It was going to be a long three days.
Christ, what was I thinking?
He knew what he’d been thinking and nothing had changed. He’d protect her with his life if need be because he owed Sloan that much. The fact he wanted her played no part in his decision. She was his responsibility to keep safe until her stalker was caught.
To keep her safe, emotionally and physically, he intended to navigate the river as ‘safety kayaker’ on the trip for both reasons. One, if Sage fell in, he could get to her quickly in a way he couldn’t if she was on his raft. And two, it would keep a distance between them during the day so he didn’t fuck up like he had last night, keeping her emotionally safe from him.
Throwing his truck in park, he climbed out to unload his kayak. He looked toward Sage to keep an eye on her. She was loading food into sixty-gallon coolers as Gregor assembled the rafters. When he lowered his tailgate to retrieve his kayak, she looked up and saw him. She paused, her eyes widened in surprise, and then she came unstuck and dropped the food.
He didn’t know what was running through her head after he kissed her the night before, so when she started toward him, he turned his back to prepare. He’d gotten his head straight by the time he left, but he had no idea if she was pissed because he was sending her mixed signals. She’d find out just how stubborn he could be if she asked him to leave. Her safety took precedence over everything else, including his need to be as far away from her as possible.
“Are you going on the trip?” Sage asked in a breathless voice. The sweet sound of it curled around him like a warm blanket.
He turned his head at her question but cast his gaze down to avoid hers. They pulled him under like a current and made him forget when he needed to focus.
“Yeah, I told you I was keepin’ you safe and I meant it.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” she replied again softly.
His eyes shot to hers of their own accord and he froze, drowning in their color. They were smiling in the morning light; the sun bouncing off the pale-green made them glow as they curved upwards.
He had to take a deep breath to fight the urge to fall under her spell.
Focus.
Nodding, he turned back to his kayak and pulled it from the back of his truck.
“You aren’t riding on the raft?” she asked as he laid the kayak on the ground.
“I’m following as the safety kayaker. That way, if anyone falls in, I can get to them quickly. I’ll be more maneuverable this way.”
Nodding she understood, Sage rushed forward and leaned into the back of his truck to grab his paddle, asking, “Is kayaking as fun as rafting?”
Shane didn’t answer immediately; he’d lost his train of thought when she bent at the waist, giving him a clear view of her heart-shaped ass. An ass he’d had in his hands and kissed with his own two lips.
“Better,” he finally replied between gritted teeth. Three days of that view was going to be the death of him.
When she turned and opened her mouth, he could see the question on the tip of her tongue and he shook his head.
“I’m not teachin’ you how to kayak.”
“I didn’t ask you,” she replied with a husky laugh, then smirked at him before heading toward the rafts.
Shane watched her hips swaying with each step she took. When she turned and curled her arm up and back, motioning for him to follow, his lips twitched.
“I’m coming, impatient minx,” he mumbled, then picked up his kayak and followed.
He helped the other guides load supplies and packs onto the ore fame gear Boat, then he waited with the rest of the crew for Gregor to finish his safety talk. As he stood there, he caught Sage watching him and tried to block her out. It was a lost cause. He was so fuckin’ drawn to her he couldn’t turn away, and when her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, he grinned and shook his head. She was fired up and ready to hit the water.
Gregor finally finished his long-winded instructions, then called out who was on which raft. He’d put Sage with him, Shane noted, which eased his worry. When Gregor turned to make his way toward the rafts, he approached the old man.
“What’s the speed of the river today?”
“It’s running around thirty-six hundred CFS, so it should be a good day. They’re calling for rain tonight so we may have a roller coaster ride tomorrow if we get dumped on.”
Shane nodded then turned to head to his kayak. He caught sight of Sage fighting her life vest; she had the pillow stuck inside, causing it to ride up in the back. Moving toward her to help adjust the PFD, he scowled when another man stepped up to help. He was average build, with dark hair and beady eyes that kept zeroing in on her chest as he helped her out with the vest.