by Zoe York
“I’m not…look. It’s not like you think.” She lowered her eyes to the table before she took a breath and looked up again. “I borrowed my friend’s car because I needed to get away. I promised her I’d return it in the same condition. When it broke down, I felt terrible. She’s away for a while, so I have time to get it fixed on my own. She’ll never know there was a problem with it and I’ll return it in perfect condition. That’s all.”
Rhys examined her for a minute, but couldn’t find any trace that she might be lying. And why would she? “You don’t need any help?” He was surprised at the disappointment he felt. He wanted to take care of this woman. From the moment he’d met her, the desire to protect her had almost overwhelmed him. And despite the fact that she clearly didn’t need him to, he still wanted to be that guy for her.
She shook her head, but his instinct told him there was something else she wasn’t saying. Whatever it was, he’d shield her from it because despite everything, or maybe because of it, there was no doubt he was falling for this woman. Hard.
“Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t have the money?”
“It was embarrassing. Okay, Rhys?” Her eyes implored him to drop it.
“Okay.” He smiled. “Thank you for telling me. Now I have one more really important question.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”
The concerned frown that had lined her face moments earlier transformed to that big smile Rhys was growing fond of. “I’d love to.”
Of course she was going to say yes. Although she’d surprised herself with how quickly she’d agreed. As soon as the words flew out of her mouth, it occurred to her that maybe she should have tried to play coy a little bit. At least consider his invitation. But what was the point? The attraction between them had been there from the moment they met, despite the fact that a man and her undeniable attraction toward him should be the last thing she was worrying about as she set up house in a tiny town in the middle of the mountains, with no money, nowhere real to live, and no plans beyond tomorrow. Oh, and the fact that she just lied to him, again. But he’d taken her off guard by checking on her car. He really hadn’t asked that many questions about her life, and she’d tried to be as honest as she could. But for one night, just one night, she promised herself, she was going to enjoy herself. And having dinner with Rhys was exactly the way to do it.
They moved to a corner booth at the back of the pub that was a little quieter. Although it was only across the room, it took about ten minutes to get there as Rhys was stopped by almost everyone in the place. As it turned out, the officer was well liked, and had more than a few friends.
“Don’t be fooled,” Rhys said when they finally sat down. “I have more than my share of enemies, too.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” And she didn’t. How could a friendly, warm man like Rhys, so opposite her ex, have enemies?
He grinned and took another sip of his beer. “You don’t get to be one of the only police officers in town and not have to haul some of the locals into lockup for the night once in a while.”
“No way. In Cedar Springs? For what?”
He shrugged and Kari didn’t miss the way his t-shirt clung to his thick biceps and strained against the muscles in his shoulders. “You’d be surprised,” he said after a moment. “I’ve taken in a few of my old school buddies for drunk and disorderly.” Kari giggled. “But it’s the domestic disputes that surprised me the most. People I’ve known for my whole life, since I was a kid...” He shook his head and Kari had to look away.
The first time Brice hit her, she’d sworn it would be the last. It’d surprised her when it’d happened again. Not because he’d done it, but because she’d actually become the woman who’d stayed with him and tried to justify it. He’d only hit her twice while they were married. And then there was the last time. She hadn’t pressed charges. Brice had his share of friends on the force, so it was easier to run and leave it all behind. “It’s unbelievable some of the things I’ve seen,” Rhys continued. “And that’s just in Cedar Springs. The city was a whole lot worse.”
Kari’s senses pricked up. “The city?”
Rhys ran both his hands through his hair, tousling it in all directions. The result was far sexier than Kari would have imagined. “When I first graduated from the academy, I went to work in the city. Thought that getting out of this tiny town was a sign of success. Who would want to live in Cedar Springs forever, right?”
“I don’t know,” Kari mused aloud. “I think that would be pretty fantastic.”
His lips twitched up in a smile. “Well, I certainly didn’t want to,” he said. “Growing up, I couldn’t wait to get out of here, so I spent six years on the force there. Saw a lot of things, got a lot of experience. I don’t regret it.”
“Then why did you come back?”
Rhys’ face clouded over. “Why does anyone ever go home again? I got hurt.”
Kari’s heart leapt into her throat and her hand instinctively shot across the table to hold his. “Are you okay?”
He laughed, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Not physically hurt. The kind of hurt that you never think you’ll come back from.”
That kind of hurt. A broken heart. Kari couldn’t find any words that would be adequate. After all, she’d learned long ago her husband didn’t love her. She’d lived through her own heartache long ago.
He flipped his hand over and squeezed hers.
“But why are we talking about this?” In an instant, the serious mood was lifted, and the warm, boyish grin she enjoyed so much had returned. “Now, tell me about things at the Springs?”
Kari was happy to change the subject and lift the mood. Besides, she didn’t want to talk about the city, or anyone or anything that was left behind there. She liked Rhys. A lot. But he was still a man of the law, and her experience with them so far hadn’t been entirely positive. Besides, things were going so well in Cedar Springs; for the first time she felt relaxed, happy, like maybe she was home. All that could go away in an instant. There might be a time when she might consider telling Rhys about her past. But not tonight.
