Once Upon a Summer

by Brooke Moss

Jake rolled his eyes.

  “Baby steps are better than nothing, Jake,” Dylan told him, sincerity deepened his tone. “You stick to your word and I’ll stick to mine.”

  He didn’t bother to wait for Jake’s answer. By his understanding, their conversation was over. Dylan turned, letting the silky water trickle around him as another wave lifted him slightly and rolled on by. He took a couple of steps, then raised his arms as he bent and dived into the clear, blue abyss.

  *

  Although the wind had picked up, adding white-tips to the choppy waves, Kyra still thought it was a glorious Tuesday afternoon. The salty breeze blowing in over the Pacific Ocean invigorated her. The fluffy clouds didn’t hinder the warmth of the sunshine on her bare skin.

  She’d spent the whole day inside, testing samples in the lab, and extrapolating population predictions on the computer, in addition to avoiding Jake and Dylan. Needing a break, Kyra drove down to Nielson Park Beach to get some much-needed vitamin D. After laying her pink towel on the sand and stripping down to her emerald bikini, she’d stretched out and dozed. She hadn’t meant to, but the sun was so comforting. The sound of the waves curling to shore was so peaceful, she’d just drifted away.

  Dazed upon waking, she was confused for a moment as to what time it was. The sun had yet to touch the horizon and she quickly realized her nap must’ve been shorter than she’d first thought.

  With her sunglasses on, Kyra stood, slipped on her black short-shorts, then grabbed her towel and white singlet before heading back up the beach. As she climbed the sand dunes to the grassy embankment, she heard the throaty chuffs of male laughter.

  “Kyra? Kyra!” A familiar croaky voice called.

  She glanced up to see Brian and a group of four older, grey-haired men sitting on lawn chairs in the shade of the Bundaberg Surf Lifesaving Club’s balcony. They were sun-loving men, real beachy-looking guys in their brightly colored, button-downs, their faces tanned and deeply lined from their coastal adventures. Having run across the group at the shore before, she recognized them as Brian’s old surf lifesaving buddies who often met up for a drink and a chat at their old stomping grounds.

  Brian waved her over to them. “What are you doing here, Kyra?” He sounded genuinely curious.

  “Just getting some sun.”

  He looked confused by her answer. “Jake somewhere nearby?”

  Kyra frowned at the assumption. “I’m not his keeper.”

  Brian laughed as one of his mates, a man with shoulder long hair and a scraggly beard piped up. “Trouble in paradise, hey?” It earned him a commendation of laughter from the others.

  “No,” she drawled and fought the urge to poke her tongue out at him. “There’s no trouble, there’s no paradise. I’m here, he’s elsewhere.”

  “Whatever you say,” teased another of the gang, a slightly younger man with a reddish-tinge still in his hair, a man she vaguely remembered as Steve or Stu.

  They laughed again, Brian less enthusiastically this time, and she didn’t bother to validate the comment with a response.

  When she raised a hand to wave them farewell, Brian stood abruptly, halting her retreat.

  “Don’t mind the boys, Kyra,” he told her. “They’re natural born stirrers and can’t help themselves.”

  She shrugged and offered him a smile. “I know the type. My dad’s got the same condition.”

  Brian grinned at her for a moment before his expression lost its shine.

  “Look, I just wanted you to know that I only asked about Jake ‘cause he said you and he were going out.”

  “Well, we’re not,” she explained. “We went out once.”

  Brian shook his head. “No. I was talking about tonight. See, I was outside the center about an hour ago. I’d gone to lend Dylan some camping gear. The zipper is busted on his sleeping bag and he’s scheduled for camp out tomorrow.” He waved a hand between them as though noticing he’d gone off track. “Anyway, Jake was talking to Max as I walked by. He got in his car, telling his father he couldn’t patrol tonight ‘cause he was going out to dinner and a movie with you.”

  Kyra considered what he’d said as Brian watched her reaction closely.

  “That’s where I thought you’d be, see?” His tone had changed, a seriousness, a suspiciousness deepening it. “I, at least, thought the two of you’d be together.”

