Page 155 of Those Who Are Bound

Elliott

Oncetheyhadagood flow going, Jonah prompted her again to put on sunscreen. Her heart pitter-pattered at his care of her. She attempted to help with navigating, her own oarsmanship just propelling them along rather than being useful. There was no doubt that she was more ornamental than anything in his canoe, but she didn’t want to be categorized as another Lucy.

And there was the whole competitive thing.

There’d been a couple of spots—supposedly rapids—where the water was so shallow that Jonah had to jump out of the canoe and drag it over the rocks to keep them going. Once more water surged beneath, the canoe would shoot out like a ball from a cannon. Jonah made it look easy as he leaped back in and paddled.

So at the next low-level rapids, Elliott preempted him. He shouted his surprise, but she merely waved him off. What she hadn’t anticipated was how fast the boat still moved; Jonah had made it look effortless. Her foot got caught, and she smacked face down in the water, doing a sort of splits. One leg in, one leg out, dragging along the rocks.

And stupid her? She braced her hands as though that would stop the momentum.

“Shit!” Jonah cursed, then the canoe lurched to a stop even as the cold water sped over her. “Can you get up? Are you okay?”

Yes, she was okay. Getting up was a challenge only because she was in a fit of laughter. But she knew they had to move out of the way. Others were behind them. Giggles escaping her even as tears of pain ran down her cheeks from the smarting, she untangled her foot.

“Are you laughing?” came the strained, disbelieving question. Strained, because he was trying to hold a canoe stable in fast-moving waters. Disbelieving, because, well… she was laughing.

Scrambling back into the canoe, she gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry. I thought I was helping.”

His look was concern layered in heat. If they weren’t in the middle of shallow rapids, she was convinced she’d be ravaged. Instead, he propelled himself into the canoe, and they shot out into calmer waters.

“There’s a first aid kit in the cooler.”

Elliott took stock of her injuries. They were mostly surface scratches; slight abrasions. She’d have bruises tomorrow, but nothing serious. “I think I’m okay.”

“It wasn’t intended to be optional.”

“You’re so bossy,” she teased, running a finger over her swelling ankle.

“You’re so competitive.”

“Lesson learned. By the way, it was super hot the way you stopped the canoe for me. I’m sitting up here with a lady boner.” She smiled when she heard him cursing behind her. “What? I didn’t catch that.”

“I’m sitting back here with anactualboner.”

Elliott turned and looked. Yep. His look was a mock glare. She grinned. “I didn’t do that.”

“You did. My little wet kitten all over again.”

She blinked back at him. Her body flushed.

Looking satisfied that he’d made the appropriate impression, he added, “My cock is like a homing pigeon that has decided its home is between your legs.”

Choking on a laugh, she faced forward. Her cheeks flamed, not because she was shy, but because he was constantly taking her off guard with how open and effortless he was with his feelings for her. “You’re so… unguarded.”

“Why do I need to be guarded with you? Besides, sex is different from feelings, although I have no problem sharing how you make me feel. So, something as insignificant as an erection—”

“Your erections arenotinsignificant, Jonah!” she shouted back over her shoulder.

“Hey! I donotwant to hear about my friend’s erections!”

Elliott whipped around again, leaning over a bit to see around Jonah, who had also turned in his seat. Lucy and Greg were catching up to them. Lucy had removed her cover-up but left her hat on. Elliott shifted her attention briefly to Jonah, wondering if he was going to get jealous or possessive over his best friend being so scantily clothed; he didn’t appear to notice.

“Hey,” Jonah greeted them.

Greg gave them a chin lift. He didn’t strike Elliott as rude, merely introverted.

“Is she holding her own?” Jonah teased Greg.

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