Catch of the Year (6 page)

Although who knew what they picked up. Loud disturbances weren't good.

“Who says?” he asked in the same low, excited tone. “Can't be too careful. I don't want to chase away any interest.”

She sincerely doubted he was in any danger of that. Big mistake to have him sit next to her. Being on the water usually brought her the chance to shed all her cares. Tonight Paul's nearness caused a tension, set her senses on high alert.

“Something's definitely nibbling,” he repeated.

And wasn't that the truth?

“Be patient,” she advised.

“A bite! I got a bite!” Paul yelped. He yanked up the rod and began winding frantically. Sparkling and wriggling, a good-sized pike came shooting up out of the water.

“Wow, man, I don't believe this. Just look at this fish.” Hanging on to the arching rod, Paul checked his watch. “How about that? Seven minutes, start to finish. Not bad, huh?”

He looked so thrilled that Jade couldn't find it in her heart to be the dog in the manger about his unexpected and early success.

“Time for a photo, I'd say. Could you do that for me?” he asked.

Her throat went dry at the thought of all she could do for him. She nodded and picked up the camera. Once she'd taken a couple of shots, she showed him how to cut the line and take out the hook. Soon the silvery fish lay at the bottom of the boat.

“Next time you can do all that yourself,” she stated.

“Guess I should run with my luck and try again,” Paul reached into the plastic box to find a new hook. He pricked his finger.

“Ouch.”

“Is it bad?” She craned her neck to look, being very careful not to come into contact with his shoulder. But she could feel his heat, smell his scent.

“No. Just a scratch.” He dipped his hand in the water, then wiped it on his thigh.

“Lucky it's a new hook,” Jade said, feeling a little dizzy, “or I'd have to take you for a tetanus shot.”

Paul squared his shoulders and opened the container of worms.

“Are you in business, Dipity?”

“Me?” she squeaked. “Do I look like the type to be in business?”

“Hard to say. Not really. So what do you do to keep the wolf from the door?”

Quite the question, that.

“What makes you think I want to?”

Paul sent her a wicked wink and waited for her reply. Desperately she cast about in her mind for something innocuous. Anything, really.

At last she said, “Er, I'm a dispatcher.”

“Okay. So what do you dispatch? Fire engines?”

“No. It's like … for a courier company, you know?”

That wasn't too far-fetched. While she'd been studying at university, Jade had worked part-time and vacations for such an organization.

He looked a little puzzled. “You find your job satisfying?”

“Sure.” She gave a small shrug. “Not too demanding. It means, the rest of the time, I can do my own thing.”

Here she was, sounding like her mother.

Paul looked unconvinced.

“Hey,” she said. “I think I got a bite.”

Saved by a nibble. She began reeling in. Her hook dangled, shiny and bare, with nary a sign of the bait.

An hour later, six fish lay in the bottom of the boat, all of them hooked and landed by Paul. His eyes glittered and Jade could feel the delight radiating from him. Very enticing. It made her want to lean forward and plant a kiss on that firm, shapely mouth of his. But it also raised her competitive spirit. This wasn't the way things were meant to turn out.
She
was the one who was supposed to be hauling in the fish, not Paul.

Determined to score at least once, she baited her hook again. This time, a big one had better bite and not merely take her bait, then swim off messaging, “Thanks for the in-lake catering, Jade.”

She was so focused on the float that she didn't notice the rapid build-up of heavy gray clouds in the westerly sky. A wind sprang up, at first just riffling the surface of the water, but soon it began to blow harder. She shivered.

A few spots of rain fell.

Paul had been facing east. She saw him move and noticed he was looking over his shoulder.

“Seems we could be in for a storm.”

Jade's head jerked up to look at the sky.

“You're right. And it looks like it could be a big one.” Immediately she began reeling in, turning the cog as fast as she could. “We need to head back straightaway. Don't want to get caught out on the water if there's going to be lightning.”

Paul followed her example. Quickly they stowed the rods. Jade started the engine, cursing herself for her preoccupation and changing her mind about the desirability of having a bigger engine on the boat. They'd be lucky if they made it back before the storm broke.

