perfect and only a bit moist, but—”
“Liar. My hair’s plastered to the back of my neck. But I thought you didn’t like cold water.”
“I think I’d like it better in the heat of the day than first thing in the morning.”
She laughed. “Luke, it’s still cold in that water, even at this time of day.”
“Not as cold, I’ll bet, and I want to prove to you I’m not a wuss. Also, I want to talk to you about something.”
“What?”
“Nothing earthshaking, or at least I hope it’s not, but I want your opinion. Let’s go get in the water and talk. Unless you need to check on the eagles.”
“The webcam’s babysitting the eagles and I changed the batteries this morning. We can skinny-dip.”
“Great.”
Twenty minutes later, Luke had staked Smudge to his grazing spot and they stood by the stream like Adam and Eve. Their clothes lay on the bank, along with Naomi’s beach towel.
“I’m going first.” Luke started down to the water. “To prove I’m a manly man.”
“You don’t have to prove that to me, cowboy.” She drank in the sight of his tight buns, muscled back and strong thighs. Talk about a fantasy.
He stepped into the water and his breath hissed out.
“Want to change your mind?” Naomi couldn’t help smiling. He was a baby about cold water. “We could put some water in a saucepan and let it warm in the sun. Then you could take a sponge bath.”
“Nope. I’m doing this.” Taking a deep breath, he plunged in, sending water splashing as he plowed over to the deepest part, which was still less than three feet. Then he sat down with another loud splash and a strangled groan.
“That was quite a production.”
“It’s cold as hell.”
“I told you.”
“Shouldn’t it be warmer by now?”
“Did you happen to notice there’s still snow on the mountains?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s where this water comes from. It’s snowmelt.”
“Oh.” He glanced over at her. “You’re coming in, right?”
“Of course. I do this every day.” She stepped into the water.
“How come you’re not shivering?”
“I have this mental trick. As I’m immersing myself in cold water, I visualize it being warm.” She made her way over to him and sat down.
“You can do that?”
“Sure. So could you. Don’t think about the water as being cold. Tell yourself it’s like bathwater.”
He gazed at her. “I’m going to visualize having sex with you, instead. That should heat me up really fast.”
“If you keep looking at me like that, you’ll heat me up, too. And then what?”
His slow smile hinted at watery pleasures. “We’ll do something about it.”
Despite what they’d already shared today, her body responded. “I thought you wanted to talk. But if you’d rather get friendly instead, you’re headed in the right direction.”
He sighed. “Right. I do want to talk. It’s just that you’re so beautiful. I can’t seem to get enough of you.”
“Then talk fast.”
He chuckled. “Okay. It’s about my dad.”
“YOUR DAd?” Naomi stared at him, clearly startled.
He should have led up to it more gradually, but they’d become so close in the past week that he’d forgotten she didn’t know anything about his parents. Yet why would she? He’d never told her. But now he needed a friend’s advice. He would have gone to Nash, except Nash was involved in wedding and honeymoon plans. And besides, this was the sort of touchy-feely situation that he sensed Naomi would understand. He trusted her.
“Let me back up.” He gazed down at the water and trailed his fingers through it. “It’s been easier to focus on the fun you and I are having. I’m not into deep analysis of my past anyway.”
“So what about your dad?”
Luke looked out across the water tumbling over rocks and gathered his thoughts. “He always claimed he wanted to travel and see the world, but because he married my mother, who hates travel, and he has the responsibilities of a home and his job, he’s never gone anywhere.”
“That’s too bad.”
He took a deep breath. “I talked to Emmett about it last week, and he started me thinking. My dad could travel, if he’d allow himself to. If my mom doesn’t want to go, that’s up to her. But I’m considering calling him and asking him to come out here, maybe even for the Fourth of July. He’d have a little time off then.”
Luke had never done anything like this before, and he was surprised he hadn’t. Maybe all that his dad needed was someone to say, “Hey, come on, let’s go.” On the other hand, if Luke invited him and he refused, that rejection would be tough to take. It might also mean his dad’s spirit was truly crushed, assuming he’d ever really had a vagabond spirit in the first place.
“I think that sounds wonderful, Luke.”
He looked over at her, drawing strength from the certainty in her blue eyes. “So I should do it?”
“Definitely. Where do your parents live?”
“New Jersey. He’d have to fly out, but he could. They have money. Hell, I’d pay for his flight if necessary.”
She opened her mouth. Closed it again.
“If you have advice, please give it. That’s why I asked you about this before I did anything. I want to make sure I’m not crazy to consider it.”
“Okay. I wonder…maybe it would be better if you let him pay.”
“You think so?” Luke thought about his mother, who could raise an objection about the cost of a plane ticket, especially at the last minute.
“It would mean he’s making more of a commitment to traveling, which you said he’s always wanted to do.”
Luke nodded. “You’re right. But it could be pricey.”
“It
