Bright, late-afternoon sunshine streamed over Paisley’s colorful watercolor landscape of the lake, rickety dock and dark forest background. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind she knew she should stop living inside each brushstroke and return to the lodge, but a dam had broken inside her and there was no going back until her project was complete. After returning to her cabin earlier this morning, she’d grabbed her painting smock, picked up her suitcase filled with paint supplies and small portable easel and chair from the car, and quickly rented a canoe at the lodge. Despite protests from the young man who’d wanted to teach her how to paddle regardless of her assurances that she remembered how to do it, she’d set off on her journey. While paddling toward a tiny island she’d used to frequent at the other end of the lake, she waved to a couple of female tourists who were in kayaks.

The island with twisted pine trees had been more breathtaking than she remembered and after pulling the canoe onto shore, she’d set up her canvas and chair on a rocky outcrop that overlooked an old dock and the lake and then she’d gone to work on the first project she’d done in over ten years.

Time flew. Her back and shoulders began to ache. And the area were she’d fallen onto her hip nagged her. But she ignored the throb and enjoyed how the paint colors jumped off the page at her. Vivid shades of blue sky, wisps of azure lake and purples for the rustic dock and tinges of gray mist.

It was as if she’d climbed right into her palette. Every pine tree fizzled with dark green and every wave danced on the sparkling waters. With every breath she took, she inhaled the tangy aroma of pine needles baking on the nearby rocks.

By the time she’d put on the finishing touches to her painting, her tummy growled with hunger and cool air chilled her arms and face. When she looked up from her painting, she gasped at the setting sun.

The sight was magnificent. Puffy white clouds were tinged with watermelon-red and mingled with wisps of gold. The backdrop was a silhouette of black pine trees that towered into the midnight-blue skies. She would have to purchase a digital camera the first chance she got and she would use the photos to create her paintings during the long cold winter months.

As Paisley packed her supplies, the ache in her lower back got worse. Man, growing old was a bitch.

Despite her pains, she grew heady with despair at how stupid she’d been in stopping the pursuit of her art. How in the world had she ever allowed a man to have so much power over her in the way Paul had?

Why had she so easily been manipulated into leaving this peaceful place and giving up her own desires and dreams to stay with a man who didn’t care about what she had wanted in life? Why had she been so naive? Why hadn’t anyone warned her that evil men like Paul existed?

Those questions continued to plague Paisley as she placed her equipment and freshly made art onto the bottom of the canoe. As she pushed her boat back into the water, a magnificent splash mere feet away made her heart thump into overdrive. She jumped at the explosion of sound, dropped her paddle and watched the volley of rings as they shot out along the water. Paisley exhaled a sigh of relief as she noticed the dark, wet head of a beaver pop up out of the water about ten feet away.

“Scared the living daylights out of me, beaver,” she mumbled to the animal who, upon hearing her voice, slapped its broad tail against the water in another mind-shattering splash that made her jump once again.

“I guess I scared you too, didn’t I?” she chuckled nervously. But the beaver had already dove under the water and a couple of minutes later it popped its head up about fifty yards away.

“Wish I could swim that fast. Bet I can paddle faster than you can swim though,” she called out to the creature. But as she lowered her gaze to grab her paddle, she froze with shock.

Her paddle! It was gone!

No!

As she gazed through the increasing darkness and the quickly forming white mist, she spied the paddle moving away from her, farther out into the lake. It was already way too far out of her reach.

Oh no!

Sure she could jump in and swim after it. She’d probably freeze her ass off. But there was only one problem.

She didn’t know how to swim!

* * *

“Have you seen our guest from Cabin Thirteen?” Adam asked Heidi as she swept back into the lodge kitchen with her order pad. Worry gnawed at him. He had the feeling something was wrong concerning Paisley.

The teenager frowned. “Your lady friend?”

“Yes, we were supposed to meet her here for dinner and she’s late,” Andrew replied.

“You two look really worried. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s probably running late.”

“No, I don’t think so. We knocked on her cabin door, but she wasn’t answering,” Andrew said quickly. He was shaking his head and biting his bottom lip. The guy was a freaking wreck and Adam was trying really hard to keep his cool too.

“She could have been in the shower. Want me to grab the main key and go and take a look?” Heidi volunteered.

