Chapter 10 #2
The minute the raft was out of the garage, I punched the button to close the door. Then I rolled down the street, holding my breath as I navigated through town. Only when we were on the highway and there was no one behind us did I finally take the nearest pullout.
When I rushed to the back, Scarlett was laughing. Her smile eased all my worries.
“What?”
“That was actually kind of fun.”
“Come on.” I waved her out, keeping a watch on the road to make sure we were alone as she climbed out and jogged to the truck.
When she was buckled into the passenger seat and I was behind the wheel, I got right back on the road.
“Now will you tell me where we’re going?” she asked.
I took her hand, lacing my fingers with hers on the console.
“Every year, I take a week-long fishing trip. There’s this float on the Smith River that’s completely secluded.
You can’t get in by vehicle and it’s bordered by public lands so there aren’t any private homes or cabins.
It’s my week to unplug. No cell phones. No radio calls. ”
“No motorcycle clubs or federal agents.”
I grinned. “Exactly.”
“And you’re okay to leave the station?”
“Yeah. My senior officers will deal with anything that comes up. I’ve got a good crew.” And at the moment, there were no cases that needed my direct supervision.
Since Ken Raymond’s death, the most exciting thing to happen in town had been a bar fight at The Betsy.
Fights there weren’t uncommon but this one had been unique because it had been two women.
Both ladies had been hauled to jail, where they’d sobered up and left embarrassed and hungover the morning after.
If something big did happen, I had a good relationship with the county sheriff and her deputies. She knew I would be on the river this week, and like she did every year, she’d be around as an on-call resource. I did the same for her when she took her family on their annual February trip to Hawaii.
“Think you can rough it with me for a week?”
“I think I can do anything with you for a week.”
I brought her knuckles to my mouth, brushing my lips across her smooth skin, then focused on the road. The trip to the drop-off point took about an hour. Normally, the drive was my time to relax and get excited for the trip, but with Scarlett beside me, I couldn’t seem to settle my fears.
My eyes flew to the mirrors constantly, checking for cars that might be trailing us. Whenever a vehicle approached us going the opposite way, I tensed, hoping we were going too fast for a passerby to notice the gorgeous blonde riding shotgun.
Finally, the turn-off for the river approached and I’d never been happier to get off the highway. “Okay, beautiful. You’ll have to crawl in the back and stay low. Once we get there, I’ll sneak you into the raft.”
“Will there be a lot of people?”
“No,” I said, turning onto the gravel road.
“There’ll be a ranger from the park service who checks my permit.
This is a special section of the river and to float, you have to draw an annual pass.
Mine is normally in August, but a buddy of mine offered to trade for this week instead.
It’ll be colder than in August, and the water is running higher.
Fishing won’t be as good, but it will still be fun. ”
“I’ve never caught a fish.”
“You will this week.” I reached behind us, taking a blue ball cap I’d tossed in the truck for Scarlett. “Put this on.”
She tucked it over her bright blond locks, tucking the long strands behind her ears and tying it all into a ponytail.
“There will be other rafters too, but the launch times are staggered so we won’t cross paths. If we do, just smile and wave.”
“And what if someone sees us?”
“Then we’ll tell them the truth. I’m taking my girlfriend camping and floating for the week.”
Scarlett looked over, her cheeks flushing. “I like being called your girlfriend.”
“Good. Because I like saying it.”
In a small town, there weren’t many single women around and I didn’t date much.
I hadn’t had a girlfriend in ages, unless you counted Presley.
And even with her, the two of us had been more friends than anything.
Two lonely people who’d go out to eat on a Friday night instead of coming home alone to a frozen lasagna.
Scarlett was different from Presley, different from any woman.
I craved her company. I longed for her smile. When we were apart, I counted the hours until I could be with her again. My desire for her was a living, breathing beast I had no plans to tame.
Maybe it was risky to bring Scarlett to the river, but I wanted to share this with her. To bring her into my world because I had no doubt she’d love it here too.