By the time the prime rib that Rhys had ordered from Kylie was delivered, the mood had lifted, and they each settled into their evening.
“Let’s get out of here,” Rhys said as soon as their dishes were cleared. The band in the corner had started up, transforming the already boisterous bar into a destination totally unfit for the type of conversation Rhys and Kari wanted to have, let alone the kiss Rhys was hoping he might be able to get. Kissing Kari was probably not the smartest move he could make, especially given all the unanswered questions between them, and about her. But Rhys was determined to turn off that part of his life. He would not ruin whatever it was going on with Kari by turning detective. He’d done that once, and he didn’t need a reminder to remember how well that had turned out for him.
Rhys led her off the back deck of the Grizzly Paw, which had tables of people scattered around. He waved at those he knew, which was pretty much everyone, but didn’t stop to say hi. As soon as he led her off the deck and into the grass, he took a chance and slipped his hand in hers.
She felt small, fragile almost, but he didn’t let the size of her hand fool him. There was nothing fragile about this woman. For every bit of her that was petite and delicate, Rhys could see the cord of steel that ran just under the surface. There was no mistaking it. Whatever it was she was trying to hide, or just not tell him, she certainly didn’t need his protection. Kari was a strong woman. It was incredibly attractive.
She squeezed his hand, and when he looked down at her, she smiled. His own face ached from all the smiling he’d been doing. He was like a school boy with a crush, and he loved every minute of it.
They walked to the water’s edge and Kari didn’t hesitate before she slipped off her shoes and dipped her toes in the water. “It’s cold.”
“No way,” Rhys said. “It�
�s still warm. With any luck, it’ll stay warm for a few more weeks.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s no way you swim in that.”
“Absolutely we do. When I was a kid, I’d swim from almost the first real thaw all the way till Halloween.”
She stared at him in horror. “There’s no way. That’s crazy. You’d freeze to death.”
“I didn’t say we were smart kids.” He laughed and walked slowly along the beach. “But after a long winter, we were desperate to get in the water again.”
“I still think you’re crazy.”
Rhys stopped and looked at her. “Are you telling me you’ve never been for a swim in a lake before?”
“Sure I have.” She looked away and the smirk on her face gave her away.
Rhys made a split-second decision, and grabbed Kari’s hand. “Come on.” Together, they took off jogging down the beach. Kari let him lead the way and as soon as they were as safe distance away from the Grizzly Paw and any prying eyes, Rhys turned and held both of her hands. “Let’s do it.”
“Do what?”
“Swim.” The look that flashed in her eyes at the word almost made Rhys laugh. “Do you trust me?”
Kari took a moment to answer, but finally she nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Being the respectable gentleman he was, Rhys turned his back, stripped off his t-shirt and jeans and left them in a pile on the beach. He left his shorts on, thinking it might be safer to have at least a thin layer of fabric between them.
“Are you ready?” He didn’t turn around before he asked. “I’m going to run and dive in. It’s the best way. All at once.”
“So you’re admitting that it’s freezing?” Her giggle was a nervous one.
“I’ll admit nothing. Are you ready? On the count of three.”
“One...” Kari was the first to count.
“Two...”
“Three!” Kari yelled out the word, almost like a warrior cry. Rhys turned, just in time to see her naked back as she streaked toward the water. She’d left her panties on, but as he’d suspected, she hadn’t been wearing a bra under her tank top. He only waited and watched for a second before he broke into a run. His long stride caught up with her easily, and together they dove in, under the frigid water.
Chapter 6
The water was freezing. More than freezing. It was like ice. The moment Kari’s head broke the surface, she sputtered and searched for breath. The cold squeezed her chest and made it difficult to take in oxygen. It took her a minute, but as soon as she regained control over herself, she turned in Rhys’ direction. Was he laughing at her?
He was.
“I’m sorry,” he managed between chuckles. “You just look so cute trying to—”
“To breathe?” She splashed water in his face, and then quickly turned and dove under the water to make her escape. She’d been a swimmer as a kid, and despite his strength, Kari was confident she could out swim Rhys. She also was pretty confident she didn’t want to.
In a few strokes, he’d caught up with her; his strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into his hard chest. Suddenly she was very aware of her naked skin rubbing against his very wet, also very naked, skin.
For an instant, she questioned her sanity again. What exactly was she doing, skinny-dipping in a lake with a man who for all intents and purposes was a total stranger? She wasn’t behaving anything like Karina. But wasn’t that the point? She spun around in Rhys’ arms and let her bare skin slide along his. Kari looked up into Rhys’ face. Even in the dim light, with only the moonlight reflecting on the water to help her see, it was easy for her to read the honesty and trustworthiness in Rhys’ eyes. She was nothing but safe with this man. She could trust him. He was nothing like Brice. Besides, it wasn’t going to hurt anything to have a little fun and let herself go. When was the last time she simply followed her heart?
Her breasts pressed into him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him down to her.
She wasn’t positive, but she was pretty sure Rhys let out a low groan before he claimed her mouth with his own. The kiss was full of need, and pent-up desire, and the undeniable attraction that had been building from the moment they’d laid eyes on each other.
