The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [176]
Sawyer and Honey blinked at him in confusion, but he didn’t bother to explain. He hurried off. Knowing Red, if he was too late, she’d give up on him and go home. She wasn’t the type of woman who’d wait around, letting a guy think she’d be happy to see him when he did show up. No, Red would probably get her back all stiff and go off asking questions of every available body in the area.
And he really didn’t want anyone filling her head with that nonsense about heroes. Best that he talked to her himself. And that was another reason he’d engineered the date. No, take that back. Not a date. An appointment. Yeah, that sounded better. He’d arranged an appointment so that at least she’d get her stupid story straight.
Hell, he had plenty of reasons for seeing her again, and none of them were about lust.
He did wonder what she’d look like in a bikini, though.
SHE WAS STILL in full armor.
Gabe frowned as he climbed out of his car and started down the hill. Judging by the color of that long braid hanging almost to the dock, the woman with her back to him was one Miss Elizabeth Parks. And she wasn’t wearing a bikini. He consoled himself with the fact that at least she was waiting for him. There was a certain amount of masculine satisfaction in that.
The second he stepped on the dock, she turned her head. He noticed then that she was sitting cross-legged instead of dangling her feet in the water. She had her shoes and frilly little white socks on. Socks in this heat? He stopped and frowned at her. “Where’s your swimsuit?”
She frowned right back. “I have it on under my dress. Surely you didn’t think I’d drive here in it? And you’re late.”
She turned away and with her elbows on her knees, propped her chin on a fist and stared at the lake.
Gabe surveyed her stiff back and slowly approached. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect of her, so he said carefully, “I’m glad you waited.”
With a snort, she answered, “You made it a part of the deal. If I want to ask you one measly question, I had to be here.” She waved a dismissive hand. “I figured you’d show up sooner or later.”
Not exactly the response he’d hoped for. In fact, she’d taken all the fun out of finding her still here. “Well, skin out of those clothes then, so we can get in. It’s hot enough to send a lizard running for shade. That water’s going to feel good.”
She didn’t look at all convinced. Peering at him with one eye scrunched against the sunshine and her small pointed nose wrinkled, she said, “The thing is, I’m not at all keen on doing that.”
“What?”
“The swimsuit thing. I’ve never had much reason to swim, and this boat dock is pretty crowded….”
“You want privacy?” Now why did that idea intrigue him? But it was a good idea, not because he’d be alone with her. No, that had nothing to do with it. But that way, if she asked her dumb hero question, no one else would be around to contradict him.
He liked that idea. “We can take a fishing boat back to a cove. No one’s there, at least, not close. There might be a few fishermen trolling by, or the occasional skier, but they won’t get near enough to shore to look you over too good.” He gave her a crooked grin. “Your modesty will be preserved.” Except from me.
Her face colored. “It’s not that I think I’d draw much attention, you understand. It’s just not something I’m used to.”
With the way she managed to cover herself from shins to throat, he didn’t doubt it. “No problem. The cove is real peaceful. I swim there all the time. Come on.” He reached down a hand for her, trying not to look as excited as he suddenly felt. “Do you know how to swim?”
She ignored his hand and lumbered to her feet, dusting off her bottom as she did so. “Not really.”
Rather than let her get to him, he dropped his hand and pretended it didn’t matter. But he couldn’t recall ever having such a thing happen in his entire life, and he knew right then and there he didn’t like it worth