“What?” she asked as she readjusted a pin. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“You’re the one who’s smiling, Natalie.” She paused when she heard the gruff intimacy of his voice. It struck her in a flash he was right. She’d been grinning like an idiot. What’s more, her cheeks were hot. She brushed her fingertips across them in wonder.
She’d completely lost herself in the experience.
Feeling a little bewildered by her reaction, she busied herself with claiming her canvas bag.
“You liked it,” Liam said as he dismounted. He whipped off his glasses. “You liked it a lot.”
Natalie gave him a severe glance for the smug satisfaction in his voice. When she saw the sparkle in his blue eyes, though, she couldn’t help but join him in laughter.
Both of them were hot and sticky after the ride, so they agreed to swim first. Natalie exited the downstairs bathroom feeling self-conscious, wearing nothing but her bathing suit and a pair of flip-flops. Why hadn’t she thought to bring a cover-up or towel?
She breathed a sigh of relief when she entered the empty kitchen and saw a large blue beach towel placed conspicuously on the kitchen table. Liam had obviously left it there for her. When she walked onto the terrace she saw him already down at the beach, the waves breaking around his calves. He turned and looked back at the sound of the screen door closing. He waved before he walked a few more feet into the water and pushed off the shore, shooting into the lake like a human projectile.
Her eyes remained fixed on him as she walked along the stone path between swaying prairie grass, cattails and sunflowers. His muscular, tanned back flexed and shone next to the shimmering water. She placed her towel on a rock and carefully set her glasses upon it.
If this had been the first time she’d been with Liam, she would have jumped to the conclusion that he’d gone ahead of her because he was hot and craved a refreshing swim.
Now she knew different.
He’d given her space deliberately. He’d known she’d be self-conscious if he stood over her while she removed her glasses and dropped her towel. She’d underestimated him by assuming he was too self-confident to understand another person’s insecurities.
She had a strong suspicion she’d underestimated Liam in a number of ways.
It embarrassed her that he’d seen her vulnerability. Her gratitude toward him was stronger, though. At least Natalie thought it was gratitude. She didn’t know what else to call the ache in her chest she felt when she recognized his subtle acknowledgment of her feelings.
She waded in cautiously. She was hot from the summer sun and humidity, but as usual, Lake Michigan was frigid at first contact.
Liam turned a few feet away from the craggy breakwater and headed back toward shore. It was clear he came from a family of swimmers. He sliced throug
h the water with an even, powerful stroke, making it look as easy as a hot knife carving through butter. In reality, Natalie knew from experience that swimming in the choppy water took a special skill, one she’d never fully mastered.
He surfaced a few feet away from her and knelt in the water.
“Still cold for August, huh?”
Natalie nodded, keeping Liam in the periphery of her vision as she stared at the gray water. If she stared too intently into the brilliant sunshine, her weak eyelid would involuntarily close. She didn’t want Liam to notice that.
“You’re such a good swimmer,” she murmured.
“Thanks.”
He stood abruptly, causing the water to splash loudly around him. He stepped closer to her, casting Natalie in his tall shadow. She exhaled in relief and glanced up at him. She realized he’d blocked the sun on purpose—to protect her. For a second or two, she waited for the dread and embarrassment to come, the feelings that usually resulted after being exposed.
They never did.
His gaze was so uncommonly soft; his blue eyes were so warm. She recalled what he’d said this afternoon in front of the Captain and Crew about her scar: It’s one of the many things that make you unique…and yes, beautiful.
She returned his smile.
“I remember watching you swim at the beach when I was a girl,” she said.
“Yeah?” he asked gruffly. He stepped closer and removed a strand of loose hair from her cheek with cool, damp fingertips.
She nodded as he tried to tuck the errant strand behind her ear. Her face was less than a foot away from his chest. His nipples were a dark copper color. They were erect from the cold water.
“I remember one summer you wore a pair of trunks that were the same color as the ones you’re wearing right now—turquoise blue,” she said in a rush. She felt his hand still in her hair. She kept her gaze fixed on his wet, muscular chest.