmin’, he won’t mind if you use his.”
Looking at the
Nathan nodded. “Oh, yeah.” A sly grin made an appearance.
Libby returned his smile. “And while we’re fishing, we can take our own swim.” She’d just keep her clothes on. Nathan would understand. Then at least she could rinse off the stench of the day in order to feel normal again.
As soon as they completed raking the straw, Nathan grabbed her hand. “C’mon. We gotta tell Pa we’re going fishing. I hope he won’t mind.”
As they neared the spring, it was all Libby could do to hold herself back from jumping into the inviting pool of water. The desire to cool off and to rid herself of grime and the scent of eau de horses was too overwhelming to ignore. Except, that would just raise questions, which would lead to other questions.
Colin stepped onto the bank in all his glory. Water sluiced off his shoulders. Droplets ran down the length of a well-built chest, going lower all the way to… Libby’s breath hitched in her throat and she forced her focus higher. She knew she was practically gawking, but he had a gorgeous body. His muscles bunched as he wiped drips off his face and hair, holding her rapt attention.
“Come join us,” Colin called. Her gaze slid to his eyes and Libby couldn’t look away from that same heart-stopping stare. “The water’s great.”
She was tempted to do exactly as he requested. Thankfully her senses returned just in the nick of time. Good grief! Heat engulfed her face. Remember, Libby, you’re an engaged woman who has no business drooling over some Adonis-like model who lives in the past. Don’t look at him. She cast her focus at her feet and cleared her throat, struggling for an intelligent reply.
“We’re goin’ fishin’ instead,” Nathan piped up, saving her from making more of an idiot of herself. “Is that OK, Pa?” He turned to look at Gus. “We’ll cool off at the fishin’ hole.”
“ Ja .” Gus emerged from the water, drawing Libby’s focus. And even though he was just as well built as Colin, seeing his blue-eyed gaze or watching water sluice off his back did nothing to make her heartbeat falter. “Fishing sounds like a good way to spend the rest of a lazy afternoon.”
Libby glanced from him to Colin.
Colin’s grin widened. “If we didn’t have so much work, we might be inclined to join you.”
“C’mon, Libby.” Nathan reached for her hand and tugged.
Still red-faced and unable to articulate a decent farewell, Libby offered a quick smile and waved. The entire time they walked away, she felt the heat of the two men’s gazes on her back. But only one gaze concerned her.
Maybe sticking around a day or so wasn’t such a good idea. Unfortunately, the thought of making it home right now was just as unsettling.
Chapter 4
“The fishin’ hole is this way.” Nathan ran ahead. By now the two were out of earshot from Colin and Gus.
Libby shrugged. “Sure.” Heaven help her. What she had gotten herself into? She shuddered over the idea of actually touching live bait or slimy fish.
“Great.”
Libby only laughed, praying for the fortitude to last a day or two. She wasn’t sure she was up to it, especially considering what she’d just witnessed.
Hopefully she could figure out why she was here and make the trip home sooner rather than later. Colin Thorpe was just too tempting to be around for long without somehow giving herself away.
They walked about a mile to a small lake with trees clustered around the perimeter, creating an idyllic scene. The clear, calm water mirrored the surrounding countryside in a vivid display. Every now and then a fish would jump and produce a ripple, distorting the image for a few seconds. She grasped that she was seeing a view of the past that no longer existed. She would have remembered something this breathtaking in her own time.
Nathan walked over to a bush and moved a rock, yielding two hidden poles. “Since Pa’s swimmin’, he won’t mind if you use his.”
Looking at the
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