Her Very Own Family (7 page)

“Actually, yeah.”

He steered the canoe up on the sandbar. “Then welcome to the Sandbar Café, the best in midstream dining.”

She chuckled at his fake maitre d’ accent. “Why, thank you. I’ve heard this place is all the rage.”

As they ate the cold-cut sandwiches and chips, Brady found himself watching Audrey’s mouth and wondering how it would feel to kiss her. The animal instinct side of him threatened to leap across the canoe and kiss her. He’d never had that kind of reaction to a woman before—not even Ginny. It was exciting and scary at the same time.

Though she seemed to be in a better mood and more relaxed now than earlier, he still sensed that she was holding something back. He fought his instinct to suspect a hidden agenda. After all, why wouldn’t she keep things to herself? It wasn’t as if they were best buddies or lovers and all into sharing deep, dark secrets.

After they finished eating, Audrey stepped out onto the sandbar and stretched. Brady swallowed hard when
that movement caused her T-shirt to ride up and reveal part of her flat stomach.

He readjusted himself on his seat and eyed the surface of the creek. No cold shower presented itself, but the creek would suffice. He stood up and shucked his shirt.

Audrey noticed his action and turned toward him. “What are you doing?”

“Going for a little swim.” He jumped into the creek and let himself sink.

A
UDREY’S HEART THUDDED
against her breastbone when Brady broke the surface of the water, lifted his arm and rubbed his hand back over his hair as he found his footing on the creek bottom. Her mouth ironically went dry as she stared at the expanse of his wet torso. She’d always had an appreciation for a nicely toned male chest, and Brady’s was right up there at the top of the list.

His eyes caught hers, and for the life of her she couldn’t look away.

“Come on in,” he said. “Feels good.” He looked up toward the sun. “Today’s going to be a hot one.”

Going to be? Her skin was already so hot she feared she’d make the creek boil if she stepped into the water.

“I didn’t wear a bathing suit.”

“Don’t need one.”

She swallowed hard.

“Was that a naughty thought that went through your head?” His smile stretched wide, flustering her.

“No. I just don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

“Why? They’ll dry quickly today.” He dialed back
the teasing, as if he’d been surprised he’d engaged in it in the first place.

She eyed the water, imagined how cool it’d feel against her overheated skin. An uncharacteristic urge to ignore common sense overcame her. She realized she’d decided to take the leap, so to speak, when she slipped off her athletic shoes and walked to the water lapping at the sandbar. As if he sensed her nervousness, Brady took a few steps back to give her room.

The cold of the water made her jump when she edged in the first few steps, but it also felt good as Brady had said it would. She did her best not to look at his wet chest, but she failed miserably. But if she gave in to the desire to run her hands up that chest, she would die of embarrassment. Then she’d run into the forest and hide until he went away.

“It’s easier if you dive in, get it over with,” Brady said.

“Huh?” Had he figured out what she was thinking?

He pointed toward the surface of the water. “The cold. Just dive under and you’ll get used to it quicker.”

“Oh.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” Unable to stand his scrutiny any longer, she took a breath, held her nose and submerged. When she came back up, she inhaled and squeezed the water from her ponytail.

“Better?”

“Yes.” Of course, she hadn’t looked at his chest again. Man, she felt like one enormous hormone. Sure, it’d been months since she’d been with a man, actually
more than a year, but giving in to her current desire was a disaster waiting to pounce. No matter how much her body was badgering her to explore just a little.

Brady lowered his body into the water and swam around to the other side of her, cutting off any possible retreat to the canoe. “Audrey, you seriously need to lighten up. You’re wound so tight, you’re going to pop.”

“No, I’m not.” Of course, how her voice rose in defense negated her words.

And Brady knew it. He shook his head. Before she realized what he was up to, he swam toward her, grabbed her hand and pulled her farther into the water so that she had to swim.

“Hey!” She swatted at him as he swam away. “What was that for?”

“Your own good.” He smiled, scrambling her brain again.

