Raine Ithaca was having a bad day.
Dawn had barely broken and she suspected things were about to get worse — she could feel it just like a head cold coming on.
She swatted at an annoying gnat who'd decided to circle her left ear for the past five minutes.
The whole idea of spending three days on a paddle-and-saddle excursion down the Cottonwood River made her lightheaded — as if she'd missed the half-yearly sale at Nordstrom. She loved living in Majestic, Colorado so long as she didn't have to get wet or dirty. She suspected she would be both within an hour.
The duffel bag she sat on was lumpy and crammed with clothes, makeup and personal supplies. Thankfully all the equipment she was required to rent would either be on her or carried downriver in a gear-raft. Distastefully, she glared at the wetsuit, booties, splash jacket and sleeping bag with self-inflating air mattress pad.
Shifting her weight on her improvised chair to ease a cramp in her leg, she heard something crack. No doubt the damage was to her compact mirror.
Looking over her shoulder, she scanned the gathering group. The blasted gnat buzzed into her line of vision and she swiped a hand in the air.
Where was Jay Bradford?
She desperately needed to convince Jay that this whole raft and hiking fiasco wasn't necessary. All he had to do was agree to show his paintings in her art gallery. It was a simple as that.
She'd been working on the eccentric man for three weeks and finally felt a glimmer of hope when he announced he'd come to Majestic. She assumed he wanted to see her gallery, but he proposed a paddle-and-saddle outdoor excursion for them to talk business.
She wasn't a camper, wasn't an outdoors person. She liked to take trips to Los Angeles to rejuvenate her inner city-girl. Her favorite way to spend the day in L.A. was to shop in fashionable boutiques, buy shoes and purses — then hit all the art galleries, say hello to the owners she knew and see who they were showing.
Although Raine had been born and raised in Los Angeles, she called Majestic home; the resort qualities that attracted the rich and famous suited her and gave her a diverse clientele base. She'd come here after Michael's death three years ago. Staying in the Hollywood house she'd shared with her husband before a sudden illness took his life had been too painful.
Majestic truly did live up to its name. Everything here was rich with color and Victorian history. She always felt as if she were living in the movie Roxanne when she looked out her front window. The trees and the sky were the deepest greens and blues, and the city streets were quaint and homey.
Raine brushed auburn hair behind her ears, watched the army of ants crawling through the pine needles beneath her, then took in a deep breath. Her movement sounded yet another protest from the ice chest–size duffel bag supplied by Majestic Outfitters.
Great. Now what had broken? She shouldn't have stuffed the darn bag so full.
Standing, Raine put hands on hips — a gesture she often made when her tolerance was coming to a thin end. Really, this was outrageous and ridiculous.
She'd met Jay for dinner at the café in town last night and he'd been in a great mood, anxious to be on his way today. If only he'd be that anxious to let her sell his paintings.
The tall trees gave a whisper when the breeze pushed through the boughs. Pinecones littered the ground and there seemed to be no end to the flying bugs.
She clamped a hand over her neck, almost fearful she'd gotten the annoying insect and slapped it into her moisturized and sunscreen-coated skin.
Activity went on at the banks where several yellow rafts were being loaded. Her gear was being eyed for loading and she had this panicky feeling of grabbing on to it. If only she could forget the whole thing.
But she wanted to win Jay Bradford over and if stuffing her body into a rubber suit and communing with nature was the answer, she'd do it.
But the longer the minutes ticked off with no Jay Bradford, the more worried she became. There was no way she was going on this rafting and horseback riding weekend without him.
"Ah, excuse me," she said, calling out to one of the guides. "I'm looking for Jay Bradford. Have you seen him?" Hope hitched in her voice. "Anywhere?"
"You'll have to ask Sam Taylor. He's in charge of your group."
"And I'll find him where?"
"Right down there."
"Thank you." Raine turned and looked through the opening in the pine trees. Down by the glassy water stood a tall, well-built man. He wore a ribbed white tank T-shirt and dark jeans that hugged every muscle in his legs. His skin had a rich tan, and his face was rugged and handsome.
A surge of heat traveled across Raine's spine and she felt an awakening of emotions that hadn't been there in a long time. They were like a delicate flame, burning brighter, burning back to life.
His black hair shone in the sunlight. It was on the longer side, something she normally wasn't attracted to, but in this case she found her mouth had gone dry and she had to lick her lips.
He had a tattoo on his upper arm, and as he moved his bicep, what appeared to be a chain design flexed over his taut skin. Her pulse grew erratic as he held her spellbound.
She'd never seen such a display of virility. She couldn't take her eyes off him. The way he moved as he bent down to reach for a coil of rope… Sun glinted off his wristwatch band and suddenly the time didn't matter because it had stopped.
He straightened, tall and strong, then gazed her way. With a will of their own, her eyes locked on to his.
Dismay caused her to falter. He was coming toward her. She took a step backward. She couldn't help herself. She was afraid she might throw herself in his arms if he came too close.
She tried to collect her wits. Her cheeks were hot, her body tense. She told herself it was because of the dastardly hour in the morning; her satin eyeshades almost never came off before eight, and what time was it now — six? Clearly her coffee wasn't working, and she was also off balance by Jay not being here yet.
Those were the excuses she gave herself when her heart leapt the more Sam closed the gap between them. Her heartbeat was frantic. She was in lust, maybe even…in love.
In one miserable instant, she fell for Sam Taylor.
A dark growth of beard shadowed his square jaw, giving him a rather untamed, yet sinfully delicious appeal.
"Are you Raine Ithaca?" When he spoke, his voice cascaded through her every muscle and made her tremble. She quelled the uncharacteristic nerves that plagued her.
In her best, butter-smooth tone, she replied, "Yes, I am."
"I'm Taylor. You're riding with me."
