Shadowed Instincts by Wendi Wilson Page B

show you instead.”
    He took her bag of clothes and shoved them into his duffel
bag. Taking her hand, he led her out of the office and down to a dock. He
stopped in front of a large pontoon boat and looked over at her with a grin on
his face.
    “Hop aboard, matey.”
    “Really?” she asked, her excitement showing on her face. At
his nod, she opened the small half-door and climbed onto the boat.
    There was a large area in the back with long, wide leather
seats shaped like a U. She walked over and sat down as Jeremy put the key in
the ignition and started up the engine. Above his head was a platform with a
long, gently-sloped slide that ended above the water at the front. Melanie
looked behind them as they slowly pulled out of the marina and noticed two
large round tubes tied to a rack on the back.
    She left her seat and walked up behind him, wrapping her
arms around his waist and laying her cheek on his muscled back. “So, we’re
spending the day on the water?”
    He took one hand off the wheel and laid it over hers, which
were clasped on his stomach. “Yep. Happy birthday, Mel.”
    Melanie released her grip and slid around in front of him.
Pressing her body against his, she slipped her hands into his hair and kissed
him on the cheek. Resting her head on his shoulder, she said, “Thank you. I
love it.”
    They cruised around the lake for a while, seeing only a few
other boats along the way. It was a Tuesday morning and not even summer yet, so
most people were at work or school, leaving the lake practically deserted.
Jeremy found a secluded spot around a bend and killed the motor.
    After dropping the anchor, Jeremy walked over to where he
dropped his duffel bag and unzipped it. Pulling out a black and white checkered
blanket, he spread it on the deck and motioned Melanie to sit down. After she
complied, he pulled out a bottle of sparkling cider and two red plastic
containers.
    He sat down in front of her and placed the containers
between them. He waved toward them, telling Melanie to pull off the lids while
he popped the cork on the cider. Melanie gasped as she opened the first one.
    “Chocolate covered strawberries?” she asked, the happiness
evident in her voice.
    Jeremy smiled. “Yeah. The other one has some ham sandwiches,
in case you’re hungry.”
    Melanie carefully took out one of the strawberries and bit
into it. She groaned in pleasure and Jeremy’s nostrils flared at the sound. He
stared at her mouth as she licked the chocolate off her lips.
    “These are so good,” she said, closing her eyes.
    “I’m glad you like them.”
    Jeremy shook his head as if to clear it and poured her a
glass of cider. As he handed it over, their fingers brushed against each other
and he sucked in a quick breath. Melanie didn’t seem to notice, her attention
still riveted on the sweet treat in her other hand.
    “Do you want to try out that slide?” Jeremy asked, standing
quickly and turning his back to her as he tried to get himself under control.
    “I don’t know,” Melanie murmured, looking into the dark
depths. “Is it still cold?”
    It was an unseasonably warm day and beads of sweat were
forming on her nose. A dip in the water sounded wonderful, but it was only
early May. The lake back home would still be freezing this time of year.
    “Only one way to find out,” Jeremy said with a grin and
climbed the small metal ladder leading to the upper deck.
    Melanie carefully picked her way up the ladder behind him.
She watched him sit on the slide and motion for her to climb onto his lap. She
shook her head vigorously.
    “Nuh-uh. No way. You go first and tell me if it’s freezing
or not.”
    “Scaredy cat,” he said.
    He gave her a wink and pushed off. He flew down the slide
and was airborne for a second before he hit the water with a big splash. He
surfaced with a shout and started treading water. Shaking the wet hair out of
his eyes, he waved up at Melanie.
    “Come on in, the water’s great!” he yelled.
    “Is