Crashing Down Read online

  Kathryn stood at the water’s edge and shaded her eyes. Equal amounts of excitement and nervousness moved through her. Good God, she could hardly believe she was about to go careening down a river with her life in Noah’s hands. She thought about her first bike ride with him and his comment about breaking her cherry. It occurred to her that he was true to his word, that he could get her to do a lot of things she’d never done before. His hard muscles flexed as he went to work inflating the boat and putting it into the water. As she watched him, her body tingled, and she couldn’t help but wonder what else he could get her to do...what else she would put in those capable hands of his hands.

  Noah stood in the boat and tried not to rock it as he reached for her hand.

  She held it back. “You’re not going to do anything to scare me, are you?”

  He held his hand over his chest and gave her, what she assumed, was his best innocent face. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Scout’s honor.”

  Kathryn pursed her lips. “Why do I have a hard time believing you were a scout?”

  Amy climbed in and handed the picnic basket to Jared. He strapped it down.

  Noah reached for her. “Come on, Kat.”

  Putting her hand in his, she let him help her into the boat. She pulled on a helmet and tied her life jacket as tightly as she could.

  “All set?” Noah asked, grinning as she took a seat near him at the back of the boat while Amy and Jared moved to the front.

  She grabbed her oar with one hand and held the rope going down the center of the boat with the other. A few minutes later they were going down a lazy river and she relaxed. She tilted her face to the sky, drinking in the sun. “This isn’t so bad,” she said, but a few minutes later, the river split. Noah went left, and the waves started picking up. “Oh God, maybe I spoke too soon.”

  “Start paddling,” Noah said.

  With Noah at the rear of the boat, guiding the way, she began paddling furiously, even though she had no clue if she was making things better or worse. The boat rocked, and her legs went up in the air. Her head practically landed on Noah’s lap. When she squealed, Noah laughed, his blue eyes glistening as he helped her up.

  She paddled like her life depended on it, but it was all downhill from there. The rapids grew strong and they bounced off rocks. Water splashed up and soaked her. Amy and Jared laughed from the front of the boat.

  They bumped the shore, and the fast running water carried them along the river. With her heart racing she looked over her shoulder to see Noah, who gave her an adorable smile. She turned back around and a half laugh, half cry crawled out of her throat when a cold wave splashed over her. A few minutes later the waves slowed, and they reached a quiet area of the river. Noah tapped her shoulder and pointed to the shore up ahead.

  “That’s where we’re going,” he said.

  She nodded and tried to paddle toward it, but she was pretty sure Noah and Jared were doing all the work. When they were close, Jared jumped from the front of the boat and guided them in.

  Still breathing hard, she set her paddle down and slumped in her seat, working to catch her breath. “That was...that was crazy,” Kathryn said laughing.

  She jumped from the boat and followed Amy, who held the wet picnic basket.

  “Fun, right?” Amy asked as the two guys secured the boat.

  “I’m still processing,” Kathryn said.

  “Let’s go,” Jared said, taking the basket from Amy. “I’m starving.”

  The two took off ahead, following a narrow footpath. Noah peeled open his wet suit and she tried not to stare at his chest as he walked toward her.

  Kathryn jerked her thumb toward Amy and Jared. “Where are those two going?”

  “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  As they walked the narrow path, wildlife came to life around them and she moved in closer to Noah. His fingers brushed hers, and her pulse leapt. Working to sound casual, she asked, “You don’t think there are any bears here do you?”

  “Of course. You’re in the middle of the woods. There are bears everywhere.”

  She made a tortured sound, and he laughed and pointed down the path. “Don’t worry, they’re carrying the picnic basket.” He grabbed her hand and tugged. “Which means if we don’t hurry, either the bear will get the food, or they’ll eat it all first.”

  They took off down the path and when they came to a clearing, Kathryn’s breath caught. “I read about this spot in the brochure, but I had no idea we could get to it from the river.” She spun around to take in. “This place is gorgeous.”

