Chance of a Lifetime (Anderson Brothers) (6 page)

Chapter Ten

G
en giggled as Chance led her by the hand. “Have you done this before?”

“Skinny-dip? Yes, many times. Not at this location, though,” he whispered. “We’re almost there. We just need to climb this chain-link fence, and we’re in.”

“Where are we?” She laid her hands flat against the cold fence and hung on while it strained and rattled as he climbed over ahead of her.

“It’s a private residential lake on Long Island,” he whispered, guiding her hands to the top of the short fence, no taller than four feet. “Can you climb this on your own?”

“Of course I can.” As she shoved her foot in one of the wire diamonds, the gravel crunched on the drive behind them and she squeaked.

“It’s okay. That’s just Jacob leaving to wait at the end of the street so we aren’t spotted.”

She powered up to the top of the fence and straddled it, loving the feel of his warm hands steadying her by the waist as she swung her leg over. “I think it’s because you don’t want him to see me naked.”

“That, too.”

He pulled her free of the fence and held her against him until she was steady. “Pond is about fifty feet straight ahead,” he whispered in her ear, sending shocks of energy through her entire body. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

She crept along behind him with her fingers though his belt loops, fighting back giggles. “Are you kidding? I’ve waited ten years to do this. Are you going to chicken out on me?”

“Never!”

“Shhhhhh.”

He chuckled and stopped, causing her to bump into him full-body from behind with an
oof.

“What the heck?” she whispered. “It’s like the blind leading the blind here.”

“I’m going to show you precisely how well I can see if you mash your breasts against me again.” He headed off once more with her in tow.

“Well, then, warn me before you stop.” A rustling came from somewhere on the right. “What was that?” she whispered, moving her grip to the belt loops nearest the front of his pants to get closer to him.

“Stopping,” he said, straightening from his tiptoe crouch.

Still holding him tight, she buried her face in the back of his shirt. “There’s something in the bushes or weeds to our right, and I’m scared it’s going to jump out at us.”

He cleared his throat. “Honey, there’s something in my pants, and if you don’t turn loose of where you’re holding me, it might jump out at us, too.”

“Oh.” She giggled and released him. “Sorry. I’m kind of excited.”

“Clearly, so am I.”

“Are we near the water?”

He took her hand and she noticed he was trembling. “There’s a small dock. We’ll leave our clothes there.” She followed a few more feet, and he paused. “Three steps and then a ten-by-ten or so wooden dock. Ready?”

She nodded, trusting him fully, which gave her pause for a moment. She’d vowed she’d never trust him, yet here she was, about to get naked while trespassing. She made the three steps and he steadied her again.

“You good?” he asked. “We should be quick about this. It would be hard to explain if we got caught.”

There was a rustling, then the distinct sound of a zipper, then a splash followed by “Holy fuck it’s cold! Hurry up!”

“Turn around,” she whispered.

“Are you kidding me?”

“I can’t see you, so you shouldn’t be allowed to see me. Fair is fair.”

“It’s dark. I’m fucking freezing my balls off. Get naked and get in here, woman.”

With quick movements, she kicked off her shoes, peeled off her shirt, and stripped out of her jeans, glad he’d insisted on leaving their coats in the car. Then, still wearing her panties and bra, she took several steps in the direction of his splashes. “Where’s the end?” A completely unexpected panic washed over her, causing her muscles to seize momentarily. Her voice trembled as memories of the night on the dock came back. “I don’t want to fall in the water.”

“Oh, baby. I’m sorry. You won’t fall. I’m right here.” Vibrations traveled up her legs from where he patted the dock, guiding her to him. “Come to my voice and I’ll stop you before you get to the edge.” There was splashing and several thumps as he climbed out onto the dock. Then he wrapped her in his arms. “I’m right here. I won’t let you fall.”

“I’m good,” she said, shivering as the water from his body ran down hers. “Is it deep enough to jump?”

“Yes. And it has a muddy bottom.”

“On three,” she said, “Just like we used to do off the side of the pool.”

He took her hand and they stood shivering, side by side. “One, two, three!”

“Cold” didn’t even come close to describing the water. It stung all over, and she gasped for air like she had all those years ago as familiar terror struck, causing her to flail and kick.

