by Susan Stoker
Everyone nodded their assent and she continued with the refresher lesson. “Good. Okay, the easiest command is forward. Lean forward, put your paddle in, straight up and down, not at an angle, and pull backward. Then do it again. That’s all there is to it. The person in the back will steer the canoe down the river. Reverse is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll immediately start paddling backwards. Right draw and left draw are next. It’s important that you do this stroke on the correct side of the boat. This stroke is used to change direction. It’s vital when you’re going through a rapid because if a rock pops up in front of your craft, you want to avoid hitting it.”
Everyone chuckled, as Erin intended them to.
“Right, so the draw is a deep stroke. Lean out over the water and pull the paddle toward the canoe. The person in back can then use the sweep stroke at the same time to quickly turn the canoe. Everyone remember the sweep stroke?”
Again, there were nods all around.
“Great. Any questions?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“Ready to go, or do you want me to stand here jabbering with you some more?”
Choruses of “We’re ready” rang out from the guys.
Erin smiled. “All right then. Grab your kneepads…and yes, I know they don’t look cool, but you’ll be thanking me before twenty minutes goes by, so don’t give me any lip about wearing them. And before you ask, yes, you have to wear the life jacket. Trust me, if you tip, you’ll want it. Besides, it’s the law. And since we have our very own game warden with us, we don’t want to do anything illegal.” She nudged Conor with her elbow good-naturedly.
As everyone got busy getting ready to shove off, Conor walked with her over to their canoe. “You’re really good with them,” he said. “You know how to give them just enough information so they’re prepared, but not enough that they get bored and stop listening.”
“They weren’t really listening to me,” Erin countered. “They all think they know exactly how this is gonna go. Trust me, I’ve seen it time and time again. We’ll all shove off and the first thing that’ll happen is that they’ll go in big circles as they figure it out.” She smiled. “But that’s why I purposely like running this section of the river. The first part takes a couple of hours and by the time we get to the Rancherias Rapid, they’ll be ready.”
“I’m in front, aren’t I?” Conor asked with a smile.
Erin knew she surprised him by the look on his face when she said, “That’s up to you.”
“Really? You’d let me steer?”
“If you want to tip the canoe right off the bat and have to carry the toilet for the rest of the trip, yes.”
His brows shot up in mock affront. “What? You don’t think I can do it?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re probably an expert with your experience as a game warden,” she said with a smirk. “But I already packed the heavy stuff toward the rear of the canoe. If you sit back there, you’ll swamp it with your weight added. When we go over those first rapids, we’d fill with water so fast it’d make your head spin. Besides, I’ve never tipped on any trip yet, and I don’t intend to this time. I’m driving.”
Conor smirked and pulled his life jacket on. “Far be it from me to get in the way of a professional.”
“That’s right. And don’t forget it.”
Erin loved bantering with Conor. She was half-afraid he’d turn out to be uber controlling. He was, after all, used to being in the outdoors, and she hadn’t lied, he probably was an expert canoer. But she liked being in charge on the river. Liked controlling where and how the canoe moved. She always felt so out of control in her everyday life, she took every chance she got to feel in charge for once.
“Your chariot awaits, ma’am,” Conor said, bowing and throwing his arm out in a sweeping movement.
She giggled. “Thanks, but you need to get in first. I need to shove us off.”
He growled. “So much for my chivalry.”
She patted him on the arm. “It’s appreciated.”
The look he gave her was so intense, Erin wanted to take a step away from him, but held her ground. She was rewarded when he brought a hand up to her face and tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear that stubbornly refused to stay confined in her ponytail. “I can’t deny that I like to be in charge. I’m overprotective and tend to err on the side of caution, especially when it comes to those I care about. But I also can’t deny I’m looking forward to being able to relax and simply enjoy spending time with you and letting you take over dealing with logistics. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been able to do that.”
“Conor,” Erin whispered, flustered.
“But that doesn’t mean I won’t be looking out for you while you’re looking out for the rest of us. I’ll always put your well-being first, bright eyes. So when I do or say something that seems out of line, keep that in mind. Yeah?”
“As long as you don’t undermine my authority, I’m okay with that.”
“I’d never do that. This is your show, Erin. I’m just along for the ride. But I’ve got your back.”
“I appreciate it.”
Conor nodded and brushed his index finger down her nose. “Right. Then it looks like we’re out of here.” And with that, he stepped into the river and waded to the front of the canoe. He settled into the seat as if he’d been doing it all his life.
Erin had a feeling this definitely wasn’t his first canoe trip, but she didn’t say a word, merely watched Alex, Chad, Matthew, and Jose get settled into their own canoes and push off from the riverbank.
She waded into the river, pushing the canoe until it easily floated, and scrambled into her seat in the back. Smiling, feeling free from the pressures of her everyday life, Erin said loudly, “Let’s get with it, men!”
Everyone responded in kind and they were off.
Hours later, and after the guys had paddled in circles, then argued and finally gotten the hang of steering the canoes, they arrived at the Rancherias Rapid.
