it down with cheap beer.”
He joined her laughter. “Yeah, but I was working the calories off. Lifting the Jet Skis in and out of the water, carrying surfboards. Riding along on a board while teaching someone to balance. That was hard work.”
“I thought you were having so much fun. Sometimes I regretted working the Kid’s Club. Weaving banana leaves and wading in the kiddy pool wasn’t the wild adventure I expected when I signed on.”
Popping another grape in his mouth, he nodded. “But I thought you loved it. That’s what you said.”
“I did, really. I enjoy watching children explore their world.”
“Is that what line of work you went into?”
She carefully placed a piece of cheese on a cracker and chewed so long he thought she wasn’t going to answer. “I taught elementary school for a few years. Then my husband decided I needed to be a proper wife.”
Matt grunted. What the hell was a proper wife? He waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, he reached for the canteen and pulled out some ice. He wrapped it in a paper towel and handed the bundle to her. “Hold this on your ankle to keep the swelling down. I’ll check it in a while and wrap your foot with the bandage.”
Leaning back, he propped himself on his elbows. “I made a career change, also. I went off to New York as planned and poured my soul into making money. I did well .
“Then I realized I hated my life.” The understanding had come as a shock , to learn the life he’d so carefully planned left him empty. For a while he considered those years wasted time, until he accepted the experience for all the knowledge he’d gained. “I sold off my furniture and came back here.”
They sat in companionable silence, nibbling at their food. The creek trickled past with its quiet murmurings. Birds called out in the trees. Voices grew louder on the trail then passed by. How’d they gotten to such a depressing place again? What’d he said that made her go quiet like this? He needed warning signs so he could keep them on safe ground.
The way she sat with her head tipped to one side, her bare neck taunted him, begging to be kissed. Nibbled. Unable to keep the distance between them, he shifted to sit next to her. That brought her fragrance to him again. He was hopeless around this woman. No way could he last through the day without making love to her.
He kissed her shoulder, finding her skin warm from the sun. Moving closer to her neck, he kissed again, and continued planting little pecks until he reached her ear, where he nipped the fleshy part .
She tipped her head away, offering more access.
Taking advantage, he licked her jaw line as far as he could reach. Her breathing increased, now escaping through parted lips. “You are a seductress,” he whispered before the tip of his tongue teased her ear.
She gasped, the sound trailing into a whimper. He cupped her chin and turned her mouth to his, capturing her sigh. His tongue plunged in, thrusting deep as her moan vibrated against his lips.
Tasting, exploring, he brought back the memory of her kisses, the few they’d shared. The years dropped away and they were young again and in lust. Running a hand down her arm, he shifted to cup her breast, then realized where they were.
“I’m sorry,” he said, glancing back toward the trail. “I shouldn’t have started something here.”
She appeared disappointed, which encouraged him on dangerous levels. They were too old for a quick fuck in the bushes. And when he took her again, it would be anything but quick.
He reached for his backpack and dug out the elastic bandage. “Swing ‘round here and let me wrap that ankle.”
With her heel cupped in his hand, he brushed the other hand over her foot to be sure it was clean and dry. She wriggled and tugged as he stroked her sole. He lifted an eyebrow. “Ticklish?”
Jen squirmed but he kept a grip on her foot. “I was as a kid. No one has tried in years . ”
He chuckled, having seen