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He dropped it into the cooler he’d brought.
Her jaw went slack. “You’re … keeping it?”
He shot her a puzzled look. “It’s our supper.”
Horror filled her. “We’re eating it?” Her voice pitched higher.
He blinked. “What’s the point of catching fish if you don’t eat it?”
She swallowed. “I figured you’d throw it back.”
He stepped up the embankment, cleaning his hands on a damp wipe. “You made me eat anchovies and pineapple on a pizza. You can eat a properly grilled catfish.”
The man had a point. She wagged a finger. “I don’t want it looking at me.”
He laughed. “It won’t be. Headless. Gutted. Nicely spiced, too.”
“Shut up.” She turned back to the keyboard, setting the anchor in place while he rebaited the hook.
*
Ronan cast the line back into the river, set it into the stand, and ambled up to her, dropping to the ground. A low hum drew his attention. His gaze flicked downstream. One of the aluminum boats tied to the dock they were surveilling was on the water, its outboard throwing a white wake as it headed toward them. “Got company.” Before she could turn, he caught her wrist. “Play with me.”
“What?”
He leaned in and kissed her.
Before she could react, he eased her backward onto the blanket, shielding her beneath the broad line of his shoulders. From the river, anyone looking their way would see little more than a couple wrapped up in each other.
The outboard throttled back.
“Hey!” a man called. “Everything all right over there?”
Ronan lifted his head just enough to answer without exposing Felicity. “Couldn’t be better.”
The boat drifted closer, the man’s gaze sweeping the riverbank. “Didn’t expect company this far out.”
Ronan shrugged. “Hoping for a decent catch.”
“Any luck?”
Ronan jerked a thumb toward the rods. “Enough to keep us optimistic.”
The stranger looked from the fishing lines to the picnic blanket, lingering a beat too long. His eyes narrowed for a moment, as if weighing whether to ask another question.
Ronan held his gaze, relaxed but unmoving. He was grateful that Felicity stayed down.
Finally, the stranger nodded. “Well … enjoy yourselves.”
“That’s the plan.”
The outboard growled back to life. The boat swung away, its wake rocking gently against the bank before disappearing downstream.
Ronan kept watching until the engine noise faded into the distance.
Only then did he look at her. “Guess we caught their attention.”
“They’re not totally lax.”