The rain fell harder. One hand on the tiller, Jade shrugged herself into her fleece. Paul, damn him, was well protected in the waders and that ridiculous huntin' and fishin' jacket of his. Except it didn't seem so ridiculous now. The meanie. And the cheek of the man, catching all those fish! Then there was the effect he had on her. Instead of diminishing, that was ramping up as fast as the gathering storm. She should get rid of him asap. With this in mind, she set course for the resort jetty.

A flash of lightning lit the gray, growling sky as they forged through the wind and the rain.

“We need to get off the water as soon as possible,” she called against the wind. “Instead of dropping you off, I'll have to head for the closest point.”

That was home. Jade's home. Thank goodness Marigold and Dad were out at a barbecue. As long as Adrian didn't return any time soon, there'd be no one to comment on her throwback voice.

“Fine with me,” Paul said. “I really appreciate all the help. Six nice-sized fish! Pretty good for a start, wouldn't you say?”

“Beginner's luck,” she muttered, shooting a glance at his catch as she turned in toward their dock.

“Hey.” His mouth twitched and the dimple appeared. “You're pouting! Maybe that bow wasn't such a stupid idea, huh? Might have been appreciated by the spirit of the lake.”

She didn't even think to challenge that airy-fairy notion. “Who knows?”

And maybe Jade had pissed off the spirit of the lake by laughing at Paul. Whatever, the fish hadn't taken her bait, and she was left with nothing to show for their time on the water but wet clothing, a disgruntled attitude, and a growing fixation with this man she really should be avoiding. He'd surprised her this evening, not only because of all the fish he'd caught, but also because of the new insights she'd gleaned into his personality.

Two bedraggled figures struggled up the steep concrete steps. Once inside the house, Jade grabbed a couple of swimming towels from the hooks by the downstairs door and handed one to Paul.

“Thanks.” He removed his jacket, then the leggings. “I'm not too wet. Glad I bought all this gear from your father.”

Stripping off her dripping ice-blue fleece, she managed to suppress a snort.

“I'd like to tell him how much I appreciate all the advice,” Paul added.

Did he realize they were alone in the house? She hoped not. Or did she hope yes?

“I'll pass it on for you. Meanwhile, I need to get out of these wet clothes. Take a quick shower.”

A gleam appeared in his eyes.

“I sure wish I could help.”

Her breath caught.

“I can manage on my own. I'm a grown girl.”

His eyes lowered to where the thin, wet fabric of her old, cotton tee shirt clearly revealed her breasts. And no doubt, puckered nipples.

“I can see that.”

Again, her breath did a funny little hitch. Maybe being inside with Paul would prove more dangerous than the storm. She waved frantically in the direction of the narrow staircase.

“Go upstairs. Make yourself at home — watch TV, grab a beer from the fridge on your way. I won't be long.”

He hesitated.

“You know, I could turn on the shower for you. I'm an expert at getting the temperature just right.”

She was pretty steamy right now. The way her body was humming and heating reminded her of how very long it was since she'd been with a man. And here was Paul R.G., appealing and sexy and offering to turn her on. Man oh man.

Warm water sluiced over Jade. Her fertile imagination had Paul in the shower with her. Soapy, slippery hands traced the same paths his eyes had taken earlier. They could make love tonight … . Her body reacted to the thought with a shudder. To her regret, common sense took over. All she needed was young Adrian to walk in and find them enjoying each other. No way. The best thing, the wisest, would be to get rid of Paul as quickly as possible. The snag to that plan was that the only “get rid of” methods of transportation available to her were the boat and the bike. At the very least, she and he were stuck here together until the rain stopped and the storm passed.

The storm outside, that was. Who knew when her body would ever grow calm again?

She switched off the water.

Freshly clad in jeans and her new, black tee shirt, Jade made her way down the passage. Voices came from the living room. Paul must have taken up her suggestion about watching TV. Her pace quickened with anticipation. She stepped into the oblong space. There he was, lazing on the recliner and lending a whole new aspect to the brown-and-orange décor of the living room. Around him, the ceiling, the chair backs, and the tabletops were adorned with many results of Marigold's macramé and crochet projects, which Jade had never cared for. But Paul? He was an accessory she more than approved of.

