“At least we’re not competing withthat,” Emmett grumbles, looking to his left.
I shouldn’t look. As soon as he says it, IknowI shouldn’t turn around. But I do, and I go slack jawed as the one and only Derek Riley comesstriding down the beach with so much swagger that I’m convinced he’s putting on a show on purpose.
Backed by the late afternoon sun, he reaches the water’s edge and toes off his sandals, and then his hand goes to his shirt collar and pulls it over his head in a smooth, practiced motion, revealing every inch of his tan, muscled torso.
Without acknowledging anyone, he walks into the river and sinks into the water, fully submerging himself before he rises back up and shakes his head, sending a shower of sparkles across the water’s surface. His hand goes up, pushing his hair from his face and showing off those strong arms that I spent way too long watching while he rowed today. Biceps and triceps flex and bulge with each movement, as do the abs rippling along his torso. Water glistens on his broad chest, clinging to the dark hair dusted over his skin, and there is nothing about this man that is small or poorly defined. He is—
A splash of water hits my face, and I turn in surprise to find Maverick giving me a judging look. “Come on,” he mutters with a quick shake of his head. “I thought you were one of the cool ones.”
Mortification burns in my cheeks, and I am so glad Mason isn’t down here. If he thought I was drooling before…
“She’s very cool,” Derek’s deep voice says right behind me, and my whole body erupts in goosebumps despite the heat in my face. “It’s not everyone who can teach an unteachable guy like me how to row a boat.”
Sounds like my avoidance tactic has finally failed me. I turn slowly, bracing myself for the sight of a wet Derek up close and personal. I got a glimpse of his bare torso in Chuck’s shop, but I tried to be courteous and give him and his abs at least a little privacy. That’s going to be a lot harder with him standing waist-deep a few feet away.
And I think he knows it.
“Donovan,” he says, and I swear he’s making his voice deeper than usual. “I can’t find my shampoo, so I was wondering if Icould use yours.”
I reach for the bottles I left sitting on the spare oar, only remembering I was halfway through detangling my hair with the conditioner when my fingers get stuck and tear a few hairs from the roots. “Ow.”
Derek chuckles. “Need some help?”
“Sure,” I squeak, mentally kicking myself for being weak. The closer I get to him, the more I’m going to want to tell him my secrets the way he told me his. And that would bebad. For both of us.
Crouching down so he’s at the same level as me, he reaches up and pulls my hair from my hold, running his fingers along my scalp a few times to make sure he got it all or maybe just to torture me with his gentle touch. I’m vaguely aware of Maverick and Emmett wandering up the beach and leaving us alone, but I’m more focused on the way Derek starts working through the tangles like it’s a totally normal thing for a near stranger to do.
Maybe it is normal for him. Maybe the tabloids get it wrong and he often has a beautiful woman in his pool, enjoying his skillful hands.
“This is another new one for me,” he murmurs, as if hearing my thoughts. “Any tricks for getting out the tangles?”
Every word he speaks hits me with more force than the last, like whatever low and rumbly voice he’s using is designed specifically to get under my skin. “Don’t let it get tangled in the first place,” I reply, though it isn’t without difficulty. “But I’ve never been good at that part. Ow.”
“Sorry.” He murmurs that word into my ear. Way too close. “My hair has never been much longer than it is now, so this really is new territory for me.”
I’m doing everything I can to keep myself from leaning back into his chest and seeing how it would feel to be held by this man. There’s something in the way he’s being so gentle with my hair that feels like he’s unbuilding my walls brick by brick. I’m terrified, but at the same time I’ve never felt safer. Like he’s telling me with this gesture that I can trust him with all the hard stuff I keep hidden from the world.
I play with my hair when I’m nervous, but I can’t do that now because it’s all in Derek’s capable hands, and I have no idea what to do.
I force out a question before I get lost in the thought of Derek protecting me from the world. From myself. “What else was new?” I choke out.
“Hmm?”
“You saidanothernew thing. What else was new?”
He chuckles. “Take a wild guess.”
“You’re never going to take indoor plumbing for granted ever again?”
“Never,” he agrees. “I can’t believe you do this all summer long.” His fingers find a particularly big knot, and he instantly lightens his touch to avoid pulling on my hair. “What in the world did you do last night to get this so tangled?”
I don’t remember what I dreamed about, but it kept me restless. “Must have had a nightmare about this self-important actor I had to rescue in Moab a few days ago,” I say, even though my instinct to keep him at a distance is dying at an alarming rate. I saw some of the real Derek today, and he was…nice. Human. He trusted me with something big, and I don’t want to betray that trust by insulting him. Again…
“Mm.” Derek gets through the big knot and runs his fingers through my hair a few times, searching for more. “At some point, Donovan Tate, I’m going to figure out why you’re the only person in the world who doesn’t make me question everything about myself when you say things like that.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m the only person in the world who says things like that to you, period.” The rest of the world has probably only ever seen the perfect side of Derek Riley and have never had a reason to think poorly of him.
Technically, I haven’t had a reason either.
