He did a quick three-sixty spin in the water, the fierce current carrying him downriver. Then a head popped above the surface about five yards upriver.
Victoria.
She took a deep breath, then laughed and pointed her feet downstream.
He fought the current, kicking hard to hold his position, and let the river carry her straight into his arms. Then he rolled onto his back and steered them to the safety of the sand. And there they lay, Victoria on top of him, panting for breath, the sunshine slowly bringing heat back into their limbs. It was only then that he realized the two of them had ended up on one side of the river, while everyone else was on the other.
“You okay, city girl?”
Victoria raised herself up, looked down at him, a brilliant smile on her beautiful face. “That was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
Then she bent down and kissed him.
Up on the cliffs, people cheered.
* * *
They showeredin the rafting company’s locker rooms, excitement still humming through Vic’s veins as she shampooed her hair.
What an adrenaline rush this day had been.
From the moment they’d hit that first rapid, her fear had vanished. Even when the boat had disappeared from beneath her, she hadn’t been afraid—stunned by the cold water, yes, but not afraid. She’d kicked her way to the surface, aided by her floatation vest, to find Eric searching for her. Her heart had melted when she’d seen the worry on his face. Then the river had pushed her into his arms, and he’d held onto her until they reached the sand.
She tilted her head back to rinse the shampoo away, smiling to herself, the memory of their kiss sending a thrill through her. She wasn’t sure what had come over her. Maybe it was just the adrenaline. Maybe it had been the sight of him lying there, out of breath and sexy as hell. Or maybe it had been his concern for her.
No man had ever put himself on the line for her before.
She finished her shower, wrapped a towel around herself, and stepped out to make room for someone else. She dried off, rubbed lotion into her skin, and slipped into a white cotton tank top and a pair of hunter green hiking shorts she’d added to Eric’s skimpy pile. Had he really expected her to bring so little?
Dressed like this, she felt so very Colorado. Here, women dressed like they were on their way to the gym—yoga pants or shorts, T-shirts, no makeup.
She found Lexi bent over in front of the mirrors, drying her hair. “I saw that kiss.”
Vic couldn’t help but smile. “I think a lot of people did.”
The crowd on the cliff had actually cheered.
She pulled a comb out of her makeup bag and began to work through her tangles, Lexi’s silence speaking volumes. “Let me guess. You’re going to warn me that Eric is a bit of a playboy and tell me I shouldn’t get my hopes up.”
Lexi stood, flipping her red hair back. “Just be careful, okay? You’re my best friend, and he’s Austin’s best friend. I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”
And just like that, reality drove Vic’s smile away.
Chapter 9
Vic listenedfrom the backseat while Austin and Eric ribbed each other, their banter helping her to drive away the sense of gloom left by Lexi’s warning.
“Think they’ve got a gas station in St. Elmo?” Austin asked.
“Dude, it’s a ghost town,” came Eric’s reply. “We’d better gas up now. Once I lose cell service, we’ll be going off a map. We don’t want to get lost and run out of fuel up there.”
“Good idea,” Lexi said.
“Get lost?” Austin asked. “Since when do I get lost?”
Lexi laughed, shaking her head. “Are you serious?”
“Let’s see …” Eric seemed to consider the question. “There was that time you got us lost on Grand Mesa. That was fun.”