Once out of the no-wake zone, Chuck had the speed up to please the girls, making the trip noisy and hard to talk over. Nate didn’t even try, settling for nods and smiles, and hung on tight for the ride. Chuck was grinning, not getting more than a word in edgewise, even to answer the questions the girls pelted at him.
Pippa and April giggled and shrieked at the splashes of spray, shouting back and forth to each other over the noise of the engine and churning water and jarring bangs over chop and wakes, their hair whipping in the wind. If Chuck didn’t ease off on the throttle, April was going to have a wardrobe malfunction at the next hard wake bounce.
Speed was fun, but slow and easy sailing, yep, that suited Nate just fine. The Morning Whisper’s little outboard came in handy, but he liked working her sails, catching the breeze and the sliding along the blue water with his hand on the tiller in peace and quiet.
Nate sat back, eyes on the bare mountains shimmering in the heat, and a deep-felt grin took him over. On the other hand, speed had one more good point: getting him back to Kay.
****
When Kay and Olivia arrived at Spider Camp, they found Mark in the shade being sensible far too late. The poor guy was glowing, but not blistered, and had two white circles over his eyes from the sunglasses and a book-shaped white mark on his belly.
“How’s that sunburn, Mark?”
He groaned and chucked weakly. “I should have listened to you, Kay. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep. I was reading. Then wham, I woke up fried. I could really go for some of that lotion of yours again, Olivia.”
Olivia dug a bottle of clear gel out of her beach bag, an organic aloe lotion Kay hadn’t seen before. With whisper-soft strokes, she delicately smoothed the gel over his red face.
Mark let out a groan of utter bliss. “You have the hands of an angel.”
Olivia smiled, and her blushing face bloomed out of the strained lines into gentle beauty. “I was a nurse. For a while.”
“Well, you’re moved up to angel status in my book.”
Olivia busied herself with more gel, gently working down Mark’s throat and collarbones. “You should see her painting, Mark, it’s amazingly beautiful.” Olivia nudged her chin at Kay. “Go on, show him, Kay.”
Oddly embarrassed, Kay pulled out her block and held up the painting. They made her prop it on a chair and come sit by them, and as soon as Olivia finished tending Mark, the two entered into a completely naive and enthusiastic critique, thoroughly enjoying what they saw together in her work.
“Wow, Kay, that’s powerful stuff there. Awesome!” Mark’s voice rang with the honest enthusiasm guys usually saved for the winning touchdown.
Olivia’s brown eyes sparkled with pleasure and her strained, polished veneer stripped away, leaving her looking as young as Mark. “Exactly! I was telling Kay that’s what I felt. Solitude and distance, but not loneliness.”
“It’s like the heat is liquid and the water stone. All hard and soft and hot.” Mark leaned forward, arms propped on legs, his face serious and thoughtful, his goofy personality set aside for a moment. “You did that with watercolor? I thought watercolors were supposed to be all pale, mushy-misty. This is totally wild. So cool.”
“And look where that pink color touches the blue. See that yellow bit. Brilliant.”
Mark craned his head to the side and gave up with a wince. “Can I see it upside down?”
Kay turned the block.
“Cool. You know your reflections. Do you have other stuff we can see?”
“Uh, yes, at my camp.”
“We’ve so got to see them.” Mark grinned. He and Olivia leaned closer together, both happy, relaxed, and focused on the moment. Kay wished she had Nate’s camera and skills to catch the scene of the two and their sheer enjoyment.
When had she last taken such pleasure in just looking at art? She loved creating, but to step back and simply experience the sight, just…feel? Of course she had. She’d been to any number of galleries and shows this year.
And she’d studied the works at every one with a critical eye, wondering how to improve her work, capture a technique, increase sales. Not for pleasure.
Unsettled and needing space, she excused herself. “Either of you want a drink?”
Olivia wanted seltzer and Mark, a Coke. Kay hesitated between the seltzer and a light beer. Honestly, she needed a drink. Beer it was.