Oh, that’s the way it was going to be, was it? She narrowed her eyes at him then dived in his direction. He evidently hadn’t expected it, because his late attempt to get out of the way failed. Audrey took the advantage and pushed him under before trying to make a quick getaway.

Trying,
that was the operative word.

Brady resurfaced in a matter of moments and dunked her in turn.

She came up sputtering. “Oh, you’re in for it now.”

“Yeah, I’m scared.” He laughed, making her more determined to get the upper hand.

They circled each other, and when she couldn’t find an opportunity to strike she splashed water in his direc
tion instead. This only made him laugh more. Instead of biding her time, she let that laughter get to her and she made a dive for him. This time he moved out of the way and grabbed her on her way down.

Audrey stiffened as she realized how close he held her, his firm chest pressing against her soaked shirt. She caught his gaze, and neither of them averted their eyes.
Move away, move away,
her brain screamed at her. But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to. She wanted exactly what she knew was about to happen, and her eyes drifted shut a breath before Brady’s warm, wet lips touched hers.

She moaned as he wrapped his arms more firmly around her and pulled her closer. Her whole body tensed in the most delicious way, and she slid her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss.

Oh, it’d been so long since she’d felt this kind of thrumming awareness and need. A fantasy of making love on the sandbar flitted through her mind before the movement of Brady’s hands on her back dashed the ability to think.

“Is this okay?” he whispered against her lips, his breath making them tingle.

“Mmm-hmm.” She moved so that she could feel more of him.

He needed no further encouragement and delved into another kiss, his hand holding her head.

She kissed him back with a crazy need she only now realized she’d been keeping caged since she met him. She didn’t really believe in love at first sight, but lust?
That was another matter altogether. Was she capable of having a purely physical relationship?

She didn’t know, but right now she was willing to try.

When Brady broke the kiss to breathe, he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

“Really?” she said, sounding out of breath.

“Yeah. Don’t sound so surprised. You’d make a saint melt,” he said with a voice gone husky with desire.

She blushed then initiated another quick kiss. “You’re not hard on the eyes, either.” Or the mouth.

Brady cradled her face in his big hands. “Then I should have dunked you in the creek sooner.” He cut off her response with yet another mind-disabling kiss before growling and pulling away.

“What’s wrong?”

“As much as I’d like to continue this, we’re supposed to meet Dad at the takeout point in about an hour. If we’re late, we’ll never hear the end of it.”

Audrey tried not to let her disappointment, or her arousal, show as they stole a few more kisses before getting back in the canoe and heading downstream. Maybe if they got back to the mill before the headiness of the kissing wore off, they could send Nelson home and indulge in a little more.

Her thoughts went to her bed in the mill’s attic, and she wondered if she could go through with sex for sex’s sake. She pushed away thoughts of wanting more, of how she was opening herself up to pain again. If Brady found out about her mother and looked at her differently,
if he pulled away, could she bear to stay at the mill he’d helped her refurbish?

When Brady stopped paddling, she turned to see what was wrong. He surprised her by being so close.

“I wanted another one of these before we reach the old man.” He took her face in his hands again and kissed her like they were facing the end of time. When he pulled away, he chuckled at what must be an addled expression on her face.

As they rounded a bend in the creek and she spotted Nelson’s pickup, she fought to wipe her silly grin away. Even if she and Brady couldn’t continue what they’d started this afternoon, she was pretty sure she was going to have some hot dreams tonight.

She buried her smile when they floated a little farther downstream and she noticed Nelson wasn’t alone. He stood next to his truck while a blond woman and two little blond girls sat swinging their legs on the tailgate.

“Who are they?” she asked Brady under her breath.

“My sister and nieces.”

“Oh.” Was their presence a good or bad thing? Disappointment that getting rid of Nelson just got a lot harder flowed through her.

“Uncle Brady!” the little girls squealed in unison and waved with enthusiasm.

“Hey, rugrats.”

“About time you two got here,” Nelson said in fake exasperation as they pulled up to the gravel takeout point. “A man could grow old waiting.”