The dreaded gnat had the audacity to return and pester her. Without thought, she waved at it and almost slapped Taylor in the face.
He chuckled, a deep and low sound that curled in the pit of her belly. A corner of his mouth lifted. "Darlin', usually when a man is slapped by a woman, it's because he did something she objected to. So what the hell did I just do?"
Normally, she would have offered an innuendo of her own, a flirtatious remark. Except all of a sudden, she knew she was way out of her league. This man would best her word for word, sexual hint for sexual hint.
She blurted an explanation. "I was going after a bug."
"I've been called a few things, but never a bug. Is this your gear?" he drawled, reaching for her duffel.
Raine panicked. "Yes, but I…" I'm not going.
Should she forget the whole thing because Bradford hadn't shown up? Or did she go anyway and spend three days with a man who was staring at her with an indolent challenge caught on his mouth?
Sam Taylor was having a great day.
He loved his job, loved the lifestyle he had the ability to create for himself and loved watching the indecision flickering in Raine Ithaca's gaze.
Her unfinished words hung between them.
She acknowledged the duffel as being hers, but with an incomplete sentence that trailed on a hesitant note.
There was no doubt about her being sophisticated and city-bred — and so out of her element, he couldn't help tightening his mouth into a sarcastic smile.
"Lost your way, did you, darlin'? Did you mean to sign up for the Mountain River Inn spa package and take a wrong turn?"
"I did not," she returned, fire snapping to attention in the stunning green color of her eyes. "I'm right where I'm supposed to be."
"Yeah?" His brow rose. He appraised the curves fleshing out her body and a height that put her in the mid-five feet range. He probably had a good ten inches over her. She was petite yet there wasn't a fragile thing about her appearance.
Hot and suggestive thoughts surged to life in him; raw and primitive. It had been a long time since he'd felt something so strongly, and so swiftly, about a woman. He had a premonition she was going to be trouble, but the kind of trouble he was eager to rope in. He always did love a challenge. "So does that mean you're coming with me?"
Her teeth caught her lush lower lip, a straight edge of pearly white against plump pink flesh. His body exploded with heat and tantalizing agony. He worked to swallow the saliva thickening his throat.
"Am I late?" Pebbles and pinecones scattered down the path as a man hurried toward them.
"Thank God." Raine exhaled, a blush of color returning to her cheeks. "You made it, Jay."
Curiosity tugged at Taylor. A boyfriend? A husband? A lover?
"Raine," he said. He wore khaki shorts that made his birdlike legs look whiter than they were. The man was going to fry under the sun if he didn't load on the SPF 70. "I overslept, damn the champagne." He kissed each of her cheeks. "You look stunning, as usual."
"I'd look a lot better across a table buying you lunch right now back in town. Come on, Jay, let's forget this whole wet-and-wild-weekend adventure and go back to town where we can discuss my showing your paintings. Coffee — on me."
"Not a chance, honey," he replied. His wild mane of blond hair made him look like an eccentric Johnny Depp. He was a little on the flamboyant side. "I live for challenges to keep my life as colorful as my artist's pallet. Experiencing new things is what it's all about. The outside air, the rapids, the thrills, the adventure. Let's get this party started." He lipped a cigarette from a pack of unfiltered smokes. "Are you the guide?"
"Taylor," Sam said, extending his arm.
The skin on Jay's hand, stained by paint tint, was enveloped briefly as Sam Taylor grasped it.
"No smoking allowed," Taylor added.
"See, Jay," Raine interjected with sugary optimism. "Being out in nature isn't good for a man with your habits. I read in the brochure there's no liquor allowed, and now no smoking. I know of a fabulous restaurant in Montrose. I'll drive and my treat," she emphasized. "Their wine cellar is renowned."
"I can make it through three days," Jay said, fingering a small package from his pocket. "I've got nicotine gum and a hangover. Both ought to go a long way toward willpower."
"I know you have willpower." She pouted. "You use it on me…and I really would love to show your paintings. I've got two buyers in mind and they would pay a fortune for your work."
"We'll talk about it later, honey. So when do we launch this party?" he asked Sam.
Taylor was called on the two-way radio just as he ascertained that Jay wasn't a boyfriend, husband or a lover. He was a business investment — and one that wasn't currently giving any return.
All the groups were called down to the river for Taylor's in-depth participation orientation. Wet suits had been put on and he couldn't help running his gaze across Raine's silhouette like a glove in fitted black rubber. Life vests were passed out and he crooked his finger at Raine.
"Come here. I need a body for demonstrating."
Under the watchful eyes of the group, she cautiously stepped forward as if he were a coiled snake ready to strike. He didn't have a poisonous thought in his mind — rather the contrary. And he proved it.
"I don't bite," he said beneath his breath as she stood like a petrified tree. "Put your hands through the openings — lift your arms, Raine."
Mechanically, she went through the motion. She smelled of fine perfume and it made him broaden his smile. Hadn't anyone told her that perfumes only attracted the insects?
"After your arms are in, you're going to click the two plastic pieces together. Make sure the straps are tight. I don't want to lose anybody."
He could feel Raine breathing, the light pants of air as he cinched her into the life vest and tugged, drawing her closer to him. Her face lifted, her mouth dangerously tempting. Blood pounded in his brain, a potent message that warned.
"Any questions?" he asked.
"Yes," she whispered in a hiss. "Are you always this hands-on?"
"Do you want me to be?" But he gave her no opportunity to respond; instead he nudged her back into the group. She walked like a stiff mannequin, but with dignity. He had to give her points on taking herself out of her element for the sake of a business cause.
Taylor reminded everyone of the river's bitchy moods, the way a current pocket could suck a person under and spit it out a mile down. The rafts had been loaded and it was time to get the trip under way.
His assigned passengers for the six-man raft were Raine, Jay Bradford — who he learned was a contemporary artist on a weekend getaway from Los Angeles, and three Scottish tourists who spoke in accents so thick, Taylor had to ask them several times to repeat themselves.
