Chapter Six
I’VE NEVER GONE paddleboarding before,” Lexi said “Is it difficult to learn?”
Dane glanced at her as he took the exit forLake Carolyn, letting his gaze linger on her bare legs before turning his attention to the road again. The shorts and tank top she wore revealed a lot more skin than they concealed, and the sight was doing a number on him for sure. Not that he was complaining. The biggest reason he’d suggested going paddleboarding was so he could see Lexi in a bikini.
“I don’t think so. I’ve never done it either.” He grinned as he turned into the parking lot. “That’s why I signed us up for a class and a guided tour of the lake.”
“Good thinking.” She smiled. “Now I have to hope I don’t make an idiot of myself.”
Dane pulled into a space and cut the engine. “I’ve seen you doing yoga in the gym at the station. You’re too graceful ever to make an idiot of yourself.”
Lexi unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned closer, one hand on the bench seat between them. “So, you’ve been watching me, huh?”
“Every chance I get. In a completely non-stalker kind of way, of course.” He kissed her. “Come on before I say the hell with paddleboarding and spend the rest of the day right here making out with you.”
She was still laughing as he got out of the truck and came around to her side to open the door for her.
“It might be easier if we leave our clothes and stuff in the truck,” he suggested.
Lexi nodded, pulling her tank top over her head then skimming off her shorts.
Dane’s breath hitched.Damn.With her toned body, healthy curves, and long, sexy legs, she looked good enough to eat.
He yanked off his shirt then they sprayed each other down with sunscreen and headed for the board rental place located right on the Mandalay Canal. As they walked, he let Lexi move ahead of him a little bit so he could enjoy the view. And man, what a view. The woman had a spectacular ass. Of course, he’d already discovered that in the best way possible while riding that mechanical bull Thursday evening.
He’d slept in on Friday then lay in bed for another hour thinking about their date the night before. He’d never been with anyone like Lexi. She was easy to talk to and fun to be around, and the moment he’d left her apartment, he couldn’t wait to see her again. In fact, he’d been contemplating calling to see if she wanted to dinner and a movie when she’d called and told him about Wayne. Suggesting doing something frivolous hadn’t seemed right after that.
As a firefighter, Dane had to deal with death sometimes. More in car accidents than in fires, but it was all bad. He still couldn’t believe the old guy hadn’t made it. He’d seemed completely fine when Dane had visited him earlier that day. It made him appreciate life even more.
Things at the station had been interesting on Saturday. Everyone there had known he and Lexi had gone out and demanded details about their date. It was like they were back in high school. Calls had started coming in soon enough, though, and their coworkers forgot all about their date. It had been a tough day on the highways yesterday. Three car accidents caused by some A-holes out street racing in weekend traffic. It was lucky no one had gotten killed.
Dane was still thinking about that when he and Lexi joined the dozen other people who were there to paddleboard. The lessons turned out to be a good idea. Dane had never realized there was so much technique to the whole thing, but they spent forty-five minutes learning how to mount the board, stand up, balance on the water—that was more interesting than he would have thought—paddle the board the right way, different ways to turn, and finally how to fall off the board properly then get back on.
Admittedly, he spent most of that time watching Lexi. Like he’d thought, she was a natural when it came to keeping her balance. The way the muscles in her legs flexed as she moved was a thing of beauty.
After the lessons, the guides led them into the canal then let everyone move at their own pace. Dane and Lexi hung back from the rest of the group, slowly paddling past the shops, tourist attractions, walkways, and waterfalls.
“I’ve been down here a dozen times, but it looks completely different from out on the water. It’s beautiful.” Lexi smiled at him. “Thanks for thinking of this.”
“I’ve always wanted to do it,” he admitted. “Just never found the right person to do it with.”
Dane couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw her blush.
“You sure this wasn’t an excuse to see me half naked?” she teased.
He chuckled, admiring the way her abs rippled as she paddled her board. “You caught me. Seeing you in a bikini was all part of my devious plan.”
“You are so bad,” she laughed.
Dane paddled up beside her and leaned over for a kiss. “Maybe a little.”
Dane was disappointed when the guides turned everyone around and headed back to the dock. He could have stayed out there with Lexi the whole day.
“We should come back and do one of their sunset paddles,” Lexi said as if reading his mind. “Or maybe rent the boards ourselves. What do you think?”
“I think it sounds like a plan,” Dane said, leaning over to kiss her again.
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