“You’re already old,” Brady said as he stepped out
of the canoe and pulled it farther out of the water so Audrey could step out.

Nelson grabbed the ever-present towel hanging from his belt and snapped it against Brady’s arm. Audrey smiled to see the teasing between father and son, a good sign that maybe they were beginning to heal from their recent loss. They’d no doubt have bad days ahead, but at least bright spots made appearances, too.

Just like today in her life. She’d been so afraid of the past catching up to her that she’d forgotten she should be enjoying the present. Wasn’t that what moving to Willow Glen and reimagining the mill was all about, starting a new, better life? Maybe she needed to take a few chances outside of the leap of faith regarding her new business.

“You must be Audrey,” Brady’s sister said as she approached her and offered her hand. “I’m Sophie. And these two,” she said as she pointed to where her daughters had wrapped their arms around their uncle’s legs, “are Annie and Bethany.”

Audrey shook Sophie’s hand and noticed how much she looked like her brother, but in a lovely, feminine way where Brady was all hunky male. “Nice to meet you. Sorry to have kept Brady from his uncle duties.”

Sophie made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “No need to apologize. If he spoils these two any more, I won’t be able to stand living with them.”

Still, as Audrey watched Brady and Nelson load the canoe, she wanted to make some gesture of friendship to these newly met members of the Witt family.

“Do you all have dinner plans?” she asked.

“Nothing yet,” Sophie said. “Figure we’ll whip up something at Dad’s before we head back to Asheville.”

“Can I interest you in letting me use all of you as guinea pigs?” She scanned the entire group, an almost-complete family, something she hadn’t had in years. She blinked before her longing could cause tears to form.

Brady looked back at her with a hungry expression that had her cheeks flaming again and an intensity that said he wished everyone but Audrey would disappear.

“What do you have in mind?” Sophie asked.

Audrey redirected her gaze to the other woman so she didn’t have to see the frustration on Brady’s face. “I need to try out some of the recipes I plan to use in the restaurant, make sure someone besides me likes them.”

“Sounds good to me,” Brady said.

What was he up to? She was certain food was the furthest thing from his mind. Was he hoping to feed everyone then ship them back to his dad’s house so they could be alone?

“Now that answer was too quick,” Nelson said. “I think my boy doesn’t like my cooking.”

“Pork and beans were fine the first three times we had them,” Brady threw back.

“Oh, get in the truck before I leave your ungrateful carcass here and make you walk home.”

“A meal I don’t have to cook,” Sophie said. “I’m so there. I need to run by Dad’s first, then we’ll be over to help out.”

“Oh, there’s no need.”

Sophie wrapped her arm around Audrey’s as they
walked up the embankment. “Of course there is. I’ve got to know more about the woman who got my big brother to take a day off from work.”

Audrey started to argue that it wasn’t like that, but she caught sight of the mirth on Brady’s face and the words caught in her throat. Was it like that?

“See you all in a few minutes,” Sophie said as she rounded up her girls and ushered them into her car.

“Hope you’re ready to be grilled to within an inch of your life,” Brady said as he stepped up next to Audrey.

“Can I plead the fifth?”

Brady laughed then slid into the middle of the bench seat, leaving the space next to the window for Audrey.

On the way back to the mill, Brady kept looking over at her and giving her looks that promised more excellent kissing. From where his arm lay along the back of the seat, he played with her ponytail, causing her nerves to sizzle like lit fuses. Finally, she mouthed, “Stop it!” He smiled wide in response. When she’d met him, she would have never guessed this side of the man existed. Maybe it took a while for him to warm up to people.

Speaking of warm, her skin heated every time a bump in the road caused their legs to rub together. She closed her eyes and looked out her window when those sensations made her imagine their legs entwined and rubbing along each other in a soft bed.

Even with the aching thoughts and sexual frustration, she wouldn’t trade today for anything. She hadn’t
enjoyed herself so much in a long time, had forgotten what it felt like.

She should have known it wouldn’t last.