  Private picnic areas, tables and barbecue pits were set up in a lovely area with a view of the mountains off in the distance. They found Jared and Amy at a table under an umbrella. They’d spread out the food and drinks and waved her and Noah over when they entered the lush area. Mature trees and flowers fringed the picnic grounds, and off in the distance a hanging wooden bridge had been erected so guests could walk from one mountain peak to the other.

  She breathed in the fresh floral scents around her. “Do people come here?”

  Noah nodded. “The resort does lots of activities here, but today we have it to ourselves.”

  Kathryn slid onto the picnic table across from Amy, and Noah moved in close beside her, his warm wet body distracting her in sinful way. She dug into the sandwich, realizing how hungry she was after all that rafting, and swallowed the food down with a soda.

  They made small talk as they ate, and when they finished, they put all their wrappers back into the basket. “Are we heading back now?” Kathryn asked.

  Amy looked at her, then at Jared. She crinkled her nose and said, “I think we’ll take a walk.”

  “Oh, okay.” Kathryn made a move to get up, but Noah’s strong hand came down on her lap. His big fingers splayed over her thigh, and her body instantly flared hot as he anchored her in place. She turned to him and when she caught the look in his eyes, understanding dawned. “Oh,” she said again, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Right.”

  Amy squeezed her hand. “We’ll be back in a bit. You’ll be okay?”

  “Sure,” Kathryn said, breezily, trying to hide her discomfort.

  Once they were out of earshot, Noah grabbed her hand and hauled her up. “Let’s go.”

  She hesitated for a moment and inched back down. “Noah, I don’t think…” God, did he expect her to go off into the woods and have sex too? She might seriously want to lose her cursed virginity, but this was all happening rather fast for her.

  He stood over her and gave her one of his adorable crooked grins. “Don’t worry, Kat. I’m not going to jump you.”

  She nodded, and for a minute couldn’t tell whether the lump in her gut was from relief or disappointment.

  “I just want to show you something.”

  “Like what?” she asked cautiously.

  “You’ll have to follow me and find out.” She stood up, and Noah blocked her path. “Unless, of course, you want me to jump you.”

  “No!” she said.

  Well, maybe…

  He laughed and turned toward the woods. “Follow close.”

  She hurried after him, not wanting to get lost out here where wild animals roamed. Keeping close to his back, they traipsed through the woods, and she grew breathless the higher they climbed.

  After a while they came to a small clearing, and steam rose up from a water hole in the rocks.

  “It’s a hot springs,” he said. “Not too many people know about this place.”

  “Wow, it’s amazing.”

  “Come on, let’s get in.” He shrugged out of his wet suit and then kicked it away, standing before her in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs that left little to the imagination. She felt a blush move into her cheeks and tried not to look, but how could she tear her gaze away? The guy was smoking hot, and everything about him reduced her to a giddy schoolgirl. Feeling a little breathless and a little dizzy, heat pooled low in her belly, and it took two locked knees to keep herself uprigh
t.

  He slicked his wet hair from his forehead and his mouth curved. “Are you coming?”

  Before she could answer, he jumped onto the rocks jutting out behind the hot springs. He climbed higher until he stood on a cliff, his arms wide. Sunlight streamed through the trees and fell over him, and her suddenly dry throat cracked. God he was so tanned, so cut. It was cliché, she knew, but he seriously took her breath away.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, heat thrumming through her at the sight of him near naked.

  “Diving in.”

  “That can’t be safe.”

  “Do you always do everything that’s safe?”

  “Yes.”

  As she stood there staring at him, sure he was going to kill himself, he jumped. Good God, the guy was dangerous and reckless and being out here with him was probably a bad idea. But he made her blood burn hot and had her feeling things she’d never felt before. Things she liked feeling.

  He finally came up from under the water, and she planted her hands on her hips and asked, “Do you have a death wish?”

  He smirked. “You have three seconds to get in, or I’m coming to get you.”