As they settled in, he refreshed them on the correct way to paddle, how to get out of a potentially dangerous situation, and above all, the importance of listening to his directions.
"Your provisions are being carried downriver on a gear raft," he said, "and our first stop is in about three hours. I hope you all used the facilities before we left. It's the last time you'll see a flushing toilet until we get back."
The smooth creamy skin on Raine's forehead crinkled in a frown. "You're joking, right?"
"Nope."
"Outhouses? The brochure didn't say anything about that."
"This is the paddle-and-saddle run. Nothing but bighorn sheep, eagles, deer and coyotes. You'll have to share the woods with them."
Her slender hand rose, and nicely manicured fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. He could almost feel the beginnings of her headache as it pounded mercilessly in her brain. Watching her come unraveled amused him, maybe because she held on to a cool reserve he wanted to melt down to a warm puddle in his arms.
Wait until he told her that lunch was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Yeah, Sam Taylor was having a great day.
Raine didn't have much of an appetite, and what there was of it was dampened when she saw plastic-wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches come out of the cooler. At least she was rid of that clingy wetsuit for the lunch break.
Sliding her gaze over to Taylor, who had departed from the group to dispense the food, she was met with his half-cocked smile. He pinched hot-dog tongs in his grasp as he stood over a smoldering barbecue.
"Weenie?" he queried, holding up one of the char-marked hot dogs for her inspection.
The smell of roasting hot dogs was almost more than she could bear after having her stomach battered into a roiling pitch; navigating the shallow parts had left her borderline seasick. Even when she felt great, she never ate foods with undesirable ingredients labels.
"No thanks. I'm a vegetarian."
Jay's mouth dropped open. "You had a steak when we ate at Andiamo's."
"I just converted," she said as her cell phone chirped out a series of rings.
"Your blouse is ringing," Taylor commented, stuffing the hot dog into a bun and handing it to Jay.
Jay's laughter was more of a snort. "Even on the wilderness getaway, she can't get away from her city ways. Honey, why'd you bring your phone?"
"I'm a busy dealer. I've always got my phone," she insisted with a wrinkle in her forehead and a pair of dimples in her cheeks. "This could be another buyer for your paintings. I can tell them the art's available —"
"No."
Frowning, Raine realized she had to get the phone out of her blouse. Her streamlined shorts didn't have pockets and there was no other place for a phone without her purse. She turned toward the river and reached into the vee of her bathing suit top.
"Raine Ithaca here."
"Raine, it's —"
Static clogged the line.
"Hello? You're breaking up. I can't hear you."
A hiss and then dead air.
"I've lost the signal." Raine stared at the cell phone's display as if it would miraculously draw life from her intent gaze. Nothing. "Well, isn't this just fine. I have no phone service up here."
"Could have told you that," Taylor said, extending a paper plate with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a bag of chips. "That's why we use the two-ways."
Entranced in thought, wondering whose call she'd missed, all Raine heard was "two-way."
Her sexual radar was off. She normally would have honed right in on the banter and run with it. The altitude must be going to her head.
She took the offered sandwich and sat next to Jay, who was eating his second hot dog like a starved wolf. For a brilliant man, he was rough around the edges. Unlike…
Raine looked over her shoulder. Sam Taylor joked with one of the guests, his white smile flashing against the tan of his face. His eyes were marine blue, so deep in color that they could capture a person with their frankness and hold that person captive.
What was it about him that caused the clothes she wore to feel two sizes too small? Yes, he was extraordinarily good-looking, but there was more. There was a confidence and ease about him. A manner that was so relaxed and so self-assured. She envied him that. She was high-strung, stressed most of the time and always on the go. Rarely did she take a moment for herself, not even on her Los Angeles jaunts. It was always work and pleasure combined. Never just pleasure.
Pleasure.
Taylor rubbed the dark shadow of beard on his jaw then let out a sigh. A long and contented sigh — the kind she imagined he'd release after making love to a woman. He thrived in this whole outdoors thing. She could sense it, feel it. This was his place and he was happy to be here.
She, on the other hand, had yet to sway Jay. That was her mission, her purpose, and she mustn't let Taylor preoccupy her thoughts. Refocusing her energies, she turned to Jay.
"Jay," she began in a level tone, "I hope you're taking me seriously on this. I really do have buyers."
It was true. She'd seen Jay Bradford's work in Andiamo's, a posh restaurant in L.A. He loaned his art to the owner, but he'd never sold a single painting. His work was in demand, perhaps because he was so elusive. Having an inheritance, he didn't need the money.
"I'm sure you do, Raine," Jay said. Gone was the joking of the day as a seriousness overtook his voice. "I haven't sold a thing I've painted, honey. It's not why I work. I enjoy it."
"But why not give that enjoyment to another owner?"
"I don't know who would want to buy my canvases."
"That's where I come in," she exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I really do have two buyers for you. Both are willing to pay top dollar."
"I don't need the money," he repeated.
"Oh, Jay. Art's not just about the money. It's about the experience, the feeling it gives someone. Wouldn't you like to make two people feel what you feel when you look at your work?"
Jay's expression grew contemplative. "I never looked at it like that. I'll give it some thought."
Hope rose in her in the form of a bright smile. "Thank you."
Jay went to his feet. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to find where the nature boys go when they have to use the men's."
A moment later, Taylor joined her across the camp table just as she took another tentative nibble on her sandwich.
"You haven't eaten much."
"It's not exactly my favorite." A green-winged bug landed on the white bread in her hands. She tossed the uneaten half onto her plate.
"You'll wish you ate that in another hour. We're headed for Bouncing Rock and Dislocation."
"Tacky beer bars?"
