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“Sweets, can you hand the phone to the attendant? I think it’s Dennis…I can tell him.”
She shot the man a sheepish look. “Um, my boyfriend, he’s the Condors quarterback…huh…”
He pulled his eyes together, the thin line between them growing deeper as she gestured to her phone.
She heard Jake say, “Tell him it’s Jake Skyler.”
“I heard,” Dennis stated, extending his hand to her, reaching for the phone. “Hey Jake, this is your girlfriend? Okay, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t another fan trying to figure out which room you’re in.” He made a clucking sound, then added, “Got to protect you from the fanatics.”
Rakell automatically rolled her eyes, twisting her head away, hoping he hadn’t seen her reaction. It's like I’m some Skyler acolyte scrounging around for his room number, so I can just show up, and what? Offer myself to him? Is that what he’s used to? She unlocked the back door of the rental, jerking her suitcase from the seat. She needed to change out of the T-shirt dress and white sneakers she’d worn for traveling.
“Okay, sure thing, no problem. I know the bungalow you’re in, lakefront, yes, of course. I’ll ensure all her belongings get there. Yes, everything you requested will be in place, sir. No need, I’m happy to do it, Jake. I’ll have her down to the dock in five,” he said, handing the phone back to Rakell. “Miss, just leave your luggage, and I’ll take it to your room. I'll also get a golf cart to take you down to the lake.”
She nodded as Dennis picked up the suitcase, returning it to the back seat of her rental, realizing she wasn’t going to have time to change.
She heard Jake saying her name and put the phone to her ear. “Hey, sorry, your personal bodyguard was talking to me. I mean, really, how many women are just going to camp out in front of your door for a glimpse of your famous cock?”
The roar of his laughter felt like being squeezed in one of his bear hugs. She smiled, her pulse slowing, the tension in her shoulders easing as if his low throaty drawl was wrapping around them.
“I only want one, and she’s finally here.”
“Sorry, the drive from the Reno airport was slow. The winding road around the mountains and that wind…”
“Shoot babe, sorry, I didn’t even think about that. Listen, they’re waiting to push off from the dock, so Dennis will get you down here. Then he’ll drive the rental, park it, and unload for you, so don’t worry about any of that. You can trust him. He’ll get everything to our bungalow. You’ll need a sweater or a jacket. Once the sun goes down, the lake wind can be bitter. There are blankets on board and, of course, me, but you might want another layer.”
Dennis looked to be in his sixties but moved like a man in his thirties. He chatted with her about Tahoe as they made the quick drive down the paved path to the beach. “This way,” he said, jogging toward the dock that jutted out from the cabana-covered beach into the dark blue massive body of water.
She scanned the mountains but had to work to keep up with him. “Sorry, my breath,” she forced out.
He chuckled. “No, I’m sorry, I always forget this air. I’ve lived here since the summer after my freshman year at Berkeley. I came here to work for the season and never left. Made my parents furious.” He spread his arms out wide. “But look!” Awe rushed from his voice as he made a sweeping motion across him like he was painting the horizon. “If there is a God, she’s here. The mountains around the lake remind me of the hands of an old woman cradling a body to protect it.”
“Yes,” Rakell said, thinking it was a description she’d never forget.
He pointed at the two guys on the pier near the docked boat. “Have fun. The sunset on the lake is not to be missed.”
“Thank you,” she said, passing him as she power-walked the length of the long pier, which had a bar perched at the end.
One of the guys greeted her, instructing her to be careful as she stepped onto the large pontoon. She recognized Tracey, the backup quarterback, with his broad smile and shoulder-length blondish hair. Stretching his open palm in her direction, "You need a hand?” he asked.
As she reached for his outstretched fingers, she saw a familiar muscular forearm extending toward her. “I got this, Skip,” Jake mumbled, his blue eyes focused on Tracey before lighting up on Rakell, his gaze warming her. Seeing him felt like coming home, she thought to herself, no matter where they were. It was as if they both understood that they could create a cocoon around them. With one long step onto the deck, she was entangled in his arms. His lips moved to hers, lingering a few seconds until the boat erupted in clapping cheers as they pushed away from the dock.
Releasing her, Jake tugged her hand toward the starboard side, where Dwayne was sitting. Some chatter, snickers, and whispers floated through the air, most of the words lost in the brisk wind. A few fragments bounced off the water. “Jumbotron,” “How long?” “Another model,” “Man-eater,” “Those breasts,” “Skyler will kill you,” “It’s not going to last,” “I heard she’s nice.” She smiled, looking at Jake before sliding her gaze to Dwayne. Externally, she knew that her face displayed only a good-natured little smile, but internally, her middle finger shot up, so accustomed to the whispered assumptions she’d heard when working as an escort. “She’s paid for,” “She’s too young,” “She’s too big,” “She’s too tall,” “She’s a prostitute.”
As they approached, Dwayne broke off his conversation with a couple of other guys, his dark, animated eyes sparking to life when he saw her. He had an uncanny ability to make a person feel almost nostalgically special as if they were his long-lost friend from grade school. “If it isn’t the Jumbotron queen,” he bellowed, jumping up, his arms outstretched toward her. She gladly let Dwayne wrap her up in a big hug. “Damn, so glad you made it. I thought Pretty Boy was going to wet his pants pacing back and forth.”
“Ass, I was not,” Jake defended, his tone lacking any conviction.
“It’s okay, blue eyes, we all know you’ve been bit and hard.” He winked at Rakell. “But hey, seriously,” he said, eyes fixed on her, “glad you made it.”
She pursed her lips, trying to stop the laughter aching to launch from her throat. “Thanks, I found out from Dennis that the route I took here is not the one recommended. It looked like the shortest but it’s not the fastest because of the winding roads.” She shrugged her shoulders, then felt Jake’s large hands kneading her upper arms over the thin sweater she was wearing.
“Sorry about that, Sweets,” Jake said. “Let me get you Champagne or a beer or…”
“Actually, water, a bottle of water would be great. I’m parched.”
“Mountain air,” Dwayne said, jumping in. “Make sure you drink a lot of water tonight.”
The young guy driving the boat blew a loud whistle, and the bombastic chatter dulled to a low hum. “Hey, most of you know, I’m Josh. Welcome, Condors! I’m a big fan…” He was cut off by the guys’ hoots, claps, and yelps, so he whistled again.