“Are you guys talking about the pretty lady who rented a canoe this morning?” Scotty, the lodge’s full-time handyman and guy in charge of rentals, asked from his perch beneath one of the several kitchen sinks. He was putting a pipe back together from a clog they’d been unable to diffuse.

“Paisley,” Adam prodded.

“I think that was her name.”

“She went out with a canoe?” Andrew’s frown deepened as he turned to Adam. “She doesn’t know how to swim. Or at least she didn’t in the past.”

“She still doesn’t, she told me so. But she has a life jacket. I made sure she was wearing it when she took off with that suitcase.”

Adam’s gut hollowed out in one bad rush.

“Suitcase?” Adam and Andrew echoed. Holy crap! Had she left already? Where the hell was she going with a suitcase out here in the middle of nowhere?

“Yeah, and she took a chair and an easel. Said she had painting supplies.”

Adam relaxed, but Andrew still held his frown.

“You know how she used to get carried away and lose track of time when she was painting. Maybe that’s what happened?” Adam pondered.

“Maybe.” Andrew replied in barely a whisper.

“Did she say where she was headed?” Adam asked.

Scotty shook his head and Adam’s relaxation vanished. The lake was big. It was already dark and it was going to be one hell of a cold night.

“Did she wear a jacket?” Adam asked.

Scotty shook his head again. “Nope. Just some fancy-looking vest or something.”

“She is only half an hour late guys. Lots of women are fashionably late that way,” Heidi said with a shrug to her shoulders.

Adam sensed Heidi was trying to downplay any problem, but the way both she and Scotty were looking at Andrew and himself made him think they thought Andrew and Adam were overreacting.

Plenty of people came in late off the lake. Some enjoyed the sunset, others watched the stars and the moon pop out across the dark sky. And then they did have a couple whose boat turned over in a storm the first autumn they’d purchased the lodge. Thankfully they’d made it to shore okay.

Adam shivered at that memory. There was a cutoff date regarding rentals and since the weather had been unnaturally warm this year, they’d extended the rentals for several days. But the water would be cold. Too cold for someone in a life jacket. If she had fallen into the lake.

Okay, they needed to chill and not freak out the employees. The last thing the lodge needed was gossip about the two bosses who carried a torch for the same woman.

Adam glanced over at Andrew who stared back at him. There was no need for his friend to say anything. He knew exactly what he was thinking. Paisley was in trouble.

* * *

Paisley frowned at her cell phone. No signal. How freaking convenient. You would think in this day and age all corners of Northern Ontario forests, including a tiny island a merely two miles from a lodge, would get a cell phone signal, but nope, she just had to be in a dead zone.

She pocketed the cell for the tenth time and tossed another piece of dry wood onto the small fire. She’d built the fire by scrounging around in the near-dark for wood and had found a safe sandy area along the shoreline so the fire wouldn’t spread and burn down the trees on island. Thankfully, her friends had packed scented candles and a box of matches in the small suitcase with the paint supplies when they’d given her the gift. She’d used several matches to get the fire started.

Paisley frowned as she rubbed her chilled arms and peered past the fire to the mist-shrouded lake. Man, she couldn’t see anything past a few feet. Thank heavens for the fire to keep her spirits up. How many times had she told her friends that in the old days she’d enjoyed painting with a lit scented candle nearby? She would have used the candle today while painting, but the breeze had been too brisk for it to stay lit, and she wouldn’t have been able to smell it anyway due to the wind, so she’d passed on it.

Too bad they hadn’t packed an extra paddle or a hammer and nails so she could get together a makeshift paddle. Of course, she could use a tree branch and use it to try to get out of here, but everything she’d found was just too heavy and nothing resembled close to anything that she would need to propel herself in the canoe. Not to mention it was getting more windy and—

Paisley stiffened at a flicker of light drifting through the mist. Was that lightning?

Oh come on, give me a break, please.

She hunched closer to the fire and furiously rubbed her cold hands. Thankfully the warmth from the flames gave her some comfort. But not for long. Another flicker of light splashed through the mist. It was followed by the softest rumble.

Shit! Thunder?

The breeze was getting stronger. The branches in the nearby trees began creaking and the waves slapped so hard against the shore she could barely hear anything.

Not good.

A branch cracked nearby.

Shivers raced up Paisley’s spine. What kind of animal would live on a small island like this? Was it the beaver coming around to check out the fire? Or maybe a black bear had swam out here from the mainland? Suddenly, she remembered reading about a couple who’d been interior camping in some provincial park when a bear had attacked them.

