“I’m good, but we have to get out of this water.” March was no time to be in the water in Vermont.
“Up you go.”
And with that, he lifted her easily onto the dock that still stood. She swiveled on her butt and reached out her hands to help him.
He grinned at her then simply hoisted himself up to the dock as if he’d been taking a leisurely summer dip in a pool, not in a dozen feet of icy lake.
Water streamed from his thick sweatshirt and jeans. His hiking boots would never be the same.
And her heart fluttered.
When she’d jerked awake, she’d thought his voice was part of a really wonderful dream. After thinking about him while doing the Tai Chi moves, it wouldn’t have been surprising. And it certainly wouldn’t have been the first time.
Instead, he was here. In the flesh, more gorgeous than she remembered. Wide smile and powerful body. The man looked as if he could bench press a hippo.
Unable to help herself, Tansy reached out and put her hand on his arm. “You’re really here. What are you doing here?”
His grin was infectious. “Other than breaking your dock and freezing my ass off?”
That made her smile. “Yes, other than that. But we should get inside first. Get dried off.”
He nodded, but for several moments, they simply sat smiling at each other.
Sam was here.
“Race you to the lodge?” He stood and extended his hand down to help her up. “Wait. Maybe not. How shaky is the rest of the dock?”
The rest of the dock was fine, so Tansy squeezed his hand once, then let go and raced toward the shore.
“Cheater.” The laugh in his voice came closer as he raced up the dock behind her.
She was fast, but Sam had always been a superior athlete. Long legs, strong thighs, and innate grace had made him a leader on all the teams in high school.
Tansy reached the shore and headed up the slushy snow toward the huge deck spanning the front of the lodge.
Sam’s boot touched the first step a split second before her own. Then he leapt up the rest of the stairs and let out a whoop.
He raised his arms like Rocky and did a victory dance on the deck.
No one made her laugh and relax like Sam.
Tansy opened the door and stepped foot inside the lodge. “And I win.”
Laughing his big booming laugh, Sam shook his head. “Nope. I saidtothe lodge, notinthe lodge.”
“Semantics. I’m inside where it’s warm. I win.”
Sam followed her in and closed the door behind them. “Fine, but you cheated.”
He reached down and ruffled her hair like she was a kid. Tansy forced the smile to remain on her face. Would he ever see her as a woman instead of the kid sister of his friend?
Sam pulled off his hooded sweatshirt and hung it on a hook by the door. When she didn’t move fast enough for his liking, he reached down and unzipped her jacket.
Making her entire body shiver.
“You’re freezing, Tansy. Come on. Get this stuff off. Where’s your shower? You need to get warmed up.”
The shivers weren’t only from being cold, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.