Page 5 of Backwater Bachelor

What…? A gator!

My mind blanks and I start swimming like mad, crying and gulping water. I’m going to die!

Danny dives into the swamp with a dramatic splash. “Hang on, Jane! I’ll save you!”

Save me? He can’t save me, he’ll end up getting eaten…

Letting out a growl, Danny attacks the predator behind me and I whirl around, watching them wrestle. Danny pushes the gator down, then disappears below the surface. Tears form in my eyes but then I see a piece of the gator’s tail.

My eyes narrow, the tears drying. It’s not a gator at all. It’s a log…

Seconds later, Danny explodes out of the swamp, looking as if he’s in the middle of an action movie. “Take that, you scary beast!” Danny shouts, pretending to give the log a final blow, and I don’t know whether to laugh or yell at him.

In the end, I burst into laughter, the tension melting away. “That was not funny!” I shout, splashing water at him. “I thought you were going to die!”

He stops his performance and grins at me, water dripping from his hair. “That log could’ve done a ton of damage.”

”How? By giving you splinters?” I swim closer, shaking my head. “You really had me going there.”

“That was the plan,” he says softly, the humor in his eyes giving way to something warmer.

For a moment, we’re close, the space between us charged with electricity. I can feel his breath, see the flecks of gold in his eyes. The world narrows down to just the two of us, the water lapping gently around us. I splash him again, breaking the spell.

“Don’t do that again or I might lose trust in you,” I say with a grin.

“You trust me then?” he replies, his voice equally soft.

And strangely I do. Strangely, I do trust this stranger. Even though I probably shouldn’t.

Climbing back into the boat is a clumsy affair, with both of us wet and shivering. Danny heaves himself up first, offering me a hand as I awkwardly scramble in, water streaming off me in rivulets. The air feels cooler now, our soaked clothes clinging to our bodies and intensifying the chill.

“Guess the water wasn’t as warm as it looked, huh?” Danny says, rubbing his arms to generate some heat.

“No kidding,” I reply, my teeth chattering slightly. “I think I’m going to catch a cold in the middle of summer.”

“Maybe we should get that wet underwear off of you,” he says, his tone light but his eyes play with fire.

I nod, hugging myself for warmth and my knees feel weaker than usual. “Yeah, probably a good idea. Can you take me home?”

Danny looks around, then shakes his head. “It’s a long row back. My boathouse is closer, and we can get dry there.”

I hesitate, the idea of going to a stranger’s place—even someone as charming as Danny—giving me pause. He seems to sense my reluctance and holds up his hands in mock surrender.

“Promise, no funny business. Just a warm place to dry off and maybe a hot drink. Then I’ll take you home.”

His sincerity disarms me, and I find myself nodding. “Okay, let’s do it.”

He grins, picking up the oars and starting to row with strong, steady strokes. I watch him for a moment, admiring the way his heavy muscles move under his wet t-shirt. Then I turn my attention to the scenery, trying to push aside the nervous flutter in my stomach.

The trip to his place is short but feels longer with the chill seeping into my bones, but then we finally approach a small, rustic boathouse nestled among the trees.

Danny secures the boat and helps me out, his hands warm against my cold skin. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he says with a sweeping gesture.

I laugh, despite my shivers. “It’s cute.”

Inside, the boathouse is cozy and surprisingly well-kept. Danny quickly grabs a couple of towels, tossing one to me. “Here, dry off. I’ll see if I can find something warm for you to wear.”

I gratefully accept the towel, wrapping it around myself as I watch him rummage through a chest. He pulls out a robe that looks like it’s never been used, holding it out to me.

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