Sprawled lengthwise on the couch nearby, chatting happily with him, was her kid brother.

Like a pierced balloon shriveling to a pathetic, wrinkled heap, all the fizzle went out of her. In its place came panic. How was she going to get Paul out of here without saying a word? If Adrian heard her revert to her old voice, he was sure to say something. And that could lead to questions. She definitely couldn't afford questions.

She forced herself to calm her emotions. Outside, the storm had abated. The rain had subsided to a mere whisper on the roof, a sibilance on the windowpanes. Any minute now, it would stop. She and Paul would climb on her bike and roar off into the night. Then she could dump him, say good-bye and that would be that. But first she had to get him out of the house.

Deciding to play it cool, she propped her shoulders against the door frame and lifted a hand in her brother's direction to say “hi.”

Adrian was in the midst of a hair-raising account of his evening's babysitting stint. “And then the little shit — ” He broke off, lifted his head in acknowledgement. “Uh, hi. Hi Dee.”

Paul looked from one to the other, his expression puzzled. “Heidi? I thought your name was Serendipity.”

Adrian chortled and wiggled his feet that hung over the arm of the couch. “It is. Though she does have another n — .”

Quick as a squirrel, Jade bounded across the room and slapped a hand across her brother's mouth. Pretending to be giving him a friendly sibling greeting, she rubbed his face, pinched his cheeks, then rearranged his hair.

“Hey, sis, give me a break.” He jerked his head away, grabbed her wrists, and grinned up at her. “If you carry on like this I'll change my mind about being glad you didn't get fried out on the lake.”

She nodded a mute response before transferring her attention to the other male in the room. Smiling at Paul, she jerked her head to indicate they should go.

He looked confused. Lifting the can, he took a swig of beer.

Silence pressed thick on her ears. She opened her mouth to say something and closed it again.

Quiet. Now there was no sound to be heard. No thunder. No rain. The storm was over. Time to bring this situation to an end and take Paul back to his car. Then she'd be rid of the man and be able to forget about the whole ridiculous evening — forget about the fact that he'd bested her in the fishing stakes and had somehow set her to remembering she was a woman with a woman's needs.

But how to convey to a man who'd only just started on a can of beer that he should abandon his refreshment and leave? That had to rate as one of the hardest tasks in the entire world.

She cast a quick glance around the room. On the fitted bookcase she spied inspiration. A red clown's nose, bought at the last charity event she'd attended. She snatched it off the shelf and plunked it on her schnoz. Then she took a wild leap into the center of the room and began hamming it up.

Bending her knees in a kind of plié and using exaggerated gestures, she pointed first at herself, then at Paul. She indicated the door.

The two males stared at her in astonishment. Paul didn't twitch, let alone move.

What more could she do? Again she pointed, this time at him and then at herself. Then she made circling movements with her arms and legs, trying to convey bicycling.

“What's with you, Dipity?” Adrian asked. “Why are you playing charades when last time I suggested it you said you hated that game?”

She turned to her brother, opened her eyes wide, and rolled her shoulders in a large shrug. Folding her hands, she put them next to her cheek, inclined her head, and closed her eyes.

“You want me to go to sleep?” he asked. She gave an exaggerated nod. “No way. If I go now I'll have nightmares about those terrors I've been minding.”

Jade tried another ploy. Doing her best imitation of the Pink Panther, she crept toward the door, her hands mirroring the prowling movements of her feet, her chin jutting forward with each step. Halfway across the room she paused, looked at Paul and sent him a slow wink.

Lazy eyes regarded her out of lowered lashes.

She had a strong suspicion the man was playing dense and amusing himself at her expense. Either that, or the beer tasted of ambrosia. In any case, she might as well go all out. The recliner mechanism creaked. Paul had kicked back, clearly ready to relax and enjoy the show. Exactly what she didn't want.