The fire crackled, sending amber sparks flitting into the obsidian sky. An endless swath of glittering stars canopied Pinedrop Rafting’s base camp, while an army of silhouetted pines stood guard around the perimeter. Although she could still hear the rumble of the river through the trees, she felt safe here—protected. But her sense of security had less to do with her sheltered location and everything to do with the man standing just beyond the campfire, surrounded by fellow rafters eager to recount the details of his heroic rescue.
She still couldn’t believe he’d jumped into the dangerous current, risking his life to save hers. And each time he looked past the crowd of gushing fans to catch her eye, her stomach fluttered.
“You are so lucky.” A young twentysomething woman wearing a hot-pink tank top emblazoned with the words Team Bride plopped onto the log beside her and snatched the bag of marshmallows. “Your boyfriend is a hero and superhot.”
“We were on the raft behind you guys.” A petite brunette with a matching tank top squeezed onto the log between them, nearly stabbing Penny with her s’more skewer. “I wish we’d been close enough to see the whole thing go down. I heard he didn’t even hesitate before diving into the river after you.”
Tugging the wool blanket tighter around her shoulders, Penny shuffled over a few inches to give them room. She thought about correcting their assumption that she and Colt were a couple. But rather than have the entire bachelorette party converge on him like a swarm of flirtatious bees, she merely smiled and focused on her slowly browning marshmallow.
“I wonder if Ansel would do the same thing for me.” The bride—as denoted by her white tank top—puckered her lips in a contemplative pout.
“Of course he would!” her posse rushed to assure her. Although, she didn’t look entirely convinced.
A twig snapped, drawing their attention to the other side of the campfire.
“He’s coming over here,” the brunette squealed under her breath.
“Come on, ladies. Let’s give the lovebirds some privacy.” With an authoritative sweep of her hand, the bride gathered her dutiful followers to the second firepit, tossing Penny a wink over her shoulder as she waggled her ring finger suggestively.
Flustered, Penny diverted her gaze into the bright flames, hoping the heat would camouflage her telltale blush as Colt approached.
“Still working on the same marshmallow?” he asked with a playful smile.
“I like to take my time.” She glanced up, meeting his gaze, and instantly regretted the decision. His mesmerizing blue eyes radiated a tender warmth that traveled all the way to the tips of her toes.
“You’re a fan of the slow-and-steady approach, huh?” He settled on the log next to her, so close their thighs touched. Her heart raced as he reached across her for a skewer and marshmallow. His heady scent mixed with the smoky aroma of burning cedar and smoldering pine needles, overwhelming her senses to the point of distraction.
She swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat. “Let me guess, you shove your marshmallow straight into the nearest flame?”
“I’m not afraid to go all in, if that’s what you mean. But I’m willing to try it your way.” He maneuvered his roasting stick toward the same patch of coals, angling his marshmallow a few millimeters from hers.
The fire seemed to burn hotter, somehow. And despite her still damp clothes and the cool night air, she almost didn’t need the wool blanket anymore.
“Is there enough to share?” To her surprise, Colt gestured to the soft plaid fabric wrapped around her shoulders. Had he read her mind?
“My board shorts are fine, but this T-shirt refuses to dry.” He pulled at the ribbed cotton clinging to his broad chest, inviting her gaze to his well-defined muscles.
She gulped. “Um, sure.” Holding out the corner, her breath faltered as he scooted closer, his knee grazing hers.
What was happening to her? Her insides felt gooier than the center of her marshmallow.
Was she falling for this man?
Or was it possible that she already had?
What was he doing?
Asking Penny to share the blanket as an excuse to get closer was a rookie move. And he didn’t play games. He spoke his mind, especially when it came to women.
But with Penny, things were different. His usual confidence and bravado wavered. He actually felt nervous. At least, he assumed nerves explained the tight clench in his stomach and the erratic racing of his heartbeat.
He needed to be direct. Just tell her how you feel.
As he gave himself a pep talk, he stole a glance in her direction. Big mistake. The sight of her profile—a stunning silhouette highlighted by the arresting glow of the fire—caused his breath to lodge somewhere between his lungs and his throat, constricting his chest uncomfortably.
Yeesh. Being around this woman had turned him inside out and upside down. He didn’t know what to do with himself.
Sitting this close to her, he could count the adorable freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose. And he found himself even more captivated by the alluring trail they forged down the delicate curve of her neck and across her slender shoulders. He resisted the urge to graze them with his rough palm.
Forcing his attention on the roasting marshmallows, he racked his brain for safe topics of conversation. Anything to keep his mind off kissing her. Penny was a slow-and-steady kind of girl. Which meant he needed to be patient and take his time—a foreign concept outside the culinary realm. He could braise lamb shanks all day. But patiently and purposefully pursue a woman? That would be a first.
But without question, Penny was worth the wait. The moment she’d fallen overboard, he knew his life would never be the same. His entire world had stopped in that split second.
For the first time, he knew what it meant to care about a woman more than himself. And he would do anything to protect her. Even if it meant protecting her from himself.
“I’m sorry about what happened today,” he said quietly, rotating the marshmallow over the coals.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe not, technically. But river rafting was my idea. I swear, if I thought it was unsafe, I—”
“It’s okay.” To his surprise, she smiled softly, a teasing glint in her coppery eyes. “I think your actions today proved you aren’t actually trying to kill me.”
His heart sputtered, once again amazed by her ability to find the humor in a difficult situation. “Glad to hear it. But I completely understand if you don’t want to go through with the rest of the activities on the list.”
Colt held his breath as she stared into the fire, the pop and crackle of the embers filling the silence.
Finally, she met his gaze. “I’d like to keep going, if that’s okay with you.”
He blinked, taken aback by her response. Truthfully, he’d expected her to quit. And after today, he wouldn’t blame her. “Are you sure?”
She nodded, fixing her eyes back on her marshmallow. The lightly browned crust looked perfectly golden, but she kept it over the coals, appearing lost in her thoughts. “You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when you have a near-death experience?”
“Yeah.” His marshmallow started to bubble and slide off the end of his stick, but he didn’t dare disrupt her next words.
“Well… it’s partly true. Unless you don’t have many experiences to reflect on.” She turned toward him, a slight smile curling her lips. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’ll become a daredevil like you. But I would like a few more adventures under my belt for the next end-of-life montage.”
She held his gaze, her features an alluring array of newfound fortitude and fragile vulnerability.
His fingers ached to smooth back the wayward strands of auburn hair, crimped and wild after the confines of her French braid. Every single detail of her physical appearance seemed fashioned from his unspoken ideal. And yet, it wasn’t her outward beauty that made him breathless.
Her quiet strength had captivated him, heart and soul.
And taught him that being fearless is far less noble than doing the things that make you afraid.
He swallowed past the roughness in his throat. “Then let’s make sure that montage is Oscar-worthy.”
His gaze instinctively fell to her mouth, and every nerve in his body tingled as she slowly parted her lips, giving him a subtle green light.
With bated breath, he inched forward, his heartbeat hammering in his ears.
Penny’s eyelids fluttered closed.
As he lowered his head, a sudden hiss and sizzle dragged their attention to the fire.
Both their marshmallows had plopped onto the coals and burst into flames.
Much like their perfect moment.