The thought broke off. Oh no. She had kissed her best friend last night. Or, he'd kissed her. The memory was a bit misty, but her body remembered the touch of those lips resting on hers, the writhing sexual heat that claimed her, the gorgeous press of his hips and erection against her core.
Horror washed over her. Gen dropped her face into her hands. This was bad. Very bad. What had she said afterward? Had she passed out before uttering something stupid? Would it make things weird for them? How could she have been so slutty, when she'd just left her fiancee at the altar?
The door opened. Wolfe stuck his head in.
"Oh, BTW, don't worry about the kiss thing. You're probably freaking out, but let's not ruin the day. Deal?"
Her mouth dropped open. "R-r-right. I'm sorry, Wolfe. So sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." She paused. "Umm, it was good though?"
A wicked grin tugged those lush lips. Once again, she was struck by his bad-boy hotness, the leather wristbands, tattoo, eyebrow ring, and those piercing blue eyes blazing in his face like he knew all the bad things to do to women and enjoyed every last one.
"Hell, yeah, it was good. But we were kinda drunk and sad and we needed it. No need for any weirdness between us. And I kissed you first, so don't feel guilty."
"Umm, okay."
"Gen?"
"Yeah?"
He winked. "You're an amazing kisser. If you weren't my best friend, I would've tumbled you right there and you wouldn't have had a shot."
Her heart leaped and sudden hot need hit her gut. Her lips curved in a smile. "Thanks. I think."
He laughed and shut the door. Damn the man. He had a talent for playing Jedi mind tricks on her, always sensing the right thing to say or do. Fine. If he wasn't going to think about the kiss, neither was she. After a few moments, Gen managed to shower and pull on denim shorts, a yellow tank, and flip-flops. Face bare of makeup--she'd left that behind when she crawled out the window--she scooped her hair into a ponytail and made her way to the kitchen.
She slid onto the stool and dove into her cereal. She spooned up a banana slice and shot him a look. "Fruit, too? You're getting to be a real gourmet."
"Wait till you see what's on the pizza for dinner."
"What are we doing today?"
"Think Hemingway."
She raised a brow. Damn, she'd forgotten how good Frosted Flakes could be in the morning. All that bran and granola was seriously sucking the fun out of her life. "Are you kidding? I'm still recovering from alcohol. And why do you look so chipper? That Sam Adams kicked my ass last night."
He sipped his coffee and leaned against the counter. "You lost your edge, woman. Used to be able to keep up."
"I got soft. Also switched to Michelob Ultra. I wasn't prepared."
Wolfe grinned. He looked just as casual as she did, with cutoff denim shorts, a navy blue T-shirt, and leather sandals. His hair was freshly washed and fell in damp waves over his forehead. The ring in his brow winked merrily, and the ink of his tattoo peeked through the collar of his shirt and climbed up sensuously over his neck. She always wondered why he'd picked a serpent. She'd never asked.
"You gonna tell me or are you going to torture me with more trivia?"
"Me, you, and the fish, baby."
She blinked. "Are you kidding? That's not fun! Sitting on some leaky, rotted dock catching smelly, wiggly fish so you can butcher them? I'm going back to bed."
"Not on my vacay. We're not sitting on the dock. This is much more exciting."
"How so?"
"We're renting a boat."
She got up, put her bowl and spoon in the sink, and headed to the bedroom. "Good luck with that. Night."
He caught her around the waist and swung her around. "You don't have a choice. It's gonna be epic. We'll sail the seas, catch fresh fish, fry them up tonight for dinner, and bond with nature."
"I'm not cooking fish."
"No problem. I can handle that."
She laughed. The image almost made the whole thing worth it. Almost. "I'm gonna be bored," she whined.
"Not with me. Get your sweet ass in gear, our poles are outside."
She grumbled but did what he told her. Unfortunately, she wasn't capable of making decisions for herself right now, so she depended on his direction. He picked up some type of tackle box, the poles, a case of water, and various snacks, then headed into the woods.
