Page 82 of Those Who Are Bound

Amused, entertaining fantasies for a moment longer, he said, “There’s something I want to ask you.”

Mischief turned to inviting. “Don’t be shy.”

“It’s not about that.”

She made a face of disappointment. “Hmm. Okay. What is it?”

“In a few weeks, there’s a group going canoeing on the Niangua River. We’ll ride the bikes down the night before, set up camp, spend the day on the river, and come back the next morning.”

“Group. How many?”

Jonah stared at her before answering. “About twenty. But you’d be with me. Ride with me, be in my canoe…”

Elliott gave him another come-hither look. “In your tent?”

He waggled his brows. “Those logistics haven’t been worked out yet.” As she seemed to think about it, he pressed, “I want you to come. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about a group. Being with me in a group of people.”

She laughed, caught off guard. “What do you mean by that? We’re out in public all the time.”

“Not like this. I know these people. You’ll be there as my girlfriend; you haven’t met them. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Again, she stared back at him for a few moments. Then she said simply, “There is nothing off-putting about it. I like the idea of a long motorcycle ride with you.”

Sweet Jesus.

Giving a small nod, she confirmed, “I think it sounds like fun.”

Jonah grinned. “I’ll secure your spot.”

“Oh, now I’m committed,” she teased.

“In more ways than one. Besides, I can’t canoe alone.”

“You know, somehow I think you are capable of that.”

He accepted her comment. “Not too far from the truth; in the past, Lucy’s gone with me. In a sense, it’s like being on my own. Sometimes it’s worse because it turns into managing her and the canoe.”

Her face fell. “Lucy. I’m taking Lucy’s spot.”

Jonah held up a hand and shook his head. “No. Lucy already told me she wanted to go with someone else—you aren’t pushing her out. Although, there are times I’ve been tempted to do just that: throw her overboard and let her fend for herself.”

Elliott nodded. Then she tilted her head. “At the risk of meddling, you know she’s here right now. If you two need to talk, you have an opportunity.”

Jonah looked down.

“It’s not my place; sorry,” Elliott amended quietly.

“Elliott.” He shook his head. He glanced up quickly with a short-lived grin. “I don’t ever want you to think you can’t offer advice. We’re starting a relationship here; you can say anything to me. But, what she did…”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to know. I don’t want to be in the middle. But I remember what it was like when I fought with my brother, and it sucked, both of us being stubborn. So much time wasted being idiots.”

“She’s not my sister.”

Elliott gave him a look to say that it was merely a matter of genetics.

He changed the subject. “That’s the first time you’ve acknowledged your brother in that way.”

She tried to pass it off. “I do know that he died.”

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