The growl of an approaching motorboat announced the return of Nate and Chuck from their marina run, and the arrival of Pippa and April distracted Olivia and Mark from the painting. The rest of the crew showed up minutes later from their skiing and fishing adventures.
In the chaos of hellos and unloading the boat, Kay quietly and gratefully put the mess away. There might be no mistakes in art, but this one was still intention gone wrong, and she liked the piece no better despite Olivia and Mark’s pleasure.
Pippa oohed and ahhed over JoAnn’s baby belly, inundated Lloyd and Dave with her usual huge hugs and kisses, and bounced over to Kay and threw her arms around her. “Kay! I missed you! I’m sooo happy for you and Nate.”
It was nice to see Pippa again. As for her friend April, maybe it was nerves, but the bubbly blonde was a little too huggy-touchy throughout the busy hellos and introductions.
Nate set the ice chest on the beach and flashed that charming boyish grin of his. Her heart gave its funny twist in answer.
He crossed the several strides over to her, kissed her a warm hello and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Hey, I missed you. Good painting day?”
Be positive
.
Kay smiled and shrugged. “Productive.”
Mark overheard, unfortunately. “Her painting is awesome, dude! You’ve got to see it! Olivia and I were totally blown away.”
So, of course, Mark’s enthusiasm got everyone all excited and she had to bring out the painting again. After she propped it up on a chair, she stepped away and reclaimed her beer.
Everyone clustered around, and Olivia and Mark gave a tumbling recap of their entire experience and the whole discussion mushroomed.
Lloyd’s voice came out of the mix, “What do you think of our artist in residence, R.J.?”
R.J. folded his arms and studied the piece with a dismissive glance. “Good, I suppose. Not what I’d hang on my walls. Too depressing. Needs some real color.”
April bubbled up. “Oh, wow, are you kidding? I finished a design job last month. My client would have adored this. Kay, I so have to have your business card, okay?”
Kay was really beginning to hate that painting. Her stomach churned.
Nate came up behind her, a beer in his own hand. He slid his hand over her bottom and wrapped his arm around her waist, splaying his fingers over her belly and nuzzling kisses over her neck possessively, as if they were alone and he’d been gone another year, not a few hours. Oh, it felt so good—
Why? Then she caught April’s little weighing look cruising over them. Ah, so that’s why.
Kay succumbed to her own hot possessive flare, slid her arm around Nate’s waist, and leaned her head against his shoulder.
April shrugged, disappointed, but was already turning her headlight smile onto the brightly sunburned Mark. She studied him with an interested pursing of her mouth and then snapped her perusal onto Dave as he waded onshore gripping a bottle of water.
Dave caught the woman’s blatant look-see. He swigged his water and dropped into his beach chair, slouching with legs sprawled arrogantly, his wet swim trunks leaving little to the imagination. Kay had to admit Dave was worth studying. She’d sketched him over the years, as she had all her friends.
Dave ogled April back with those piercing, whiskey-brown eyes of his, giving the woman a clear crotch to breasts scan, smirking, lifting his water bottle in a salute. “Love the heart, but, no thanks, hon, not in the market.”
April smiled prettily, oblivious to the insult in his turndown, and rejoined the painting reviewers.
He tipped up the bottle for a deep swallow, and as he did, his gaze slid over to Olivia perched close by Mark and the ongoing impromptu art show, and he scowled.
Kay sighed and relaxed against Nate. Dave did have some bug up his butt about Olivia, or something. His turning April down was no surprise. He never hooked up with anyone on these trips, but he was usually so genial and “let’s get this party started” that his odd rude mood left Kay puzzled.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Nate stroked his fingers over her hip.
Chapter Eight
Surprised by Kay’s cuddling against him, Nate pressed a quick kiss to her temple. Her hug felt good, but the smile she’d had moments ago was gone, and her somber face was far from relaxed. She hadn’t changed out of her painting outfit.