More shivers shot through her. She grabbed a nearby thick branch and scooted away from the fire to hide behind a tree. Her teeth began to chatter. Chilly September air breathed against her. Fear shot adrenaline into her. She wanted to scream and scare whatever was out there away. But she kept quiet and peered through the mist.

Shadows moved in the darkness. Bushes?

If she got out of this alive, she was never ever going anywhere without the proper nighttime gear or a flashlight. She’d forgotten how cold and dark it got up north at night.

Branches moaned in the wind. If she allowed her mind to go into overactive mode, she swore it sounded like ghosts complaining.

Okay, stop! Don’t go there.

A very cold raindrop fell on her arm. Another on her face. The fire began to flicker in the increasing wind and the flames seemed to be getting smaller.

Another branch snapped. This time farther down the shoreline. She froze at hearing some clunking noises. She tried to peer through the darkness to find out what it could be, but gosh, it was too damn dark.

Lights flickered and at the same instant someone shouted from around twenty feet in front of her.

“Paisley!”

Adam!

Relief splashed around her. A couple of beams of light pierced the thick mist and blinded her. Flashlights!

Before she knew what she was doing, she was faltering toward the lights, wobbling over fallen branches and stumbling over rocks that were strewn all over the ground.

“H-here!” she cried out. Her teeth chattered so badly she could hardly speak. Her legs shook so much she could barely keep from falling over.

A moment later, two figures emerged in front of her. In an instant, she became wrapped in a wonderful toasty blanket and two pairs of warm, strong arms.

For the first time in many years, she felt safe. Actually and truly protected from all harm. It was an intense feeling and emotions burst inside her. She couldn’t stop the flow of tears.

Oh God! How embarrassing. She should be stronger than this. She should be. But she wasn’t. It felt good to cry. Good to have loving, tender arms holding her.

“What happened?” Adam asked as, to her surprise, he brushed his mouth against hers in a gentle kiss that took her breath away. The intimate, warm touch of his lips made her shiver even more. She wanted him to do it again.

“L-lost…the…paddle,” she stuttered through chattering teeth.

“How? Never mind, don’t answer that. Let’s get down to the boat,” Andrew insisted. A firm hand slid to her lower back and she was being ushered into the mist and toward the roaring waves slapping against the shoreline.

“The fire. Put out the fire, Adam,” Andrew instructed.

“I’m on it,” he replied. He let her go and Andrew took over. He held her tightly and moved confidently over the uneven ground.

Once she stepped into the aluminum motorboat, she shivered harder. Andrew must have somehow noticed because he was suddenly ripping the blanket off her and tucking her arms into his very warm coat and settling the blanket over her legs.

“S-sorry t-to cause…so much…t-trouble.” She sucked back a sob and wiped the tears from her chilled face.

Andrew chuckled, and the lighthearted sound pierced her heart.

“You’ve never been trouble, Sparky. You should know that. And you never have to be afraid of us.”

Why did he say that? Was she so transparent? Could he read how screwed up she’d become?

Long moments passed. Waves slapped against the side of the aluminum boat and she grew worried.

“Where’s Adam?” she finally ground out.

“Here, take this flashlight. Aim it toward the island so he can see.”

She grabbed the flashlight from him and swung it toward the dark silhouette of trees, hoping it would make it easier for Adam to see.

A second later, his big form loomed in front of her. Relief hit her and she blew out a huge breath.

“Fire is out and I picked up your supplies from the canoe,” Adam said.

“Thank you so much.” In her fear and relief, she’d forgotten about the fire, her painting and her supplies. As Andrew held the boat steady, she accepted the suitcase and her picture.

“We’ll pick up the canoe tomorrow. Are you okay, Sparky?” he asked. She shone the light onto his face and read the concern there.

“I will be,” she told him.

He smiled and nodded.

Behind her, Andrew started the motor. It was a relatively quiet engine and that was why she hadn’t heard them coming. She must have heard bursts of sounds from the motorboat as it drifted along the wind and thought it was thunder. And the lightning had actually been their flashlights.

There was no storm. Just the one inside her. Guilt for putting these two men to the trouble of looking for her.

“Hold on, I’m coming in,” Adam said.

Paisley placed the flashlight into her lap and grabbed onto the edges of the seat beneath her as the boat tilted when he stepped inside.