Gen dragged her feet, muttered zingy one-liners, and tried to keep up. He whistled and ignored all her barbed statements, not letting up the pace even though his legs were four times longer than hers. After a good twenty minutes of walking through brush, getting bitten by mosquitoes, and huffing and puffing, she opened her mouth to say she was quitting, but he stopped short.
"About time! Why didn't we drive? I hate walking in the woods. I'm tired. Can I have water? Where's the boat?"
"Should be back here." He dropped the stuff and began searching through overgrown brush and pussy willows long enough to be someone's weapon. "Ah, here it is." He disappeared in the vegetation for a few moments, then rose up with a boat by his side.
Gen stared.
She'd expected some elaborate power motor thing with music and air. Something to jet around the lake on while she sunbathed.
This thing would barely keep them alive.
The rowboat was wooden, with old-fashioned oars, and creaked dangerously. Narrow and definitely unbalanced, it bounced back and forth as if just waiting to dump them. The water was greenish, and big globs of seaweed floated in it. She shivered with fear at the idea of being in there. What the hell? He dumped the stuff into the boat and held out a hand to her.
"No. Way."
The man had the nerve to look like he was holding on to his patience. "Now what's the problem, princess?"
She practically spit in fury. "Are you nuts? Where's the life jackets? The boat that doesn't sink? The man that makes you sign contracts about liability and gives you lessons on boating before allowing you out in the water?"
"That's the beauty of this whole thing. It's natural, not forced. We're heading to a great hidden place where the fish live. No rules, no contracts, no people. Just me, you, and the fish."
"This is worse than not getting married!"
"Will you just trust me? It's gonna be great. You'll love it."
She glared. Stamped her feet. Dammit, did she have a choice? She didn't want to be stuck in the cabin all day, thinking about David and her mistakes and the mess her life was. Maybe it would be helpful. She'd read Hemingway and that boring book about the man and the sea, trying to catch a fish. She had seen that old movie On Golden Pond with the Fondas. When had she gotten so structured that she didn't do anything impulsive any longer?
Since she got engaged.
David disliked veering off course where things could get sticky. He'd book a fishing trip at a nice marina, with a full-service concierge, a professional fisherman, and a compass. A rowboat in the middle of a mossy lake with no constructed plan for hours would never happen in his world.
In the beginning, she thought it was charming. She actually preferred a man who took things seriously and was ruthlessly organized. Until she realized he'd left no room to breathe. When she tried to embrace a more open viewpoint, his disdain and subtle punishments slowly eked away any enthusiasm she had until it became easier to give in.
Was it really his fault? Or hers for not fighting for what she wanted?
Gen pushed the thought away and set her jaw. "Fine. Let's do it." With careful movements, she climbed into the boat and gingerly sat on the rear seat, clutching the sides. Wolfe undid the ropes and pushed off, taking the main position by the oars. After a few minutes of sheer terror, she relaxed when the boat held and Wolfe actually seemed to know how to steer. Okay, this could be cool. It was a beautiful, warm day, the birds sang, the woods hugged the lake with gorgeous views, and she didn't have to worry about anyone finding them.
"Feel better?"
She nodded. "Yeah. You seem to know what
you're doing."
"It's not rocket science, just rowing."
Gen stuck out her tongue.
They floated in silence. Her mind quieted a bit, just taking in the moment. Little plops and ripples on the surface promised a wide variety of animals. She fought a shiver and hoped to God it was only little fish and not some type of disgusting sea creature ready to take down the boat.
"Why are you looking down like you think Jason is gonna pop out of the water with a hockey mask?"
"Don't say that! Ugh, this lake is gross. I can't believe I swam in it last night."
"You only think that because we're used to chlorinated pools. People need more germs. They'd be healthier."
She shook her head. "Thank you, Dr. Wolfe."
"Has a nice ring to it."
"Remember when my father learned you went by only one name?"
He rolled his eyes. "Your father hated me from the first moment."
She giggled at the memory. "He said, 'Wolfe, like Prince?' And you said, 'Not really.' "
"Then he just stared at me like I was a bug on his shoe he wanted to scrape off."
"He doesn't hate you, I keep telling you that. He's just wary. Izzy was always staring at you like she was hungry, and he's old-fashioned. Used to tell us if we got any piercings or tats we'd be in big trouble."