"Rapids." The richness of his voice brought tingles to her skin. "You'll need all the energy you can get to paddle through them."
"I can handle it. I just don't want to." She thought about the hours she put in running on her treadmill. She was in good physical shape. She just wasn't the athletic type. "I'd much rather be sitting poolside with one of those umbrella drinks."
"The only pools out here are the natural ones in the hot springs."
"Do they come with cabana boys?" she joked.
"No, darlin'," he said in a low voice. "They come with me."
A delicious shudder heated her body as his gaze traveled slowly from her face to shoulders, then lower, to the curves outlined by her shirt. For the first time, she didn't regret this trip as a way to spend a weekend.
Their eyes met and held.
"Tell me, Taylor." She could barely trust herself to speak with the way her breath caught whenever she looked at him. "Just who are you?"
Sam Taylor was complicated, yet simple. He enjoyed the outdoors as much as he enjoyed sitting in the finest restaurants with a glass of wine. He'd done the suit-and-tie thing, didn't regret his stay in the business world, but realized he wasn't a good fit in Armani. Give him a pair of boots, let him roll up his sleeves and saddle a horse, and he was a better man.
He'd been involved in one serious relationship that didn't work out. For the past two years he'd been single and embracing life. Only these days he'd begun to want companionship again. A woman to hold all night, a woman to wake up to. Someone soft and sweet smelling. Someone like…
Taylor gazed at Raine and saw her pulse jump at the hollow of her neck. He had an effect on her, but it was something he knew she wouldn't explore and he said as much. "I'm a guy you'll never know because you won't let yourself."
His approach took her aback a little. She hooked her hair behind her ears and squared her shoulders. "That's ridiculous. I'm talking to you right now. What else is there?"
Tension corded his neck. "There's a lot. Don't measure a man by the way he makes his living, darlin'. You'll always come up short."
The rest of the day was spent on the river paddling hard. During one of the turns, Jay Bradford's sunglasses went overboard, and to Tayler's amazement, Raine went in after them. The current churned fairly well and she swam her way out. Holding the soggy eyewear, she'd grimaced and yelled, "Ahoy," for them to come back around to get her. Sam had done the honors, jumping in and dragging her on board. Her prowess took him by surprise.
The excursion continued and was interspersed with stretches of calm current and white-capped rapids. The beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife inspired lots of picture taking. Clear green water slipped between spectacular towering black granite cliffs, dropping first into glassy pools and then plunging into foaming rapids.
By the time the dinner camp was set up and the cooking grill started, sunset had begun. The fiery orange globe of heat made its descent into the green forest backdrop. Taylor could only imagine what it would be like to paint such a scene, and it made him wonder about Jay Bradford's paintings.
"So what do you paint?" Taylor asked him, throwing marinade on the freshly caught brown trout.
"Abstract impressions. Still lifes."
"And you think they could be worth as much as Raine says?"
"I have no reason to doubt her." Jay's head came up. "Why, do you think I should let her sell them?"
"Do what you want. But I have a feeling she'll persuade you. She seems convincing."
"She is at that."
"How long have you known her?" Taylor asked, more than a little curious. Hell, so he was a lot curious.
"She came into the restaurant several weeks ago and she's hounded me ever since. I finally took her up on her offer to come see Majestic. It's great. I've never been to Colorado before. The air is so clear and blue that when you suck it into your lungs it's like breathing in pure oxygen — I may just have to quit smoking after all. Raine always makes a face when I light up. She's interested in you, you know."
"How do you figure that?"
"Her eyes almost pop out of her head whenever she looks at you."
Taylor held on to a smile of satisfaction as Raine joined them. For a died-in-the-wool city girl, she had a refreshing and untried quality about her out here with the blue skies and green trees. She'd brushed her auburn hair and put pink lipstick on her mouth.
Raine swatted at the insects that had come out, lured by the light of the kerosene lamp glass. The fragrance of perfume lingered with her in the air.
Taylor supposed he should have clued her in, but he opted not to. Not yet.
Dinner was eaten and the campers, full and tired, spent the rest of the evening around the big fire talking and enjoying the blanket of stars.
Drinking the last of his coffee, Taylor watched Raine try to sit still on her sleeping bag, but the bugs were relentless. After a minute, he motioned for her to follow him. He wasn't sure she'd follow until he heard her trampling the woods behind him.
"You surprised me jumping into the water today," he commented.
"I didn't think about it. I just reacted. Hey — where are we going?" she asked, her voice deep and silky in the night.
"You'll see."
"I can hardly see anything. It's dark."
"Put your hand on my shoulder then."
"Umph —"
She tripped over something and stumbled into his back, both of her hands clamping on to him.
Taylor turned around, and she took a step backward. "You okay?"
The whites of her eyes glimmered under the moonlight. "Yes, I'm fine." But clearly her spirit was being tested, and it showed on her face. "I've been tolerably persistent with Jay Bradford for three weeks, I can handle this longer than three hours."
She may have declared one thing, but he heard another. The vulnerability in her voice made his hands ache to skim across her body and feel the texture of her skin.
"Raine," he said with a sigh. "You don't have anything to prove to me."
His arm rose, his hand only a fraction from her cheek. Ever so lightly, he took a piece of her hair between his thumb and forefinger. His hand brushed the top of her ear as he rubbed the reddish lock, feeling its softness.
"Of course I don't," she replied. "It's just that…I don't know what I'm doing. When I'm around you, I lose my train of thought, my sense of purpose, and my mind-set is overturned," she said in a faint whisper. "Who are you that you can do such things to me?"
As she spoke, he fixated on her beautiful mouth. It was wide and full, but not overly so. He imagined what it would be like to kiss her. Hot. Sensual.
"I told you, I'm somebody you'll never let yourself know."
"I know you've got drive, Taylor. I know you care about what you're doing and who you're with out here. That much is obvious."
