The fish fought for what felt like forever but was probably only a few minutes. And then, suddenly, I could see it—a flash of silver just under the surface, maybe ten feet away.
“There!” I pointed with my chin, not daring to let go of the rod. “I can see it!”
“Beautiful rainbow trout,” Nate said, and there was something like pride in his voice. “About fourteen inches. Good size for your first fish.”
My first fish. I was actually going to catch my first fish.
And then the line went slack.
“No!” I wailed as the fish disappeared back into the depths. “He got away!”
“It happens,” Nate said, but he didn’t step away. His arms were still around me, and I could feel his breath against my hair. “You did everything right. Sometimes they just get lucky.”
I sagged back against him, disappointed but still buzzing with adrenaline. “I can’t believe I almost caught a fish.”
“You did catch a fish. You just didn’t land him.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Big difference.” His voice was quieter now, and when I tilted my head back to look at him, his face was closer than I’d expected.
Much closer.
And wow, that man had a jawline that could cut rope.
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it for more than just the fishing lesson. For being patient. For not making me feel stupid. For making me feel capable of things I’d never thought I could do. For making me feel like maybe this whole wild plan wasn’t a joke.
His eyes dropped to my mouth, and something shifted in the air between us. The adrenaline from the fish mixed with something else entirely, something that made my skin feel too tight and my heart pound for reasons that had nothing to do with almost landing a trout.
I wanted him to kiss me. Right here, right now, with the river roaring and my pulse racing.
Maybe I’d pull him in, say something brazen, drag him under with me like one of those fish that didn’t let go. I’d never been the seductress before—but damn if I didn’t want to try.
“Ellie,” he said, and my name sounded different in his voice. Rougher. More careful.
I turned in his arms, which brought us even closer together. Close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes. Close enough to count the faint lines at the corners of those eyes. Close enough to wonder what it would feel like if he kissed me.
“This isn’t a good idea,” he said, but his hands were still on my waist, and he wasn’t stepping away.
“Probably not,” I agreed. “I’m not really known for my good ideas.”
“Ellie...”
It was supposed to be a warning, but it sounded more like a plea. And before I could second-guess myself or think about all the reasons this was complicated, I rose up on my toes and kissed him.
For about half a second, he went rigid with surprise. Then his hands tightened on my waist, and he kissed me back like he’d been thinking about it for longer than the day and a half we’d known each other.
It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t sweet. It was desperate and hungry and everything I’d been secretly hoping for since the moment I’d turned around and seen him with my bright pink lure sticking out of his shoulder.
His mouth was warm and demanding, and when his tongue touched mine, I made a sound that would have embarrassed me if I’d had any brain cells left to feel embarrassed. But thinking seemed to be completely beyond me. All I could do was feel—his hands on my waist, his mouth on mine, the way my entire body seemed to come alive under his touch.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard. He rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his jaw tight with what looked like internal struggle.
“This complicates things,” he said finally.
“Good,” I said, surprising myself with how certain I sounded. “I like complicated.”
He opened his eyes and his face took on the dark broody look I’d come to associate with him even when he was attempting to smile. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
