Page 79 of Sweet Home Louisiana

Not only was she already sucked in with the business and worrying about Sawyer, but her attraction to Owen was only getting stronger.He was a man now.He ran a business, he was a wonderful son and grandson, he was a loyal friend, really practically a brother to Sawyer and Josh, and Tommy.

And he was still protective of her, but he was good with her doing this.He was encouraging her.He was going to be there for her, in case she needed him, but he was letting her take the controls here.Literally.

And, this sounded stupid even in her head, but he liked her.He liked how she was handling the Boys of the Bayou business and he liked how she was taking care of the guys.He wasn’t a bit jealous.In fact, it felt like they were partners in looking out for Josh and, especially, Sawyer.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t liked her before.In high school, he’d liked her.Even before that, before they were a couple, he’dlikedher.They’d known each other all their lives.Their families spent almost all their time together.There had been nothing really not to like.

But, once they were a couple, in the short time they were together, they’d had a lot of…heat.When they weren’t taking ex-girlfriend’s cars apart and rebuilding burned down sheds, they were having sex.A lot of sex.It had been clumsy but also enthusiastic and awash with teen hormones and often the risk of getting caught, and a feeling that they’d each won the other’s heart away from someone else.

So yes, he’d liked her.But they hadn’t really gotten around to sharing deep emotions—regrets and grief—or respect.

In two weeks, they’d gotten to all of that.

He stretched to his feet and looked back at her.She gave him a thumbs-up.She needed him to know she was okay here.He didn’t need to worry about her.

In part because when he worried about her, her panties got a little warm.

In part because if he was worried about her, he might not pay attention out there and he might do something dumb.

Owen climbed into his seat.

“Okay, everybody, headsets,” Maddie called out as she pulled hers on over her ears.

They both started the boats and pulled out.

Her palms were sweating, her heart pounding, but going straight ahead wasn’t really a problem in an airboat in a decent amount of water.

When they got past the docks and out to the wider part of the waterway, Owen hung back and let her pull up next to his boat.

He shouted something to her and pointed to the floor.

She shook her head, indicating she didn’t understand.

“Stand on it!”he shouted.

Well, she read his lips anyway.

Yeah, yeah.Okay.She gave a little sigh.Airboats needed a lot of gas so that the boat lifted up and skimmed over the top of the water.The slower they went, the deeper into the water they sunk and the more the boat dragged.She’d been holding back.This was her first time on the water in twelve years.She thought she should ease into it.

But then she looked over at Owen’s huge grin, the wind mussing his hair, his arms flexing as he steered the boat.A little thrill shot through her.She pressed on the accelerator and the fan sped up, pushing the boat forward.

“Whoo-hoo!”

She didn’t know if she’d heard Owen’s cheer or just saw it, but she did feel the adrenaline dump into her blood stream.She didn’t love the heat and humidity and the critters out here, but it was really hard to not feel good with the wind whipping past her face, the power of the boat under her, and the hot guy grinning at her like she’d just made him the happiest man in the world.

Damn, she was in trouble.

Owen pulled back in front and she followed him down the waterway.Her heart rate was already up, but her heart kicked hard when he turned down the first narrow bend.She took a deep breath and eased up on the accelerator, then took another one and pressed harder, moving the rudders, and praying a little.The boat jerked hard and she bumped into the thick mess of water hyacinth, but she got it straightened out and after a few minutes, she relaxed and eased into driving.

It only took her three more turns to realize that Owen was leading them on a meandering path way longer than necessary to get to the first stopping point.

He was giving her a chance to practice and get comfortable.

Man, it’s going to be so hard to avoid kissing him later.

The thought should have surprised her.But it didn’t.Not even a little.

Owen finally turned them into an area that was a little like a cul-de-sac on a street, with a rounded dead end ahead that would require them to turn around to get out.He let up on his accelerator, letting his boat drift to a stop about twenty yards from the bank.Maddie followed, pulling up a few feet from him.

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