just outside the door. Rayna leaned toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist, and the corners of Alex’s heart-shaped mouth lifted in a tender smile. His anger slowly faded as his gaze followed her, replaced by respect and admiration for her hard-won independence. Her gold-flecked eyes, surrounded by long, thick lashes, made her beautifully exotic, but her regal bearing marked her as different . . . special. She was an amazing woman—having survived what likely would have brought most men to their knees. She deserved the freedom she’d earned. Possessiveness overrode his better judgment and pushed aside the balance of his reluctance.
“I don’t see a problem. Me and the Mrs. will be ready to go when you are.” He stepped around Joe and started toward the door, catching Alex’s attention and crooking his finger.
She straightened and braced herself as though expecting his wrath. Nate scowled. If they were going to spend four days in an RV alone together, something was going to have to change between them.
He placed his hand on her back and turned her to walk beside him. “Ever been fishing?”
“No.” Curiosity flickered briefly in her eyes.
Nate continued into the kitchen and out the back door to the deck. “You’re in for a treat. If we have time, I’ll teach you.”
Her pleased smile illuminated her face, tweaking the dimples in her cheeks, and jolting him somewhere deep down inside. When she smiled like that—like she really meant it—it wreaked havoc with his self-control. Still, he couldn’t help wondering what he could do to make it a more regular occurrence.
Nate opened the side door to the garage and led the way between his ancient Suburban and his Mustang until he reached the back wall and swung open the door to the storage room. When he glanced back, she was no longer behind him, and instead was trailing her fingers lightly over the right rear quarter panel of the Mach I.
She flushed when she caught him watching her. “You fixed it.”
“Good as new.”
She wrinkled her nose and cocked her head to one side. “Am I forgiven, then? Please?”
Nate laughed and shook his head, feeling the power of her plea over him . . . knowing he wouldn’t be able to refuse her anything if she asked like that. “Okay, forgiven, but I’m not letting you behind the wheel again. Not until I teach you how to drive, anyway.”
One of her warm, genuine smiles lit up her countenance again, and she stepped in front of him, her chin lifted so her eyes met his. “Thanks, Nate. I appreciate you trusting me enough to let me go with you.”
“The other part of that is you trusting me. Can you do that?”
“Sure.”
“Do everything I say—when I say?”
Although Alex didn’t move, he could almost see her retreat within herself. The idea of him telling her what to do obviously scared her. Knowing the basics of what she’d been through, he couldn’t blame her, but the trust issue wasn’t an option.
“Come here. Let’s get you set up to fish.” He dragged his gaze from her and stepped inside the storage room. Soon she was at his side again, and when he glanced at her, the excitement had returned to her expression.
He chose his two best rod and reel sets, making a mental note to purchase new fishing line. What he had was several years old, and he didn’t want Alex to hook a big fish and have her line break. They weren’t going on vacation, but if they were going to fish, they might as well do it right.
Twenty minutes later he had two small tackle boxes packed with the essentials. He started a pile that included his grate for cooking over a campfire, an old aluminum coffeepot and pan set, an axe, two flashlights, a lantern, and matching sleeping bags. They’d pick up the rest of what they needed once they got there.
Alex tried to help him with the fishing gear, but the first thing she did was lose a fight with one of his barbed fishing hooks and slash her finger. Blood
“I don’t see a problem. Me and the Mrs. will be ready to go when you are.” He stepped around Joe and started toward the door, catching Alex’s attention and crooking his finger.
She straightened and braced herself as though expecting his wrath. Nate scowled. If they were going to spend four days in an RV alone together, something was going to have to change between them.
He placed his hand on her back and turned her to walk beside him. “Ever been fishing?”
“No.” Curiosity flickered briefly in her eyes.
Nate continued into the kitchen and out the back door to the deck. “You’re in for a treat. If we have time, I’ll teach you.”
Her pleased smile illuminated her face, tweaking the dimples in her cheeks, and jolting him somewhere deep down inside. When she smiled like that—like she really meant it—it wreaked havoc with his self-control. Still, he couldn’t help wondering what he could do to make it a more regular occurrence.
Nate opened the side door to the garage and led the way between his ancient Suburban and his Mustang until he reached the back wall and swung open the door to the storage room. When he glanced back, she was no longer behind him, and instead was trailing her fingers lightly over the right rear quarter panel of the Mach I.
She flushed when she caught him watching her. “You fixed it.”
“Good as new.”
She wrinkled her nose and cocked her head to one side. “Am I forgiven, then? Please?”
Nate laughed and shook his head, feeling the power of her plea over him . . . knowing he wouldn’t be able to refuse her anything if she asked like that. “Okay, forgiven, but I’m not letting you behind the wheel again. Not until I teach you how to drive, anyway.”
One of her warm, genuine smiles lit up her countenance again, and she stepped in front of him, her chin lifted so her eyes met his. “Thanks, Nate. I appreciate you trusting me enough to let me go with you.”
“The other part of that is you trusting me. Can you do that?”
“Sure.”
“Do everything I say—when I say?”
Although Alex didn’t move, he could almost see her retreat within herself. The idea of him telling her what to do obviously scared her. Knowing the basics of what she’d been through, he couldn’t blame her, but the trust issue wasn’t an option.
“Come here. Let’s get you set up to fish.” He dragged his gaze from her and stepped inside the storage room. Soon she was at his side again, and when he glanced at her, the excitement had returned to her expression.
He chose his two best rod and reel sets, making a mental note to purchase new fishing line. What he had was several years old, and he didn’t want Alex to hook a big fish and have her line break. They weren’t going on vacation, but if they were going to fish, they might as well do it right.
Twenty minutes later he had two small tackle boxes packed with the essentials. He started a pile that included his grate for cooking over a campfire, an old aluminum coffeepot and pan set, an axe, two flashlights, a lantern, and matching sleeping bags. They’d pick up the rest of what they needed once they got there.
Alex tried to help him with the fishing gear, but the first thing she did was lose a fight with one of his barbed fishing hooks and slash her finger. Blood
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