She matched his intensity with a fire of her own. Her hands roamed up to the nape of his neck and her fingers twisted in the wet tendrils of his hair, while her lips continued to search his mouth for what, she didn’t know.
One strong hand slipped below her buttocks and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his muscular body and locked herself in place against him. The water may have been freezing, but it had done nothing to dampen Rhys’ desire, that was clearly evident.
Kari let herself sink into the kiss, erasing the lingering worry that had been plaguing her. Everything about Rhys felt good. Right. His arms, his tongue tangling with hers, his lips claiming hers, the way his hands slid possessively around her back and pulled her even closer into him.
She would have been happy kissing him in the lake forever. Except for the minor detail that despite the heat between them, she was starting to get very cold. Reluctantly, she pulled away.
“I thought we were going to swim.” She tried to keep her tone light and teasing, although even to her own ears, she could hear the passion laced through her words.
Rhys’ face split into a smile. “You wanna swim, do you? How about a race?” He was off swimming long, hard strokes before she could even register what he’d said.
Not one to back down from a challenge, Kari dove in after him. She propelled herself with her arms and relished the stretch she felt in her muscles. Little did Rhys know, Kari had been a competitive swimmer as a teenager, and Despite his obvious size advantage, her competitive swimming background meant Kari had no problem catching up and passing him to reach the raft she assumed was the finish line.
“How did you do that?” Rhys arrived at the raft moments after her.
“Freestyle champ my senior year.”
“I never would have guessed.” He wiped a water droplet from her cheek.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Her words froze him and his face transformed. Gone was the light, laughing Rhys of a moment before, replaced with a much more serious version. If she could have taken her words back, she would have. There was a lot he didn’t know about her, a whole lot. And for the foreseeable future, it was probably best she keep it that way.
Desperate to shift gears, Kari tried for a bold move. She lunged forward and kissed him. “So what do I win?”
“Pardon?”
“I beat you,” she said. “What do I win?”
Rhys smiled. “A date.”
That idea sounded good. Very good. “Is that a prize for me, or you?”
“Both, I hope,” he said. “When are you free?”
“Tomorrow night.” She knew it was soon, but she was tired of wasting time when it was clear how attracted they were to each other. “Come to the Springs—that cocktail reception I was telling you about, the one Dylan asked me to plan—I can bring a date.”
The happy smile fell from Rhys’ face and worry flushed through her.
Instantly, she wished she hadn’t been so eager. Maybe she’d been wrong and he wasn’t as into her as she’d guessed. “You don’t have to come.” She shook her head and prepared to dive under to rid herself of the flush of embarrassment that had crept over her face. “It was a dumb idea.”
Rhys’ hand clamped down on her arm and twisted her so she was facing him. “Kari. Look at me.”
“It’s fine, Rhys. I don’t expect anything.” Her embarrassment burned. She needed to get out of there. Away from him.
“It’s not like that, Kari.”
But she didn’t wait around to hear his explanation. Instead, she slipped out of his grasp, dove under and dolphin kicked her legs until she was far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to catch her.
Friday morning dawned early and bright. The sky was clear,
and no doubt, it would be another beautiful late summer day. In direct contrast to how Kari felt. After more or less running away from Rhys the night before, she’d snuck up to her room through the kitchen to avoid pretty much anyone. She was such an idiot. She’d let herself feel something for him, even for a split second, and he obviously didn’t feel it back. She was nothing more to him than a diversion. After all, Kari had said herself she didn’t know whether she was staying. Hell, she didn’t know what she was doing. For a moment, she’d thought that whatever she was doing, it might involve Rhys.
But it didn’t take a genius to figure out that wasn’t going to happen. She could see it in his eyes when he hesitated. She’d pushed too fast.
It didn’t matter, she told herself. She pulled the window up, stuck her head out and inhaled the fresh breeze floating off the lake. She didn’t need Rhys and if she was being totally honest with herself, she should stay as far away from him as possible. Kari laughed at herself, letting the sound flow around her. Here she was trying to run from her past, her life, and she thought hooking up with a police officer of all things was a good idea.
“Smarten up, Kari,” she told herself, enjoying the sound of her old nickname. Her new name. “You got this.”
And she did. With a full day ahead of last-minute party preparations, she didn’t have time to worry about anything else. Much less Rhys.
Getting dressed in her Springs resort issued uniform, she made her way down to the pub kitchen where Samantha was cracking eggs into a pan.
“Good morning.”
Kari leaned against the counter and took the cup of coffee her new friend offered with a smile. It was probably the strongest, thickest coffee she’d ever experienced, but first thing in the morning, she wasn’t about to get choosy. “You know you don’t need to cook for me every morning,” Kari said. She took a sip of the coffee and winced. “I didn’t think you were running a bed and breakfast when I accepted the room.”
Sam shrugged and waved her spatula in the air, sending bits of egg flying. “I like it. Cooking helps me relieve stress, and I never get a chance to do it anymore. Archer’s always in here and he gets kind of possessive of the kitchen, as if it was his. I think sometimes he forgets who actually owns the Grizzly Paw.” She turned back to the stove and gave the eggs a stir before she turned to the counter where she roughly chopped some vegetables.