who’d walked in the door just then.
“Time to go?” she asked, leaping to her feet. “I’m ready.”
“Not so fast, big sister,” Maggie said. “Josh, perhaps you would like a cup of coffee before you go?” It wasn’t really a question. She was already pouring the coffee, and the determined glint in her eyes was more command than inquiry.
Josh glanced at Ashley and caught the pleading expression in her eyes. Even though he understood and shared her sisters’ well-meaning concern, he opted to side with her for now. “Sorry. No time. We have an appointment.”
“With some fish,” Melanie noted dryly. “I didn’t know they kept date books. I imagine they won’t be all that disappointed if you’re a little late.”
“These are very busy fish,” Josh retorted, undaunted by her undisguised skepticism. “And you know what they say about early birds.”
“They get the worm,” Maggie responded. “Which I don’t think applies in this instance.” She frowned at Ashley, then relented. “Okay, go, but we’re not finished with you.”
“I think I got that,” Ashley said, sounding resigned.
“What time will you be back?” Maggie asked Josh.
“Hard to say,” he responded evasively, suspecting they would be waiting on the doorstep if he gave them a specific hour. “With this whole relaxation thing, we try not to think in terms of timetables.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Oh, please,” she scoffed. “I don’t know about you, but my sister’s brain is equipped with an automatic day planner. I’m relatively certain she has no idea how to turn it off.”
“I’ve noticed,” Josh admitted. “We’re working on that. She’s already made impressive strides. You’d be surprised.” He beamed at both of them. “See you.”
He stepped aside to let Ashley bolt past him. She was halfway to the dock before he caught up with her. To his shock, she threw her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she enthused. “Your timing was impeccable. I told them you were coming, but they didn’t believe me. They thought I was just trying to get rid of them.”
He grinned. “Which you were.”
“Well, of course.”
“I gather someone filled them in about the whole Slocum situation.”
“My folks,” she admitted. “Had to be, since Jo hadn’t been able to reach them. She reluctantly agreed not to call again, but Mom and Dad refused to commit to silence.”
“Then you have spoken to your folks since last night?”
“Yes. After I talked to Jo and found out they were being pestered by reporters, I had to call them. I was trying to convince my father to limit himself to ‘no comment.’”
Josh heard the combination of frustration and amusement in her voice. “A thankless task?” he guessed.
“You have no idea,” she said ruefully. “He’s been using this opportunity to vent about media irresponsibility. I suppose I should be grateful. It’s doubtful any reporter will call him a second time.” She gave him a wistful look. “Can we table this subject till later? Maybe reinstitute the rules of our bet and keep work off-limits? I’ve done nothing but think about this mess all night long. I could use a break from it.”
He noted the dullness in her eyes and the shadows under them.
“Absolutely,” he told her. “In fact, once we anchor offshore, you can take a little nap, if you like.”
She gave him a surprisingly indignant look. “You’re assuming I won’t be catching any fish today?”
He chuckled. “You don’t even have to cast your line, unless you really want to. Remember, the object is to sort of drift along, watch the clouds roll by and relax. Fishing is just an excuse to leave all your cares behind and be out on the water on a beautiful day.”
“I wish I could,” she said wistfully.
“You’ll get the hang of it,” Josh promised. “Sometimes relaxing takes a little effort.”
She frowned at him. “Isn’t that an oxymoron or something?”
“I suppose it is, if you feel the need to analyze it to death.”
She nodded, her expression serious. “Got it. No analyzing. No thinking. Just drifting.”
“Exactly.”
She settled back against the cushion he’d propped on the seat, tugged down the brim of her cap and closed her eyes. Josh watched as her tensed muscles finally began to relax. Her bare legs and arms were turning a golden brown and her cheeks had a healthy glow, even if it couldn’t quite dispel the evidence of her exhaustion. Silently, he waited for her breathing to fall into a slow, steady rhythm.
Just when he thought she’d fallen asleep, she murmured, “Josh?”
“What?”
“Don’t you dare catch a fish while I’m taking a break.”
“Why not? It’s my turn. You’ve caught all the others.”
Her lips quirked in undisguised triumph. “Oh, right, I have, haven’t I? I’ve caught three, and you haven’t caught any.”
He barely contained a laugh. “And you felt the need to remind me of that because…?”
“Knowing I’m ahead makes it easier to rest.”
“Then, by all means, gloat,” he replied quietly. “I can take it.”
“You’re a nice man,” she said.
Josh sighed. There it was again. Nice. One of these days he was going to have to get around to showing her just how wicked he could be. Something told him that with Ashley in his arms, he could top his very best efforts to date.
The instant Ashley woke up from her nap, she peered into the bucket of salt water. “No fish?” she asked Josh, trying to keep a gloating note out of her voice. It wasn’t her fault that she’d turned out to have a knack for it that he seemed to lack.
“Actually I caught five whoppers,” he said. “Threw them all back.”
“Yeah, right. Speaking of whoppers…”
“Hey, I did,” he insisted, his expression perfectly serious. Only the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. “How was your nap?”
“Restful,” she admitted.
“Good.”
“What time is it? How long did I sleep?”
“A couple of hours, actually. It’s almost ten. I was about to slather some more suntan lotion on you.”
She grinned. “Sounds like fun,” she teased, handing him the bottle. “Just pretend I’m asleep.”
“But you’re not. You could do it yourself.”
“Come on, Josh. Go along with me here. Be daring.”
He rolled his eyes. “Okay, sweetheart, you want to take risks, it’s fine with me.” He took the outstretched bottle, poured lotion in his palm, then told her to turn around.
Ashley jerked when the cool lotion hit her bare shoulders. In a heartbeat, though, she wasn’t even aware of the lotion, only of Josh’s hands on her skin. It was evident that he had no intention of making quick work of the application. He stroked slowly. He caressed. He sent goose bumps dancing across her flesh until Ashley could hardly breathe.
When his fingers dipped into the low V on her back, skimmed down her spine, then slipped just beneath the fabric of her swimsuit, she almost jumped right out of the