Swept Away (8 page)

“Yeah sure.” Cody strolled over to the printer, staring at it like it was a foreign object.

“The extra paper is in the cabinet below.” He really shouldn’t take such pleasure from his brother’s cluelessness. “If there isn’t enough, there should be two or three cases out in the barn.”

“I knew that.” Cody shot him a deadly glare. “I was just thinking I should check the toner as well.”

“Good idea.” Carson glanced over at Lily, who was trying to hide a smile as she worked. Her fingers clicked and clacked over the keyboard, and she had managed to make quite a dent in the in basket.

Cody rummaged through the cabinet, loaded the printer with paper, and stood there looking like a man who’d just performed open-heart surgery using a pocket knife. Lily didn’t seem to notice.

Carson could just sit there watching his brother looking like a lost little kid or he could jump in and save his ass. He threw him a line. “I think we need to update our website. Maybe you could give me a hand with the copy? I’m sure you could think of some way to make it more interesting.”

“Sure. I can write up some tips to make the first time more enjoyable.” Cody seemed relieved to have something to do besides stand there and look pretty. “Lily could help.”

And that’s what he’d really come in for—an excuse to get close to Lily. Carson had just flung the door open and Cody waltzed right on through.

“Sure. I’d be happy to help.” Lily looked up from her screen. “But I need to get my work done first.”

“Maybe we could discuss it over dinner?” Cody was smooth. Too smooth.

“I started at seven-thirty. I’m sure you don’t want to pay overtime,” Lily said. Carson realized he’d been holding his breath, fearing she’d take the bait.

“Guess not.” The disappointment in Cody’s voice was priceless. He’d taken a big blow to his ego and Carson loved Lily for it.

Wait a minute.
Love
was a little strong. He liked Lily. Admired her, even. He was most definitely attracted to her. But love? That was the last thing on his agenda. As soon as he got her settled in the job, and informed Cody of his plans, he was gone.

He’d planned on driving out around Memorial Day. Take a little vacation, do some exploring along the way. Now he’d have to put it off until he was sure the business would stay afloat. Which reminded him, some of the rafts were getting old and should be replaced sooner rather than later.

“While you’re at it…” Carson realized he’d been staring at Lily. “Why don’t you run an inventory on the boats? Anything with more than three patches should be replaced.”

“Why don’t you run an inventory on the boats?” Cody came around to his side of the desk and sat down on the edge. “I need to use the computer to update the website.”

Shit. He should have thought of that. This office was feeling a little too crowded. Since Cody wasn’t budging, he figured he’d have to be the one to step aside. Leaving his brother alone with Lily. Giving him a chance to do his magic.

“Here’s my cell.” Carson jotted the numbers on a yellow sticky note. “Text me if you need anything.”

He wanted to add, “If you need me to rescue you from Cody,” but he kept that thought to himself. Maybe she wouldn’t want rescuing.

“I’ll be sure to take good care of her.” Cody was dialing up the charm. She’d resisted so far, but eventually she’d succumb. It was like trying to control the river—sure, it could be contained for a while, but eventually nature would take its course. In the natural order of things, Cody would get the girl. He always did.

“I can take care of myself, thanks.” Lily gave Carson an encouraging smile as she grabbed the next stack of papers and started thumbing through them. “At least on dry land.”

Carson’s heart swelled uncomfortably in his chest. He needed to take inventory of the boat house. He needed to take inventory of his feelings. The boat house was nice and organized. His emotions were a jumbled mess.

After a good hour of inspecting the boats, Carson found that there were two, actually, three rafts that should be replaced. There just never seemed to be any of that extra money lying around. Sure, they had enough to cover their expenses. Even paying himself and Cody a small salary. But there was never quite the surplus that could be put into really upgrading the place the way he’d like it. Sure they had solar, and the cabins were well maintained. But if he wanted new boats, he’d have to use credit. He’d pay the loan back with the salary he wouldn’t draw once he left.

* * * *

“So, Lily.” Cody moved over to her side of the desk after about fifteen minutes of fiddling on his computer. The way he’d moved the mouse, she almost thought he’d been playing a couple of hands of solitaire. He leaned on the edge, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know you aren’t interested in a dinner date, but how about a bike ride after work?”

