Wanted A Real Family(47)

The sounds from the four-wheeler made conversation spotty, but when Jase slowed, he said, “I used to come exploring out here. At one point, I thought I might want to be a geologist...along with a magician.”

He’d obviously had many dreams as a kid. Which ones did he want to come true now? “But you ended up photographing all this instead, right?”

“I did. It made me curious about tectonic plates, thermal springs, mineral waters. We could probably turn this into a resort if we wanted to, but my dad wanted to keep this area natural. The year before I went to college, we did some work on it. Or rather, he supervised and I worked with some other guys. We dug out the trail that leads to the hot springs pool and sculptured the surrounding area. When we built up the walls around the hot spring, we fashioned steps leading down into it. It’s not quite as primitive as it once was.”

“Does anyone ever come out here?”

“Rarely. We have a service maintain it. Actually, when I was finished with my rehab, I drove out here a lot. Soaking in the waters seemed to help. Maybe that’s just a mind game I played, but my muscles would loosen up. Afterward I could stretch them and exercise them better.”

“I wish you had told me about this while you were in PT.”

“Why?”

“Because I definitely would have encouraged you.”

“Well, you can encourage me now.”

The look he gave her sent a thrill through her, a thrill that she told herself she was ready for. She did need to live her life and forget about everything that had happened with Conrad. With Amy being looked after, tonight she was free to be a woman, to be herself, to really taste life again and enjoy it.

They followed a gravel path that had been groomed for the vehicle. Jase pulled up beside an outcropping of rocks that hid the area beyond. She could spot the footpath that circled around the rocks, and her heart began beating really fast.

After Jase pulled the cooler from the back of the vehicle, he joined her at the path. Handing her a blanket and towels, he said, “We might need these, and you might need a hand over the rocks, so we’re better balanced this way.”

She wondered what kind of bathing suit he was wearing under his jeans, and how he’d look when he slipped them off. She was thinking about touching his skin, smelling his scent, being close to him. A blanket, towels, swimsuits and water all equaled intimacy.

After he studied her for a few moments, he said blandly, “This could just be a dip in the hot springs, you know. Relax, Sara. When you have a thought, it flashes like a neon sign in your eyes. I don’t suppose you play poker well.”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?” She couldn’t tell from Jase’s tone.

“Definitely a compliment. Remember, I was engaged to a woman who was able to hide too much.”

Yes, she did remember. More than anything she remembered the pain in his voice when he’d told her about it, the monumental betrayal he’d felt, the sense that he’d hoped for a dream he could never have.

“You like women who take risks, don’t you?” she asked quietly. He’d been an adventurer at heart and she suspected he’d like that quality in the women he became involved with.

“I did...once. But now I’m older and wiser,” he joked.

“Wiser, maybe, but not that old.”

Jase just smiled one of those enigmatic smiles, then offered her his hand as they started up the path. His grip on hers was firm and masterful. He knew where he was going and probably what he wanted to do. She wouldn’t be a tease, that’s for sure. If they started something, she would finish it.

The path became narrower. Instead of leading her, however, Jase dropped in back of her. “Just follow the yellow markers,” he said. “If I climb behind you, I can catch you if you fall.”

Actually, that was a wonderful idea—a man who would catch her if she fell. For the longest time she’d felt alone. Even when she and Conrad were married, she’d felt she had full responsibility for Amy, for her emotional and physical welfare. Since Conrad’s death, the financial burden had been even heavier and she’d worried day and night about giving Amy the life she needed, the life she deserved. She was an independent woman and she wanted to stay independent, no doubt about that. But it would be so nice to feel that she wasn’t alone.

With the blanket and towels under her arm, Sara made her way without too much difficulty. Suddenly, however, as she was climbing a rock a little higher than the rest, her sneaker slipped. She felt her legs go out from under her. She heard a thunk and then she was suspended in strong, muscular arms that seemed to know how to keep a woman safe.