There's Only Been You (17 page)

She glanced back over at Mike, looking like a fish out of water as he attempted to wriggle his butt down that darn slide. She had no idea why he didn't just admit defeat and climb his great big self down from there.

Sara aimed the camcorder at Ethan. He stood in front of a playfully spinning waterfall, shrieking with laughter as he tried to dodge the overhead deluge. Then he ran up to the top of the pirate's ship, grabbed hold of a rope, and swung back and forth over the shallow pool.

"Dad! Dad, look at me! Look what I can do!” Ethan shouted.

Mike finally climbed down from the pint-sized water slide and made his way over to watch. Ethan swung back and forth a few times before somersaulting into the pool.

"That was awesome, kid,” Mike said when Ethan surfaced. “Have you ever taken a swim class?"

Sara turned the camcorder back on Mike. “He's been taking classes at the ‘Y’ for the past few years."

"It shows.” Mike swung Ethan up onto his shoulders. They turned toward Sara, then Mike tilted Ethan down so he could whisper in his ear.

Sara eyed them suspiciously—and dodged out of the way with only a moment to spare. “I can't believe you were going to pull me in! I have the camcorder in my hands!” She needlessly held it up for them to see.

"So suspicious. We weren't going to pull you in, were we, Ethan?"

"Nope. We were gonna splash you."

"And that's supposed to be better?” she asked, incredulous.

"Well, sure. The camcorder would get ruined if we pulled you in. It'd just get a little wet if we splashed you,” Ethan was kind enough to explain.

Sara laughed. “Well, don't you splash me, either. This is Uncle Nicky's, and he'll kill us if anything happens to it."

"Then put the thing down and join us,” Mike said.

"Yeah, Mom. You haven't even got your hair wet yet."

"Get my hair wet? Good Lord, I can't do that. I spent almost an hour perfecting this ‘do'.” She reached up and playfully patted her ponytail.

"Mom, who cares how your hair looks? We're swimming. Everyone's hair gets wet."

Sara pursed her lips as she pretended to think it over. “Well, I suppose I
could
put it in my bag for a little while so I can sit on the edge and get my feet wet."

"Get your feet wet? Mom, I want you to go down that slide with me.” Ethan pointed up toward the highest and scariest looking water slide in the entire park.

Sara literally gulped. “Ethan, your father can—"

"Uh-uh, you have to face your fears,” Ethan said, cutting her off. “Right, Dad?"

Mike shrugged. “Sorry, but the boy's got a point. Besides, you'll be perfectly safe. The slide is a completely enclosed tube, so it's not as if you can fly off. We'll go down one after the other. Me first, you in the middle, and Ethan can bring up the rear. Sound good?"

"Nope."

Mike laughed. “Okay, I have a better idea. You can sit between my legs and Ethan can sit between yours. We'll go down as one."

"Yeah, Mom! It'll be great! Come on, don't be such a girl!"

Hands on hips, Sara huffed, “I
am
a girl, and I'm still not going down that slide."

"I
could
throw you over my shoulder and carry you up there."

She narrowed her eyes. “You'd have to catch me first. And I'd be long gone before you even got one foot out of the water."

"So you're saying I can't catch you?"

"Please,” she scoffed. “This place is so packed, there's no way. While I'm busy dodging under tables and between people's legs, you'd be tripping over everything in sight."

"So now you're saying I'm clumsy?"

She shrugged. “If the big clumsy feet fit..."

They stared at each other in silent challenge. Then Ethan shouted, “Go get her, Dad!” before flipping himself into the water.

Mike sprang out of the pool like a cheetah causing her to shriek and jump back. She kicked off her sandals and ran toward the sanctuary of the ladies’ restroom, the camcorder still clutched in her hand.

But she'd sadly miscalculated his abilities, and Mike caught her before she'd even reached the end of the pool.

"Big talker,” he said, flipping her over his shoulder.

"Mike, put me down!” she whispered furiously. “This is embarrassing!"

"What's that? I can't hear you over all these people."

"Man, I can't believe how fast you caught her,” Ethan exclaimed as he ran up to meet them. His eyes glowed up at Mike with such adoration, Sara felt her chest tighten. It was incredible to her that they'd only known each other for four days.

"Aw, she's just a big bragger. It was like chasing a toddler—Ow!"

