the way, soldier.”
He took her hand and they ran across the lawn and out onto the street where his motorcycle was sitting. He opened up his pannier and tossed her a helmet as he put his hat safely away and then grabbed his own helmet.
“You carry two helmets? How fortuitous.” She crammed it down over her head.
Nick took her purse from her hand and put it in the pannier next to his hat. “Well, I like to come prepared for adventure.”
He shut the pannier and climbed on. She sat behind him, gripping him about the waist.
“You’re being reckless. You’re such an embarrassment.”
The words had stung. Like a slap to her face. Her father had never spoken to her like that before, when he’d been a rancher.
Jennifer shook her father’s words from her head as Nick started the engine, kicked the stand and took off, heading west out of Carson City.
She didn’t know where they were going and she didn’t care.
She knew that any rational female wouldn’t go off with a man she’d just met, but something deep down inside her trusted him, probably when she shouldn’t.
Jennifer didn’t even freak when they left Carson City far behind them and headed into the state park.
After almost thirty minutes of driving, he pulled over at the Sand Harbor Overlook in Lake Tahoe State Park.
She let go of her hold on him and got off. Her legs felt a bit shaky, not used to riding on a motorcycle.
“What a great spot,” she said as she took off the helmet, handing it back to him. He’d taken his off, too, and set the helmets on the seat.
“Yeah, I love it here. I was planning on coming here after the party. One last look, you could say.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice.
“Are you heading overseas?”
Nick nodded. “My tour of duty is two years.”
Disappointment gnawed at her.
Damn.
Not that she’d been expecting this to go anywhere, but she was disappointed that they would only have this time together, because once she finished her fellowship at the end of this summer, she could get a job anywhere. Or even stay in Boston. The possibilities were endless.
“See, now you feel all bad for me. Don’t. I serve my country and I’m glad to do it. I also plan to be back to see this lake again.”
Jennifer smiled. “Are you from around here originally?”
Nick shook his head. “No, but I’ve been stationed out this way for a year. Nevada grew on me. I don’t think I want to be anywhere else.”
He walked down toward the sandy beach through the tall pines, which sighed in the light summer breeze. It made her feel a little cold and she was regretting the sleeveless shift dress she’d chosen to wear.
The sky was bright, full of stars and a large moon was hovering over the lake. A large, bright moon that was reflected in the clear, calm water.
Nick stood on the beach, gazing up at the moon. He’d taken off his dress jacket and laid it on a large boulder. He was unbuttoning the shirt, his sleeves already rolled up to his elbows.
“You’re not planning to swim, are you?” Jennifer teased.
He looked back at her over his shoulder and winked. “Maybe. Are you up for skinny-dipping?”
Jennifer chuckled. “Ah, no. It’s cold. Especially here. That water can’t be any more than fifty degrees.”
Nick frowned and glanced at the water. “You think so?”
“I know so.”
He looked at her. “So you’re native to this area?”
“Yeah,” she said, but with hardly any enthusiasm. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Nevada. As a child, she’d loved it. She’d loved northern Nevada, everything about it. The desert, the mountains and plains.
And she’d loved the Lake Tahoe area.
When she’d been younger, her father had had a ranch outside Carson City. They’d been so happy there, but then her father had sold it when she was ten. He’d told them he had bigger aspirations for all of them and he wasn’t going to waste his life grubbing away on a ranch.
So, yeah, she loved Nevada.
It was just her father, the notoriety that went with being his daughter. She wanted to escape all that. In Boston, she wasn’t the senator’s daughter. She was Dr. Mills. Trauma fellow.
She didn’t like being in the limelight. She didn’t like being the black-sheep daughter, afraid to breathe the wrong way, worried that it would ruin her father’s political career, seeing her face plastered on the local newspapers.
A splash and a shout distracted her from those thoughts.
Nick was wading in the shallow water. “Man, that is cold!”
Jennifer couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you.”
“Woo, so cold. Why don’t you come and try it out?”
Jennifer shook her head, but couldn’t stop laughing.
“You know, I never pegged you for a chicken.” He was teasing her, egging her on. She knew it.
“I’m not chicken. I’ve been in Lake Tahoe before. I know exactly how cold it is.”
Nick glanced down at his feet. “You know, it’s not too bad. You get used to it.”
Jennifer rolled her eyes and kicked off her heels. “It’s probably because your body is succumbing to hypothermia.”
Nick grinned. “Come on in. Just wade. I’m not brave enough to go swimming.”
“I’m coming.” She lifted her dress and undid the clasps on her garter belt to peel off her stockings, and when she glanced over at Nick, she could see his gaze transfixed on her legs. He was watching her roll down her stockings.
It caused her blood to heat, the thought of him watching her, knowing he was undressing her in his mind.
What am I doing?
Having fun, letting loose and living the way you used to live.
Living like everyone did.
Once she was free, she walked down to the water’s edge and grimaced. “I can feel the chill from here.”
“Come on in, you sissy.” Nick bent down and sent a gentle splash in her direction. “People up north do this all the time.”
“Yeah, well, people up north might be addled by the cold weather.”
Nick chucked. “Think of it like a polar-bear dip.”
She took a deep breath and waded into the water, which was frigid and bit at her skin like knives. “Oh, my God. You’re insane.”
Jennifer turned to leave, but he was over to her in a flash, wrapping his arms around her waist and stopping her from leaving. They were so close she could smell his cologne. It was a clean scent, but there was something else she couldn’t put her finger on. Whatever it was, it was making her feel faint.
His arms around her were so strong, steadying her.
She glanced up and his hazel eyes twinkled from the reflection of the water and the moonlight. He reached up and stroked her face, his thumb brushing against the apple of her cheek, and she turned her face into his touch instinctively.
“Can I ask you a boon?” he said, his voice deep and husky.
“A boon? Have I suddenly been transported