Rum and Raindrops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance by Jean Oram

made, Jen start digging through her pack for her bathing suit and towel, her head shaking. What was wrong with her that she’d offer to wear a bathing suit in front of him?
    Oh, right. He was going to wear her towel. She bit back a wicked smile. This was going to be a fun ride back to Blueberry Springs.
    “I suppose I would lose all those manhood points I earned taking the shortcut if I denied the opportunity to see you decked out in a bikini.”
    She tossed her damp towel at Rob with a snort. “Who said anything as impractical as a bikini? I’m a nature guide. I expect to be able to dive into the water with careless abandon and reappear on the surface still wearing something.”
    Rob laughed, his cheeks flushing as he held the towel.
    “I’ll change at the back of the truck, you change at the front,” she suggested, moving around back. Frantically, she struggled to wiggle out of her clinging wet clothes and into her bathing suit. Half freezing, she walked around the side of the truck catching sight of Rob in nothing but her towel. Hum-m-m-muna . That might be just the thing to stop her teeth from chattering.
    With super-human effort, she tried not to stare at his toned abs and pulled her burning eyes away. And caught sight of his pecs. Also very nice. She tried to look elsewhere, but found her eyes drawn like magnets to his arms and shoulders.
    Holy hell. She might be drooling.
    Rob broke the moment by laughing at her legs.
    “I know,” she grumbled, shifting her weight. “Apparently, my breathable hiking pants inhale as well as exhale. It’s not like your legs are any better.” She took in his grubby legs, smiling at his pasty, clean feet. She glanced at her own feet. Black as a night without a moon. Now she knew why Rob wore those big boots.
    Jen rubbed her goosebump-covered arms, and her teeth started to chatter. Self-conscious that certain body parts might be revealing just how nipplely the post-rain air was, she crossed her arms tightly over her chest and moved to the passenger side.
    Rob started the engine and cranked the heat. As he released the clutch, the towel eased its way down between his legs, the two ends coming apart to reveal the white on his upper thigh that was normally protected from the sun.
    “Don’t worry, I have my boxers on.” Rob smiled.
    Cheeks flushed, she struggled not to look for more as the towel separated to expose blackened red and blue plaid boxers.
    Catching the towel and bringing it around his waist again, Rob blushed.
    He was so shy, it was painfully cute.
    “Oooooo…plaid. Very sexy,” Jen singsonged, trying to make him blush more. If only she had X-ray vision. Well, then she’d pretty much faint on the spot. That or jump him.
    It was going to be a long ride back into town.

    * * *

    Flirtatious fun flipped Jen’s stomach upside down. Dangerous flirtation. She almost pulled back, but with the protection of their respective roles as fire investigator and possible suspect, she knew it would prevent them from taking things further. Which meant, for once, she could unleash her flirtatious side without worrying about romantic repercussions.
    Which meant fun. Lots of fun.
    Jen’s stomach rumbled loudly, causing Rob to raise his eyebrows. They hadn’t stopped to eat other than the occasional snack and it was now evening, the sun dipping down to kiss the mountaintops.
    Reaching into her pack, Jen’s fingers curled around something she knew Rob would be unable to resist. She peeled off the lid to a stash of Mandy’s whiskey and gumdrop brownies and extended them to Rob, taking advantage of the moment to admire his almost naked physique.
    He was like an underwear model only better due to the perfect balance of hardness and softness. His shoulders rounded in just the right way. His physique was tight, but not so hard she’d break a nail squeezing his ass. She liked that. A lot.
    “Want some?” She raised an eyebrow as though offering something more than chocolatly