"Okay, so you're not as slow as you look. I admit it. Can you
please
put me down now?"

Mike obliged, setting her gently on her feet. He pointed to the camcorder. “Why don't you go stick that thing in your bag so we can take a run down that slide?"

"You're like a dog with a friggin’ bone."

"Come on, Mom. Dad caught you fair and square. You have to go down the slide now."

"Come on,” Mike echoed, “you have to be a little tempted, even if you
are
afraid of heights."

She sighed. There was no hope for it. Obviously, they planned to nag her until she gave in. “All right, I'll do it. I'll go down the stupid slide."

"Cool! This is going to be great, Mom, you'll see."

Sara slipped the camcorder in her bag then took it over to the desk clerk. When she turned around, Mike and a giggling Ethan each grabbed one of her arms.

She rolled her eyes. “I said I'd go, and I'm going. You don't have to escort me like a convict."

Mike grinned down at her. “Sorry, habit."

Once they reached the top of the slide, Mike sat down on the inflatable raft, gestured for Sara to slip between his legs, and positioned Ethan between hers.

"Say a prayer and hold on tight,” Mike advised as the attendant pushed them into the tunnel of rushing water.

Sara and Ethan both squealed the whole way down.

The ride was great until they reached the end and flew into the wave pool. Sara came up sputtering, and Mike laughed so hard it was a miracle he didn't choke. The jackass.

Ethan came up laughing as well and begged to go down again.

"How about you go down a few more times while your mother and I catch our breath?” Mike said, carrying her out of the pool.

"Really? Awesome!” Ethan took off like a shot.

Mike settled her onto one of the chaise loungers, then plopped down in an arm chair. “Well, that was fun, huh?"

Leaning back against the padded headrest, she admitted, “It was a blast until we hit the bottom. I've never been down a water slide before."

"Me neither,” he said as he watched Ethan climb the staircase to the top of the slide.

Sara had to admit, she hadn't had this much fun in years. Little by little, her defenses were crumbling, and it scared the hell out of her. She realized how easy it would be to fall right back into his arms—and his bed. She wanted him as much as she ever had, and her reason for keeping an emotional—as well as physical—distance was starting to dissipate like dandelion tufts into the wind.

She blew out a silent breath of frustration as she checked him out. A tee-shaped sprinkling of crisp black hair covered his rock-hard chest, traveled over his abdomen, and disappeared into the waistband of his swim trunks. Sara wanted to press her lips to the hollow of his throat and trace a path down his tan flesh, following the line of curling hair over his stomach—

"Are you
trying
to give me a hard-on?"

"Don't be ridiculous,” she scoffed, mortified to have been caught ogling him.
Please, ground, open up and swallow.
“I was just ... admiring the pattern on the chair you're sitting on."

He snorted. “That's the best you could come up with?"

"I'm not that great under pressure,” she confessed with a reluctant grin.

Mike threw back his head and laughed.

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After they had cleaned up from the water park, Mike escorted them down to the restaurant.

The atmosphere inside was perfect for a seven-year-old boy. A big screen TV graced every corner of the room, each playing a different cartoon, movie or sitcom.

Sara and Ethan slid into the booth, and Mike sat down across from them. A smaller TV was mounted right into the wall beside them. “I wonder if we get to choose what we watch."

"I hope so. I hate The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” Ethan started playing with the channels.

Sara opened her menu. “I think they're kind of cute."

Ethan rolled his eyes.

Mike smiled, trying to remember the last time he'd been this happy and content. He and Ethan were getting to know each other better every day. His son was nothing short of incredible. Funny, smart, outgoing. He had good manners, yet was impetuous enough to forget himself sometimes. A typical little boy. And even though he resembled Mike physically, he had a lot of his mother in him as well, especially his sense of humor. Sara used to be able to make Mike laugh harder than anyone. And he knew that once she started to open up more, her sense of humor would return full-force.

A waitress approached their table. She wore her curly blonde hair up in a loose bun, and couldn't have been more than twenty years old. “Evening. Is everyone ready to order?"

"I want chicken and french fries,” Ethan announced, grinning up at her.

The waitress winked at him. “Fried chicken?"

"Yep. And soda."

