Diving In

by Kristina Mathews

  “That’s not a bad idea.” She looked up at Cody’s house, wondering why he’d never thought of something like that.

  Kyle must have followed her gaze, because he glanced over just in time to see two figures appear on the deck.

  “Ah. Is that his house? I wondered why you kept looking up there.” His arm slid from her shoulders.

  “Yeah, it’s his place.” She took a long swallow of her beer. “Look, I know I told you had feelings for my boss. But you don’t have anything to worry about.”

  “Who’s worried?” He stared straight ahead, his voice distant.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything, that first night.” She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I guess I was protecting myself.”

  “What were you protecting yourself from? A good time?”

  “I didn’t think I stood a chance with someone like you.”

  “Why, because Cody rejected you?”

  “Actually, I rejected him. At least at first. But then he moved on. And on and on and on.” She sighed, realizing for the first time that it wasn’t Cody’s rejection that she’d clung to all these years: it was her own fear.

  “My brother’s an idiot.” He stiffened the minute the words passed his lips.

  “I’m sorry, did you say your brother?” She must have misunderstood. “As in related to each other?”

  “Shit.” He stood up and started pacing. “Part of the reason I came here was to get to know them. My big brothers.”

  “Your brothers?” She still couldn’t believe it.

  “Yeah. But I don’t want them to know who I am yet.”

  “Why?” She rose to her feet, dusted her backside off, and approached him cautiously. “I mean… Why wouldn’t you want them to know about you?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Complicated?” She was having a hard time processing why he would hide something like that.

  “Look, my dad…” She heard a lot of pain in his voice. From what she’d learned from Cody, and to some extent Carson, they never had much of a relationship with their father. The man had abandoned them at birth. He came back briefly, when their grandparents died, but as far as she knew, they hadn’t kept in touch with the man.

  Apparently, he had another child. She searched his face, and now that she knew, she did see some resemblance. The eyes, mostly.

  Yeah. He was definitely related. And she didn’t quite know how to feel about that. Was she only attracted to him because he reminded her of Cody? No. That wasn’t it. He wasn’t just a replacement for her crush. Kyle was a great guy. A great guy who was struggling with family issues.

  “I didn’t even know they existed until I was ten years old. One day, my dad just left. Said he had to go take care of his sons. It didn’t even occur to him to take us with him.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, and he tensed up.

  “We got by, though. Me and my mom.” Kyle moved just enough for her hand to slip. “And then five years later, the son of a bitch shows up. Like he was just on vacation.”

  “That’s terrible.” Her heart wedged in her throat. He’d lied. To her, and to Carson and Cody. Yet, a part of her understood why he’d kept his connection hidden. She knew how much resentment Cody had toward his father, and she imagined how much worse it would have been to be abandoned at ten. Old enough to know the man.

  “I hated him. And for a long time, I hated them, too.” He shook his head. “I guess I thought if I met them on my own terms, got to know them, let them get to know me, it would be better than just showing up.”

  “Oh, Kyle.” She couldn’t just stand there and watch him suffer. All she could do was wrap her arms around him. Lean on his chest and wait.

  “I had this image of them in my mind. Two spoiled guys who had everything. I worked from the time I was thirteen, just trying to keep food on the table. And these two guys had a house and a college fund and our dad.” He didn’t push her away this time, but he also didn’t accept her comfort.

  “Then I found out they have their own business.” His voice was tense, full of hurt. “And I thought I’d check it out. See if these rich assholes were really as bad as I thought.”

  “They’re hardly rich.” She bit back a laugh. “And they’re not really assholes.”

  “What about Cody?” He stepped back. “He’s not exactly been friendly toward me. And I know it has something to do with you.”

  “He’s protective, that’s all. He seems to think of himself as my big brother.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing he’s not.”

  She couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped her lips. “It’s a very good thing. But at some point, you might want to let him know who you are. And Carson, too. You’re family.”

  “Yeah, but I want people to know me for me. You know? If I get the job, I don’t want people to think it’s because I’m related to the bosses.”

  “You’d rather them think you got the job because you’re sleeping with the supervisor?”

  “Yeah.” He smiled, and that made her melt. “That’s exactly what I want people to think.”

  “You’re not just sleeping with me to get the job?” She was at least halfway joking.

  “No, sweetheart. I can’t resist you. I don’t know what I’d do if there wasn’t a job available. I guess I’d have had to apply as a bartender at the Argo just to keep seeing you.”

  “So you’re not independently wealthy?”

  “No. I do have some money in the bank, but that’s where it’s going to stay.”

  “For a rainy day?”

  “Yeah, I’ve had enough of them to know they come up whether you’re prepared or not.”

  Chapter 13

  Damn. He’d blown it. Fisher now knew that Carson and Cody were his brothers. Would she keep his secret? Did it matter?

  His rainy day would come sooner or later. Right now, at the beginning of summer, being out on the river, life seemed full of possibilities. He’d even found himself a woman he’d love to spend more time with. But summer would come to an end. He would have to return to LA. And somehow, he’d need to close this deal.

