Jake rolled his eyes. “The men of this town have been wondering about that group of women for ages. My mom’s part of it.”
“That makes me feel a bit better,” Branna said.
“She won’t spill, but you will, and then I can share the knowledge with the men folk.”
“Told you, that’s not happening. Seems I have to take a peach and cornmeal upside-down cake too, like Georgie always brought.” Branna wondered if she was even allowed to share that information with him.
“Do you have to read all those books with big words too?”
“Not so much,” Branna said. “In fact, the titles are not what I expected.”
They floated awhile, thinking about that.
“Now I’m going to give you your first lesson.”
“In what?” Branna looked at him.
“Staying afloat.”
“I’m not letting you go.”
“And while those words would normally be music to my ears, I need to know if you’re ever in the water again that you can stay on top of it.”
“Jake, I don’t need to learn to swim because I don’t go in the water.” She looked up at him, hair black as midnight and slicked back on her head, which meant he could study her delicate features. Her eyes seemed greener out here, cheekbones pronounced, lips pink. She had a face that anyone would love to photograph, but it was her mind he loved too. She was sharp and sassy, and didn’t take any crap from him.
“How about if you’re ever on a boat?”
“Don’t like boats.”
“Walking along a beach and a freak wave drags you out?”
“I don’t like sand between my toes.”
“Driving over a bridge and it collapses, your car fills with water and then you open the window and have to swim out?”
“Ummm, I’ll stay away from bridges.”
Jake kissed her, then swam them back to the bank. Once there, he stood on the side, still submerged up to his waist.
“I’ll hold your stomach while you practice.”
Branna knewshe wasn’t getting out of this easily, and he was probably right, she did need to learn to at least float.
“All right, let’s get it over with.”
He looked good wet, his big body shimmering in the sun. Branna felt something move in the region of her heart and convinced herself it was lust.
She squeaked as he flipped her onto her stomach. Then the breath hissed from her throat when she felt Jake’s fingers slip under the waist of her panties and stroke the top of her buttocks.
“Hey!”
“You have some lake monster slime on you.”
Over the next twenty minutes, he patiently taught her to float, and by the end, she could keep herself on top of the water if ever there came a time when she needed to.
“Okay, first lesson’s over, Rosebud.” He hoisted her up onto the bank. “Now, about that lust.”
“I’m cold and wet now. The lust seems to have disappeared.” Branna gathered up her clothes.