“Move over. I’ll sit with you and keep you warm.”

She nodded, scooted over and was grateful for his body heat as he swept an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side.

“Andrew! We’re good!” he shouted over her shoulder.

The boat began to move backward and then a moment later, forward.

“You’re shaking. Are you really all right?” Adam asked her and she nodded. He squeezed her tight and she tucked her head beneath his chin, hiding her face against his warm coat.

Gosh, this felt so right to be here with them. She must have been insane to have left them. Totally and completely insane.

* * *

Waves slapped noisily against the front of the boat and raindrops splattered over Adam as he held Paisley close to him. Man, she fit perfectly in his embrace. Like she belonged here. Yet she continued to tremble against him.

He knew she had a case of mild to moderate hypothermia. He didn’t think it was to the point of severe as when he’d shone the flashlight on her face. Her face had been quite pale, yet her lips hadn’t appeared blue and she’d seemed coherent.

“Are you diabetic or are you on any medications?” he asked her. He needed to be sure that there wasn’t something else he needed to deal with.

Through the darkness, he barely saw her shake her head.

“No,” she answered.

He exhaled in relief. Good. Good.

“We’ll be back in just a few minutes. Are you still cold?”

“I-I’m better.”

“We’ll get you into a warm room and get something warm into you as soon as we get back there.”

She nodded again.

He liked the way she smelled. Like delicate flowers, fresh outdoors and a hint of paint.

Suddenly, it was as if ten years hadn’t separated them and they were back here in a boat like when they’d been younger. He and Andrew had pleasured her so many times that they’d been sure she would stay with them forever.

Man, he suddenly wanted to touch her lips again with his mouth. Wanted to kiss her and just be inside her.

When they’d found her on the island, he’d been so glad to see her. Adam hadn’t thought, he’d just reacted and kissed her. Man, she’d tasted of sweetness and long-lost love.

She must have sensed what he was thinking. Or maybe she’d just moved to look up at him for another reason, but suddenly her warm breath was caressing his chin.

Adam went with his instincts.

* * *

Paisley couldn’t understand what was happening when Adam’s warm mouth slid possessively over hers. The firm touch of his lips was a splash of pleasure that short-circuited her senses. She savored the taste of his tongue as it boldly slipped past her teeth. Feverish need swept through her as he held her biceps and kissed her harder. Her pussy pulsed with need and her nipples seemed ultra-sensitive as they brushed against her shirt.

She heard him growl. It was a low, animalistic sound that sent her pulse pounding so fast she swore she would have tipped right over the side of the motorboat had he not been holding her.

He must have sensed her headiness for he quickly broke the intoxicating kiss.

“Oh damn,” she whispered. That was so good.

Adam had always been a fantastic kisser. His kisses had been her weakness, just as much as Andrew’s fuck-me-now gaze had always been.

Oh boy, she was in so much trouble.

Bright lights from the lodge’s outdoor lights pierced the thick veil of mist and Paisley caught the look of lust in Adam’s eyes as he pulled away from her and grinned.

“Seems like the spark is still in you, Sparky. It looks like it’ll just be a matter of time…” he said softly. Above the roar of the wind and the crash of the waves, she barely heard him. But she did.

She licked her lips and tasted him. Strong and spicy. Just as she remembered him.

How Andrew managed to get the boat alongside the dock in this fog and silvery rain, she had no clue, but he managed it with ease. Adam hopped out and tied the boat down while Andrew helped her out onto the sturdy dock and then he grabbed her case and painting.

“You take her to her cabin and I will get something hot for her,” Adam spoke as they straddled her on each side and helped her to climb the stairs to the lodge’s veranda.

Andrew’s arm swept quickly and possessively around her shoulders and he hustled her through the drizzle, to the safety of the veranda, then out into the weather again at the side of the building. Quickly they followed a quaint lamplit path that led to the sparsely located cabins nestled in the woods near the shoreline. She didn’t know how he suddenly had her cabin key, but he did. The door opened and he hustled her quickly inside, flicking on all the lights.

Welcome warmth spilled against her face and Paisley allowed Andrew to help her off with his coat. Everything seemed so surreal. The day of painting, her being stranded on the island and them coming to rescue her.

“Maybe you should hop into the shower and get warmed up.”

Yes, that was a good idea. It would give her a few minutes to collect her thoughts and help stop her legs from shaking.

