“Can you swim?”
Annoyance surged again, and she glared at him. “Yes, I can. I just didn’t expect to fall into the water. I got disoriented.”
As she calmed down, drawing deep breaths of fresh, salty air, Kendra realized that her shorts and T-shirt were plastered to her skin and that she was pressed right up against Lucas — close enough to feel the muscles in his arms and across his chest. Shequickly moved away, kicking her legs lightly and holding the kayak to stay afloat.
“Anyway, thank you for helping me.”
“No problem. Just be more careful next time.” He raised his eyebrows in the expression he might have given a wayward six-year-old.
Kendra’s eyes narrowed. “Be morecareful? Are you serious? I fell in the water trying to getyourpaddle back.You’rethe one who needs to be more careful.”
“Right, because I’m the one who almost drowned?” Lucas’s eyes flashed, and he ran his now free hand through his wet hair. “This was a mistake. And I don’t think we can get back into the kayak from the water. Let’s swim to shore. We can hold the kayak and kick to bring it with us.”
“Whatever.” Kendra was beyond caring. Her throat was sore from the salt water, and her heart was beating a little too fast from the sudden dip in the ocean — and from her momentary closeness to Lucas.
Holding the kayak with both hands, they slowly kicked the short distance to the shore. Susie was waiting for them at the dock. Another couple was climbing into a kayak, preparing to start their own adventure, and they looked at the bedraggled and capsized Kendra and Lucas with wide eyes.
Great. More embarrassment on the worst day of my life.
“Are you both all right?” Susie gestured for them to climb up a small metal ladder on the side of the dock. “What happened?”
“We fell in,” Kendra said, rather obviously.
“Are you okay?” Susie asked. Her brow was pinched with worry.
“We’re fine,” Lucas said. He dragged himself out of the water, using arm strength instead of the ladder, and stood, dripping, on the dock. Kendra’s mouth almost fell open. While she probably looked like a wet rat, Lucas somehow looked like he was in an advertisement for the resort. His T-shirt clung to his defined chest and biceps, and when he ran a hand through his hair, it somehow fell perfectly back into place.
“Would you like to give kayaking another try?” Susie asked. “You still have an hour left.”
Kendra and Lucas exchanged a glance and shook their heads. “No, thank you.”
Susie looked between them, the line between her brows deepening. “Is everything okay with you guys?”
“We’re fine,” Kendra said. Her voice was a little too sharp.
“Yes, very much in love.” Lucas spoke sharply, too, and Susie looked even more worried.
“Don’t worry; I’ll set up a nice dinner for you.” For once, her tone wasn’t filled with enthusiasm. “We really want you to have a wonderful time here.”
With that, she hurried off toward the main resort building. Kendra and Lucas exchanged a look.
“We have a little while until dinner,” Kendra said finally. “I’m going to go wash the seawater off.”
“Enjoy.” Lucas’s voice was cold. “I’ll walk around.”
They walked together down the dock. When Kendra turned toward the hotel building at the end of the dock, Lucas turnedthe opposite way. Finally alone, Kendra wound her way past the sunbathing beach, an infinity pool that overlooked the water, and the resort’s ice-cream stand. Pausing, she doubled back to the ice-cream stand.
“Hi, could I get a scoop of mint chip in a cone, please?” she asked. The man working at the stand dished her up a scoop, and Kendra scanned her card, which luckily still worked despite the dip in the ocean.
“Here you are.” He handed over the cone, then looked over Kendra’s shoulder. “Are you here alone?”
“Of course not.” Kendra forced a smile. “My husband went up to the room.”
“I see.” But the man still looked concerned. Apparently, it was very unusual to even walk around the resort without being part of a couple. As Kendra licked her ice cream, savoring the cold minty flavor, she scanned the resort. Sure enough, everyone was in twos. A young couple swam circles around each other in the pool, smiling big goofy smiles. An older couple relaxed side by side on lounge chairs, enjoying scoops of ice cream. Another couple passed hand in hand, giving Kendra strange looks.
So much for her plan of sneaking away from Lucas and enjoying time to herself. She stuck out like a sore thumb, and it was drawing a lot of attention that she didn’t want.
Kendra headed back to the room, finishing the last of her ice cream as she went. The cold soothed her aching throat, and she felt a little better. In the room, she took a shower, washing the salt out of her hair and putting on lotion. Stepping out, she wrapped a towel around herself and went to find some clothes.When she opened the bathroom door, though, she almost ran into Lucas.
