A SEAL's Oath (SEALs of Chance Creek Book 1) (13 page)

Riley was the only one who’d seemed to struggle. Sensing her discomfort, Avery suggested they try their hand at cooking over the large hearth fire to experience an authentic Regency meal. Nora had pointed out that by the late Regency, cooks would have had wood fired stoves on which to create their meals. Avery stole the cell phone and found an early Regency sketch that showed a very primitive hearth and grate affair. Their bickering and the difficulty of the task both worked to distract Riley, but not the way Avery had meant it to. It had taken forever to coax flames from the wood and they’d forgotten to open the flue, so they’d nearly choked themselves to death on the smoke that billowed throughout the kitchen before Savannah figured it out and fixed it.

Then Nora had managed to char the potato soup she’d tried to prepare, while the bread Avery had made according to a camping recipe had turned out so doughy that none of them could stomach much of it. They’d choked down what they could of the meal, refusing to throw it out and start over. All of their brand new outfits reeked of smoke and the burned food proved so hard to clean up, they’d ended up leaving some of the dishes in the sink to soak overnight.

Savannah was the one who’d said, “Okay, let’s all take a break. One hour to ourselves before we regroup. Riley, you’d better get ready for your date. Scatter!”

They’d scattered—the others to their rooms and she to walk this lonely trail she’d often traversed when she was younger. She needed the quiet offered by the woods before she faced her next challenge—Boone.

Still, even with all the day’s ups and downs, it had been far more interesting than a workday back in Boston. If they didn’t manage to kill themselves with their Austen experiments, she and her friends could have a wonderful time together. If only Boone wasn’t set on spoiling it all.

A glint of sunlight on water caught her attention as she rounded a bend in the path. Pittance Creek—a small stream that flowed into the larger Chance Creek that gave the nearby town its name. There was far more than a pittance of water in it at this time of year. In fact, a pool had formed in a bend in the creek that was all too inviting. Suddenly aware that she was hot and sticky from her labors over the fire, Riley considered the flashing, bubbling creek before her. Maybe a quick dip was just the thing. Not that she cared what Boone thought of her, but it would be hard to have the upper hand if she was covered in grime and sweat. If she cleaned up she could return home and change into one of her nicer outfits without ruining it.

She glanced around to assure herself she was alone, glad that the creek was sheltered from the house by a strip of forest. No one was in sight. In fact, she could be alone on the Earth for all the signs of civilization she could see from here.

She had her bonnet off in an instant, but getting out of her dress was a struggle. By the time she’d accomplished it, she was warmer than ever. She was glad to be free of the chemise and petticoat, as well, and the slight breeze and late day sunshine felt liberating on her bare skin.

Plucking the hair pins from her bun, she let her hair swing loose. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone skinny dipping. In her early twenties, maybe. She remembered how delicious it felt to bathe outdoors with nothing between her body and the water. She shrieked a little and then laughed as she stepped into the cool creek, but nothing could stop her from plunging in now. She ducked right under the water and came up splashing, delighted with the feel of it. Jane Austen probably never skinny dipped in her life.

She’d missed something wonderful.

If only she’d brought some soap and shampoo down here to rid her skin and hair of the smoky smell from the hearth fire. She ducked under the water again, swished her hair around, hoping that would do the trick, and came up for air.

“Hell—Riley?”

Riley shrieked at the masculine exclamation and whirled to find Boone not five feet away. Thigh deep in the swirling water, he was as naked—and as shocked—as she was.

“What are you doing here?” She clapped her arms over her chest and ducked down in the water, hoping he hadn’t noticed that she wasn’t wearing a bathing suit. Judging by the direction of his gaze, he’d noticed.

Judging by a certain other part of his anatomy, he liked what he saw.

Unlike her, Boone didn’t rush to hide himself, just ambled into deeper water until it was up to his waist. She had to admire his poise. He apparently didn’t possess an ounce of self-consciousness. She was glad he didn’t, because it gave her time to examine the prime specimen of maleness in front of her. Boone naked was a spectacular sight.