“I’ve got you,” he said, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her against him. “You’re okay, I’m here.” Her panic subsided, and after a moment, she stopped fighting the water, still shivering. “Not alone. I’m right here with you this time. I’m standing on the bottom holding you and there are no barnacles to cut you.” She relaxed against him and he kissed her ear. “Okay?”

She nodded, surprised how affected she was by those memories and how quickly he calmed her. He seemed more at ease, too. Maybe it was therapeutic for him, as well. They were facing down a demon together.

“Now,” he said. “While I’m cold as hell and ready to end this, I have to point out that you are technically doing it wrong.”

“What?” She snuggled closer to his body for warmth.

He groaned as their skin made greater contact. “Not that. You’re doing that just right, but this.” He snapped her bra against her back. “You’re technically not skinny-dipping. You have on the equivalent of a swimsuit.” With one deft movement, he unhooked the clasp in the front, slid the strap off one shoulder and then the other. A tightening of his muscles was followed by a wet
thwack,
most certainly the result of her wet bra hitting the dock. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and he cupped her breasts with his warm hands. “Jesus, Gen,” he whispered in her ear, taking her earlobe between his teeth and her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. She gasped and he groaned, and suddenly, the freezing sting of the water didn’t matter anymore.

T
hey couldn’t stay in the pond much longer. It was uncomfortably cold, and Chance knew he was likely to take things way too far if he didn’t get the hell away from Gen’s curvy, willing body immediately. Never, even in his wildest dreams, had his imagination come close to the reality of her. He hadn’t planned to touch her like this, but when she was so frightened and haunted, his resolve had disappeared altogether. Cursing his weakness, he vowed to be stronger in the future. He gave her breasts one last caress, loving the way she arched into him, and then brushed his lips across her shoulder. “We’ve gotta get out now. Follow me.”

As he placed her hands on the dock, a loud honk came from behind him. And then several things happened at once:

Something bit him hard on the shoulder, then the neck, then the butt.

That same something made the most god-awful noise he’d ever heard.

Gen screamed.

Bright lights came on.

A man shouted.

A woman shouted.

Chance found himself staring at the barrel of a large handgun.

Gen screamed again.

“What the fuck?” the man shouted.

“Put the gun away!” the woman ordered. “It’s your brother.”

“I can see that. What the hell is he doing?”

Chance wrapped Genny in his arms, careful to keep the murky water covering her up to her shoulders. “Put the gun away, jackass, and get her a towel,” he said to his brother Will.

“Got it,” Claire called over her shoulder as she sprinted to the house.

“Seriously, Chance. What are you two doing naked in my pond in the middle of the night?” Will shoved the gun in his bathrobe sash like some day spa vigilante.

“We’re skinny-dipping, duh,” Chance answered in his best smart-ass little brother voice.

“Wait. You told me we were trespassing,” Gen said, teeth chattering.

Will glared at his brother. “You are.”

“We’re trespassing on your own brother’s property?” She splashed his face like she’d done hundreds of times when they were kids. “That doesn’t even count!”

“Well, neither does your skinny-dipping because you’re still wearing clothes.”

“I can fix that!” she reached down and tore off her panties and threw a mad pitch in the direction of the dock, missing his brother’s head by inches.

“Whoa there!” Will said, finally breaking a smile and then chuckling.

Gen giggled, and Chance found himself bewildered. Then it hit him. She wasn’t bitten by whatever got him. She didn’t see the lights or the gun. She just heard all the commotion.

“Tell me we’re at your middle brother’s house and not the older one’s.”

“Yeah, it’s Will’s house.”

“Oh, good.”

Chance almost couldn’t stand knowing she was completely naked and his brother was so close. An odd sense of possessiveness overcame him, but he fought it back. She wasn’t his. She never would be, no matter how he wished it.

“So, nice way to spend your off time, little brother,” Will remarked.

Claire arrived with two towels, and it was obvious she was fighting back laughter. “Head to the house, hon. I’ve got this.” Surprisingly, Will did exactly as she asked, still chuckling.

She pitched Chance’s boxer briefs to him. “Put those on and help me get her out. I can’t wait to hear the story behind this. You’re more like your brother than I thought, obviously.”

