Wilde Nights in Paradise (Wilde Security #1)

Chapter Seventeen

“You want me to balance on that ?” Standing on the dock in her swimsuit with her arms crossed over her chest, Libby stared at the rented paddleboard like it was a cousin of her dreaded iguana. “Um, no. I don’t think so. Have you met me? I trip over my own feet on a daily basis.”

Jude laughed. She was adorable when she stared at him like he was insane. “It’ll be fun.”

“Says the man who thinks near death experiences are fun.”

“C’mon, have I steered you wrong yet?”

She opened her mouth. Closed it after a second without uttering a sound. “No. And I wish I could say otherwise, dammit.” She eyed the board again. “Is it safe?”

“You stood up in a moving car on the highway,” he reminded her. “You got this.”

When she didn’t move, he jumped into the water and pulled himself up onto the board, which was much longer and wider than a surfboard and easier to balance on. He held out a hand. “Trust me.”

“Never.”

Ouch. But, yeah, nothing less than he deserved. “You can sit in front and relax. I’ll do the paddling.”

She glanced around the deserted beach. “Do I have any other choice?”

“Well, you could sit here by yourself for four hours until I reach the rental place and have them send a boat back.”

“Like I said, do I have a choice?” She set her hand in his and stepped off the dock with all the grace of a dropped rock. The board flipped, and she landed in the water with a shriek. Jude laughed so hard he sucked in a lungful of water when he went under and came up coughing.

“Not funny.” She splashed him. “You said it was safe.”

“It is, but you can’t jump on the board like you’re pole vaulting.” He swam over to her and tugged the rope attached to his ankle, dragging the board close. “Climb on.”

“How?”

“Like you would pull yourself out of a swimming pool. Use your legs. I’ll keep it steady. Once you get up there, lay flat on your stomach.” He bit the inside of his cheek as he watched her struggle. He should probably swim around and give her a helping boost, but…nah. He kind of liked the view from this angle. Her swimsuit top slipped low as she struggled to pull herself up with her arms, giving him a tantalizing peek-a-boo glimpse of her nipple. He wondered how she’d react if he leaned across the board, shoved aside the triangle of black fabric, and sucked that rosy bud into his mouth. She’d probably slap him, but damn, would it be worth it. He’d just about convinced himself to do it when she finally managed to get up on her belly.

She looked good lying there like that, her bare back and legs glistening in the sun as she tried to catch her breath.

“Wow,” she breathed and finally lifted her head. “I’m out of shape.”

Not from where he stood. You ask him, those two dimples in her back at the base of her spine all but begged for exploration by his lips and tongue.

“Uh…Jude?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and willed his half-mast erection to play nice. “Yeah, sorry. Hold on to the board. It’s going to shake a little.” With a lot less struggle, he climbed on and positioned himself on his knees, one of each side of her waist.

“You made that look too easy,” she accused.

Easy. Right. Except he underestimated how difficult sitting in this position was going to be. If he leaned back, even a little, his balls brushed the sweet curve of her ass and every muscle in his body clenched in anticipation.

Okay. They had to get to prime water before he exploded. He maneuvered over to the dock, grabbed his pack and the paddle. He looped the pack across his back, then started paddling in a steady rhythm, moving them away from the choppy water by the dock. Once they were far enough into the calm of the bay, he slowed to a stop and used his weight to steady the board.

“Go ahead and sit up now. Slowly.”

She sat up, cross-legged, and he climbed to his feet behind her.

She glanced back. “Am I supposed to stand?”

“Only if you want to.”

She bit her lower lip, and he thought she might take the risk. But then, in typical Libby fashion, she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Your loss.” He dug the paddle into the water, propelling them toward the nearby mangrove tunnels. He had to duck under the first low-hanging branch, but then the branches stretched into a green canopy overhead. Gnarled mangrove roots framed the narrow channel, and the only noise came from the slosh of his paddle and the distant call of a bird.

“Are there crocodiles in here?” Libby whispered.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It’s a valid question. I can’t see through the water anymore. Don’t they hide in places like this?”

Jude stopped paddling and released a frustrated breath. “I already told you crocs aren’t usually found this far south. Besides, you’re missing the whole point of this.”

Tilting her head back, she stared up at him with real confusion. “What point? Are you trying to get us eaten?”

“Libs.” He knelt down and balanced the paddle across his knees. She let out a little gasp and gripped the sides of the board as it swayed with his movement.

“I want to go back.”

“In a minute.” He rubbed her shoulders, felt the hard knots of tension bunched there, and worked them out with his thumbs. “Relax. Look around. What do you see?”

“What do I see? Those creepy, twisted trees you see in swamps and horror movies. Dark water, and who knows what’s swimming under us right now. I see a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing away up ahead. We’re probably both going to get eaten alive, if not by the crocodiles hiding under those trees, then by the damn bugs. And I bet there are spiders here. That little one was one thing, but if we run into anything bigger, you’re on your own, pal.”

His Libby, always a pessimist. He leaned in close, putting his lips next to her ear. “You know what I see? I see life. Beautiful, mysterious, and sometimes frightening life. There are so many ugly places and people in this world, I’ve learned you have to grab hold of the places like this, the moments like this, and cherish them.”