She nodded jerkily and headed into the bathroom.

“Paisley,” he called out before she could slip inside.

She halted, turned and trembled at the sweet concern blazing across his face.

“Do you need help undressing?”

She wanted to say yes. She was crazy to even consider saying yes. They were her ex-lovers and she’d just reunited with them this morning. But she would love for him to join her in the shower. She would love to relive old times.

“Paisley? Are you okay? Are you up to undressing on your own? I don’t want to find you face flat in the shower,” he said. She blinked at the realization that what he’d said wasn’t sexual at all. He was just concerned.

Gosh, she needed her head examined. She was reading way too much into Andrew’s question. Perhaps she was experiencing a hero-worship complex? Yes, that was it.

“I’m fine,” she lied. She was anything but after that hot kiss from Adam in the boat and the soft brush of his mouth against hers when they’d first found her. Had Andrew seen what had happened between them?

She shook those thoughts away as she stepped into the bathroom.

“Don’t lock the door,” Andrew said in a soft voice.

Sweet mercy!

“Just in case…” he said with a smile.

Her pulse began a totally insane pounding. Just in case, what? In case they wanted to join her? No, he meant in case she did a face-plant to the floor and he could get in without breaking down the door.

Paisley closed the door and didn’t lock it. She was reading too much into his comments. She needed to get into the shower and get rid of the chill hugging her insides. Perhaps she was hypothermic and seriously delusional? Or maybe she was just desperate to grab onto something solid like the relationship she’d once experienced with them?

But a relationship with the two of them was the worst thing for her while she was trying to get back on her feet. Heaven knew she was lousy with decision-making were men were concerned.

She frowned as she looked into the mirror. She looked just awful. Her hair was a tangled wet mess, her face was pale and she looked like something a beaver pulled out of the lake. With trembling hands, she undressed and placed her clothing on the countertop. She couldn’t climb into the hot shower soon enough.

Andrew jumped at the sharp rap at the door of Paisley’s cabin. He’d been so involved with thinking about the close call with Paisley that he almost fell over as ran into a dining chair as he rushed to cross the warm room and whip open the door. Adam stomped in and a blast of cold air shot against Andrew. Outside, wind howled through the trees, rain pelted the rock patio and the waves roared out on the lake.

Andrew stifled a shiver at thinking Paisley would still be out there had they not gone looking for her.

Fuck. It had been a close call for her. Too damned close. He didn’t waste time in shutting the door.

“Nasty weather tonight,” Adam chuckled. His hair was wet and his arms were laden with paper bags stuffed with what he assumed was their supper.

“Geez, what did you do, bring in food from the entire dining room?” he joked.

He grabbed a couple of bags and followed Adam into the kitchenette where they placed the bags onto the green granite countertop.

“So, where’s our beautiful patient?” Adam asked as he eagerly looked around and rubbed his hands together.

“That’s what’s got me a bit worried. She’s still in the shower.”

At Andrew’s comment worry creased Adam’s forehead. “How long?”

“Since we got back.”

Adam glanced at his watch and blew out a breath. “About fifteen minutes.”

“I was about to check on her when you knocked.”

Adam didn’t waste any time as he strolled to the bathroom door and knocked sharply.

Andrew had always wished he could be bold like Adam. He should have done the same thing five minutes ago, but he’d hesitated, not wanting to intrude on her in case she was enjoying the hot shower.

“Paisley!” Adam shouted. “Everything okay in there?”

No answer.

At the same time, the distinct sound of a cell phone ringing burst through the air from inside the bathroom. It rang and rang.

Adam looked at Andrew, concern on his face.

“Go in. I told her to leave it unlocked,” Andrew instructed as alarm raced through him.

Adam didn’t hesitate. He opened the door and they both froze as Paisley, her hair adorned with a pink towel and her body wrapped in a very short white towel, stepped into the powder room from the adjoining bathroom.

Shock made her lips part and a pretty pink blush swept across her cheeks.

“You didn’t answer when we knocked. Are you okay?” Andrew said quickly.

His protective instincts, as well as every male instinct of wanting her, nailed into him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Not with the towel so low on her chest that he got a very good peek at the valley between her full breasts. His gaze dropped past the bottom of the towel and he gasped at the sight of a large bruise on her right hip.

Shit!