  “Look, Fisher, I think I should take you home.” He reached down and picked up the two beer cans; both were empty. “Neither of us has had much sleep the last few nights. I have a feeling there will be plenty of surprises on the river tomorrow.”

  “Yeah. And you’ll have to earn your spot on the team.” Fisher was too good for him anyway.

  They walked back through the campground, near each other but not touching. He knew if he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to stop. And he needed space right now. He needed to get his head on straight and finish the job he’d come up here to do.

  They got to the porch.

  “Well, good night.” Fisher turned to walk away from him.

  “Fisher, wait.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Kissed her with everything he had. He couldn’t let her think he didn’t want her.

  “I didn’t expect you.” He pulled away reluctantly.

  “I didn’t expect you either.” Her lips were swollen, her hair tousled, and her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “And I know you have a lot on your mind. Sleep tight.”

  With that, she turned and walked into the house.

  Kyle did have a lot on his mind. The last few jobs had been so much easier. The surf shop, bar and grill, and even the automotive shop and gas station had been easy to take over. Mostly because they all were struggling when he showed up. By the time he’d come in with an offer to buy the businesses, they’d been relieved more than anything.

  But this time it was different. For one thing, the company was in good shape. He didn’t have a chance to look at the financials yet, but it seemed like they were in a position to grow. If they were looking to hire several new guides,
they weren’t ready to dump and run.

  He’d need a really good incentive. Of course, he hadn’t counted on both the partners being recently married and new parents. That would make it harder to convince them to sell. Take the money and travel the world. Or maybe it would be the best time to pack up the babies while they were still portable.

  Then he remembered how much work it had been for them to bring the three infants down to the campsite.

  He’d never failed an assignment before. But he’d never worked with anyone he was related to, either. He had to admit, he liked them. And the company they’d created.

  And then there was Fisher. She complicated the hell out his life. If he was able to pull off this deal, he’d need to make sure she was taken care of, too.

  Although, with the money he’d make, he could take care of her himself. He could whisk her away and they could travel all the rivers of the world. New Zealand, Costa Rica, wherever she wanted to go.

  Surely she had dreams that took her beyond the South Fork of the American. He needed to find out what they were. And somehow make them come true.

  But he was a realist. He also needed a backup plan.

  Instead of getting extra sleep, he spent the next few hours researching the other rafting outfitters in the area. Maybe one of them would be better suited for his bosses’ plans. A cash deal, quick transition, and everybody would go home happy.

  At least, that was the idea.

  The next morning was painful. Once he had fallen into bed, he hadn’t slept well. Something was missing. Or rather, someone. Normally, if things progressed this far in a relationship, he’d start pulling back. Claim to be slammed with work. Or family commitments. He tended to use the family excuse only in dire emergencies, as women often wanted to help. To meet his mother, take her shopping, stuff like that.

  He couldn’t use the work excuse with Fisher. He worked with her. Or for her. Well, he hoped he would. And now she knew about his family. His brothers who were her bosses, and potentially his as well.

  The weird thing was that he didn’t want to make excuses to see less of her. He thought he wanted space, but it had come at a price. He missed her. Missed her naked body pressed up against him. Missed her scent. And most of all, he missed the way she tasted. The way she moved and took pleasure in his touch.

  Instead of wanting to run as far and as fast as he could, he wanted to run to her.

  After he made some coffee. He’d need caffeine to face the day. The river. And his brothers.

  A soft tap on the door of the RV startled him. But when he opened the door and found Fisher standing there with two steaming mugs of coffee, he couldn’t help but think he might be able to pull this off.

  “Good morning. I brought you some coffee. I hope you slept well.” Fisher had a smile on her face and her eyes shone brightly.

  “Not at all.” He reached for the caffeine, took a long, heavenly sip, and sighed. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Not really, but I make sure we have good, strong coffee for those times when I need a pick-me-up.”

  “Why didn’t you sleep well last night?”

  “I guess I was lonely.” She didn’t even try to play it cool. He liked that about her. She was so genuine. “And I kept thinking about what it must have been like when you were just a boy. Your dad driving off one day and leaving you behind. I don’t know, for some reason, I picture an old beat-up station wagon and you standing in the street wanting to chase after him, but being more afraid of what would happen if you caught up with him.”

  The coffee sank like a stone to the bottom of his stomach. Had she read his mind? Had she been there that day? “It was a Tercel hatchback. But yeah, I wanted to run after him. But I was afraid. Afraid he’d take off with me hanging on to the door handle until I couldn’t keep up anymore. Like that dog in that Chevy Chase movie. The one with the girl in the Ferrari.”

  “That is my dad’s favorite movie. You have no idea how many vacations I went on, driving a hundred miles out of the way to see the world’s largest potato chip.”

  “Really? And where would one find that?”

