“Can’t be too careful.” The rowboat wobbled a bit as he stood and drew her up in front of him, where he unfastened the sweatshirt and pulled it over her body. It was so large it came to her knees. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Do you have any idea how precious you are to me?”

“Yes, I really do.”

“Good.” Quick as a flash he crossed the empty sleeves in front of her like a straitjacket and tied the cuffs in the back.

“What are you—?”

“I love you.” He brushed a kiss across her lips, picked her up, and dropped her over the side.

She was so astonished that she took a mouthful, then had to kick furiously to get to the surface. With her arms imprisoned, it wasn’t easy.

“There you are,” he said when she bobbed up. “I was getting worried.”

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting till you’re ready to drown.” He smiled and eased back down on the seat. “And then I’m going to save your life. Dan did it for Phoebe, and I’m going to do it for you.”

“Dan didn’t try to murder her first!” she screamed.

“I go the extra mile.”

“Of all the stupid—” She caught another mouthful, coughed, and tried to say more. Unfortunately, she was sinking back under.

He was in the water waiting for her when she came up—hair dripping in his eyes, Daphne plastered to his chest, his green eyes dancing with the sheer pleasure of being alive, in love, and having such a good time. There was no woman on earth who could entertain him the way she could. And no woman who would ever love him more.

Which didn’t mean she was giving in without a fight. “By the time you save me,” she pointed out, “I’ll be too tired to do anything but sleep.”

Seconds later she watched the sweatshirt sink to the bottom of the lake without her.

“That was fun.” Kevin’s smile was a mile wide, and his eyes were misty with something other than lake water.

“Not in front of the children.” Her eyes were misty, too, as she tugged off his Daphne T-shirt.

They made love in the shadow of the rowboat, holding on to the gunwale and each other, choking and gasping, first one of them underwater and then the other, two daredevils who’d found their perfect mate. Afterward they gazed into each other’s eyes, not saying anything, just feeling peaceful and absolutely perfect.

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Found in a notebook tucked under the gazebo at the Wind Lake Campground. Author unknown—although there are suspicions.