Taylor placed his hands on her shoulders, the ends of her hair cascading over his arms. The warmth of his touch caused her to flush as she visibly struggled to hold on to her composure. "I'm not always so obvious. There's more to me than you see, but you're not ready to look that deep yet."
"That's not a fair assumption." She measured him with an appraising look.
His mouth twitched with a smile that he turned up a notch when saying, "Tell me, Raine — do you always get what you want?"
She paused before answering, "Is that a trick question?"
"It's whatever you want to make out it."
"Well, yes, I do usually get what I want."
He had more than an inkling of what she wanted when she stared at him, so he replied, "Glad to hear that."
"So why did you lead me out here, Taylor?"
His voice broke with huskiness. "Trust me?"
The underlying sensuality of his words captivated Raine. "I…yes."
"Then take off your clothes."
"Take off my clothes?" Raine stared into the hard-bodied chest of Sam Taylor, thinking that whether she did or didn't take them off, she would make the biggest mistake of her life.
His chiseled facial features were uncompromising under the moonlight. "You heard me right."
"It's not that I don't find you attractive, Taylor, but a little 'lead in' would have been nice."
He stood with his hip cocked — the object of girlish fantasies and the fulfillment of them. With a smile and a shrug, he said, "Do you or do you not want to get rid of the mosquitoes that keep following you? Strip down to your bathing suit and wash off all your perfume in the water. It's the fragrance that's attracting them."
He moved toward the shore and she trailed behind.
She'd misread his comment about undressing — but how could she not?
"At least the pests have good taste. I'm wearing Fendi." She managed to inflect a casual tone in her voice, but deep down she was embarrassed she'd alluded to something more.
"You'll be wearing mud in a minute."
"Mud?"
"Yeah. Get in there and coat yourself with it."
She gazed at the water's surface, illuminated by the rays of a full moon. She couldn't tell how shallow the place was, but it wasn't riddled with boulders. The sandy beach sloped gently and disappeared into water that did look inviting. And if doing what he said would alleviate her harassment by the insects, she'd do it.
Unbuttoning her blouse, she slipped out of it and tossed it onto the branch of a nearby tree. Then she flicked the clasp on her shorts and shimmied out of the tight-fitting cotton. In just her bathing suit, she suddenly felt vulnerable. Exposed. Even though she'd worn the suit many times in public and had never once thought it too risqué. Now she wondered.
Taylor's level gaze was on her, and she was barely able to breathe. His black hair rested on the collar of a dark T-shirt that emphasized the breadth of his wide shoulders. Tight jeans outlined his long and lean legs. His boot heels made him quite tall. He didn't need the extra height.
She felt herself leaning toward him. Then she froze. She wasn't going to let him hold that much power over her. She ran a hand through her hair, holding tightly on to her cool facade.
"Are you going to get in?" The volume in his voice dropped to a hush, and he held her with his eyes.
She couldn't believe what was happening to her, to them. She tried to conceal the inner turmoil she felt. This was ludicrous. She was very good with the opposite sex. Never had a problem with an intimate situation she couldn't handle. With Taylor she felt like she was in a raft in the middle of his river — and without a paddle.
"Yes." The water felt cool against her thighs as she progressed into the softly lapping current. She didn't look back, didn't dare to see how Taylor was reacting to this.
Beneath her bare feet were pebbles and rocks, so she walked with care, taking it slow and fanning her hands over the water's surface to get used to the chill. It had been too hot today, and she'd longed for a cold shower. This was the best she'd get, and she savored the rush of water between her legs — until something brushed her calf and she gave a sharp gasp.
The next thing she knew, Taylor was in the water next to her, his face inches from hers. "What?"
"There was a snake or something in here. It tried to bite me."
"There's no water snakes out here."
"But I felt it —" She cut her sentence off, suddenly aware of something. "You're not wearing a shirt."
"You didn't think I'd let you go swimming alone." Then he plunged under the water, and when he resurfaced he was yards away from her. "Mud, Raine. Get a big handful of it."
She stood there a long moment, mouth dropped open.
Light gleamed off his wet body, his broad chest. A gold pendant on a chain glittered around his neck. The muscles on his stomach were like a washboard, stretch taut across his middle. A lock of dark hair fell over his forehead and he raked it back into place with his fingers.
The sensual way in which he moved with an effortless grace captivated her. Her mouth went dry, and she didn't know what to say, what to do. Things were happening too fast. It felt like she was being pulled into a place she wasn't prepared to deal with.
"What are you waiting for? Me to come over and do it for you?" he called. His full lips turned into a slight grin, his eyes closed halfway.
"No."
When she didn't move, he said, "I wouldn't seduce you unless you wanted me to."
Well, he was doing more than that. He'd charged the flame in the core of her body and scorched her. Burned her skin so it felt unbearably hot even against the cold.
Caustically, careful not to give herself away, she replied, "I doubt you could."
"Wanna make a bet?"
She blinked, broke the spell and scooped up a small handful of silt from the bottom. Shivering at the thought of whatever else she was getting, she didn't linger.
With brisk scrubs, she made short order of the job and got out of the river feeling as if her skin was just as raw as her emotions.
There was no towel to dry off and she stood there in limbo, momentarily at a loss. Just as she decided to slip on her shoes and get out of here, Taylor was climbing out of the water and onto the bank.
Under usual circumstances where she felt in total control, she might have just gone for it. Kissed him hard, made love in the woods and not looked back. But for some strange reason, the thought of being with him only once petrified her. She feared she'd want a lot more than one night.
When she turned in his direction, she was relieved to see he'd slipped his jeans back on. Water droplets glistened on his jaw and collarbone in a way that made him look as if he were a living aftershave commercial — the kind where every woman on the block is chasing the man who wore it.
He came toward her, and everything in her stilled. The night noises were like sweet music, her heartbeat the melody. His arm lifted and he cupped her cheek. Blood pounded in her brain.