Kay shrugged. “I’m not happy with how the painting came out,” she said quietly. “But Olivia saw it and then Mark…” She shrugged again.
“You’ve got true fans there.” He studied the painting, and as always, love and amazement swirled through him. A deceptively complex landscape, the rocks, water and sky of the piece showed Kay’s exquisite control of light and color through her fluid medium. His own work was all science and measurement tempered with instinct. Her art was like spiritual magic.
“I know. You know me, always overcritical of my work.”
“It’s beautiful, as always.” He kissed her cheek. “You worry too much, babe.”
A dry laugh escaped Kay, and she relaxed more into his embrace. “Oh, yes, understatement of the year.” She sipped at her beer. “Thanks for picking up my ski and doing the grocery run.”
“No problem. Nice ride. Got to chat with Mom and Dad, and I got us all a surprise for supper tonight.” Damn, standing here holding her was wonderful.
“Oh? What?”
“Guess. Begins with ‘s.’”
“Salsa? Soup? Squash? Spaghetti?” Silent giggles bumped through her. “I’ve got it. Sardines!”
Nate chuckled. “Begins with ‘s’ and you always want some more. So, definitely not sardines.”
“S’mores!” Her light and happy laughter wrapped around his heart. “Our hero! JoAnn’s going to love you forever. She’s been dying for some chocolate today.”
Women and chocolate. Nate grinned. And they said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach? “What happened to Mark?”
“Fell asleep. Olivia’s been tending him with some lotion she has. She was a nurse, so it looks like he’s in good hands.”
“Good.” He took a swig of his beer. “So, where are you headed this year after Mohave?”
Blurt it right out, Quinn, why don’t you?
She wrinkled her brow, tapping her can rim thoughtfully against her lips during the pause. “Honestly, I haven’t decided. Strange, right? I was originally thinking about Havasu and following the river in sort of a theme, since I have the Duckling with me, but the other day that old movie
Stagecoach
popped into my head, and I haven’t been to Monument Valley in a while. More rocks.” She sighed into a small, self-mocking laugh.
“You paint beautiful rocks, babe. Don’t put yourself down.” He paused with a slow swallow of beer, letting the cold, bitter fizz trickle down his throat while he readied himself. “Thinking of rocks, have you thought of the City of Rocks for some paintings?” he asked as casually as he could muster, as if he hadn’t proposed, as if this were just one of their ordinary July days. Mr. Cool.
Yeah, shit.
He felt interest perk through her body, and his hope leapt.
“City of Rocks? Wow, I haven’t been there in years. Idaho is way off my beaten path.”
He stole a glance at her face. Her eyes were thoughtful, and her lips curved in a soft smile.
“I’m driving up to see my folks after here, you know.”
Easy does it, Quinn
“For the first time I’m not having to race off to catch a plane at the end of my stay here. Sooo, I thought I’d take it easy, stop on my way at Zion or Timpanogos Cave and then maybe the City of Rocks, shoot a little film. If your plans aren’t set, we could, well, spend some more time together.” Pathetic, but there, the invitation was out. He made himself breathe.
She nibbled on her bottom lip, pondering. Eyes narrowing as if she were scanning the rock formations of that distant landscape. Pondering was good. Not an automatic no.
“Think about it,” he blurted. “So it’s just an idea.”
“It’s beautiful there. It’d be nice to go back, and there’s some scenic stretches on the way.” Her eyes narrowed more, her gaze drifting north. Was she picturing them there, together? A near-smile gathered on her lips.
Yes. Yes, come on, say yes. We need this
.
“Hey, Nate and Kay!” Dave hollered.
Kay started, and blinked, and whatever she’d planned to say vanished from her eyes.
Hell. Nate wanted to tear Dave a new ass for the interruption.
“The girls want to go skiing. April’s going first. Mark says he’s up to ride along for lesson three. Want to ride shotgun? Kay, you ready to play?”
Kay’s smile reappeared, radiant for Dave. “Sure, Dave! Sounds like a plan.”