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“Do you know why you’re afraid of deep water?” He pulled her up to her feet and walked to the water’s edge, kicking water up and speaking fast. “I wasn’t supposed to be there. I’d already gotten caught sneaking in once, and the punishment was pretty harsh, but I saw that you were in trouble, flailing in the water, and no one was helping you. I couldn’t let you drown. I dove in and dragged you to shore. You were so scared. God, I’ve thought about this a lot over the years. Your words pulled me through some of my darkest nights. You grabbed my face, the way you just did, and you said,You saved me. You’re my real-life hero.”

Kat’s heart thundered against her ribs as memories came rushing back. “I remember now. You ran away.”

He nodded. “The counselor came after me. After you said that to me, you pressed your lips to mine. You were so little, so scared. It was like relief was flooding out of you. I think the counselor thought I was doing something wrong, because you were crying, but I couldn’t stick around to explain and chance being brought home by the police again.”

“I called after you. I think I said,Boy, come back!” She remembered now. Eric’s wide eyes had stared back at her, and then he was gone. “You must have been so scared.”

“Only of what waited at home if the police had brought me to the door again. I can’t believe it’s really you. It’s surreal. Like you’ve been there all the time, just waiting for me to find you.”

She smiled at that. “Do you know how slim the chances are that we’d meet again after all these years? Or that you’d even remember something like that? Like me?” She took a moment to digest it all before saying, “I think I’ve just seen your sentimentalside, and I really, really like it. What happened next?” They held hands as they walked back toward the blanket.

“I don’t know. The years blur together in a shameful nightmare of making it through each day. Lots of scary nights, fights, days where my parents were too drugged out to speak to me. At fifteen I got a job working at the track, and a mechanic there took me under his wing. I eventually moved out of my parents’ house, and they eventually got clean.”

“And that’s why you help families that have been affected by drugs.” She understood so much about him now and admired him even more for what he’d been through.

“Yes, and believe me, the irony of the fact that I’ve spent my life moving as fast as I can, and that it probably has something to do with escaping my past, is not lost on me.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you were strong enough to not only stay safe and sane, but you’ve taken your painful past and turned it into a way to help others. I think that’s the most admirable thing a person can do.” She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “You really are a true-life hero. And I’m lucky enough to have found you twice in one lifetime.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m the lucky one, sweetheart. You brightened my summer then, and you’ve turned me upside down over the past two days. You make me want things I’ve never wanted before. I can’t believe how much I feel for you already, or how happy I am when I’m with you.”

“Thank you for trusting me enough to share your secrets with me.”

He breathed deeply again, as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest. “Thank you for not judging me for my past.”

“Judging you? We can’t pick our parents.”

“Even so, thank you.”

She eyed the river. “You inspire me. Since you’re helping me overcome my horseback riding fear, would you be willing to helpme overcome my fear of deep water? It’s one fear I haven’t been able to conquer yet.”

“I’ll help you with anything, anytime. But are you sure you want to swim here?”

She was already stripping down to her underwear, and he was drinking her in with a lascivious stare. “Scared?”

“Hell, no. But if you’re going to walk around in that skimpy silk and lace, I can promise you that you should be scared. Very, very scared.”

“Oh gosh.” She feigned wide-eyed innocence. “Then I’d better take them off.” She turned her back to him and slipped her bra straps down her arms.

“Kat.” His voice was thick with desire.

She glanced over her shoulder as she wriggled out of her panties, giggling when he stepped from his boxer briefs, fully erect, every muscle pulled taut as she crooked her finger.

“I need my big, strong hero to help me into the deep water.”

CHAPTER 10

ERIC THOUGHTHE must have died and gone to heaven. Kat stood in waist-deep water, her skin shimmering in the moonlight as she clutched his hand. She wasn’t the least bit shy about her body, and he loved that about her. Just like he loved so many other things about her. The strength of her convictions, the courage she had to take control of her life. She was warm and understanding, and excruciatingly sexy. It was killing him to keep his hands to himself, when what he really wanted was to take her in his arms and make love to her.

“I think this is more an effort in overcoming my desires than conquering your fears,” Eric said. “This is some kind of test you’re giving me, and I’m going to fail. Big-time.”

Kat giggled. “You’d better not fail. I’m counting on you to help me overcome my fear. I can’t remember ever being in water deeper than this.”

He pulled her in tight against him and felt her trembling. “At least not since that time at camp, huh, baby?” He kissed her temple. “Are you nervous or cold?”

“Both.” She wrapped her arm around his waist.

“You’re killing me. Do you have any idea what it’s like to see your bare breasts in the moonlight, with that sweet, trustingsmile on your lips that makes me feel like a total letch for wanting to touch you?”