He’d bulked up a lot over the years and his body bore scars whose origins she could only guess at. He was powerfully built, his muscles cut from hard work and training.

Despite the icy water surrounding her, heat traced through her cheeks and Riley forced herself to look Boone in the eye and keep her gaze there. “Well? You didn’t answer my question.”

He nodded slowly. “I suppose I’m here for the same reason you are.”

“Can’t you swim somewhere else?”

That sudden, devastating smile of his flashed across his face. “I don’t think I should leave you here all alone. Haven’t you ever heard of the buddy system?”

“I don’t need a buddy. I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe I’m the one that needs watching then,” he said conversationally.

“Don’t think I’d save you if you were drowning.” Did he know what a liar she was? She’d never thought of herself as the type of woman whose common sense would fly straight out the window when confronted with a hot body, but Boone was far more than a hot body. He always had been. As much as she’d wanted to paint him as the enemy today, it hadn’t been his handsome face she’d fallen for as a teen. There were plenty of handsome faces around Chance Creek if that was what she’d wanted.

Instead she’d fallen for the way he was gentle with a colt, the way he could sit in silence beside you without making you feel alone, the way he did everything with a sure precision she’d never felt about anything in her life. The way he’d taken so much time to teach her all the things he’d thought were important. She’d thought about that over the years and realized how sweet it was he had done that. As a ten-year-old, Boone could hardly have found it fun to oversee an eight-year-old girl’s riding lessons. As a thirteen-year-old, had he really wanted to teach an eleven-year-old girl to fish? He’d been so patient with her when they were alone.

So why had it been so easy for him to turn his back and leave her in the end?

He took another step toward her. She stepped back, struggling to find footing on the rocky bottom of the stream. “Keep away from me.”

“All right.” He stopped and put his hands on his hips.

She couldn’t help wondering what was happening below the water line. The look in his eye told her he knew exactly where her thoughts had gone.

Why didn’t she turn away? Riley couldn’t answer that. Maybe it was simply that Boone represented her ideal man. His body looked like a sculpture, all hard planes, light and shadow.

“Now what?” she demanded. She couldn’t move while he stood there. Not without exposing herself. The thought sent a delicious throb through her veins that irritated her all the more. She could not be attracted to this man. Not when chances were he’d hurt her again.

“You tell me.”

Riley’s breath hitched. Was he coming on to her? “You should leave,” she said again.

“Ah, you want another look.”

So he knew she’d taken in all the contours and planes of his body when he’d first approached. How could she not?

“I couldn’t care less about your appearance.”

“You could leave,” he suggested.

“So
you
can watch?”

“It would only be fair.”

“Nothing about this is fair.”

Boone’s eyes narrowed and he took a step toward her. “Neither of us has to leave.” He took another step. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.” His voice caressed her as he moved even closer. Before she knew it he was within touching distance. She found herself leaning toward him, wanting his hands on her skin.

But that was crazy. This was Boone. She couldn’t trust him.

She needed to back away. Instead she moved closer as if he’d put her under a spell.

“You’re so beautiful.”

His whispered words pierced through the lustful haze that had enveloped her only a moment ago. He’d spurned her the last time she’d allowed herself to feel something for him. She wouldn’t set herself up for that kind of treatment twice.

Riley lurched away, but her foot didn’t find purchase on the rocky bottom. She slipped under the water altogether and came back up gasping and choking. As she scrambled to find the ground, she slipped under again. Two strong hands clamped around her arms and Boone pulled her to the surface, steadying her until she could stand.

She peered up at him through the runnels of water streaming from her hair, all too aware of her nakedness—and his—and read his intention in his eyes before he even began to move. Boone gave her plenty of time to pull back as he bent closer, but Riley could have no more turned away than arm-wrestled him for a victory. She wanted to know what he tasted like, and soon she found out, when he pressed his mouth to hers.

