Hunter's Bride and A Mother's Wish. Marta Perry

Later in the summer the water would reach the temperature of a warm bath, but now it felt pleasantly cool. They’d spent the past two days ostensibly sight-seeing while Luke looked at possible hotel sites, but she’d finally gotten him to make good on his promise.

      She watched Luke’s face as he looked from her to the softly rocking two-person craft. He’d obviously clamped down hard on his feelings. This was the face he wore when he met a challenge in the business arena—impassive, determined, aggressive. If he felt any fear, he certainly didn’t intend to show it to her.

      “You’re sure you know how to operate one of these things?” Luke raised straight black brows and prodded the kayak.

      “Daniel and David had me out in one before I went to kindergarten.” She braced it with both hands. “Climb in and get the feel of it. We’ll stay where we can stand up, I promise.”

      And where no one would see them. She didn’t say that out loud, but she knew it was in his thoughts. Luke would never want anyone to see him doing something he didn’t do well. But she also knew that if he once started something, he wouldn’t quit until he had mastered it.

      He grasped the side of the kayak. “Okay, Chloe. I’m going to trust you. But if you dunk me, I’ll take it out of your salary.” He climbed in gingerly, and she handed him a paddle.

      “That might be worth it.” Before he could react, she pulled herself easily onto the seat behind him.

      Freed from the restraint of her grasp, the small craft curtseyed in the gentle swell. Luke grabbed the side, and she pretended not to notice.

      “I’ll paddle first.” She dipped the paddle into the water, sending them forward. “When you feel comfortable, join in.”

      She stroked evenly and watched the tension in his shoulders. For a few minutes he didn’t move. Then, slowly, he began to relax. He released his grip on the side and turned his head to glance back at her paddle. She saw him in profile—mouth set, eyes alert, finding his way in unfamiliar territory.

      “I pull on the same side as you?” He dipped his paddle into the water.

      “That’s right, just not too deep. Don’t worry about the rhythm. I’ll match my stroke to yours.”

      The instant he started paddling, the kayak picked up speed. They skimmed across the water. His stroke, uncertain at first, settled into a rhythm, even though his hands grasped so hard that his knuckles were white.

      “Not bad,” he said. “Not bad at all.”

      “Just remember that you control the kayak. It responds to your movements. If you lean over too far, we’ll both be in the drink.”

      He turned toward her enough that she could see his lips twitch. “As you said, it might be worth it.”

      She let him set the pace, her strokes compensating for his inexpert ones. Gradually his movements became smoother, and the grasp he had on the paddle eased. She could see the moment at which he began to enjoy it, and something that had been tight inside her eased.

      She lifted her face to the breeze, pleasure flooding her. She’d told herself it was only fair that Luke do something he found difficult, given the situation he’d pushed her into. But she knew that wasn’t the real reason she’d wanted to do this.

      This was the world she loved. Maybe she didn’t belong here any longer, in spite of what Gran said, but she did love it. Especially on a day like this, with sunlight sparkling on the water and the gentle murmur of waves kissing the shore. She watched droplets fall from the paddle, crystal in the light. She wanted Luke to love it, too.

      No, not love it. That was too much to ask. But she didn’t want to imagine him going back to Chicago and amusing his friends with stories of his stay here. She wanted him to appreciate her place and her people, no matter how alien they were to him.

      She stopped paddling, reaching forward to touch his arm. His warm skin made her fingers tingle, and she tried to ignore the sensation. “Look.”

      He rested the paddle on his knees and followed the direction she pointed. She heard his breath catch as the dolphins broke the surface of the water.

      “They look a lot bigger from this angle.”

      “We’re at their level now.” She smiled, watching the flashes of silver as the dolphins wheeled through the waves. “Sometimes they’ll come right up to the kayak, as if they want to play.”

      “I think I’d just as soon watch them from a distance.” Luke glanced back at her. “I’m sure you’d rather play with them.”

      “They’re old friends.” As she said the words, she realized how much she’d missed this. “They come back to the sound every year. Maybe…” She stopped, not sure she wanted to say it. It sounded foolish.

      “Maybe what?”

      She shrugged. “Sometimes I think they’re the descendants of Chloe’s dolphins.”

      He turned toward her, expression skeptical. “Isn’t that a little fanciful?”

      “I know it’s not likely.” She hated sounding defensive. Why shouldn’t she believe that if she wanted to? “But the same pod does come back year after year. They belong here just as much as we do.”

      “Maybe you’re right—”

      His voice had softened, as if he realized it was important to her. As if he cared that it was important to her.

      “But it looks as if they’re done showing off for us today.”

      She nodded, watching the silver arcs disappear toward open ocean. “They’re probably heading farther out to feed. And I don’t suppose you want to go out after them….”

      “I’ll have to get a lot better before I want to chase down dolphins in this thing.” Luke picked up his paddle. “But I’m willing to practice.”

      “Okay.” She dipped into the water. “Let’s head for the buoy. You’ll be able to see that tract of land near the yacht club from there.”

      He nodded, adjusting his movement to hers, and in a second they were paddling in unison. Luke’s stroke picked up speed, sending the kayak flying across the water.

      “Are we racing?” she asked, meeting his speed.

      He turned his head again to smile at her, and this time the pure enjoyment in his face set her nerves vibrating.

      “Too bad we don’t have anyone to race.”

      “Don’t you mean anyone to beat?” she asked.

      He shrugged. “That’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

      Maybe to him, it was. His question resonated, disturbing her pleasure in the moment. Luke excelled in competition, and she’d gotten used to that over the past few years. It seemed natural back in their business world. Here his competitiveness struck a jarring note, reminding her of the differences between them.

      “There’s the yacht club—” She pointed. “Uncle Jeff owns the land that adjoins it.”

      Luke shaded his eyes. “Is it up for sale?”

      “I’d guess anything Uncle Jeff owns is up for sale, if the price is right.” She heard the censure in her words and regretted it. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

      “Why?”

      Luke sent a puzzled look over his shoulder, and she realized he hadn’t even reacted to the family problem that weighed on her. This was business. And theirs was a business relationship, nothing more.

      “Never mind. Let’s take a break.” She shifted her weight, turning the craft toward shore. “We’d best put some more sunscreen on before we get burned.”

      They rode the waves to shore, then dragged the kayak onto the sand. Chloe dropped to the beach towel