  She looked at her wetsuit and thought about what she had on underneath. Her bra and underwear could easily pass as a bikini, but Kathryn didn’t wear bikinis. In fact, she didn’t wear anything sexy and rarely went swimming.

  Rarely had fun…

  Once again Amy’s words came back to haunt her.

  What good is living if we don’t have some fun, and cut loose once in a while?

  She bit her bottom lip, some suppressed, reckless part of her daring her to get in, to break free and have some much needed fun. Here in the middle of the woods, out from under her father’s, her boss’s, and the scholarship committee’s eyes, maybe, just maybe, she could let her guard down.

  “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

  Steam rose around his body as he came closer. “You don’t need one.”

  She grasped for an excuse, the reasonable, sensible side of her kicking in and warning her that getting in that water with a near naked Noah was a bad idea. “I don’t want to get wet.”

  His glance moved over her wet hair and suit. “You’re already wet.”

  She touched her hair and looked at her damp clothes. “Why is it that I always seem to be wet when I’m with you?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how sexual they sounded. “I mean...” she began, completely mortified.

  “One,” Noah said.

  “Wait, just wait,” she said, kicking her water shoes off, and almost falling over as she rushed.

  He swam toward her. “Two.”

  As equal mixtures of nervousness and excitement raced through her veins and a laugh bubbled up inside her. Hardly able to believe what she was doing, she unzipped her suit and shrugged it from her shoulders. Lord, she never did things like this.

  But you want to, some inner voice said.

  “Stop it, I’m coming,” she said, feeling edgy, excited as she stripped down in front of this gorgeous guy.

  Giving her no reprieve he continued to come closer. He stood up at the ends of the hot springs, and her breath caught when she watched the way the water glistened on his body. Her glance trailed one droplet, following it until it disappeared in the line of dark hair that led to his wet boxer briefs. Her eyes dropped to the hard ridges his underwear did little to hide and a tremble moved through her. Moisture grew between her thighs, and the harsh sound of her indrawn breath sent a bird into flight.

  “Three,” he said, his rough voice snapping her back to reality.

  She squealed when he scooped her up and carried her out. She fought against him, expecting him to dunk her, but stopped when he gently lowered her into the water. Her hands lingered on his body, her fingertips reveling in the feel of his hard muscles as she found her footing.

  “It’s so warm.” He let her go, and she pushed off him, swimming away. “Noah, it’s so nice.”

  He swam toward her, going under the water and coming up directly in front of her. He pushed his hair from his face, fat droplets pooling on his long lashes as his blue eye met hers. He wet his mouth, and his voice was deep, low when he said, “Now isn’t this better than sitting inside all day?”

  As he crowded her, and his warm scent overwhelmed her, her brain practically shut down. Why again had she warned herself to stay away from him? He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip a second time and she spotted what appeared to be naked lust in his eyes as he dipped his head, bringing his mouth closer to hers. For a minute she thought he was going to kiss her; for a minute she wondered how she’d respond if he did.

  Heat curled around her and her body trembled. “Noah?” she asked trying not to sound as breathless as she felt. Oh how she wanted to touch him. Wanted to trail her fingers over his muscles. Wanted to trace the outline of his tattoo. To ask who J was.

  Apparently she wanted a lot of things.

  He pushed her wet hair from her shoulders, exposing her neck. “Yeah.”

  He was so close she could feel the warmth of his body. He touched her arm, lightly trailing the rough pad of his thumb down the length of it.

  Sexual energy leapt between them, but she wasn’t sure what to say, how to act. She shifted on her feet, her stomach bumping against his groin. His nostrils flared and a low, animalistic sound crawled out of his throat.

  “Noah,” she said again, struggling to get her brain to work as she watched his Adam’s apple bob.

  “Hmmm…” he murmured, becoming strangely quiet.

  She tensed. “Are you okay?”

  “Don’t think so.”

  “Why?” she croaked out.