He tasted of fresh water, cool air and warm skin all in a heady mix that made her senses reel, and Riley forgot all about her reservations. She pressed her hands flat against his chest and leaned into his kiss, drinking it in as if she’d been craving its refreshment for hours. As his powerful arms circled her body, they made her feel slight and supple. She melted against him, knowing the contrast of her soft curves against his hard muscles would make her irresistible.

Boone’s touch filled her with warmth, even as the cool water continued to rush around them. She wanted to be closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and a wash of victory rushed through her when she felt the hardness of his arousal against her. Boone wanted her as much as she wanted him. As she pressed against him, Boone’s grip on her tightened and his kiss deepened. She opened to his tongue, wanting badly to open to him in other ways. She fought against the urge, knowing she should hold back, but in the end her desires won out. The buoyancy of the water made it all too easy to lift her legs and wrap them around his waist, positioning the hard length of him right where her body wanted it most.

Boone groaned. His fingers pressed into her hips as he steadied her there.

The heat of him pressing against her made her ache with want. It had been so long since she’d been with a man and she’d never felt so hungry for one as she did for Boone now. She clung to him, unwilling to let him go.

Boone didn’t seem inclined to let her go either. His kiss went on and on and his hands stroked over her body, exploring her—teasing her back to life.

When she finally broke the kiss, Riley buried her face against Boone’s neck, not wanting time to move forward. She didn’t want to face what came next. She became aware again of the rush of water around her body. What had she done? Made out with Boone in the middle of a creek? The man who’d left her so crushed once before it had taken ages to get over him?

She’d never gotten over him.

Clarity hit her like a splash of creek water. Some part of her heart had always belonged to Boone no matter what he’d done in the past. It was as unfair as losing the ranch to him.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

Boone rocked her gently against him and Riley knew if she didn’t get down right now they’d do it right here in the creek. That sounded like heaven, but she reluctantly extricated herself from his embrace. She was wobbly on her feet and ached with an unmet desire that threatened to consume her. She didn’t think she could meet his gaze, but when she did, she found him staring down at her with intense solicitude.

“Talk to me, Riley. Tell me you’re okay.” Boone reached out and tucked a dripping strand of her hair behind her ears.

She nodded, unable to find the words. “I’m okay,” she finally managed to gasp out.

“We should probably go on a date or two before we try that again.” In direct opposition to his words, he reached up to capture her chin and pull her close for another blazing kiss. Hunger blossomed inside her all over again. But she couldn’t do this.

Riley pressed her palms against his chest and pushed. At first Boone resisted, but then he let her go and searched her face. “What’s wrong?”

“That shouldn’t have happened.”

His hands dropped to her waist. “It definitely should have happened. Why did I take so long to come back and find you?”

She blinked. “You never wanted me.”

“That’s not true. The night you asked me to dance I wished I was with you instead of Melissa.”

“Right.” She didn’t believe that.

“Listen, I was young. Melissa was… well, she was Melissa. Up until then I’d thought of you as a sister.”

She burned with shame all over again. She wanted to cross her arms over her breasts and hide, but it was too late now.

“Then you showed up at the hoedown looking like an angel. Riley, you blew me away.” He slid his hands over her hips. “I was an idiot. I was eighteen. I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing.”

“That hurt.” She didn’t want to admit it, but the words refused to remain unsaid.

“You have no idea how sorry I am. But I’m here now and so are you. We’ve been given another chance.”

“A chance at a fake marriage.” She couldn’t reconcile what Boone had just told her with what had happened all those years ago.

“I want a hell of a lot more than that from you.” Boone tugged her close to meet him in a kiss that seared her all the way down to her soul. When he released her again, Riley stumbled before she found her footing. “I know a lot more about life than I once did. A friendship like the one we had doesn’t come around very often. Why can’t we have that again—and more?”

Riley’s heart was nearly beating out of her chest. “It doesn’t work that way. You can’t go back and fix the past like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t trust you.”

He drew in a breath. “Give me a chance, Riley.”