ac

b when he went thigh deep in

ight on his ass, I couldn’t stop a hearty guffaw from escapin

and my father we

my father chuckled, holding out a hand

is shoes into the loose sand beneath him, coming

boots this time!”

oday, it was about seventy degrees, but that wouldn’t mean a thing once we wer

ssed me, but I certainly wasn’t going to tell Dad. He was so angry, in fact, that

blame him. They

r had a knowing expression on his

loading up the boat and the canoe with our ge

hin fallen birch trees and through knee-hig

roat. Caleb Killeen, the unwelcome rogue of every wet drea

ers, and muscular arms and legs. I could even see his... well... IT. He seemed rather well-endowed in that department, but then

een me. He folded his arms over his chest and turned

g, Jocelyn?” C

as I tried very, very hard to raise m

You really want to do this here and now?” Caleb went o

y managing to peel my eyes of

Jocelyn. You came out here hoping for something. Di

l I had to use it to form more words. “Dad

hadn’t been expect

t at arm’s length, though my arm was shaking. I

... pack,” I tried again,

oment. Then there was a

didn’t matter, anyway. Caleb’s naked body woul

words later, and a wet splat-sp

he whisps of hair that had escaped my braid. His strong h

, Jocelyn. I’m not nake

the other. “S-Sorry. Reall

I’m sorry. I thought you wer

en ones, I felt my stomach do a fl

and reaching out to play with the end

ortured, if I had to guess, but no man had e

n!” Caleb barked, dropping my b

backpedaling away from him. “S

o my father’s pack with his slung over his shoulder. He was wearing his wet boxers

s hell. What exactly had Caleb been trying to do? Why did he t

hed into a bag she’d kept with her in the car and took out some sunscreen. “You can

ould get changed,” I said in a rush. Though I did let h

y father asked, sounding as

houlder. “Of course I did! Did you

ck here naked. Just a littl

son off into the woods with your clothes? He won’t be able to fit into them!” She

ked, sauntering back toward us as though I hadn’

own himself at m

‘Gone Fishin’’ T-shirt,” Jeanie explained, her eyes still admonishing her husband. “Forge

for Jocelyn, I might have ended up ex

from going even more red. I was pretty su

grumped. “But it woul

ave different defini

e boats, yes?” Jeanie cut in quick

keep the peace by trotting over to grab the boxed kerosene lanterns and hurrying to

re we started layering tents and packs and other gear over them. My father got the motors ready on th

nse of humor,” my fath

ear,” Jeanie replied. “I’m sure he’ll come

pped in the back of the canoe, a

ont to direct Caleb,” my father said. “

ids. Has Caleb ever even r

er ever letting you shoot the rapids. Ca

ie, but she only shrugged.

ee any reason why Jocelyn can

t you’ve never run a motor

flared. “I have

Come on, hop on. Jacey will pu

as he says.” I didn’t want there to be a f

” Caleb took a step to

on one corded

ned and crawled into the canoe, making his way back

g now,” I said when I determined we were far enough away from

nd began tuggi

. He kissed his wife as he basically crawled right over her to get to the motor. He got their motor going in o

,” Caleb grunted so

ing the rope a strong enough pull. Two, the engine could be flooded. Or, three, there isn’t en

aid, squeezing the bulb. He pulled the rope again. This t

you drive the boat

gain. “Great learning

follow me! When I go to the left or right, you go to the left or right. When I slow down, you slow down. Got it?

” Cale

ething to Jeanie, who threw a pleading lo

ht?” I shouted over the sound of our motor as Caleb engaged th

k it was our parents’ honeymoon and not your eighteent

pulling the brim of my bas

e motor. “Shit, Jocelyn, I’m sorry. I’m doing everything

, and we’ll just talk if we have to,” I replied before lapsing int

ttle showboating with his more powerful motor, stayed impossibly far

the steam coming

back there,” my father chuckled as he bob

ave any problems. Even though you made it a little hard

ug my nails in

oured. “Boy, you take th

who kept saying how dangerous this lake is, an

explain to Caleb about t

e me a gra

u see where that rock is right there? With the water running over it? You aim straight for it. Also, unl

replied throug

boats through; we can just motor through,” my father continued.

ad a paddle

arefully navigated his boat a

ut incident because it didn’t look as thoug

ck at Caleb

d went the way my father had gone—

he water caught us and s