“I like to take my time.” She glanced up, meeting his gaze, and instantly regretted the decision. His mesmerizing blue eyes radiated a tender warmth that traveled all the way to the tips of her toes.
“You’re a fan of the slow-and-steady approach, huh?” He settled on the log next to her, so close their thighs touched. Her heart raced as he reached across her for a skewer and marshmallow. His heady scent mixed with the smoky aroma of burning cedar and smoldering pine needles, overwhelming her senses to the point of distraction.
She swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat. “Let me guess, you shove your marshmallow straight into the nearest flame?”
“I’m not afraid to go all in, if that’s what you mean. But I’m willing to try it your way.” He maneuvered his roasting stick toward the same patch of coals, angling his marshmallow a few millimeters from hers.
The fire seemed to burn hotter, somehow. And despite her still damp clothes and the cool night air, she almost didn’t need the wool blanket anymore.
“Is there enough to share?” To her surprise, Colt gestured to the soft plaid fabric wrapped around her shoulders. Had he read her mind?
“My board shorts are fine, but this T-shirt refuses to dry.” He pulled at the ribbed cotton clinging to his broad chest, inviting her gaze to his well-defined muscles.
She gulped. “Um, sure.” Holding out the corner, her breath faltered as he scooted closer, his knee grazing hers.
What was happening to her? Her insides felt gooier than the center of her marshmallow.
Was she falling for this man?
Or was it possible that she already had?
* * *
What was he doing?
Asking Penny to share the blanket as an excuse to get closer was a rookie move. And he didn’t play games. He spoke his mind, especially when it came to women.
But with Penny, things were different. His usual confidence and bravado wavered. He actually felt nervous. At least, he assumed nerves explained the tight clench in his stomach and the erratic racing of his heartbeat.
He needed to be direct.Just tell her how you feel.
As he gave himself a pep talk, he stole a glance in her direction.Bigmistake. The sight of her profile—a stunning silhouette highlighted by the arresting glow of the fire—caused his breath to lodge somewhere between his lungs and his throat, constricting his chest uncomfortably.
Yeesh. Being around this woman had turned him inside outandupside down. He didn’t know what to do with himself.
Sitting this close to her, he could count the adorable freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose. And he found himself even more captivated by the alluring trail they forged down the delicate curve of her neck and across her slender shoulders. He resisted the urge to graze them with his rough palm.
Forcing his attention on the roasting marshmallows, he racked his brain for safe topics of conversation. Anything to keep his mind off kissing her. Penny was a slow-and-steady kind of girl. Which meant he needed to be patient and take his time—a foreign concept outside the culinary realm. He could braise lamb shanks all day. But patiently and purposefully pursue a woman? That would be a first.
But without question, Penny was worth the wait. The moment she’d fallen overboard, he knew his life would never be the same. His entire world had stopped in that split second.
For the first time, he knew what it meant to care about a woman more than himself. And he would do anything to protect her. Even if it meant protecting her from himself.
“I’m sorry about what happened today,” he said quietly, rotating the marshmallow over the coals.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe not, technically. But river rafting was my idea. I swear, if I thought it was unsafe, I—”
“It’s okay.” To his surprise, she smiled softly, a teasing glint in her coppery eyes. “I think your actions today proved you aren’t actuallytryingto kill me.”
His heart sputtered, once again amazed by her ability to find the humor in a difficult situation. “Glad to hear it. But I completely understand if you don’t want to go through with the rest of the activities on the list.”
Colt held his breath as she stared into the fire, the pop and crackle of the embers filling the silence.
Finally, she met his gaze. “I’d like to keep going, if that’s okay with you.”
He blinked, taken aback by her response. Truthfully, he’d expected her to quit. And after today, he wouldn’t blame her. “Are you sure?”