“What the hell happened? Did you fall?” Adam asked as he crouched in front of Paisley, who looked uneasy and nervous, as Adam reached out and touched the bruise.

The cell phone continued to shrill and she gazed at it.

“I…I didn’t hear you. Yes, I fell. But I’m okay. Really. Now I need to get this, it’s one of my friends calling. She’ll worry if I don’t answer.”

Andrew nodded, yet he found it hard to rip his gaze from her. Adam, in the way he lingered on his haunches, down by her legs, seemed to be having the same problem of not wanting to leave.

Man, the way they were staring at her would surely scare her off. She’d think they were a couple of stray dogs wanting to mate with her. They seriously needed to back off, but he just couldn’t move. She just looked so sexy.

When Paisley threw Andrew a pleading look, he finally snapped out of his infatuation with her and tapped Adam on his shoulder.

“Come on, you heard the lady. Get your ass out of here.”

Thank you. She mouthed the words as Adam brushed past Andrew. He nodded to her and quickly followed Adam out of the room and quietly closed the door behind them.

“What the hell did you think you were doing staring at her like that and touching her?” Andrew whispered as he followed Adam to the kitchen.

“Me? I was just concerned about that bruise,” Adam protested as he started to lift Styrofoam containers out of the shopping bags.

“We are going to scare her off again.” Andrew mumbled. He didn’t like this feeling of expecting her to take off. Didn’t like it one bit.

“I know, I know,” Adam said as he rubbed a hand across his chin. “We need to back off her big time. Or we need to find out why she left us in the first place and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Andrew grimaced. “I’m not sure I want an answer.”

Adam frowned. “Neither am I.”

* * *

“Oops, did I catch you in the shower? I know how you like long showers,” Selena asked after Paisley answered her call and apologized for taking so long.

“Just stepping out, actually. How did things go today?” she asked, hoping Selena wouldn’t catch the tremble in her voice.

The hot shower had been perfectly peaceful. Just what she’d needed to kill the chill from tonight’s misadventure. But when Adam and Andrew had barged in, they’d frightened her— making her believe, if only for a split second, that Paul had hunted her down and was going to finish off the job he’d almost completed over two years ago.

“Good. Actually, great. We’ve got a couple more new contracts. I’m hiring a couple of seamstresses to keep up with the demand.”

“Great, I’m glad to hear that.”

“Um, what’s going on? You don’t sound cheerful. As a matter of fact, you sound rattled.”

“I do?” Paisley looked into the mirror and sure enough her eyes were darting to and fro like she was a trapped deer.

She hadn’t expected Adam and Andrew to enter the bathroom. Surprises tended to set her nerves on edge in a very bad way. If she didn’t control her breathing, she’d start to hyperventilate.

“I’m fine. It’s been a long day and I’m tired.”

“So…what…you went exploring?”

“Yes, I went out with a canoe to an island and I did a wonderful painting.”

“Awesome! Take a pic with the laptop right now and send it so I can see!”

Shoot.

“Um, well, it’s not here.” She lied. The last thing she wanted was to go out into the next room, dressed in a towel, with those two hunks watching her the way they had.

“It’s out in the car and I can’t get to it now. It’s raining a lot. How about I show you tomorrow?”

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, seriously.” Not. She was a freaking nervous wreck!

“I’m not buying it, but I’ll let you go for now. Tatianna or I will call first thing in the morning to check on you.”

Paisley breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for her friends to lose any more sleep over her.

“We’ll talk more in the morning. Thanks for calling, hon.”

Selena sighed. “Okay, see you later. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetie. And say good night to Tatianna for me.”

Selena nodded and then disconnected.

Paisley let out a deep tense breath and with a softly trembling hand placed her cell phone on the counter.

Overhead, raindrops pelted the metal roof of the cabin, and in the next room Andrew and Adam spoke in low murmurs. Deja vu embraced her as she remembered sharing a cabin with them all those years ago. She’d have to make it a point to find out if that cabin was still standing out there in the woods on the other side of the lake.

Paisley shook her head at that silly thought. She couldn’t go back in time and carry on with Andrew and Adam again. No matter how much she wanted to. It was time to move forward with her life and without leaning on men, just as she’d promised herself she would do.

She took several deep and slow belly breaths, like the ones her psychologist had showed her how to do, and found herself relaxing. Andrew and Adam were not Paul. She was not in any physical danger. They had merely been concerned about her when they’d barged in just moments after she’d stepped out of the shower.