F
reshly showered and bundled in Claire’s fleece pajamas, Gen sipped hot chocolate while Will teased Chance relentlessly, especially about the epic attack of the vicious guard swans.

“They’re the best alarm system in the world—swans and geese, both,” Will said. “Geese bite harder, though, so you got off easy.”

Chance huffed. “Are you shitting me? That thing gave me a bruise that covers my entire ass cheek.”

“Only because you’re scrawny. Serves you right for fouling my waters with your nakedness,” Will teased.

“Pure jealousy, brother. Clearly, you’re compensating in front of your soon-to-be-bride.”

“Well, swans usually aim for the soft bits, which would be a real problem for you, little bro!”

Someone punched someone and someone yelped playfully.

“Are they always like this?” Gen asked Claire, who smelled like roses and paraffin or adhesive of some kind.

“It’s worse when all three of them are together. Are you warming up now?”

“I feel great. Sorry we barged in on you and woke you up.”

“Oh, I was working. I’m restoring some old books that came in with an auction lot. I’m regluing bindings.”

That explained the strange paraffin smell. She sniffed again. “Gunpowder?”

“Will was up, too, cleaning some target pistols. You guys spooked us, but didn’t wake us.” She shifted on her stool almost soundlessly. “Why don’t you two stay here tonight, rather than go back to the city? We have a guest room. I’ve already offered the couch to Jacob. He called us when he saw the security lights go on.”

She tilted her head to try to pick up Chance’s reaction, but got nothing over the clock ticking on the mantle.

“Let me show you what I’m working on, Gen,” Claire said, taking her hand.

She slid off the stool and followed her to a room away from the kitchen that smelled of glue and old paper. The door closed with a well-oiled
snick
.

“What’s going on?” Claire asked.

“I’m not really sure,” she answered honestly, leaning against the closed door.

“When I offered the guest room, Chance looked like he was going to barf. I’m guessing we’re still working through the best friend’s little sister prohibition? I mean, when we found you two tangled up naked in the pond, I thought Chance had finally worked past that, but maybe not?”

“Definitely not.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“Tell me about it.”

“How can I help?”

Gen’s breath caught. This woman seemed so open and caring. Maybe she really had an ally who could help her make sense of this last decade of loneliness. “You can fill in some blanks for me.”

“Chance is pretty private. I’m not really that up on him. Will’s the one to ask. I’ll make sure you get a chance to speak with him alone soon.” She brushed some hair behind Gen’s shoulder. “What were you two doing in the pond—besides some obvious grab-ass?”

“I’ve persuaded him to help me complete a ten-year-old bucket list.”

“Oooh. Nice. Tell me about that. I think I have a plan working.”

“S
o, Walter’s little sister, huh?” Will slid up to sit on the kitchen counter and folded his arms over his chest. “It’s about time.”

Leaning against the counter, Chance lifted his hands in surrender. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Like hell, it’s not. Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Why would you even deny it?”

Because he had to. He dropped his arms in defeat. “I’m only helping her with some tasks. Like I told you and Michael, she has this crazy bucket list thing going.”

“Are you lying because you’re scared of Walter’s reaction? Hell, you guys aren’t even that close anymore. You’ve been lying to yourself for years now. How many?”

He closed his eyes, tired of the constant battle for control over himself and the situation. How easy would it be to give up and give in finally? To profess the love he’d hidden forever. But he couldn’t. It wasn’t fair to her. She could do so much better. He’d never be what she needed. “Ten.”

“Ten years. Roughly a third of your life. You going for half? Waiting until she gives up on you and hooks up with someone else?”

The thought of someone else touching Gen made his fingers curl into fists. Will obviously didn’t miss that fact and gave a pointed nod to his hands still balled at his sides. “I thought so.” He slid down from the counter. “Claire has a favorite saying, ‘Use your dick, don’t be one.’ From the looks of things in the pond, you’re on the right track.”

“I made a promise to Walter.”

“Yeah. I know. And what did Walter promise in return? Not a damned thing.” He reached out and squeezed Chance’s shoulder. “You and I both know what happened ten years ago, and he doesn’t have a fucking clue. Hell, I bet you haven’t even told Genny. I play racquetball with him every other week. He talks about you like you’re one step from the edge and his sister like she’s made of blown glass. You and I know better. You’re solid, and that woman’s tough.”