A moment's thought flickered in her mind:
He was going to kiss her.
Taylor had wanted to kiss Raine the moment he’d laid eyes on her. Now, he saw that she shivered under his gaze.
The straps of her bathing suit were thin. He liked the way she looked in it. She was feminine, curvy and soft all at the same time. The triangle-shaped cups of the bra part were sexy as all hell. The black spandex rode beneath the fullness of her, cradling and lifting. The cut of her matching bottoms was high and exposed a lot of lean leg and thighs.
The way she blushed when she watched him looking only made him want her all the more.
He brushed his knuckles across her neck, then lower, to trace the strap of her bathing suit top. What he didn’t touch, he traced with his gaze. The flat of her belly, the nip of her waist and flare of hips, the swell of breasts, where they created a shadowed valley. She was by no means runway-model size — waifs held no attraction for him anyway. He appreciated a woman’s body that he could cup with his palms, loved to feel the swell of a behind in his hands.
Pulling her to him, he lowered his mouth, tasting and taking as he brought her flush against his chest. The weight of her breasts crushed into him. He felt himself react, tighten. She trembled as he deepened the kiss and parted her lips.
The temperature of his body rose from warm to hot, the air surrounding them igniting. Water drops ran off her hair, onto her cheek and caught on the side of her mouth.
The kiss was more than he expected. Shook him in a way that he hadn’t anticipated. She set him on fire, burned him as surely as if he’d stood too close to a campfire.
Unprepared for the strong reactions he was feeling, he ended what he started before he wouldn’t be able to stop.
Taylor needed a moment to recover. His pulse tore through his veins and his nostrils flared as he pulled on all the resolve he possessed. It took a couple of well-timed thoughts to chill his skin.
Raine could feel half-wet hair sticking to her cheeks, but she didn’t move. Disappointment crushed in an unforeseen way. She told herself she didn’t want this, didn’t want him, but it was a long way from the truth. She wanted Sam more than she’d ever wanted any man.
But for everything she felt, everything she wanted, she knew they would be no good for each other. She wasn’t cut out for his life and he wasn’t cut out for hers. She’d rather give up on them before they started; she’d rather keep living with the emptiness in her heart than break his.
A rush of emotions filled her eyes. She tucked wisps of hair behind her ears and forced a demeanor on herself that wasn’t a true showing of her feelings. She’d put on a false pride many times and knew how to manipulate it.
Taylor used his T-shirt to rub his hair dry before slinging the wet shirt over his shoulder.
He breathed in, then exhaled. "You still smell good."
The richness in his tone brought tingles across her skin. It was strange how she reacted to the sound of his voice. "But I did what you told me to do. I scrubbed."
"Then it’s you." She grew even more rattled when his tongue caught a drop of water on his lip. "You just smell too damn good. You’ll draw everything within miles to you."
Raine couldn’t get his words out of her head, not even the next day when she woke to the incessant chitter of a squirrel in the tree bough above her head. She didn’t sleep well, couldn’t think straight. Or maybe she’d been thinking too much.
She was the spontaneous type most of the time. More like uninhibited. She did things at will if they were accessible. Whatever pleasure she wanted, she managed to make it happen — whether it was acquiring a piece of art, buying imported chocolates or having a one-night stand.
But Taylor was no one-night man. He was a forever man.
For the first time since her husband died, Raine admitted to herself she was longing for another forever.
During the lunch break, she knew she’d fallen hopelessly infatuated with Sam Taylor. More like fallen in lust…in love.
She didn’t believe in love at first sight, now she couldn’t get enough of staring at him.
He was better than watching her favorite television show. Shirtless, richly tanned and wearing nothing but boots and jeans and his butt molding the back pockets while the front was slung low, the Sam Taylor Channel should have come with a "For Mature Audiences Only" warning.
Like a hormonal teen, Raine instantly suffered from a ridiculous preoccupation with his supple back muscles rippling beneath smooth skin as he effortlessly cinched rope together. His wide hands gripped the length and tugged, forearms hard with tension as he created the knot. A sheen of sweat glistened on his brow, and without sunglasses, squint lines formed at the corners of his eyes.
"We’re hitting a drop today called Satan’s Cesspool," he said to the group when the rafts were reloaded.
"Sounds like hostile waters," Jay said beside her before popping another nicotine gum into his mouth. "Honey, hold on to me if you’re scared."
She wasn’t going to be scared. She decided she was going to prove to herself — prove to Taylor — she could do this. She could embrace what was ahead and tackle it without a single misstep.
Steeling herself when they floated the river, she took the time to really look at it while paddling. She relaxed and opted to go with the journey rather than against it.
The scenery really was spectacular. The rapids came and she dug her oar in with the rest of them, going for broke and grabbing the thrill of adventure. She found herself exhilarated, focusing her every nerve ending on what needed to be done.
Once they cleared the raging waters, she laughed and felt a triumphant sense of accomplishment. That evening when she was in the chow line, she was so hungry she didn’t care what was put on her plate.
Taylor’s smile was filled with pride when he gave her a cup of lemonade. "Maybe I was wrong about you, Raine. When the sun comes up tomorrow, get dressed and meet me by that rock over there. I want to show you something that will change your life."
The next morning, Sam waited for Raine. He'd woken up when the sky was still dark and the stars shone brightly. In the time he had to think about her, about what he wanted to show her, he began to wonder if his assumption might be off. But then he reminded himself of the change in her yesterday, the look of daring and peacefulness that had claimed her green eyes when she took on the challenge of the river.
Today they were doing the last leg of the excursion. They would saddle horses and ride out of the canyon to the final destination camp, where transportation would return them to the city limits of Majestic.