It was nice to have a man—or in this case, two men—who cared so much for her that they had come looking for her so quickly after she’d gone missing.

Paisley smiled into the mirror as she quickly blew dry her hair. When it was sufficiently dry, she searched through her suitcase for something nice to wear.

She picked a warm gray turtleneck with matching fleece hoodie, a pair of black track pants and warm wool socks. Her tummy grumbled angrily and realizing she’d stalled too long, and that she owed the two men an appearance and her thanks, she reluctantly opened the door and walked into the adjoining room.

To her surprise, the room was dimly lit and the men were nowhere in sight. Beside her bed, a votive candle flickered in a glass holder. In the kitchenette area, on the small table, she discovered three wine glasses filled with lit yellow votive candles. There was a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice and an abundance of food set out for her along with a note in what she recognized as Andrew’s handwriting.

Disappointment snapped through her as she read the note.

They had left extra food in the fridge for her. They had left her each of their phone numbers in case she needed them and said they had been called away due to lodge business.

Paisley frowned. Had they really been called away? Or had she scared them away because she was turning out to be so much trouble? Gosh, she hoped it wasn’t the latter. She really needed to apologize to them, but with all this rain and finally feeling nice and warm again, she just didn’t feel like venturing outdoors to the lodge.

Darn it, but she owed them for coming to her rescue as fast as they had. She didn’t even want to think about what she’d be going through now out there, stranded on that island with that cold rain battering down on her.

Paisley’s tummy growled again and she sat down in one of the chairs. The food looked delicious. Curls of steam drifted off a bowl of mushroom soup. Crackers and cheese plus a huge burger with all the toppings and a very generous helping of French fries sat on a plate. She smiled and inhaled the succulent scents of grilled beef, gravy and various cheeses. They’d kept the traditional Lodge Melt. That burger had been one of her favorites. For dessert there was a large slice of chocolate almond torte.

She was about to pick up the spoon to start on her soup when she noticed a pair of keys set right in front where the note had been. On the keychain were the words “The Art House”.

Shivers of delight screamed through her.

Oh wow! Her keys! They must have been delivered to the lodge while she’d been out today! Renewed excitement whipped all around her. Tomorrow was going to be the beginning of her new life here at Dream Catcher Lake, and she could barely wait.

* * *

At the crack of dawn, Paisley stared through the grayness of the interior of the Art House. Outside, the two-story cabin had appeared debilitated but the interior was perfectly rustic. The real estate agent had sent her a couple of pictures of the inside and they didn’t do the place justice. She’d forgotten the gorgeous huge stone fireplace that occupied most of one wall. It would need a new metal insert and the cement chinking needed some repair. It would cost to fix it, but a crackling fireplace would be a draw for the tourists who entered, and worth the money spent.

Of course, she could showpiece a huge painting over the hearth and smaller ones along the sides of the fireplace.

All the furniture had been covered in white linen sheets and as she uncovered one sheet after another, she realized she’d actually gotten a bargain. Everything had been fashioned out of pine and needed to be varnished to make it look nice again. The chairs, several dining tables, the floor. She could do all that.

Her creative juices began flowing too as she walked out a back door and onto the veranda. Out here, she would put a padded lounge chair and a picnic table for her downtime and so visitors could come out and relax and take in the view.

The cabin had been built at the edge of the lake and as she looked out over the white-capped blue waters she could see the pine-tree-laced rocky shoreline, the small island she’d been stranded on was a dot way in the distance, and the lodge nearby. Automatically, she thought about Adam and Andrew and wondered once more if she’d scared them away. She hoped she hadn’t. When she got back she would make it a point to seek them out.

A cold breeze whipped against her, urging her to go back inside. From her purse, she withdrew a pen and a pad and began to take inventory of what she wanted done. Shiny black marble would look fantastic over the gray stone breakfast bar and she’d get some installed on the fireplace mantel too.

The chimney would need to be inspected and the wiring too, as well as the heating system. It was an antique-looking propane-fueled furnace that she found in a back room.

In the past, she’d never been upstairs, and now as she stepped off at the top of the stairs, she was thrilled to find two empty bedrooms, a small kitchen with an antique looking stove and fridge. She might be able to make do with these for a while. The bathroom was in good shape. She would have to ask Andrew or Adam if they knew how she could get the water back into the pipes as the real estate agent had warned her all the plumbing had been drained and the heat turned off.

