The lake was unusually calm, the water as smooth as glass until their paddles broke the surface, causing ripples to flow out around them. Every now and then, he would stop rowing and raise his camera to catch an image that caught his eye, but otherwise, they were both quiet.

She turned and looked at him. “Do you want to see something?”

He nodded his head. “Sure.”

“Head toward that little island over there.” She pointed to a small mound of land covered in small trees, jutting from the water.

He changed the angle of the oar to turn the canoe in the direction she pointed, both paddling in sync until they were about a hundred yards from the island.

Hope pulled her oar out of the water, twisted around in her seat until she was facing him, and spoke in a hushed voice. “Have you ever seen any loons?”

“I’ll assume you’re referring to the bird.” He laughed softly. “But, no, I don’t think I actually have. At least, not that I remember.”

“Well, there’s a mommy and daddy loon that live on this island. I saw them with two babies this summer. I haven’t been up since July, though, so hopefully they are still alive.”

“Why wouldn’t they be?” He brought the camera up and began scanning the island through his lens.

She shrugged. “Snapping turtles, speed boats, dumb people. Sometimes, the environment just isn’t safe for little ones.”

“Do you think we’ll see them?” He continued scanning the island with his camera.

As if his request was heard on the wind, a short and then longer whistling sound carried out over the water several times. They both turned their head toward the sound, and moments later, saw three loons appear from around the island.

“Look!” She pointed in excitement. “There they are! Do you see them Gage?”

He smiled at her excitement over the pretty birds. “I see them.” He brought his camera up and started taking pictures of the small feathered family as they floated closer to each other.

“Look how cute the baby is,” she cooed. “Well, I guess it’s not a baby anymore, and I guess one of the babies didn’t make it.”

Sadness crept into her voice, and he couldn’t help but turn the camera on her and capture the way every emotion reflected in her eyes and face.

“Do they mate for life?” he asked as he continued to snap pictures of everything around them.

“They used to think so, but new research says no. The birds will actually replace their mate if they don’t produce babies for them or fly back to their nest in the spring.”

The loons had swum past them in a wide berth and were circling back toward the island now, whistling calls to each other as they went.

“You’re kidding me? They actually get divorced?” He chuckled in disbelief that some traditions carried over no matter what the species.

She laughed back. “I guess so. Who would have thought?” She looked away from the birds then and over at him. She tilted her head in curiosity as she looked at him. “Have you ever been married?”

Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. “Have you?”

She shook her head. “God, no.”

He laughed. “You say that like it’s a bad thing! Marriage not your thing?”

She shook her head again. “No, it’s not that. I’d love to get married one day. I just haven’t had the best luck yet with men. Ya know?”

“You?” He scanned her from head to toe. “What guy would be dumb enough to let you slip through his fingers? You’re the whole package—beauty and brains.”

She scoffed. “Well, the last guy I was dating, for over two years mind you, thought so highly of me that he decided screwing someone else while I was on a business trip would be a good idea. Until I came home early and caught him, of course.”

“Shit. Seriously?” He frowned. “I’m sorry, Hope, but if that guy didn’t know what he had, you’re better off without him.”

She sighed. “I guess.” She looked over at him. “That’s why I’m up here, actually. It just happened a few weeks ago. I needed to get away and reboot.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What?” Alarm crossed her features.

“Guess that makes me the rebound guy.” He laughed lightly.

“Oh, no! Is that what you are? I thought I was just using you for sex for the weekend…” Her eyes danced with laughter, her cheeks turning pink at her own admission.

“It’s okay, Hope.” He looked down and then back up at her, all the laughter gone from his eyes, before speaking quietly. “I don’t mind being your rebound guy. I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

She was speechless for several minutes, absorbing his words and what they meant before responding, her heart hammering in her chest at the realization that she was starting to feel something for him. “You are exactly what I needed, Gage. Exactly. The best visitor I’ve ever had and the only one in a long, long time I’ve wanted to stay.”

He smiled then, wide and open, the corners around his green eyes crinkling. “I’ll stay as long as you want.”

Their eyes locked, and an unspoken understanding about what might be happening between them swept over the moment. He finally broke their connection by looking up at the sky.

“The sun’s going to be setting soon. We should start heading back.” He moved to put the camera back around his neck and reached for his oar.

“You never answered my question,” she remembered out loud.

“What question?”

“Have you ever been married?” She found that she really wanted, no, needed to know the answer.

He looked her in the eye again, a serious expression on his face. “Nope. When I mate, it’ll be for life.”

“Isn’t that what we all wish for?”

“Wishing has nothing to do with it.” He started rowing even though she was still turned toward him. “I believe, when you make a commitment to someone, one as big as marriage, it’s done knowing it will be forever. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer. Not just for however long you feel like it. Forever.”

Her eyebrows shot up as her mouth shifted in surprise. “Not very many people believe in forever anymore.”

“I do. I think, when you find the right person, forever won’t be long enough.” His gaze locked onto hers, his green eyes burning with intensity.

Hope shivered. Whether it be from the surge of blood racing to her heart, or from the chill starting to claim the air, she couldn’t be sure, but she broke their connection by spinning around in her seat and grabbing her oar.

Attempting to lighten the conversation, she tried joking as she started rowing. “Have I ended up with the last true romantic?”

Sensing things had turned a little too serious, he joked back. “Nah, don’t worry. I’m just visiting.”

Thirty minutes later, with the sun starting to set in the west, the canoe slid back onto the beach. Gage jumped out and pushed the boat further up in the sand and then put his hand out to help her out of the canoe.

When her skin met his, an electrical current charged through her as if lightning had struck, sparking a flame of desire within her. Her eyes flew up to his and were met with a dark, hungry look on his face.

His hand drifted to behind her neck, seizing on, pulling her to him possessively, and he crushed his lips to hers. She clutched onto his shirt, the heat of his kiss melting her body into his. His hand on her neck kept her lips fused to his as their tongues dueled fiercely, their heated breaths mixing and becoming one. They were both moaning and grinding their bodies into each other, desire erasing reasoned thoughts.

He dropped his hands to her waist and lifted her up, urging her to wrap her legs around him as he started walking toward the dock. Reaching its edge, he placed her down and moved his hands to the waist of her jeans and began working the button. Her hands flew to his and began frantically mimicking his actions. Their breaths came out in pants of desperation as they each yanked off their pants, kicking their shoes off so they could remove them completely. Not a single word was said, but one look between them spoke volumes.

As soon as Hope’s pants were free, he hoisted her back onto the dock and, moving between her legs, lined his hard cock up to her core, pushing into her in one hard thrust. Her hips surged forward into his, burying his cock completely in her heat. A deep groan rumbled from Gage as his balls bottomed out against her ass as he pushed deeper.

She mewled her pleasure, grabbing onto his ass, urging him to rock back and forth against her. This felt more desperate than the other times they’d had sex. It was like a reminder to them both that this was supposed to be a weekend of fooling around and not one where they started to fall for one another.

“Yes! Like that, Gage.” She pushed into him forcefully. “Harder! Let me feel you!”

He plunged his throbbing cock as hard and deep as he could, slamming into her body with force, and she could feel him tense as his own body starting to climb toward release. Hope’s body began to tighten around him, and her eyes fluttered shut as her climax claimed her.

“I’m going to come, Hope,” he grunted out between thrusts.

“Yes! Yes! Come! I’m coming, too!” And then they both exploded, clutching each other tightly as her body convulsed again and again around his cock as he released inside of her, his hot seed seeping around them as the sun sank in the horizon.