"Hmm, the threat didn't work well with Izzy."
"Not much did." She'd been dying to ask a question for a long time. In the boat, alone with her thoughts, the words popped out. "Did you ever sleep with Izzy?"
He stumbled with one of the oars and the boat did a shaky jerk. She grabbed onto the sides until they smoothed back out. "Are you kidding me? Of course not! Why would you ask?"
Relief coursed through her. Gen shrugged. "She always wanted you. I think she's jealous of our friendship and it would've been a good way to get back at me. Said I was the good one. The one Mom and Dad loved. I always felt bad she was branded the troublemaker from when we were young. And then we tried to do exactly what everyone expected of us. I followed the right path and she raised hell."
He seemed to choose his words carefully. "She tried a few times, but I always knew she didn't want me. She was confused. In pain. Not sure what she was dealing with."
"Me neither. When she got hooked on drugs, everything blew up. Dad couldn't reach her, felt like a failure, and barely spoke to her. She was isolated. I wouldn't blame you if you did sleep with her, Wolfe. Promise."
Her tummy slid to her toes when he met her gaze. Those piercing blue eyes held a fierce intent that spoke volumes. "We didn't sleep together. I never wanted Izzy. Understood?" Her breath strangled in her throat, so she managed a nod. "Good. We're here. Let's catch some fish."
The isolated inlet didn't seem to be the fish-catching capital of Saratoga, but Gen didn't care. He taught her to hook the bait, educated her on tackle, and gave her a quick lesson on throwing the rod. Gen sat back and watched the line, waiting for a wiggle or a jump. Now that she was here, she wanted to catch a fish. A bigger one than Wolfe, so she could always lord it over him.
"I don't even want to know what you're thinking with that grin on your face," he commented.
"Good, 'cause I'm not telling. Can I ask another question? One that may be out of line?"
"Sure."
"Why do you have only one name?"
His shoulders tightened, and she regretted asking. Since she'd escaped the altar, her curiosity about his past was growing stronger. She waited for him to call on their pinky promise, but he surprised her once again.
"I was someone else a long time ago. Shit happened. When Sawyer took me in, I was so mixed-up I thought if I changed my name I'd be someone else."
"That makes perfect sense. A new slate. Why did you pick Wolfe? How come it wasn't Snake or Serpent like your tat?"
His lip kicked up in a half grin. "That would just be stupid."
She grinned with him. "Guess so."
He was quiet, staring down at his fishing rod. "I picked Wolfe because it's a symbol of a great hunter. I wanted to feel that type of power for a change. The hunter and predator. Not the hunted. Not prey."
His words blasted through and connected to her on a deep level. Somehow, he was giving her the piece to the puzzle that had made him, but it was too fast and too big to decipher. The snap of the line interrupted them, and suddenly he was jerking the rod, reeling in his prize, while Gen got caught in the excitement and started yelling.
"Pull harder, to the left, you're gonna lose him, you got one!"
"Shush, you're scaring them away. Think it's a big one."
The rod bent and the fish appeared, flopping madly and spraying water everywhere as Wolfe dragged the fish into the boat. Wolfe unhooked the line, staring with sheer pride at his catch.
Gen stared at the fish. Medium sized. Silvery. Its gills working, its eyes seemed to bug out as it realized its life was officially over. It'd be asphyxiated and suffer a slow, painful death.
"Son of a bitch, I got one! Now, I think Sawyer said to knock him out with one of those hammer things. I brought one right here, I think, and I-- Gen, what are you doing? Gen? Hey!"
She dove across the boat, grabbed the slimy, slippery fish, and, barely managing to hold on to it, tossed it back into the water.
Ripples vibrated on the surface, then stilled. Relief loosened her shoulders. Thank goodness. She never thought she was squeamish, but no way was she going to be a part of hurting and torturing a poor animal. It'd swim back to its fishy family and hopefully avoid such tricks in the future.
She was probably more like her sister Alexa than she thought.
Smiling, she turned and stopped dead.
Uh-oh.
"Did you just throw away the fish I caught?" His voice hit a high-pitched note she rarely heard. Like he was really pissed. So pissed he couldn't control his voice.