  Kyra nibbled at her bottom lip. Why had Jake said that? Had he been meaning to ask her out, but never gotten around to it? Was he just trying to keep up appearances? Or was he going out with someone else, another woman, the one who’d been calling him over and over?

  “Yeah,” Brian nodded as he assessed her expression. “Thought you’d find it interesting.”

  “I don’t know what he was talking about,” she said with a frown. “But, I can tell you that I’m keen to find out.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Kyra stuffed the last of her camping gear into a duffle bag as she heard the four-wheel drive’s engine growl to life outside. Zipping the bag closed, she straightened her peach-colored singlet, pulling it down over her denim short-shorts as she quickly glanced around the room, checking she’d packed everything. Content, she slung the strap over her shoulder and grabbed the rolled-up sleeping bag off the bed. Once she’d exited her room, she locked the door and then hurried downstairs to the driveway. As she headed over to the tall, silver-colored vehicle with the Merchant Marine Science Center’s name and logo on the side, she could hear the thumping beat of music emanating through the closed, tinted windows. It had been another hot day and Kyra thought Sandra, who’d been rostered with her to camp out in the dunes tonight, was probably enjoy the iciness of the car’s air-conditioning.

  Even though Sandra was almost twenty years her senior and had two young children, they’d bonded quickly over reality television and Italian food, their admitted guilty pleasures. Since Sandra was a ranger based at the Turtle Center, Kyra didn’t get to see her as often as the team at the Science Center and had been looking forward to a girls’ night out camping with her. Maybe she’d even be able to get a few things off her chest about her guy troubles.

  Opening the trunk, Kyra threw her stuff beside the other bags and a packed tent, before closing it and coming around to open the passenger-side door. As Kyra placed her foot on the side step, ready to climb into the vehicle, she glanced up at the driver.

  Dylan’s handsome face grinned at her as he turned down the radio’s volume. “Ready to go on your first stake-out?”

  She paused for a split-second. Her heart raced at the surprise, before lowering her bottom to the cushioned seat. “I thought I was rostered with Sandra?”

  He frowned. “Max hasn’t told you?”

  She sighed, unable to hide her disappointment. “Sandra can’t make it?”

  He nodded as he jerked the gearstick out of park and drove slowly up the long driveway toward Mon Repos Road. “Belle’s too sick to be left with a babysitter and Sandra’s ex is back at the mine in Dawson this week.” After pulling out onto the bitumen of the minor road, Dylan glanced quickly in her direction. “I’d thought about saying no, but there was no one else to do the shift at the last minute.”

  A tug of remorse pulled at her belly. Even though she’d been avoiding him to have some time to get her own thoughts and feelings in order, she hadn’t meant for him to feel forced to do the same. It wasn’t as though she didn’t want his company. She couldn’t tell if the feelings she had were true and she didn’t trust herself around him.

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” she looked over at him quickly, “say no, I mean.”

  She prayed he understood she wasn’t upset with him. Sure, his comment had made her so mad, but why? Looking back especially after having some space, she agreed with his analysis both of Jake and herself.

  Maybe she was naïve when it came to Jake. He was definitely lazy, pretty obviously conceited, so why couldn’t he be an asshole as well? After finding out from Brian that Jake had lied to his father about his w
hereabouts and dragged her reputation into it, Kyra had been more than livid with him. But she hadn’t been able to find him to tell him and give him a chance to fumble around for some explanation. Two days later and he had yet to show himself. Maybe Brian had confronted him and now he was laying low until he thought she’d be in a better mood to hear him out. Or maybe he was still out spending time with that woman who wouldn’t stop calling him.

  “Me, too,” Dylan agreed quietly, taking his gaze from the road for just a moment to offer her a smile. “I can’t think of a better partner for a stake-out.”

