Page 16 of One Unexpected Gift

“At least it didn’t get my whoopie pie.”

Nick didn’t miss the raised eyebrow and silent message Gina and Skylar gave each other. Women were good at that, speaking with their eyes. If only they taught men the art of reading minds, a whole hell of a lot of arguments would never happen.

“Whelp. Break time is over.” Brooke and Drew got up, as did everyone else. “Who lost?”

“Lost what?” Skylar asked.

“Taking out the docks is everyone’s least favorite job. It would be one thing if the water wasn’t so cold, and the days were blazing hot.” Brooke dropped her paper plate in the trash barrel. “I love it, but the boys are little crybabies when it comes to getting in the water.”

“I didn’t complain last year,” Drew argued.

“You cried like a little girl when you drew the short straw.” Owen laughed.

“I’m up this year,” Nick said, wishing he had a wet suit. As Owen had teased earlier, he’d be turtling big time when he got out of the water. Or rather, little time.

It wasn’t that Skylar was itching to get in his pants anyway. By the time they found another storage closet he’d be plenty warm.

Scratch that. He didn’t want storeroom closet sex with her. He wanted a big, soft bed. One where they could roll around a few times and he could do all sorts of things to her with his mouth.

He dropped his plate in the trash and wiped his face with his napkin before tossing it as well. If he kept thinking about Skylar all naked and sexy, the cold water would be a welcome relief.

“I’ll go change and meet you down by the water.” Nick jogged to his truck and climbed in the back. He could have changed in one of the cabins, or hell, right there in the lot, but with so many volunteers milling around he didn’t want to get caught with his pants down.

A few minutes later, he joined the rest of the crew down by the water. It wasn’t like he was the only one who’d be getting wet. Bryce, Owen, and Drew waded in the water by the ramp, the water barely lapping at their knees.

Brooke, being a show off, dove in at the end of the ramp. Nick followed behind her.

The water was a shock to his system, and he quickly surfaced. “Holy shit, that’s cold.”

“Maybe you can find yourself a friend who will warm you up when you get out.”

Nick scowled at her before looking over his shoulder to see if Skylar was in ear shot. She wasn’t, thankfully.

“You like her, don’t you?”

He didn’t need to ask who she was referring to. If his shoulders weren’t freezing he would have shrugged his indifference. Instead, he tipped his chin up as he treaded water.

“I like all your friends.”

“Equally?”

“There are times I like Charlie a lot better than you. Gina’s the only one who doesn’t ever annoy me.”

“Sky annoys you then?”

He chuckled. “I’m sure if she gave me the time of day there would be a moment or two of annoyance.”

“You spent all morning working with her.”

“Working with her is different than...”

“Sleeping with her.”

Nick didn’t take the bait. Instead, he forced his frozen shoulders up in a shrug. He wasn’t positive, but he didn’t think she knew about their two encounters. They dove under the water, working in tandem to release the anchor from the dock. When they had it free, they swam toward the ramp.

“I’m probably crossing the line, but that’s what I’m known for, so I make no apologies.” Brooke swam closer to Nick.

They were out of ear shot from everyone else on shore. Even treading water less than a foot from Brooke, he didn’t think he’d be able to hear her over his shivering. He waited for her to continue.

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