She winced. "I'm sorry. I couldn't do it. I couldn't be a part of a murder."
His brows lowered in a fierce frown. "Are you kidding me? It's a fish. You eat fish all the time and never had a problem. Now you're comparing it to a homicide?"
She tilted her chin. "Because it is. You were going to smash his head. It'll hurt. Let's just catch them for fun and toss them back."
He growled, took a step toward her, then gripped the fishing rod like he imagined it was her neck. "Fish have no nerve endings. And forgive me, but I don't find it fun to toss back a catch that I earned. It's lame."
She glared back at him. "How do you know fish have no nerves? Were you reincarnated? And it's not lame, it's humane."
"Touch my fish again, sweetheart, and you're gonna be in trouble."
She opened her mouth to yell back at him, then saw a black object moving quickly along the floor toward Wolfe's foot. When she realized what it was, she snapped back her words and shrugged. He wanted to act like a murderer without conscience? Fine. He'd be punished in own way. It was karmic.
"I'm glad you finally agree." He gave a half-assed swat at his lower leg, but she watched the fuzzy body avoid the swish of his fingers and travel higher. Yeah. This was gonna be good. "Now stay quiet while I try and catch another one."
"Not a word?" she asked sweetly.
"Not one." He swiped again, but the bug reached the edge of his shorts and hovered. What if it went underneath? She nibbled at her lower lip, suddenly worried. Could a young, healthy male have a heart attack if his phobia came to life? Should she mention it even though he was being mean?
"Umm, Wolfe, I should tell you one thing."
"You've done enough. I want fish for dinner tonight and I'm gonna get it."
"Maybe instead of trying to kill fish you should try and murder something more important."
"Yeah? Like what?"
She pointed to the spider on his bare thigh. "Like that spider."
"Holy shit!"
It happened so fast the scene was a blur.
Wolfe hopped on one leg, swiping furiously at his shorts, and began to fall over. The boat ti
lted to the right, paused, and dumped the two of them over the side.
They both tumbled into the water. Gasping and trying to close her mouth, Gen felt cold liquid seep through her clothes and hit her like a shock wave. Her hair stuck to her face, and she spit frantically, afraid she'd gotten a mouthful of seaweed. The idea of being in the same realm as an alligator or sea monster made her go nuts.
"Get me out of here!" she yelled. "Don't let me die here!"
Strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up. His legs scissored between hers as he kept her on the surface. "Why are you yelling like a crazy person? You know how to swim."
Gen screeched and wrapped her arms and legs around him tight. "There are things in here! Creepy, crawly, swimmy things. Get me back in the boat now!"
His low laugh vibrated in her ear. Goose bumps broke out on her skin, and a melty sensation throbbed between her thighs. His hair-roughened leg slid back and forth, hitting a sweet spot. "There was a spider on me. A giant spider. Did you know about this?"
She shook her head hard and whimpered. "No, I swear, please get us back in the boat."
"Okay. But no more interfering with my fishing. I'll just grab the boat and--what the hell was that?"
"What? What?"
"I don't know, something touched my leg. It seems to have fingers, almost like a hand."
Gen opened her mouth and screamed.
His laughter barely processed as she began wiggling and trying to claw her way back to the boat. She finally reached the side, and felt strong hands cup her bottom, lifting her higher and higher until she fell in a tangle of limbs back to safety. Gen jumped up and began slapping at her legs, pulling off pieces of seaweed. Wolfe climbed back in, sat down on the seat, and chuckled.
"Oh man, you should have seen your face. Priceless."
"You are an asshole! There was no hand, you liar."
"Sorry, sweetheart, I couldn't help it."
"I hate fishing. This entire episode sucks. I'm wet and tired and icky."
"It's been a challenge, but I'm sure it'll get better. Not much else can happen. It's a nice day. Maybe we can go back to the dock and go for a hike."
God spoke again.
The sun disappeared and a few raindrops fell from the sky. She blinked and looked up. Not possible. Was it?
"Is it raining?" she screeched.
Wolfe looked up. The drops began to fall faster. "Yeah, we better get back. Where's the oar?"