Electricity! She’d have to get that hooked up first thing.

A sharp rap at the door downstairs and a friendly hello made Paisley jump. Thankfully, her jitteriness vanished as she recognized Andrew’s voice and she could also hear Adam talking.

Relief splashed through her. She’d forgotten to lock the door and anyone could have entered. Maybe even Paul!

Paisley shook off that horrible thought about her ex and quickly made her way back downstairs.

“There she is,” Andrew smiled.

To her delight, he stepped forward and embraced her in a warm bear hug, which immediately comforted her. They wouldn’t have come here if they’d thought she was a nuisance.

After Andrew let her go, Adam hugged her as well, and gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek.

“We thought you might be here,” Adam said and gazed around. Immediately, he frowned.

“You have a leak…up there.”

She gazed up to where he was pointing.

“And there,” Andrew said.

Her earlier bubble of happiness crashed and burned as she spied several large yellow stains on the edges of the white ceiling.

Oh no!

“Could be the windows are rotting out. Or the windowsills. Windows should be replaced to conserve your heat. Windowsills replaced. A new roof would be the best way to go. Maybe metal like we have at the lodge. It will last for quite a few years, if done right,” Andrew said as he continued to peer around.

“And you had someone living in your chimney. We need to get metal screened caps up there to keep out unwanted guests.” Adam chuckled.

Adam strolled to the fireplace, leaned over and picked up a bird nest that at one point had fallen in from the chimney. He placed it on the mantel and turned to her.

“It’s nice to be back here, isn’t it?” he asked. His eyes flared with excitement and it was the first time she seriously noticed how damned sexy he’d become over the years. Her tummy did a spectacular dip and her heart began a wicked race.

“Yes, it’s almost as if I never left.” Gosh, was that her breathy voice?

“The truth of the matter is you’re back, and we missed you like crazy,” Andrew said with a sultry smile that increased her heart rate another notch. Suddenly all she wanted to do was to get to know them both much better. A lot better.

“Listen, about last night. I’m so sorry that I’ve been such a pain—” she began.

“You’re anything but, Sparky.” Andrew cut her off. “We remember how free-spirited you are. Exploring is just natural.”

“And we remember how much you always got into trouble,” Adam chimed in.

“Like the time she got sprayed by a skunk outside that cabin the three of us were staying in? And how much tomato juice we used on her to try to get the smell out of her,” Andrew replied in a rush.

Adam spoke again. “And that night while we were all sitting by the outdoor fire pit and you fed that fat raccoon, only to have it come back an hour later with her five babies and two other fat raccoons?”

Paisley laughed. “I got so scared when they swarmed me the way they did.”

“Good thing you had your two heroes to come to your rescue with the water hose. They never did come back.” Andrew grinned.

Warmth and comfort swept over Paisley like a security blanket. Gosh, she’d forgotten how easy it was to be with these two men. She didn’t have a care in the world when she was with them.

Suddenly, Adam and Andrew were removing their jackets and rolling up their sleeves. Adam withdrew a notebook from his shirt pocket and handed it to her along with a pen.

“We’ll inspect. You make the list as we call things out,” he said.

“But you guys are so busy with the lodge. You don’t have to do this—“

“The faster we get done here, the more time you have to paint this afternoon. I hear the weather is going to be fantastic.” Andrew said.

Heck, talk of great weather was all she needed. Eagerly, she nodded.

“Let’s get to work then,” she instructed.

The men chuckled and began calling out things that needed to be done.

She spent the rest of the morning writing notes. It was a good thing they had come along. They pointed out things that she would have missed. Major stuff like the fact there was a nest of squirrels living in the attic. They had entered through a hole in the soffit area.

“You guys are the best. Thank you so much for all your help,” Paisley said as she locked up the Art House and they headed for their cars. Andrew and Adam had already called some of their contacts. Three contractors would be coming in a couple of days to take a look and give estimates.

“You can thank us by having lunch with us back at the lodge. On us. Are you hungry?” Andrew asked.

“Famished, actually. In my rush to get over here, I skipped breakfast.” And she did want to spend more time with them. All morning, they’d been such a wonderful help, but they’d kept everything strictly businesslike and not mentioning their personal lives.

She wanted to know more about them. So much more.