“Me?”She shook her head.“Hardly.”
He chuckled.“I’d argue with that, but you’re right.This probably isn’t the best place to show them.”
Her gaze dropped in embarrassment, but she accepted the drink.“Thank you.That tastes wonderful.”
He took a drink too.He’d only just arrived, but the heat was already uncomfortable.The lemonade tasted tart and sweet against his tongue, but best of all, it was cold.He climbed onto the picnic table with her, straddling the bench to face her.It put her right in his line of sight, the way he liked it.“Where are your carbon copies?”
“Roxie went to get something to eat, and Lexie and Cam are debating over a couple of paintings.”
“How are sales?”
“We’ve already sold out of the dried arrangements, so Laura’s pushing the garden decorations.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“It’s great.We didn’t expect things to go so fast.”She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder to get it off her neck.“How are things down at the station?”
“Slow, but in my field, that’s a good thing.”His gaze slid over her bare shoulders.She wore a lightweight summer top with spaghetti straps and shorts, but she looked sapped.“Okay, today you do look overheated.Are you feeling okay?”
“I thought it would get better the longer I stayed out in it.”
“Are you telling me it doesn’t?”
“Sorry.”
He popped the plastic lid off his lemonade and fished out an ice cube.They were the cylindrical kind with the hole in the middle, the kind that kids liked to stick their tongues through.He popped it into his mouth but nearly swallowed it whole when he saw the expression on her face.
Wow.One look.One spark, and he was charged up and ready to go.
He sucked the juice off the ice and spit it back out into his palm.She was staring as he slid the tube of ice over his middle finger.He held up his hand innocently.“Need to cool off?”
Her mouth worked, but no sounds came out.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”He ran the smooth cube over the base of her neck, and she let out a squeak.
Flinching away, she looked over her shoulder.“What are you doing?”
“Well, there isn’t a pool around, and I’m not partial to you skinny-dipping in the falls in front of all these art lovers.”
Her face was flushed from the heat, but her cheeks turned a bit pinker.He held his hand inches above her spine, waiting for permission.She took her time giving it.They both watched as the ice melted.A drop of water gathered at its base, collecting and growing bigger.When it dropped with a splash onto her skin, she jumped.
“Too cold?”Damn, his voice sounded like sandpaper.
“No, it feels good.”
He touched her, and her head dropped forward.The ice melted faster against her warm skin, but the cool wetness was sexy.Tempting.She sat, compliant, as he stroked the smooth chunk over the back of her neck, along her shoulders and between her shoulder blades.They loosened, and she sighed in relief.
She was right with what she’d said last night.Skin on skin was much better.
“So, I made some progress down at the station this morning.”His voice hadn’t gotten any better, but he kept his tone low so nobody else would hear.Back in the corner of the tent, near the trees, it was as private as they could get with so many people nearby.
“Progress on what?”she asked.
“I did some more digging into Cam’s background.He checks out all right.”
“Is that why you left?”Her eyes narrowed.“I thought you had to work.”
“I did.Things are going well with all the visitors in town, but it’s still a busy weekend for my deputies.I needed to check in, but I also made a promise to you.”