Camping was something my parents had always done together. Dad had taught Mom about rafting and boating. She’d grown up in town and her parents hadn’t been outdoorsy. Then she’d married Dad and all that had changed. Dad wouldn’t go on the Smith trip with me. He hadn’t done it since Mom had died.
Because it had been her favorite week out of the year.
It was the last week of May and as expected, the parking lot ahead was nearly empty except for one other party at the drop-off point. The float was better later in the summer after the spring runoff had slowed. But as far as keeping Scarlett as hidden as possible, this week would be perfect.
She sucked in a shaky breath, then climbed into the back and tucked herself behind the passenger seat. Then she grabbed the blanket I left back there in case of emergency and draped it over her head. “Can you see me?”
“Yes.”
She lifted the blanket and shot me a glare. “You know what I mean.”
I chuckled. “You’re fine. You don’t need the blanket. No one will check the truck.”
She covered herself again anyway.
I pulled into the loop of the unloading zone and parked, getting out to greet the ranger on duty as he walked over. He was a younger man who’d been working here for two years in a row and recognized my name from the permit.
We bullshitted about the weather and the fishing, then he shook my hand again, warned me that the water was running high and wished me a good trip.
“Almost set,” I told Scarlett as I pulled farther down the stretch to reverse the raft onto the riverbank.
“How am I supposed to get out?”
I glanced around the gravel lot, making sure the ranger had returned to his camp trailer. There was only one other group here, three rafts and about eight people, but they didn’t look anywhere near ready to launch. And none of them were paying me any attention.
I didn’t want to get stuck behind a big, slow procession, so I hurried to beat them into the water. “Go ahead and hop out. I’ll meet you at the raft. You can climb in where you were before.”
“Okay,” she whispered, then carefully untucked herself. We met at the side of the raft and I helped her into the seat, then secured the oars in the oarlocks so they’d be ready for me when we shoved off.
“Hang tight,” I told her, pushing the raft into position.
With it ready, I parked the truck and trailer in the empty lot beside the loading zone and jogged back to the raft. One good shove and we were in the water. I leapt onto the bow and took up my position on the main bench seat.
Scarlett stared up at me with wide eyes as the raft bounced and bobbed with the water.
“Here we go, beautiful.” I grabbed the oars and gave us a good shove forward.
“I already love this.” She smiled, closing her eyes as she dragged in a long breath.
I rowed hard to get us around the initial bend, where we’d be out of sight.
The cool air blew in my face. The sunshine warmed my skin and the familiar burn from rowing built in my arms.
God, this felt good. If I’d had any doubts about taking her along, they were washed away with the river’s current. I’d needed this trip, not just for Scarlett, but for me.
One week. I’d take one week and quiet the noise. I’d ignore my worries about the future.
By the time we rounded the first bend, I’d already adjusted to the rock and sway of the river. I glanced over my shoulder, double-checking we were out of sight, then grinned at Scarlett. “All clear. Come on up.”
Scarlett sat and took in the surroundings, her eyes wide as she settled into the bench across from mine.
Her eyes were the cerulean blue of the sky. The breeze played with the loose tendrils of her golden hair. Her smooth, flawless skin soaked in the sun.
My heart skipped. Damn, but she was beautiful. So pure and bright. The view around us was stunning, but it was nothing compared to Scarlett.
“This is . . .” She struggled for words. “It’s gorgeous.”
“Yes, it is.”
She met my gaze and her cheeks flushed as she threw out a hand. “Not me. This.”
Cliffs rose from the water like walls, towering into the sky. The nude rock was striated with streaks of red, orange and yellow. High above us, green grass swayed over the cliff’s edge.
The natural landscape was the reason this float was so isolated. There were no beaches. No boat ramps or commercial campsites. The only way in was by water. And it was the only way out.
Scarlett tore her eyes from the view and flashed me that heart-stopping smile. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“My pleasure.”
One week. This one week would be all about my pleasure. And hers.
Because my gut was screaming that the minute we got home, time would be up.