The Man I Want to Be (Under Covers)(32)

She was silent a moment, then, "Do you mean that?"

"Of course. Why do you sound so surprised?" He lightly checked his shoulder into hers. "I do have a heart, you know."

A small chuckle.

"What?" he said, looking at her.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Gee, thanks."

She rolled her head onto his shoulder and threaded her fingers in his. "A lot of people miss you back home, you know."

The touch was so natural that he had to remind himself they weren't  twenty years old anymore. This wasn't a blast from the past. She wasn't  his.

But goddamn did it feel good to pretend she was.

"I'm a camp counselor down there," she said.

"Yeah?" It didn't surprise him. She loved kids. All ages. And she was good with them.

"Yeah, it's a lot of fun. My boss, Bobbie Hoops, remember him?"

"Ha. How could I forget?" Tyke said. "That bastard was always up my ass,  trying to steal my starting spot on the football field."

Laughing, she said, "Yep. Him. He's actually head coach for the varsity  football team, and he recommended me for camp director. Should be  official by the time I get back."

"No shit?"

She smiled wide and bright.

"Good for you," he said, pride swelling in his chest. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." She sighed. "It'll be a bit more work, but it's worth it."

"What else?" he said. "What else is going on down there?"

Her eyes took on a far-off expression like she was trying to think back. "Remember old man Herman?"

"Of course I remember him," Tyke said. "He still around?" At her nod, he  said, "Christ, he must be at least a hundred and ten by now."

"Close. Ninety-six."

"He hated me."

"Because you used to steal fish out of his pond."

"I didn't steal them," he said. "I just didn't ask before launching my  boat. But come on, Herman had the best trout in the state. And the  biggest. I'll never forget the ten-pounder I caught that you threw  back."

She looked affronted. "That's not what happened. I remember you getting  so excited when I pulled it up to the boat that you yanked the rod from  my hand, which pulled the lead too tight and ripped the hook out of its  mouth." One corner of her lips lifted into a smile. "The look on your  face when that fish broke loose …  I thought you were going to dive in  after it."

"Because it was huge!" He could still remember that moment like  yesterday. He'd just bought his boat after saving all winter working at  the Save-A-Lot and plowing streets. He'd wanted to take Kenna out on it  and show it off. He'd snuck down to Herman's ramp and guided his  beautiful piece of aluminum into the water, and when they coasted across  the pond on that hot July day, life couldn't get any better. He had his  boat. His girl. And a promise of a perfect future.

He would give his life to go back to days like that.





Chapter Sixteen


"Where are you taking me?" Kenna asked, shuffling to keep up with Bear's lively strides.

With her hand in his, they cut across the backside of the resort and  past the small community where Clint Azure lived. Bryan held a  flashlight in one hand and a blanket he'd snatched from the top of the  closet in his hotel room under his arm.

"Seriously," she said. "You're freaking me out. The farther we walk, the  darker it's getting. If you had a shovel, I'd think you were bringing  me out here to get even for throwing you off the roof."

He laughed, a rich, deep sound that caused her lower stomach to tighten. "Finally, you admit it."

"Bryan, I can't walk that fast." She hated admitting it, but it was the  truth. One of his strides equated to at least three of hers. For the  last twelve strides or so she'd been squeezing her toes in order to make  sure her flip-flops didn't fly off. "Can you slow down a bit?"         

     



 

Without commenting, he swung around, dropped his shoulder, threw her  over it, and spun back around in one fluid move that made her head spin.

"What are you doing?" she yelped. "That wasn't code for I'm weak and helpless! I can walk on my own!"

"You're taking too long," he said. "We're going to miss it."

"Miss what?"

Silently, he carried her-as if she only weighed a few pounds, mind you.  The bastard wasn't even breathing heavy-until they reached a dark,  remote area of the island where darkness seemed to stretch on for miles.  She could hear the soft crash of the ocean waves in front of her,  though she couldn't see it. She knew based on the direction they came  that the resort was behind her, though it was too dark and quiet to  prove it.

They were alone. Just the two of them. While the rest of the world seemed miles away.

Then he stopped and placed her on her feet.

Bryan lifted the flashlight beam toward his face and grinned. "You ready?"

"I might be more inclined to say yes if I knew what I needed to be ready for."

"Crabbing."

"Crabbing," she echoed. "Certainly you don't mean the act of catching crabs."

"Yep. And they only come out for a limited time, so we have to hurry if we're gonna catch one."

"Catch one?" If he thought she was putting her hand anywhere near a  fast-moving creature with sharp claws in the pitch black, he was out of  his mind. She stared at him and let the silence pour over them long  enough that he would pick up on her resistance.

"It'll be fun," he said. "Come on." With that, he spun and headed to their right-even farther from the resort.

She crossed her arms. Screw that. It was too dark. With her luck, she'd  step on one of the damn things, and it would chomp her toes off. She  needed her toes. For balance. And for flip-flops. Yeah, she wasn't  risking it.

Kenna watched his strobe of light grow more distant, and still she  waited. She turned toward the resort, then looked in the direction of  the ocean.

Yep. She was holding her ground.

Something made a sound. A scurry.

Sand kicked up onto her bare foot.

"Waaaahhhhh!" she screamed and took off. Kenna barreled into Bear's  back, nearly climbing him like a tree. Once she was perched on him, her  legs wrapped around his waist, she stopped screaming.

He laughed hard enough to rock his body.

"What's so funny?" she asked. "I could've died."

His laughter grew in intensity and a hand came around to cradle her  butt. He squeezed, hard and possessive. "First off, I wouldn't have let  you die. And second … " He bent, causing her balance to shift forward. She  peered over his shoulder at whatever he was picking up. He straightened  and said, "The worst thing this harmless, little creature would've done  was try to bury your feet in the sand."

She thought back to the small flick of sand that hit the top of her foot. "Really?"

"Really," he said. "Sand crabs don't eat humans." He paused, then,  "Might have something to do with the fact that we're ten times their  size."

She smacked his shoulder as he laughed again. "It could happen. You never know."

"Could," he said, shifting so she could dismount. "But won't. I  promise." He shined the light on the white crab in his hand. It spanned  about three inches. It looked like the ones they used to catch in the  summer back home, just smaller, with tiny black marks on their shells.

This one was feisty. He swung his claws around, snapping at Bryan each time he got his finger near.

"You're going to keep pissing him off until he finally gets ahold of you," she said.

"Nah, look." Bryan shined the light on the crab. "He's got a bum claw. He's half a crab. He can't do shit."

She took a closer look, seeing that his left claw was regular size, but  the one on the right side of his body was tiny. He must have lost the  original, full-size claw in an accident, and this was the slow-growing  replacement.

Poor thing. If she didn't think he'd pinch the hell out of her, she'd  cradle him and make him feel better about being picked on just because  he was different.

Bryan kept poking at the animal, the left claw now flying at Bryan's  fingers in fury. The smaller claw was much slower in its opening and  closing snap.

"Seriously, stop. He's going to clip you. And then what?"

"Then you'll have to give me TLC again." She didn't have to see his satisfied smirk to know it was there.         

     



 

"I only offer first aid if it's either my fault the person was hurt or if you really deserve it."

"And I wouldn't deserve it? You wouldn't save me if this vicious crab  tried to bite me?" He peered down at her, and the way he turned the  light, this time she did see his mouth curved into a smile.

She looked up, intentionally letting her eyes go hooded as she slid one  finger down the center of his chest. "Depends on where he bit you."

Bear lowered his face, not taking his eyes off her. "Yeah? Like where? Where would he have to bite?"