Erin gestured for everyone to follow her to the side of the river. They all pulled their canoes out of the water far enough that they wouldn’t float backward and out into the current, and tied them up. Then they walked to a slight ridge to scope out the rapid.
She walked the group through how to approach the rapid and they discussed everyone’s thoughts on the easiest way to maneuver through the water. Since the water was at a medium level, it made maneuvering easier than if it was low (too many rocks) or high (faster water and more dangerous if the canoe tipped).
There weren’t any tree branches they could see and there was only one large boulder visible in the path. Unfortunately, the rock was smack dab in the middle of the river, right where the canoe would naturally be pushed if it wasn’t steered correctly.
She pointed at the rock. “See the big boulder in the middle?” She waited until everyone nodded. “It forms what’s known as an upstream V. The point of the V is the rock, and the water flowing around it forms the lines of the V. See it?” She used her hands to help explain and give the guys a visual.
Again, everyone nodded their assent.
“Look to the right of the rock, what do you see?”
Jose tentatively said, “Lots of foamy water.”
“Correct, and what does that mean?” Erin asked the group.
“Rocks?” Chad asked.
“Exactly. But on the other side of the big boulder is what’s known as a downstream V. It’s easier to see from here, that’s why we’re scouting out the rapid before blindly heading into it. The downstream V is what you want to aim for. The point is facing downstream and there’s dark green water in the middle of it. That’s what you want to aim for. It’s usually the best entrance to any rapid. Current that is dark means there aren’t any obstacles in your way. Which is a good thing. So as you approach this rapid, try to stay to the left of the rock. You can go right, but it’ll be bumpier because of the rocks under the water…and not as safe or fun. Whatever you do, do
n’t hit the boulder. Got it?”
“What if we do?” Matthew asked. “Hit the rock?”
“Don’t,” Erin returned immediately with a smile.
“But—”
“If you hit the boulder head on, or if the canoe turns and you hit it sideways, you’ll most likely tip. And if you do, this is a good reminder for everyone, don’t panic. I’ll be on the side with a throw line. If you really get in trouble, I’ll toss it to you and you can grab on and we’ll tow you to the edge. You should put your feet downstream and ride it out. The water’s cold. It’ll take your breath away, but it’s not freezing. You’ll be fine. Once you’re out of the rapids, look for your canoe. It might be swamped and we’ll have to rescue it, but it may be floating by you.”
She could see the panic in the young men’s eyes. She tried to reassure them. “You’ll be fine. This is supposed to be fun, remember?”
When they didn’t look reassured, Erin said, “If you really want to, you can portage your canoe. Carry it around the rapids.”
No one said anything.
“Come here,” she ordered, gesturing for the four guys, and Conor, to gather round her. When she had their attention, she said, “The first time I did this, I was scared out of my mind. But I did it. And it was fun. You just have to get past this first rapid and you’ll get the hang of it. Even if you do tip, who cares? This isn’t the Colorado River. It’s not the Grand Canyon. You’ll be fine. We’ll all laugh and make fun of you…good-naturedly, of course. You got this. Okay?”
One by one, the frat brothers all nodded.
“Good. Alex, you and Jose go stand on the side just below the rapid with the throw line. Matthew and Chad, you stay here and watch me and Conor run this. Listen to the commands I give, see how we run it. You’re up next. Alex and Jose, after we make it through, you come up here and watch Matthew and Chad go through, and me and Conor will man the safety line. Got it?”
They all nodded. Alex and Jose took the throw line from Erin and began to pick their way through the scrub bushes to stand at the end of the rapid.
Conor and Erin headed back toward the canoes.
“You were great with them,” Conor murmured.
“Thanks. The first rapid is the hardest. It’s scary, no matter how tough someone thinks they are. And that rock in the middle seems like a huge obstacle from here. When they’re in the river headed right for it, it can be intimidating.”
They pushed their canoe into the river and Conor insisted that Erin climb in first. She did, and he shoved them away from the bank and climbed in. Before they headed downstream, he turned around and smiled at her. “I know I’ve already said it, but I’ll say it again. Thank you for inviting me. This is awesome.”
She couldn’t help but smile back at him, his enthusiasm contagious. “I take it you’re having fun.”
“Yeah, bright eyes, I’m having fun. I get to watch you kick this river’s ass and show a bunch of guys how running rapids is done. I could spend the rest of my days doing this with you.”
She didn’t know how to respond, but he didn’t seem to expect a response. Conor turned around and faced front. He dug his paddle into the river and Erin automatically put her own in to steer them in the right direction.
After a moment, she smiled. She knew she probably looked like a loon, but couldn’t help it. Conor was right. This was fun. And part of the fun she was having was because he was there with her.
She turned her concentration to the river around them. The last thing she wanted to do was show the others what not to do. The water was flowing quickly but not out of control, and she easily steered them to the left of the big boulder in the middle of the river. She called out only two commands when the water wanted to pull them the other direction. Right sweep and forward.
They shot past the boulder like a bullet out of a gun and into the downstream V. Their canoe bumped over the rapid and Erin heard Conor whoop in delight as they streamed past Jose and Alex, and heard them yelp back in response. She called out another right sweep command and, even through his excitement, Conor obeyed. She turned the canoe toward the shore and Jose and Alex helped them pull the craft up onto the rocky shoreline.
