you might as well give it to me.”
“No.”
She realized that he wasn’t going to budge. Annoyed with his attempt to deter her, she put on her backpack and started walking. He was lucky she didn’t commandeer the tent and sleeping bag at gunpoint. Bastard.
“Goddamn it,” he said, following her down the mountain.
She whirled to face him. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I’m coming with you.”
CHAPTER FOUR
FAITH WAS HAVING more fun than she’d anticipated.
The rapids were scary, and she didn’t like the way the boat bobbed up and down on the surface of the water, threatening to dump its inhabitants, but a foot brace prevented her from falling overboard. Although the required helmet was dorky, and a boxy life jacket covered her cute new bikini top, both would protect her in a spill.
She didn’t really have to exert herself, either. The guide, who called himself “Captain Ron,” did the bulk of the paddling, shouting directions for assistance every so often. With Ron behind her, Caleb in front and Jay at her side, she felt insulated from danger. They probably didn’t need her help, but she paddled just to be a good sport.
The best part of the trip, by far, was Jay. Her heart skipped a beat every time he gave her a reassuring smile. He was distractingly hot, even with quirky clothes and dye-scorched hair. Before they disembarked, he’d donned a pair of hideous square-framed sunglasses that reminded her of Napoleon Dynamite. It was almost as if he was trying to hide his handsomeness under a nerd disguise.
He couldn’t hide the body, though. His torso was lean and strong, his arms well defined and his stomach rippled with muscle. When he dipped his paddle into the water, biceps flexing, her throat went dry and her thoughts scattered.
The day flew by. After lunch, they hit a long, easy stretch that didn’t demand much maneuvering. Caleb waxed stoner-poetic on everything from the sun sparkling on the water to the immense height of the surrounding trees. Although Faith wasn’t a nature lover, she thought peaceful quiet would better suit the atmosphere. When he launched into another implausible rafting tale, Ron rolled his eyes in Faith’s direction. Jay caught sight of the expression and laughed, glancing away.
“What’s so funny?” Caleb asked him.
“Nothing,” Jay said.
“He thinks you’re full of shit,” Ted supplied.
Caleb looked over his shoulder at Faith. Maybe his boasting was meant to impress her, but she couldn’t suppress a giggle at his expense. He returned his attention to Jay, squinting with antagonism. “Oh yeah?”
Although Jay didn’t look intimidated, Captain Ron came to the rescue. “I tried to run a six-plus on the American River once.”
“What happened?” Paula asked.
“I got dumped.”
Everyone laughed except Caleb, and the conversation moved on to less contentious topics. Jay didn’t say a word but managed to monopolize her complete attention. Whenever she snuck a peek at him, he was watching her.
The last run of the day was a monster. It churned fast and furious between jagged chunks of granite, eager to chew them up and spit them out.
“This is Devil’s Drop,” Ron shouted. “Get ready to paddle!”
Faith froze with terror as they approached. She’d never seen water like this before. Falling out of the boat here would be like getting thrown from a car on the freeway. She imagined herself sailing through the air, her bones snapping on sharp rocks.
“I’m going to die,” she blurted.
The rest of the group chuckled and Caleb let out a war whoop. She was on a trip with a bunch of crazy people!
“You’ll be fine,” Ron said, his brow furrowed in concentration.
For once, Jay focused on paddling instead of her. But he spared her a quick nod to remind her of his promise. They’d been instructed not to enter the water to rescue another swimmer. It was dangerous, and not usually an effective lifesaving technique in these conditions. Despite the warning, he’d vowed to come in after her if she tumbled overboard.
She felt comforted by the thought. Taking a deep breath, she clutched her paddle and hung on for dear life. The rapids hit in a dizzying rush, tossing the front of the boat up in the air and slamming it down again. Icy water surged over the edge, soaking her to the skin. She gritted her teeth against the cold shock.
Although she paddled when called upon, her main concern was staying inside the boat. She noticed that most of the other passengers looked happy, rather than terrified. Only Jay appeared grim and determined.
Like her, he was enduring this, not enjoying it.
Then they were free from the rapids’ grip, and his tension disappeared so quickly she wondered if she’d imagined it. Everyone in the group was smiling and exuberant, Faith included. She couldn’t believe they hadn’t capsized.
What a wild ride.
After the slippery section passed, the sun sank lower in the horizon and a chill settled over the air. By the time they reached the takeout, where they would camp for the night, Faith was shivering.
“Everyone lends a hand in pitching the tents,” Ron said as they exited the boat.
“I pitch an excellent tent,” Caleb said with a grin, elbowing Faith. “You can sleep with me and Ted.”
“Dream on,” she said, laughing.
Ron tied off the raft and started tossing out supplies. “Girls’ tent goes over there,” he said, pointing toward the trees. “Guys over here.” He removed one more tent bag, which looked smaller than the others.
“Whose is that?” Jay asked.
“Mine,” Captain Ron said, walking away. “It’s a single.”
Caleb smirked at Jay. “Disappointed?”
Not bothering to respond, he picked up the tent and headed the opposite direction. Bunking with him wasn’t an option, so she joined the other women. Faith stood clear while Paula and Meg put up the tent. Inside, she changed into warmer clothes. The fleece jacket and water-resistant pants were her sister’s usual style, function over fashion, but she didn’t mind. It was almost dark. No one cared how she looked.
Ron spoke to Hope on the radio while they were making camp. Faith couldn’t hear the entire conversation, but she gathered that Ranger Banning wouldn’t be joining them. Typical Hope. Always on duty.
Faith needed to have a serious talk with her sister. Hope worked more and dated less every year. She wasn’t equipped for one-night stands, like Faith. The last jerk she’d slept with had reduced her to tears. Hope rarely let her guard down with men, so she was slow to recover from disappointments.
Faith knew why Hope shied away from relationships.
