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“All right.” He shrugged. “Your hypothermia.”
“You would warm me up if I needed.”
His gaze was instantly piping hot and said he indeed would warm her up. She was anticipating this cold lake swim idea more and more.
“All right.” He climbed out of the Ranger and came around to help her out. “The only way to do this is to plunge right in. We’ll jump off the lowest spot.”
He directed her up the rocks. It was an easy climb, and they reached a ledge maybe a dozen feet above the water.
“Why the lowest spot?” she asked, giving him a challenging look.
“We’ll see how you like it before we progress.” He pointed up the rocky outcropping to a spot that looked dangerously high.
“What is the highest level?” she asked.
“About thirty-five feet. Nothing life threatening.”
Life threatening. Those words were not comfortable. From what Quaid had shared, her existence here could be life threatening to those around her. She prayed he was wrong.
Cade slid out of his flip-flops and she did the same. He picked up both pairs and tossed them off the rock and to the grassy bank about twenty feet away. “We usually chuck these down to the grass so the girls don’t have to climb up barefoot.”
He’d brought girls here? The woman he and Clint fought over or his sisters or other ladies?
“But I didn’t think …” His face darkened. “Your dress and my shirt.” He swallowed and looked away. He was such a gentleman he didn’t want to tell her to undress.
Jacey smiled and lifted the dress over her head. He glanced back at her. His green eyes filled with appreciation and then a longing that made her pulse quicken and her knees strangely weak.
He quickly tugged his shirt off. No posturing or presentation. It didn’t matter. He could’ve done a slow teasing move to remove his shirt and it would not have affected her any more strongly.
“Cade,” she whispered, reaching out a hand to steady herself and clinging to his muscular forearm.
“Jacey.” His voice filled with concern, and he cupped her waist and hip with his large palm to support her. “Are you all right?”
“I …” She swallowed and let her gaze trail over the pronounced muscles of his shoulders and chest. A ‘farmer’s tan’ line cut through his bicep. She relished the look. It showed how hard he worked and that he wasn’t trying to improve his tan. His skin went from a light tan on his upper body to a deep brown on his arms and neck.
“I know I don’t have my memories,” she said, “but I can promise you I’ve never seen a man built as beautifully as you are.”
His eyes widened at her boldness. His hand trailed up her waist a few inches and then around to her lower back. The blue one-piece swimsuit was open at the back, and they both startled as his palm touched bare skin. Fire rushed through her. She knew he’d move his hand quick. She enjoyed his touch while she had it.
He leaned in a few inches, his eyes fastened on hers. “Sweetheart,” he drawled out in that incredible cowboy voice she loved, “I’ve been fighting tooth and nail not to gawk at you, but I have all my memories, and I can promise you I’ve never seen a woman as beautiful as you.”
She flushed with warmth and hoped he’d forget all his noble intentions and kiss her.
“And now we should jump in some freezing water and cool off,” he said with a meaningful look.
Removing his hand from her back, he wrapped his hand around hers and tugged her toward the edge. She forced herself to look away from his handsome face and incredible build and down into the water below. The sun had set and it looked a murky, dark blue instead of the clear, bright blue she usually glimpsed.
A dart of fear traced through her. What was lurking in the depths below? She didn’t believe she had any fears of heights or water, but who knew? The jump wasn’t very high, and the water was calm, so she couldn’t imagine either was dangerous.
Her protective cowboy was right here. Cade would never let anything happen to her.
“Ready?” Cade squeezed her hand, and she could hear the anticipation in his voice. He liked jumping into his lake, which made her glad she’d suggested it.
“Do you think I can swim?” she mused.
He glanced at her, his lips turned up in an appealing smirk. “If not, I’ll be right there to hold you up.”
“Of course you will.” She smiled and knew no matter what, this man would protect and lift her. “All right. 3 … 2 … 1!”