  “In Blackfoot, Idaho, of course. At the Idaho Potato Museum. Free taters for out-of-staters.”

  He laughed, but she wasn’t kidding.

  “Tell me more about your family. Do you have brothers or sisters?”

  “Nope. An only child.” She sighed. “Always wanted a brother, though.”

  Then she laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Well, I guess I should be careful what I wish for.” She sipped her coffee and slid into the booth.

  “Why is that?” Although he knew. At least, he knew who she was referring to. Cody.

  “Well, I always thought it would be cool to have someone look out for me. You know, stick up for me when people made fun of me for being too tall or too strong or too smart.”

  “Who made fun of you?” His jaw clenched just thinking of her former bullies. Even though they’d all had some.

  “The popular kids. You know, the guys who thought they were such athletes, and then when I’d beat them in something, they’d get their panties in a wad. Or the girls who played dumb because they thought the boys would like them more.”

  “And you thought having a brother would fix that?”

  “Yeah. I mean, if someone was bigger and stronger and smarter than me”—she wrapped her hands around the coffee mug—“then no one would mess with me.”

  “So have you discovered you can take care of yourself?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled, seemingly pleased that he had noticed. “But now I’ve got this brother figure who thinks he needs to protect me. From you.”

  She laughed again, shaking her head.

  “Do you think you need protection? From me?”

  “No.” But her eyes took on a cautious look. “I’m pretty sure I can handle you. I even managed to survive a night without you.”

  “Not exactly.” He couldn’t help but remember the encounter in the boat barn. “We didn’t sleep together last night, but we still haven’t gone twenty-four hours without making love.”

  “You’re not issuing a challenge, are you?”

  “Oh, hell no.” He downed his coffee and slid closer to her. “I didn’t sleep last night. I think you might be even more addictive than coffee.”

  “Speaking of coffee.” Fisher held up her cup. “I’m going to need more. We’re doing a full river today. You want a refill?”

  “How ’bout a quickie?” He nuzzled her neck.

  “I don’t think you could be quick. You’re very thorough.” She slid out of the booth, stood up, and held out her hand.

  “Coffee will have to do.” Kyle followed her to the door.

  Fisher hesitated. She turned around and laughed. “You know, I just thought of something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your big brother might want to protect you from me.” She grinned wickedly.

  Then she bounded out the door and across the campground to the house she shared with the other guides.

  * * * *

  Fisher hadn’t slept well last night. She kept picturing Kyle as a boy who’d been abandoned when he was old enough to understand that his father hadn’t wanted him enough to make it work blending two families.

  Now Kyle was here, trying to make his father’s other family accept him. But not because they shared half their DNA, but because of the man he’d become in spite of it.

  She’d lain awake wondering if Cody would have accepted him if it weren’t for her. If he didn’t have some misguided need to look out for her, even when she was doing just fine on her own. Kyle was a good man. And Cody was a good man. So was Carson. It seemed like the only Swift man who wasn’t was their father. She didn’t even know his name. Only that he’d abandoned two families for whatever reaso
n, and all three of his sons resented the hell out of him.

  She got a small tingle up her spine as she thought about somehow helping them find comfort in each other.

  “You okay?” Kyle must have noticed her reaction.

  “Yeah.” She stopped, letting him catch up and take her hand. “Just thinking about how you’re going to owe me for keeping your secret.”

  “Oh really?” He squeezed, sending even more shivers up her spine. How could one man make her feel so tingly in so many places? “What if you’re the one who owes me?”

  “And what do I owe you for?” She pulled him closer to her. “I can buy my own beer.”

  “I’m sure you could probably give yourself an orgasm, too, but it’s not as much fun as the ones we share.” He closed the remaining distance and brought his mouth down on hers, brushing her lips softly before whispering, “Everything is more fun when we do it together.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh, but it didn’t last long, as he kissed her again. Thoroughly. His tongue claiming hers. His body pressed against hers. His heart beating in time with hers.

  Fisher could feel his arousal growing as the kiss grew deeper. She was drowning in him. It was as if her sexuality had been dammed, and Kyle had come along, opening the floodgates of her desire.

  They were four feet from the guides’ house. Yet she wasn’t sure if she could resist him long enough to make it inside.

  “Get a room!” Cody’s voice broke through to her. Kyle started to pull away, but she just grabbed his hips and kissed him even harder. She wasn’t going to let Cody ruin this for her. She would stop kissing her man when she was good and ready.

  “Seriously, guys, this is a family establishment.” Cody’s voice was laced with amusement, though.

  Finally, Fisher let go of Kyle. Well, not completely. She still held his hand.

  “Was there something I could help you with?” she asked innocently.

  “No, I was just going to grab some coffee.” He looked over toward the house. “You do still make the coffee around here?”

  “Yeah. In fact, we were just on our way over for a refill.” Fisher led Kyle up the steps to the kitchen. “Then we’re doing a full river trip. So that means pizza at Mario’s tonight. You should bring the wife and kids and join us.”