As a rule, he was ready for the next group, new faces to get to know. Reluctance claimed him this time. He wasn't ready to give Raine up yet, not when he was figuring out that there was more to her than what she showed on the outside.
If he let himself, he could fall in love. He just had to be sure he was right about her.
Raine came toward him wearing long pants and heeled leather boots, not the kind the brochure specified; these looked Italian and expensive. At least she'd be able to hitch the heels through the stirrups. A white blouse fit snugly. The fabric was sheer enough that the sexy outline of her bra left nothing to the imagination. She'd swept up her damp auburn hair and tied it back with a scarf. Her cheekbones were dusted with pink and her lips had a blush of pink on them.
She looked stunning. Gorgeous. Any man would want her and he was no exception.
"Hey," she said, drawing up to him and almost shyly standing beside the large rock. "I'm here."
"And you still smell good." It wasn't the perfume; it was her shampoo. She must have gotten up shortly after he did and taken the opportunity for some privacy in the river. He should have told her that it wasn't smart to go off alone, but he was anxious to show her the valley.
"Come on," he said, taking her hand. She was so soft and so feminine. His hands were rough and work-hard while hers must have been pampered with the best lotions and weekly manicures.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see when we get there. Trust me?" He gazed at her down the length of his shoulder.
She smiled, luscious lips slightly curved. "I don't know. The last time I said yes you told me to take my clothes off."
"I might ask you for something more than that this time."
The words hovered between them and he let her interpret them however she chose.
As they hiked, they were rewarded with dramatic canyon scenery, picturesque views and remarkable solitude. More often than not, Taylor preferred the quiet when he made this trek, but now he needed to talk. He wanted to know more about Raine.
"How long have you lived in Majestic?" he asked, pushing a branch out of their path.
"A few years. I moved here after my husband died."
He felt the grief in her voice. "I'm sorry. How long were you married?"
"Six years."
"Have you ever thought about getting married again?"
"No…yes. Lately."
A gratifying feeling took command of Taylor. "When did you change your mind?"
"Recently," was all she replied.
He smiled to himself as they reached one of his favorite spots. Spring water dripped from a crevice in the rocks. Ferns and lush greenery surrounded the area that managed to be covered in shade for most of the day.
"Thirsty?"
"Yes." She leaned forward, then pondered how best to get a drink.
Taylor cupped his hands, caught the water and brought it to her. She guided him to her mouth, drinking as their eyes met. The moment was more sensual than anything he'd ever experienced. Her lips were soft and pliable, touching the edge of his hand as her tongue caught the water. He gave her several more drinks, then took some of his own.
He smoothed the hair from his forehead, lifted his face to the sky a moment, then looked back at her. Maybe he should just tell her now. Be up-front about it and gauge her reaction. The way he planned it was to show her first, to see what she thought.
"Come on. It's just around the side of this trail," he said at length, sticking with his original intentions.
Once they were at the bluff, he watched her reaction as he viewed the scenery with her.
Down in the valley, the grasses grew rich and green, tall and full. A creek wound its way through the deep verdant color. Split rail fences comprised a pasture with a multitude of outbuildings. Prized horses grazed and just beyond them was the house, a house that was no ordinary country home.
Painted white and two stories tall with a wraparound porch, it was the focal point of the clearing. Fruit trees and pines surrounded it. Three chimneys sprang from the rooftop and vines grew along the western-facing wall. There was a five-car garage in the back and he was aware of the fact a brand-new pickup was parked there next to a vintage sports car.
"So what do you think?" Taylor held her with his gaze.
She remained quiet for so long, he wondered if this was a mistake. At last, she shook her head in awe as if barely able to trust herself to speak. "It's breathtaking."
He hadn't realized how important her reaction was until he was unsure he would get the one he wanted.
"It's a two-hour drive into town from here," he said. "Far enough away from Majestic to make it inconvenient, but secluded enough to make a person get as close to heaven on earth as they can.
"The house…it's stunning. Like a picture in a magazine."
"Everything inside is modern and the best you can buy."
"How do you know?"
"I've been inside it."
She nodded. "You know the owner?"
"Yeah." Taylor gathered his thoughts, took both her hands in his and smiled. "When you started this trip, you were pretty adamant about hating it. And maybe hating me."
Her brows rose. "I didn't hate you. I was afraid I might like you…too much." She looked away as if the admission was going to cost her.
The words warmed him. "Raine, I wanted to bring you up here to show you that house and to tell you something. It's hard for me to put into words because I've never felt like this before."
On a soft exhale, her lips parted as she stared into his face. "I know what you're talking about. It's crazy, but I feel it, too."
"What would you say if I told you —" But he'd gotten no further when his two-way radio hissed to life.
"Uh, Taylor, copy?" called a man's voice.
Growling, Taylor clicked the switch. "Copy."
"We've got a situation in camp. One of the campers wrenched his back and isn't able to ride today. I'm going to have to call for a medic chopper, over."
"I'm headed back right now. Who is it?"
"Jay Bradford."
"Jay!" Raine gasped. "They're going to fly him out? Is he going to be all right?"
Sam radioed in the question.
The response came back: "He's not hurt badly, but he can't walk. The doc will have to take a look at him and assess how to make him comfortable."
Raine was already walking back to camp. "I have to go with him. We haven't finished talking and — thank goodness it's nothing serious."
The fact that she was more concerned about some unmade deal than what he was about to tell her left him taut with disappointment.
"Don't worry," Taylor said bitterly. "You'll have a chance to talk to him before he's taken to the clinic."
She looked at him and apologized. "Sam, you were going to say something. I'm sorry, but I've been after Jay for weeks and I can't let him leave without getting his answer." Putting her hand over his, she asked, "What did you want to tell me?"
"It can wait." He stepped aside, cursing himself for missing her touch instantly. "Let's go."
Dismayed, Raine watched Jay being loaded into the chopper on a stretcher. He kept his sense of humor, joking with the medics as they started a line on him.