“That was awesome!” Jose exclaimed.
“You made it look so easy,” Alex commented.
“It is easy,” Erin told him as she stepped out of the canoe and reached for the throw line. “You can do this. Just steer to the left of the boulder and you’ll shoot right through the downstream V. Exactly like we did.”
The guys nodded and headed for where Chad and Matthew were still standing.
When their backs were turned, Conor put his arm around Erin’s shoulders and pulled her into his side. “That was cool,” he said simply.
“Yeah.” Erin tried to tell herself the increase in her heart rate was because of the adrenaline still coursing through her body from the run through the rapid, but knew she was lying to herself. She could feel Conor’s body heat. They were both wearing knee-length shorts, and she couldn’t feel any of his skin against hers, as she was wearing her trademark long-sleeve T-shirt, but the heat of his body seeped through their clothes. It seemed to wrap itself around her heart and warm her from the inside out.
Seeking some self-preservation, she stepped out of his embrace and concentrated on making sure the safety line was ready to throw.
Conor stepped up behind her and stood at her back. Right at her back. He rested the fingertips of one hand on her hip. It was barely a touch, but it felt like a brand to Erin.
He leaned down and said in her ear, “Don’t be nervous around me, bright eyes. I’m a toucher. I like to touch and be touched. I’ll respect your authority around the others, but don’t ask me to keep my hands to myself. I can’t do it. I don’t want to. I’m drawn to you like a moth to a flame. But the last thing I want is to make you uneasy around me. That’s not my intention.”
Erin licked her lips and swallowed hard before saying quietly, “I like it, but…I’m not used to it. I’m so not a toucher.”
The fingers at her hip pressed harder, and Erin forced herself to stand still. He wasn’t hurting her, wasn’t really even crowding her. He was just standing behind her. Very close behind her. “Good. My goal for the weekend isn’t to turn you into a toucher, but to help you not flinch every time I touch you. That okay?”
She bit her lip this time and nodded. She glanced over her shoulder and caught his eye. “I’m not good at this.”
“This?”
“Flirting. Boy-girl stuff. Dating. Whatever you want to call it.”
“You’re doing fine.”
“But I’m not doing anything,” Erin protested. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You don’t have to do anything, bright eyes. Just be yourself. Smile. Tease me. Be the kick-ass woman you’ve always been since the day I met you. I was attracted to that woman and I’m still attracted to her. What did you tell the guys? Relax and have fun?”
Her eyebrows went up, letting him know she was skeptical.
Conor chuckled. He brought his hand up from her hip to lightly brush against her biceps. “Trust me. You standing here letting me touch you, when I know you’re not used to it, affects me more than the most experienced flirt.”
She opened her mouth to protest when he said quietly, “Here they come.”
Erin turned to look at the river. Matthew and Chad were heading toward the rapid. Absently, she felt Conor step away from her, giving her room to work if needed. She appreciated it. He respected her boundaries while at the same time pushed at them. But when it came down to it, he understood that she had responsibilities to the university and to the four young men who had been entrusted to her care.
She was in way over her head with Conor, but for the first time in her life, she was hopeful that maybe, just maybe, she’d met a man who saw her. Not her outer shell, but her.
4
Hours later, and after navigating Closed Canyon, Quarter Mile, and Panther rapids, they’d pulled
to the side of the river to camp for the night. Thanks to Erin’s expertise, the guys had no problems making it through each rapid.
Jose and Alex had tipped over in Quarter Mile, and Matthew and Chad had fallen out in the notorious Panther Rapid. It was Conor’s belief the second duo had gotten too cocky, had enjoyed making fun of their friends for being dunked, and had made stupid mistakes on their run through it. But everyone was safe and there were obviously no hard feelings amongst the group, which made the trip more fun.
Conor watched as Erin directed the guys where to put their tents. He grabbed the chemical toilet and walked in the direction Erin pointed to set it up. She’d obviously camped here before because she was like a well-oiled machine, organizing their kitchen area, where the fire would go, and generally making sure everything was where it needed to be before the sun set.
When he asked if he could help with dinner, she merely shook her head and reassured him that she had it under control.
“I did pack a present for the guys, if you want to give it to them.”
“A present?”
“Yeah, for a first day on the river well done,” she told him with a small smile. “It’s in the bottom of the blue cooler.”
He dug into the cooler she’d indicated and raised his eyebrows when he saw what she’d hidden away. “Seriously?”
“Yup. I know it’s not exactly university approved, but what guy doesn’t like a nice beer at the end of a long, hard day?”
Conor shook his head. Nothing Erin had done turned him off. Not one thing. Even when she’d been skittish with his touch at the first rapid, she’d admitted that she liked him touching her. She had more bravery than a lot of men he’d met over his career.
He strolled over to her slowly, holding her gaze as he did. When he was standing in front of her, blocking her from the other men’s prying eyes, he leaned close and said quietly, “For the record, what I like at the end of a long, hard day is my woman in my arms, sated and relaxed after making love.”