  Proving he really was the ‘mountain man’ Kyra had always thought he appeared to be, Dylan set up their eco-friendly campsite in record time. Their green and grey colored tent was small, but big enough to house two sleeping bags side-by-side with room at the entrance for their belongings. Since the area they occupied was part of the protected land near the inlet in the Mon Repos Conservation Park, they couldn’t light a ground fire. Instead they’d lugged a battery lantern and small portable stove along with the other camping gear up from the parking lot. They were also equipped with a flare gun in case of an emergency. While staff and volunteers were there as a deterrent only, the gun provided a simple means of notifying the patrolling police cars and the other teams camped out on the beach, or an option to scare off the egg-pinching douchebags.

  Dylan and Kyra decided to settle themselves in a central location between three large clutches. All three had been flagged as significant due to the above average number of turtle eggs. While there was no guarantee the poachers would show up at the spot or on a clear, starlit night, Dylan had suggested it was likely one of these nests was the next target and Kyra agreed.

  “You can cook on that thing?” Kyra made a weak attempt to hide her smirk.

  Dylan appeared strangely domestic as he sat on a folding chair and tended to the frypan on top of the portable stovetop. He used an egg turner to flip a fried egg and grinned over his shoulder at her.

  “You know I have incredible cooking skills,” he teased.

  She couldn’t dispute that. He’d wowed her several times when he’d made dinner for the team at the compound, but he hadn’t looked so…well, so damn sexy.

  Tonight, he was wearing those khaki pants, the ones with all those pockets which made him look more military than park ranger. His tight, black T-shirt was snug around his muscular form. She’d seen him in the same clothes many times before but she’d never appreciated the sight more.

  She moved closer and sat beside him in a second folding chair. The sun had set shortly after they’d set up camp and had given way to the beautiful midnight blue of the night sky. Though the moon had yet to rise, the stars above them twinkled, adding light to the glow of the portable lantern. Kyra watched as Dylan scooped her eggs onto a plate with fried toast and turned to face her.

  “Eggs à la camp stove.” He presented the plate to her.

  She laughed and took it from him. “Thanks, Chef.”

  He winked at her before flipping a couple of eggs on his own plate and turning off the stovetop. As he leaned back in his chair, he poised his knife and fork above his meal.

  “I really am sorry about the other day, Kyra. You know that, right?”

  Surprised by his sudden acknowledgement of the incident, Kyra froze mid-mouthful. When he looked up at her as though seeking an answer, she chewed quickly, covering her lips with her hand as she nodded and then swallowed loudly.

  “I know.” The words came out choked and she coughed to clear her throat. “I know, Dylan. It’s okay.”

  He shook his head, then lowered it to look at his food. “I shouldn’t have said any of it. Your relationship with Jake is none of my business. I was just worried about you.”

  Kyra shrugged. “There’s no relationship, Dylan. In fact, Jake will be lucky if there’s still a friendship when he next shows his face.” Her gaze dropped to the meal in her lap and she took another bite of toast.

  Through her peripheral vision, she noticed him playing with his food, pushing an egg around his plate.

  “Can I ask why?” It sounded as if he’d chosen his words carefully.

  “I think he’s seeing someone else.” Kyra sighed and gazed over at the tranquil water of the dark inlet a few yards downhill from them.

  Being far inland meant they were sheltered from the choppy wind stirring up the ocean along the coast, but the crash of the waves on the beach at the edge of the Conservation Park was still audible. As a cool breeze rustled through the mangrove forest higher on the sand dune beside them, the crickets chirped cheerfully.

  Kyra shivered.

  “Not that it matters,” she sighed, focusing back on her dinner. “I’m beginning to think the Jake I thought he was, might not actually exist.”

  “What made you think that?” His tone remained wary, but now held a lilt of sympathy.

  She glanced up at him, her eyebrow quirking from curiosity. “You’re not going to say you told me so?”

  He frowned. “No. I genuinely want to know what the idiot did to mess things up with a such an incredible, irresistible woman like you.”

  Something warm clutched at Kyra’s heart and she was helpless to stop the heat of blush from pinkening her cheeks. An incredible, irresistible woman. Was that how he saw her?

  “Crap. Sorry,” he slapped a hand over his face. “Now, I’m the idiot.”