"Raine, honey," he called over the whirring blades, "It must be the drugs, but I've decided to —"
The noise drowned out his words.
"What?" she yelled.
"Sell them!" he shouted back. "I'll call Andiamo and let them know you're in charge of the paintings."
Relief and joy clashed together in Raine. "Thank you, Jay! You won't regret it."
"Just make sure they go to a good home."
She nodded and a moment later, he soared into the sky. The medics assured her that he'd be okay. Jay had slipped on a wet embankment and pulled a disk out of alignment — an old injury coming back to haunt him, he had grumbled.
When the excitement died down, she sought Taylor. He had been about to tell her something and she'd regretted not being able to follow through.
She found him by the stables saddling a horse. Sweat dampened his tanned skin, brow and hairline. He jerked the tail of his shirt out from his pants, then slid the shirt over his head and tossed it onto the fence.
Raine announced, "Jay's going to be fine. I promised to bring him a bottle of champagne at the clinic."
"I heard he'd do all right," Sam said curtly, moving around her. His arm muscles rippled strength when he grabbed the reins. His eyes carried a sense of purpose she hadn't seen before.
He was shutting her out and she was confused as to why.
"Taylor …you were going to tell me something."
"Not anymore."
"But why not?"
He paused and gazed at her, hard. "Because you made your priorities clear with me, Raine. You got Bradford to give you the paintings and that's what's important to you. Go for it."
"But I —"
He gave her no chance to finish. He called people over to their horses and within the hour, they were on the trail. With each tree that they passed, Raine knew she was leaving something special farther and farther behind. Yes, she'd wanted Jay to agree to her proposition, but not at the expense of losing Taylor. Maybe she'd never had him. Maybe she'd been kidding herself that there could be more for them.
All too soon, they were at the end of the trail and people were being shuttled to Majestic. Raine held back, wanting more than she was leaving with. She had to talk to Taylor and tell him how she felt.
He found her before she found him.
"You missed the last shuttle. I'll have somebody drive you in."
"No," she quickly rejected. "I don't want to go yet."
"The tour's over, Raine. It's time for you to leave."
"No," she repeated. "Not until we clear up what happened, or what I didn't happen on that bluff."
"Save your breath, darlin'." He eased the brim of a cowboy hat farther back on his head. He looked directly into her eyes. "We aren't right for each other."
"Who are you to say that?" She followed him to one of the barns where the smell of hay and animals greeted her. A sneeze claimed her before she could stop it.
"Point proven," he said, baffling her. "You can't even last a minute in a stable."
"Excuse me?"
He faced-off with her. She felt as if she were emotionally caving in. She was someplace she shouldn't be, with a man she shouldn't love. But she did. And he wouldn't let her tell him.
"Raine, you're smart and beautiful. You'll break some guy's heart, but it's not going to be mine."
That he could both compliment and slay her at the same time bristled. "How could it be yours? You won't let me get anywhere near it."
"You were as close as it gets on that bluff, but you forgot where you were and what you wanted."
"You've got to remember Jay's the whole reason I came on this trip. That's why I said what I did, but you're wrong about how I feel. I still want you. She closed her eyes, afraid she might cry. She was falling apart and she couldn't stop herself. When she opened her eyes, Taylor was looking intently at her. His stance was strong and unfaltering. She was unable to keep his stare. He held her chin with his fingers and lifted it so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.
"Do you mean that?"
"Yes."
"You want me? Just as I am?"
"How else is there?" The intensity in his eyes held her captive.
He took her hands in his and she became completely aware of how strong his fingers were. "I used to work for a Fortune 500 company, but I wasn't happy. Life's too short to do what you don't like, and watching the world pass you by is a sure way to die young. So I quit."
Raine waited for more, for the big revelation. "That's it, that's all? I'm supposed to go my own way now because you're a rafting instructor and not a corporate man?" She pulled away from him. "If you think I'm that shallow, then —"
"Raine, wait." He took her into his arms. "I was wrong about you. I thought I wouldn't measure up to what you wanted."
"I want so many different things. Not all of them are easy or perfect. I make mistakes, I try too hard, I don't give in when I should. Faults and all, there's one thing I do know beyond a doubt." She uttered softly, "I want to be with you."
He smiled and brushed his lips over hers. The contact was sizzling, replaced by a heart-rendering tenderness when he gazed into her face. "That's what I wanted to know. Because when I quit, I took my stock options and I invested them in this place. I bought Majestic Outfitters."
"You're the owner?"
"Everything you see, I own. And that house — it's mine."
Shock didn't begin to describe her feelings. She'd trusted her heart, fallen for one man when he was really another. Not that any of that mattered, he was Sam Taylor. Stubborn and tall and dominant and smart and wonderful and —
"Still love me, sweetheart mine?" he asked, a quirk to his mouth.
The unexpected endearment sluiced over her skin. "I think," she began and licked her lips, enjoying his heated reaction, the dark fire that sprang to life in his eyes. "I think you'd better kiss me before I wake up and this is all a dream."
"It's no dream, Raine."
To prove it, his lips covered hers in a kiss that expanded her heart. She was floating, falling. Her arms came around his neck and held him close. It was intoxicating, fervent and, in the end, urgent. Their mouths met in a deep kiss that left her shaken.
Breathless, their lips parted but their bodies remained fused together.
"So what do we do next?" she asked in a purr, her pulse dancing.
"We," he said, dropping a kiss on her mouth, "see just how allergic you are to a bed of straw."
She laughed. "And then?"
"We find out everything we can about each other."
"That could take a lifetime," she said, kissing his jaw.
He scooped her into his arms. "Darlin', then I'm yours for a lifetime."
Raine Ithaca laid her head on Sam Taylor's shoulder and smiled.
She was having the most wonderful day.
The End