Page 36 of Secret Billionaire

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An hour after they left Ruby, they were paddling their canoe down a lazy river. The current was slow which gave them plenty of opportunity to enjoy the protected wildlife refuge they were meandering through. The mammoth bald cypresses and rare white cedar trees provided some shade and the Spanish moss draping down made the rippling corridor seem mysterious… like the river held ancient secrets.

Jesse had taken his shirt off and was enjoying the warm sun on his back and the view in front of him, Faye in a bikini, her rounded bottom planted on the metal seat—didn’t get much better than this. Her long legs reminded him of a young colt, and her slim back was sexy indeed, shoulder blades defined and delicate, long spine leading to the curve of her hips. Desire coursed through him.

“Faye,” he said in a hushed tone. She turned, and Jesse held his fingers to his lips as he pointed up and to the left.

“Do you see that?”

“What?” She said as she scanned the treetops.

“That’s a bald-assed eagle!”

She squealed, “I see it!”

“And look on that log over there, see those turtles sunning themselves?”

She nodded her head excitedly, “And there’s a stork!”

He guffawed with laughter, “Honey girl, that’s a heron.”

“Quit laughing! It looks like a stork.”

He shook his head, still chuckling. “Keep your eyes open, we could see anything. Since we seem to have the river to ourselves, we have a good chance of spotting lots of wildlife.”

“Like what?”

“Snakes, beavers, deer, the occasional gator.”

“As in alligator?”

“Yep. And we could even see black bear.”

He dipped his paddle in leisurely pulling the oar back, the sound of the water splashing ripples onto the surface. The sun was warm, but the gentle breeze cooled at the same time. Time stood still…the sounds of nature, birds chattering, the trees rustling in the breeze, the warmth of the sun on their backs, only the two of them, everything serene and peaceful. He had stowed their clothes in a watertight satchel he’d brought along. After slathering sunscreen on each other, Jesse had stuck a Tilley hat on Faye’s head for added protection. He was fantasizing about how her hands had felt on his back and let out a slight groan…

She glanced back eyebrows raised above her dark glasses. “Everything all right?”

He grinned a little sheepishly, “Couldn’t be any better.”

“Thanks for all of this,” she said as she swept her arm wide.

“It’s humbling.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Did I tell you that you’re looking mighty hot in that bikini?”

“You don’t say. Did I tell you, that your ripped bod is driving me crazy?” Faye said.

He waggled his eyebrows comically. “No, you didn’t say. Are you hungry yet? I thought I’d look for a good spot to pull off and eat our lunch.”

“Anytime.”

“There.” A few minutes later he pointed to a large fallen tree trunk with a bit of muddy beach front to dock their canoe. He began to paddle harder.

“Stay in. I’ll jump out and pull the boat to shore.”

“I hate to say this, but I’ve got to pee,” Faye said.

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