  She could see the hunger in his eyes, and hear it in his voice, when he answered, “Because I think I want to kiss you.”

  A nervous laugh caught in her throat, butterflies taking flight in her stomach. “You want to kiss me?”

  “Yeah.” He moved his mouth closer, so close she could taste the sweetness on his breath. She stood still, immobilized as he brushed his lips over hers, the warmth of his mouth doing mysterious things to her body. He inched back, his tortured gaze caressing her face as the muscles in his jaw rippled. “Kiss me back, Kat. Please,” he whispered.

  She stifled a moan as he put one arm around her back, hauled her hard against him and crashed his mouth to hers. As she kissed him back, his burning mouth pressed hungrily, his tongue fierce, demanding as it tangled with hers. Her body came to life as he splayed his fingers over her flesh. Her nipples tightened against his chest as he crushed her body to his.

  Overwhelmed with the sensations racing through her, she wrapped her arms around him, but he grabbed them and anchored them to her sides.

  She could feel his erection against her stomach, and she grew slick between her legs. Noah held her hands behind her back with one of his, while the other slid down her side, brushing along the outer edges of her breasts. She’d never been kissed like this before, touched like this, but she couldn’t deny that it felt good, that she wanted more.

  They stayed like that for a long time, exchanging long, heated kisses. She tried to loosen her hands, to touch him in return, but his grip was too tight, too strong. The sound in the nearby distance had them breaking apart. Noah inched back, and something conflicting moved over his eyes as they stared at each other for a minute. A moment later, his playful side returned.

  “So, uh…have you changed your mind on me jumping you?”

  She opened her mouth to answer, but had no idea what words were going to come out. Honestly, she couldn’t believe that he kissed her, the way he seemed to want her. This guy could have his pick of girls, yet he was out here with her. It baffled her really.

  “I…uh…”

  Coming to her rescue he laughed and said, “Come on, I’m just kidding.”

  “Hey, how’s the water?” Jared asked.

  They both looked up to see Jared and Amy pushing through the trees, their hair a rumpled m
ess.

  Amy stopped short at the edge of the water. Her glance went from Kathryn, to Noah, and back to Kathryn. “We’re not interrupting anything are we?” She smiled, her look hopeful.

  Jared didn’t wait for the response. He tore off his wetsuit, jumped in and started roughhousing with Noah, each trying to take the other under the water.

  Amy rolled her eyes. “Boys, they never grow up.” She stripped to her underwear, jumped in and swam up to Kathryn, curiosity backlighting her eyes. “Well?” she whispered.

  “Well what?”

  “Spill!”

  Kathryn swallowed, and stole a quick glance at Noah who was under the water. “He kissed me.”

  Amy squealed. “I knew it! I knew he was into you.”

  “Amy,” she began, still unable to believe that kiss, or that a guy like Noah could be into a girl like her. “Do you think you could go shopping with me tomorrow night after work?”

  Amy nodded excitedly, but before she could say more, Jared grabbed her by the waist and pulled her away.

  After they all had a swim, the four made their way back to the raft. Dusk was approaching when they returned to the resort. Noah parked his bike, and together they walked back to their building. Kathryn yawned, and muscles she’d never used before groaned as she stretched her arms over her head.

  “I’m beat.” Walking slowly, a warm night breezed blew over her, and Noah moved in close, the heat of his body reaching out to her in sinful ways. She shivered and hugged herself.

  “I guess this means I’ll be getting out of watching a chick flick after all.”

  He looked proud of himself. Too proud. Kathryn said, “I’m still going to hold you to it. Just not tonight. I need to get some reading done and rest up for tomorrow.”

  As she looked up at him, she realized that for the second time in her life she’d had...fun, and Noah once again got her to do something she had no intentions of doing. So much for not running in the same circles, because he seemed to be going out of his way to spend time with her.

  They reached her room and he stood outside her door, his hands braced on the overhead jamb. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

  She thought about her workday and her shopping plans with Amy later that night. “I’ll be busy.”