Alla Kar: Stroke Of Fear

“So are you. I’m getting the canoes ready. I think you should stay here and try to soften her up so you can fuck. That’s what you’re good at, right?”

Jake’s jaw drops from his mouth. “Baby—”

“Save it. Then shove it up your ass later when you realize that you’re the biggest fuckup known to mankind.” I curtsy toward the wide-eyed, big-racked counselor. “Excuse me,” I say.

The breath I take releases a ton of pressure off of my chest. What an asshole. I get to the dock on the other side of the lake without even glancing at the water. When I turn I see Jake halfway across the lake, walking toward me.

“Stop. Turn your ass around and go fondle the girl over there. I’m not in the damn mood. Fuck off.”

Jake stops, shoves his hands in his jeans pocket and turns back toward the other dock.

Thank God.

I talk underneath my breath as I try to get myself together. I’m reaching out to grab the rope that ties the canoes to the dock, when I hear a deep laugh. It sounds like caramel drizzling down a poisoned apple. Deadly delicious. I turn on my heel. Tanner is sitting off to the side of the dock, fishing pole in hand. Holy fuck . He’s out of his camp uniform. A red plaid shirt, unbuttoned, is hanging loose on him. Christ, he doesn’t have an undershirt. And those holey jeans are so…God, they’re so hot.

“I can take my shirt all the way off if ya want me to, darlin’.”

All the blood in my body rushes toward my cheeks. “That full of yourself, are we?”

He casts his line back out, and lifts an eyebrow. “No. I just happen to know when a hot girl is checking me out. It’s kind of like a gaydar . But for women.”

I’m sure I’m as red as a tomato. “Why aren’t you with your group?”

He cracks his neck and pulls his pole in. “I have a free morning. I don’t have any activities until tonight.”

Oh. Biting my lip, I turn and start to reel in the canoes. My fingers are trembling being so close to the water, but I keep my eyes locked on the ropes.

“You need some help with those?”

“No,” I pull, trying to make it look easy. “I got it.”

A throaty laugh floats from behind me, closer than I had imagined. “Move over, I’ll help.”

“I got it,” I snap.

A low grumble sounds from his lips, and he scoots me out of the way. I turn around, and my breath catches in my chest. Tanner is close, too close. His tanned chest is glistening from sweat in the morning sun. “I want to help,” he whispers.

“I don’t need it,” I say, still focused on the hard planes of his abs. My mind urges me to reach out and touch, but I don’t dare move. “Is this a southern thing? You try to be all macho and stuff? It’s annoying.” I snap out of it, crossing my arms over my chest.

The blue specks in Tanner’s eyes are vibrant against the gray. “It’s called being a gentleman. Obviously you aren’t accustomed to that.”

“And how in the hell would you know what I’m accustomed to? You just met me two days ago.”

“Good to know you’re countin’.” He winks.

Grinding my teeth, I try to snatch the rope, but he retracts his hands. “I’m helpin’ out a lady in need. Obviously”—his eyes dart toward Jake—“you’re not used to it. That guy is flirting with another girl in front of you. He’s fuckin’ trash, Aubrey.”

Aubrey. God, I’ve never heard my name sound so…sexy. No sane girl could turn a cheek to that. I’m sure that deep southern drawl will drop any pair of panties, which is probably what he’s trying to do now. Not. Going. To. Happen.

“Thanks for the help and advice but I can handle myself.”

“I’ll say. That was sure some language comin’ out of that pretty little mouth of yours. Good girl. Don’t take any shit from anyone.”

“Well, in that case,” I say, snatching the end of the rope. He pulls his end back, so I yank as hard as I can. I know this is stupid. I’m twenty-two years old. Damn it, give me the rope!

Tanner jerks back, and I go flying forward, knocking him on his ass. My elbows hit the ground on each side of his head, then my face smacks right into his.

I look down at Tanner, gasping for breath. A huge smile is crawling up his face. It’s breath-taking. I’ve yet to see him smile—well, really smile—and I think I just melted on the inside. My panties are soaking wet. Can I even move if I wanted to? His white teeth are shining, straight besides a small turn of the fourth one from the right. What. The. Hell. I’m staring at his mouth, which draws attention to his lips. Holy Hell his lips.

Embarrassment floods to my cheeks. “You can get up anytime now, darlin’. Unless you want to stay like this. I won’t object.”

Pressing my lips together, I push myself up. My body is still shaking from the closeness, from the heat of his body. It felt so…safe.

“Now,” he says, dusting off his jeans. “We both know you can take care of yourself. Can I please finish brining in the canoes for you?”

Licking my lips, I nod. “Fine.”

I watch as Tanner pulls each canoe onto the shore. He’s lost his shirt, and the muscles in his back are thick, long and tanned. I want to run my tongue over every square inch of his body. And for some reason I don’t think he would tell me to stop.

Tanner pulls the last canoe up to the bank, and he wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. Turning, he smiles over at me. “Need anything else?”

I shake my head. “No, but thank you.”

He tries not to smile. “It’s no problem. If you ever need help you know where to find me.” He points toward a bucket he was fishing off of.

“You’re not leaving?”

He sits down and picks up his pole. “Why not?”

Because it’s going to make me nervous as hell . Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I shrug. “Just asking. Thanks again.”

I make my way back to the other dock where the kids are lining up. Jake’s whore isn’t here anymore, which I’m not complaining about. He’s checking the names off the clipboard when I walk up. Stopping, he glances down at me. “We need to talk.”

“We need to work. Is everyone here?”

He nods. “We’re ready when you are.”

I clasp my hands together. “Okay, campers. Follow Jake. You guys are going to do a few laps around the lake.”

“So, how did canoeing go today?” Cassie asks, slipping out of her camp uniform and into some jeans and a T-shirt.

I let out an exasperated sigh. “God-awful. First I see Jake and some girl rubbing on each other and cuss them out. Then Tanner sees the entire thing, and I fall on him while he’s trying to help me get the canoes ready. I would rather do anything other than this campfire right now.”

Cassie lets out a loud laugh and falls back onto her bed. “You fell on him? How freaking classic is that?”

After sliding out of my khakis, I shrug into a pair of yoga pants and a thin T-shirt. “It was horrible that’s for sure.”

Cassie stands up, and pulls her hair into a high ponytail. “Oh come on, just admit it. He is smoking hot and you love it.”

My heart thumps an extra beat thinking of the warmth of his skin, the closeness, the long muscles hiding underneath that tanned skin. “He is pretty cute, but…he’s an ass.”

“Really? An ass who saved your life and helped you get the canoes ready? Yeah, doesn’t really seem like an ass to me.”

“It’s not that. I mean he’s a gentleman, but he has this look on his face.”

“What kind of look, Aubrey?”

“Like… ‘I know I’m hot.’”

“Well,” Cassie says, placing her hands on her hips, “he has every right to think that. He is hot. And that’s confidence. It’s sexy. Plus, Jake has that same attitude, but he’s not a gentleman.”