“I don’t have a bike.” Lily didn’t even look up from her screen. A lesser man would’ve quit by now. But she had a feeling Cody wouldn’t give up so easily.

“You could rent one at Paddles and Pedals.” He picked up one of her pens. Well, she supposed they were technically his pens, but still. She knew he was just trying to play it cool. “It’s right on the river. They rent bikes and kayaks. There’s a trail that follows almost all the way to the lake. It gives you a whole different perspective of the river.”

“I don’t know. I’m not much of an outdoor girl.” Lily scooted her chair back slightly and turned to face him.

“You could be.” Cody lowered his voice, trying to tempt her into going along with him. “If you spend a lot of time around here, you’ll be an outdoor adventurer in no time. You’ve already conquered the river.”

“I took one rafting trip.” Lily sighed. She wasn’t going to get rid of him easily. “That hardly counts as ‘conquering.’”

“I’ll see if Carson wants to come with us.” Cody pushed off from the edge of her desk. “We can pack a picnic. Just a casual sort of thing.”

“Well, I guess I should get to know the area,” Lily relented. “The trail isn’t too difficult, is it?”

“Nah, you’ll do just fine.” Cody grinned. “We could meet at the bike shop.”

He wrote down the address on a sticky note. After jotting his phone number, he slid it across the desk just as the young man she’d met when she first arrived at the resort rushed through the door.

“I didn’t forget my timecard.” This must be Tyler. His face lit up when he saw Lily. “I see you did more than just look around a bit. I guess you liked what you saw.”

“Sure.” Lily’s cheeks flushed with warmth. “I’m making sure those of you who help people get wet or dirty get paid.”

“Nice.” Tyler stuck out his hand and Lily shook it. “Welcome. I’m sure you’ll love being part of the team here. Every day is definitely an adventure. Hey, boss, we got a group coming in fifteen.” The way Tyler used the nickname it almost sounded like he couldn’t tell the twins apart. “You want me to meet them and get ’em started?”

“No, I’ll be right down.” Cody ran his hand through his hair. “Lily, I’ve got a bachelorette party and there’s no way I’m leaving this up to Junior, here. It’s kind of our signature trip. But I’ll see you this evening. Say six? I mean, we’ll see you this evening.”

“Oh right.” Lily barely looked up from her computer. “I almost forgot. I’ll meet you there.”

Payroll completed, checks signed, and most of the filing complete, Lily left the office feeling satisfied with a job well done. She decided to celebrate her success with a shopping trip to Prospector Springs. She currently owned one pair of shorts and she had a feeling she would have no need for grey suits or black skirts. And two-inch heels? She’d make do with the river sport sandals she’d bought along with her new bathing suit. Comfortable and waterproof. What more could a girl want?

She bought three pairs of cropped pants, two pairs of khaki shorts, and five cotton blouses. She picked out a couple of sundresses and a pair of flats that would go with pretty much everything, and she suspected her life would change along with her wardrobe. With the exception of the river, life here moved at a much slower pace. Lily could get used to the idea of stopping for lunch when she was hungry. And instead of going to a trendy restaurant, she could eat under a hundred-year-old oak tree.

She was going to like living here.

Lily arrived at the bike shop before the guys, so she decided to go ahead and rent a bike. The clerk was helpful and friendly, and she wondered if everyone in Prospector Springs was just as welcoming as the twins. Or maybe she was no longer so worried about making the right impression, so she was the one who was friendlier. Either way, she liked her new community. She felt at home for the first time in her life.

She was all set with the bike and helmet and was making practice runs around the store when Cody pulled up. Alone. Would Carson drive over in his own truck? Or was this a set-up?

“Hey, Lily, it looks like you’re all set here.” Cody shouldered a backpack and lifted his bike out of the bed of his pickup truck. “You ready for the ride of your life?”

“Is Carson meeting us here?” Lily ignored his innuendo. She wondered if he really thought he was clever, or if it was just a bad habit he’d fallen into. “Or is it just the two of us?”

“He got hung up at the camp. Had a lot of work to do.” A flash of guilt crossed his face, but then he dialed up the charm. “But he said to tell you not to worry. You’ll be in very good hands with me.”

