“Towels are for weenies and old people,” Kellan yelled.
“Kellan,” Rachel admonished. “Use your nice words when someone offers to do something kind for you.”
“I’d love a towel,” Travis hollered. Giving a thumbs up for good measure.
His erection disappeared, thank fuck, and he had every intention of getting in on this game of Marco Polo. Back in high school, he’d been known as the Marco Polo prick. That wasn’t true, but it could’ve been because he wasthatgood at the game. He did have two brothers, after all.
Rachel was saying something to Kellan, quiet-like, but with intensity. Kellan was listening because Rachel likely wasn’t giving him a choice in the matter. Travis had a feeling he was getting an earful about respect, if he had to guess.
Even fun Rachel, in a lake, had her limits, apparently.
“No, thank you, Uncle Dave,” Kellan hollered with a wave. “No towel for me, but Brady and Mom want one.”
“Bring me two in case we need an extra,” Travis said, mid sidestroke.
Dave gave a return thumbs up and headed back down the dock.
“Now, boys, I would like to show you how to play Marco Polo.” Travis ducked under the water to show them just that.
There was a great deal of scurrying of limbs, and he did not check out Rachel’s legs under the water. That’s his story, and he was sticking to it.
Travis could hold his breath for an abnormally long time. When he was a kid, it used to freak his mama way the hell out.
He had his eye on Rachel’s calf and followed her, careful to stay low enough not to make ripples under the water.
Finally, she stopped moving, and he surfaced in front of her, touching her gently on the shoulder and said, “Polo.”
Rachel. Shrieked.
Her kids cracked up.
She whacked him in the chest. “I can’t believe you just did that. How long have you been there?”
The boys were still laughing and roughhousing and generally having a great time, so he took the opportunity and leaned forward, whispering in her ear, “Long enough to want you to look at me like you did before everybody showed up.”
Turned out he could be serious. Serious about playing with fire.
Rachel’s mouth parted, and that was all he got because the boys tag teamed him and both climbed on his back. It was the kids against the team they’d elected to call the elderly and, in the end, Dave showed up with towels and Rachel called it a draw.
For the record, it wasn’t a draw,and Travis had totally won.
He pulled himself onto the dock, still high on adrenaline from the lake, and the kids, and Rachel.
His mama stood next to Dave. She did not appear thrilled. As a matter of fact, if he had to guess, she’d start talking about her pretend cat pretty soon.
Dave gave him a sorry-she-made-me-bring-her-along look.
Travis pulled each of the boys out of the water onto the dock. Rachel was already climbing the ladder and made it to the top before he could even offer assistance, because, of course,she didn’t need help.
She was Rachel.
And as soon as she hit the top step,she wrapped a towel around herself—which was a shame—and helped her boys dry off.
He didn’t realize he was staring at her until his mother hissed his name.“Travis.”
Mama’s tone caught his attention.
He turned.