"He'll have a large glass of milk,” Sara told the waitress, earning a scowl from Ethan. “And I'll have the breaded pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes and gravy, a side salad with Thousand Island dressing, and a large glass of skim milk, if you have it."

The waitress nodded. “We do. Sir?"

"I'll have the baked mostaccioli, a cup of minestrone, and let's make it unanimous, a large glass of milk."

The waitress smiled and took the menus from him. “I'll be right back with your drinks."

Forty minutes later, Mike and Ethan were waiting on their hot fudge sundaes, amusing themselves by watching Sara nibble at her food.

"It's like this wherever we go,” Ethan said. “Uncle Garrett says she's the slowest eater on the planet."

"One of the few things your uncle and I agree on."

Sara forked a half-inch morsel of food into her mouth and looked up at them in what had to be mock surprise. “What? You two finished already? Well, excuse me, but I like to taste my food on the way down."

"Thought maybe you were throwing it a farewell party in your mouth. Christ, woman, I could have eaten the food on your plate three times by now."

With a shrug, Sara set her fork down and pushed the plate away. “Whew, that's it. I couldn't eat another bite."

Ethan's eyes widened in shock. “What about dessert?"

"Not a chance. I'd explode, I swear."

The waitress approached the table and set the sundaes down in front of Mike and Ethan. “And what can I get you for dessert?” she asked as she picked up Sara's plate.

Sara held her hands up in front of her, as if to ward off any more food. “Nothing, thank you. I'm a stuffed pork chop."

The waitress laughed and pulled the bill from her pocket. She slid it onto Mike's side of the table and said with her biggest tip-earning smile, “You all have a good night then. Enjoy your sundae,” she added with a wink in Ethan's direction.

Mike held a spoonful of ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream in front of Sara's nose. “Come on, one bite. You have to taste this."

"Thanks, but I know what a hot fudge sundae tastes like."

"Suit yourself.” He stuffed the spoon in his mouth and moaned with delight.

Ethan giggled and joined in on his silliness.

"Good Lord,” Sara muttered, a reluctant grin curving her lips. “I feel like I'm starring in a remake of
When Harry Met Sally
."

"The connecting door is open,” Mike said when they reached their hotel rooms. “Just come on in when you're ready."

Sara slipped the card in the slot that unlocked the door. “I want to get Ethan into his pajamas and have him brush his teeth. Give us maybe fifteen minutes."

Mike headed into the bathroom to brush his own teeth and change into a plain white T-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants. They were, after all, going to be lying on the bed watching a movie. After giving the pillows a quick fluff, he picked up the phone and placed an order to room service.

He was leaning against the headboard of the massive king-sized bed, hands linked behind his head, when the door flew open and Ethan ran into the room. He jumped up on the bed and started bouncing up and down. Mike laughed. Ethan looked adorable in his superhero pajamas.

He watched with anticipation for Sara to come in. When she did, he had to clear his throat. She'd changed clothes, too, but instead of throwing on a T-shirt and sweats, she wore the sexiest dress he'd ever seen. A long, sleeveless gauzy-looking number with slits up each side and a dangerously low neckline. And the turquoise color looked great on her. He scooted over and patted the spot beside him.

"Hop up, ‘Mom',” he said. “There's plenty of room."

Sara moved around to the opposite side of the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress, barely making a crease in the boldly colored, mosaic-patterned bedspread. She cleared her throat. “So what are we going to watch?"

Mike picked up the remote and flipped on the pay-per-movie channel. He started naming off movies until Ethan shouted, “I wanna see Spiderman 3!"

"Spiderman 3 it is.” Mike pulled out his credit card and followed the instructions for ordering a movie with the black box on the nightstand that resembled an ATM machine.

Ethan sat Indian-style at the foot of the bed, bouncing softly from side to side. Mike glanced at Sara who'd finally curled her legs beneath her and got comfortable. He could tell her nerves were getting the best of her and was anxious for his room service order to arrive.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Mike had to hold back a sigh of relief as he got up to answer it.

"I thought we should have a celebratory drink,” he said a moment later, shutting the door behind him. “So I have a bottle of apple juice for Ethan and,” he set the tray down and held a familiar, long-necked bottle up for her to see, “a couple of Coronas for us. A couple each, that is.” He grinned. “I even remembered the lime slices."