“Oh really?” Since she’d already paid the bike rental, she figured she might as well go through with it. Maybe she could set him straight. “I have to warn you, I haven’t been on a bike in years. I don’t think spin class counts.”

“I’m sure you’ll remember what to do.” Cody moved in on her, getting a little too close for her comfort. “And I’ll be here to catch you if you fall.”

No need to worry about that. He wasn’t her type.

Lily strapped on her helmet and mounted her bike. It didn’t take long to get a nice rhythm going. It really was a skill that came back, even after years of not riding.

“Wow, this is a really beautiful trail.” Lily paused to take a sip from her water bottle. She was in pretty good shape for someone who didn’t spend a lot of time outdoors. She had her workout tapes, but she’d left the treadmill behind. She’d left a lot of her old life behind. “It’s hard to believe this is the same river that runs through downtown Sacramento.”

“Yeah, normally I’d rather be on the river than next to it.” Cody took a long drink of water and glanced over at her, drinking her in. “But it’s worth it just being next to you.”

“I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.” Lily might as well play along. She’d decided it was just his habit. Flirting was his native language.

“I’ve never brought a date here.” She had a feeling Cody was trying to impress her. “You’re the first.”

“Where do you usually take your dates?” Lily asked with a playful grin. “Straight to your bed?”

“Well…yeah.” Cody took his sunglasses off and a slow, sensual smile spread across his face. “Most of them are tourists, just up for the weekend, so there’s not a lot of time to get to know each other.”

“So what, do you just snap your fingers?” Lily could see how women would be attracted to him, but wondered how so many of them just jumped into bed with him so quickly. “And these women just agree to meaningless sex?”

“It’s not meaningless.” He sounded defensive. Maybe even a little hurt.

Lily shrugged and hopped back on her bike. She started to say something about how she wasn’t the kind of girl who could engage in meaningless sex, but then she realized she’d been doing it for years. Sex couldn’t get more meaningless than her futile attempts at conceiving a baby. She and Brian had long ago stopped pretending it meant anything else. Foregoing the wine, the music, the sexy lingerie, they’d made no attempts at foreplay. They’d made no attempts at connection.

“Hey, slow down.” Cody pedaled alongside her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sure.” She stopped. Straddling her bike, she took a slow, deep breath. “Sorry. Who am I to judge what you do with your personal life?”

“I’d like for you to be a part of my personal life.” For the first time since she’d met him, Cody sounded sincere. “What do you say we stop for a picnic?”

“Sure.” Lily dismounted her bike and flashed him an apologetic smile. He wasn’t a bad guy. At least he was honest. Besides, there was a good chance that Carson wasn’t all that different. He probably had his share of casual relationships, too.

She parked her bike on the side of the trail and followed him to a soft grassy area surrounded by thick tangles of nearly ripe blackberries. The river flowed over small stones and gravel, making a soft, almost musical sound. It was the perfect spot for a picnic. It would even be romantic, with the right guy.

Cody pulled a thin blanket from his backpack and spread it on the ground. He brought out a loaf of bread, a container of sliced cheese, a bunch of red grapes, and a bottle of wine. He pulled two plastic wineglasses out of his pack and undid the cork with his pocketknife.

“Can I help you with anything?” She was starting to feel a little nervous. He’d gone to a lot of trouble putting this together and would most likely expect her to fall for it. To fall for him.

“No. I got it. You just sit there looking gorgeous.” He poured them each a glass of wine and set to work on the bread and cheese.

“Oh please, I have horrible helmet hair.” Lily caught herself trying to smooth it down. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to her appearance.

“I like helmet hair. Almost as much as bedhead.” Cody drew the words out, slow and seductive. It was almost comical. But Lily knew he was serious. He really thought he could win her over this way.

“Okay, you win.” Lily took off her sunglasses and inspected him closely. “You’ve got the right build. Broad shoulders, narrow hips. Tall, probably six-three at least. Lean and strong. Any major diseases run in your family?”

“What?” He seemed thrown off balance by her sudden change in attitude.

“You want to have sex with me.” She plucked a grape from the bunch and popped it into her mouth, watching him watch her. “And I want something too. I want to have a baby. So…we might as well get down to it.”