  “No,” Kyra said quickly. She reached a hand out to him, but then stopped, pulling it back uncertainly. “No. It’s okay,” she began again. “Um…he’s just been acting a little strangely. He lied about his whereabouts the other evening. Said I was with him, but I wasn’t. I’m pretty sure he’s seeing someone else, someone who keeps calling him, but maybe he doesn’t want Max to find out? That’s all.”

  Dylan gave her a weak smile. Something in his handsome blue-green eyes seemed to suggest he was grateful she’d ignored his remark.

  “Jake has a bit of a reputation as a lady’s man,” he said as though he were trying to be delicate of her feelings.

  “You don’t say,” she said almost teasingly.

  His smile widened. “Sorry. Maybe we should change the subject.” He picked up a piece of toast and then pointed it at her. “So, what do you think about the Bundaberg region?”

  Kyra watched him unwaveringly, her gaze holding his as she sucked up the courage to ask what she’d been wanting to ever since their night under the stars. “Bundaberg’s lovely, Dylan,” she told him. “What do you think about me?

  His eyes became large and he looked anxious, like a trapped animal.

  “I know you like me,” Kyra continued, while butterflies frolicked in her gut. “You just called me an incredible woman. So then, why haven’t you said anything? Why not ask me out?”

  He opened his mouth, coughed nervously and then stood, leaving his plate on his chair as he turned his back on her. She watched as he ran a hand through his hair before turning to face her again.

  “Because I’m a decade older. Because I’m supposed to be your mentor. Because it’s wrong.”

  She rose to her feet, abandoning her meal on the folding chair behind her and went over to him. “A decade isn’t an eternity, Dylan. Twenty-two and thirty-two are closer than you think and sure, you are my mentor, but it isn’t wrong. I was never informed of any policies around staff and intern relationships. There’s three married couples working at the Centers and two of them met on site.”

  Kyra reached a hand out to his arm, but he flinched away.

  “I don’t want to do anything to break your trust, Kyra.” His deep, velvety voice sounded pained. “I have to protect you. You said yourself our friendship was important to you, that you didn’t want to lose it.”

  Her heart swelled at his words. He was one of the good ones, she’d known it all along. Yet, now that she’d confirmed it, she wasn’t about to let him pull away again.

  “This won’t mean that I’ll lose you, Dylan,” she said softly, trying to convince him.
“This could be better.”

  “I don’t want to be your rebound,” he said sharply, but his eyes quivered with concern.

  She reached out for him again and this time, her hand fell against the bare skin of his forearm. Her fingers caressed him reassuringly.

  “You’re not my rebound.” The butterflies in her stomach filled her chest with elation and desire. “Dylan, I think you might be the one I was looking for all along, someone to share my passion with, my perfect match.”

  She watched as a myriad of emotions played out over his gorgeous features – anger, happiness, determination, and fear. His blue-green eyes filled with tenderness and then resolve.

  “Screw it.” He growled as he grabbed her, pulled her against him and captured her mouth with his.

  He tasted salty, savory like the butter from his toast as his tongue danced with hers. His passion mesmerized her and sent rolling waves of lust to shatter through her, curling her toes. Electricity tingled through her whole body at his touch, causing her head to spin. She clung to him. Her heart raced with joy. Everything felt right.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Dylan wasn’t sure if it was the flash of torchlight that woke him or the swishing sound, like footsteps in the sand. Either way, he was grateful, because the crickets weren’t chirping.

  After breaking his moral code and kissing Kyra, the atmosphere of the entire night had rapidly changed. They’d finished dinner, cleaned and packed everything away in record time, before she had taken his hand and pulled him into the tent. Although he’d done his best to remain in control and not let things go too far, he’d struggled – boy, had he struggled. Her kisses were addictive and touching her was utter ecstasy. Even though a small part of him still argued it was wrong, the rest of him knew it was right.

  As he cuddled Kyra in his arms, she rubbed her cheek affectionately against his bare chest, making him smile contentedly. Hearing the sound again, he pressed his lips to her ear.