Casanova Cowboy (A Morgan Mallory Story) (32 page)

Chapter 40

Brad and I stayed on the lake until the sun rose over the mountains, watching as it slowly crested the skyline and then filtered its way through the trees before breaking out and coming into full view.

He loaded the boat
on the trailer as expertly as he unloaded it. It was too early for people, and the geese in the park were still nestled on the ground. The emptiness of the beach, the beauty of the lake, and the quiet of the morning made me feel alone.
Oh, Ryan, getting you out of my head is going to be tough.

“Thanks for taking me out, for listening to my
depressing love stories,” I said when Brad shut off the engine in the driveway.

             
“No problem. You got your wish about getting trashed and got to get some things off your chest. Listen, you’ll get over him, and someday the right one will come along. The one that knows,” he said with a smile.

             
“Coming from Mr. I-Love-Them-All, it’s doubtful. Where you headed now?” I asked.

             
“To bed, I have to work tonight,” he said, opening the truck door.

             
He threw an arm lazily around my shoulders and led me into the quiet house. He gave me a hug in the hall before we both went to our respective bedrooms. I was still wide-awake, but I crawled into bed anyway. Somewhere between my thoughts I drifted off. I don’t know how long I was asleep when there was a knock on my door. I rolled over and looked at the clock: it was ten thirty.
God it seems like I just got in bed.
Ginny opened the door and peeked in.

“Eric is on the phone.
He’s going boating today and wondered if you wanted to go,” Ginny said.

             
“What time?” I asked, feeling tired.

             
“Not sure,” she said. “Come talk to him, honey.”

             
I hauled myself from the bed throwing on a pair of shorts and stumbled behind her to the kitchen. My legs felt heavy.

             
“Hi, Eric,” I said, picking up the receiver.

             
I hoped I didn’t sound awful.

             
“Hey, sweetie, a bunch of us are going boating, doing lunch at Chamber’s Landing. Do you want to come?”

             
I found it amusing that the boys called most girls’ sweetie, easy to keep it straight that way. I glanced around to see if Ginny was still nearby; she wasn’t.

             
“Definitely. Brad and I pulled an all-nighter on the lake, so I might be a bit goofy, I haven’t had but a few hours sleep,” I said quietly.

             
He laughed.

             
“Be good for you, get your game back on,” he said. “You want me to pick you up?”

             
“That would be so great, like in thirty, is that okay? I want to shower real quick,” I said.

             
“See you in thirty minutes,” Eric said, still chuckling.

             
I could picture his smile, Eric was tall like Brad but had blond hair like Doug. His eyes were bluer than hazel, but not blue-blue like Ryan’s.

“You going with them?” Ginny asked, coming from the laundry with a basket
of clothes in her hands.

“Yeah, it’s a beautiful day, a shame to sleep it away.”

Eric was the oldest of Ginny’s kids and two years older than me. He had a steady girlfriend and was by far the most calm out of the bunch.

“Where you off to?”

“Chamber’s Landing for lunch,” I answered. “I told him thirty minutes so I can shower.”

Ginny chuckled.

“He loves that place… or Sunnyside. Used to be he’d load all the booze he could on his boat and make it the booze cruise. I like that he’s taken those days down a notch.”

She set the basket on the c
ouch and started to fold. I stared at her in a stupor.

“Go,
” she ordered. “Get in the shower, don’t want to keep him waiting.”

The shower felt heavenly and by the time I’d dried and dressed I felt renewed.

             
“Hey,” I said, getting into his truck. “Where’s Lynn?”

             
“Working. You may get to play every day; we have to work,” he answered smiling. “You look good by the way for pulling an all-nighter.”

“Thanks.
Brad was so sweet, such a good listener,” I said.

“Serious
ly? Doesn’t sound much like Brad. Did he try and hit on you?” he teased.

             
“Quit it,” I said. “I don’t think Brad thinks about me like that.”

             
“You never know with Brad. He likes all the ladies,” Eric said, rolling his eyes.

             
“I know,” I said, laughing. “And he knows I know. He was good.”

             
Eric laughed. He had a jovial laugh, which I liked; one that made me smile. Eric’s boat was a sleek ski boat, bright yellow; one that definitely said, “look at me”. Most of his friends had boats as well: all expensive and fast.

“Who’s all going today?” I asked.

“Not sure, think there’s three boats for sure.”             

We
stopped before we got to the launch ramp and loaded towels, bags, and the cooler into the boat. Eric waved to several groups on the beach as he ran through the whole launching routine that Brad had done. I was impressed, they both made it look so easy. While Eric went to part the truck I walked down to the shoreline. The cold Tahoe water felt refreshing on my feet.

             
I got in the boat and opened the cooler, grabbing a Coors from the selection of beers and sodas. Eric stopped at several other boats on his way back and talked with friends. I stood in the bow and took off my shorts and T-shirt as I waited. Kids screamed and laughed in the swimming area, a volleyball game was going on in one of the courts on the beach. I saw the line at the snack shack ice cream window and could almost taste the vanilla soft swirl.

“Ok
ay, we’re ready,” Eric, said, jumping into the boat.

             
He started the motor and backed from the beach. I could see two more boats further down the beach doing the same thing. He turned us around quickly, forcing me to sit and headed full throttle towards Emerald Bay. The two other boats followed, it was kind of crazy, they didn’t need three boats—there weren’t that many people. I assumed that they liked to take their own.

“Do you mind handing me my bag?” I asked over the low windshield.

Eric leaned over to the passenger seat and grabbed my beach bag and held it out to me. I pulled out my towel spreading it out the best that I could so I wouldn’t stick to the seat. Next I applied sunscreen lotion as the boat sped over the clear blue water, so completely different looking from last night. I reclined back against the cushion observing the other boats tear across the water next to us. The sun was high in the sky now and blazing.
Watching it rise had been so amazing this morning
I reflected while I enjoyed its warmth.

When we got to Emer
ald Bay, they had to go wakeless, and the three boats slowed and drifted close to one another as we meandered into the bay. I’d met the one boat owner before and his girlfriend, but I hadn’t met the other. As we motored, I checked out the boat I didn’t know. The driver was tall with dark brown, slightly wavy, shoulder-length hair. I hadn’t seen his face up close, but he looked handsome from a distance. He was definitely built with a nice ass. I couldn’t help but notice because he drove standing up.

“Who’s that?”
I asked, motioning my head toward his boat

             
“That’s Tate. Good buddy of mine,” Eric replied, looking at me with a smirk on his face.

             
“He’s single,” he said.

             
“Doesn’t look very single,” I said, as I checked out the four girls sunbathing and partying on Tate’s boat.

             
They were all blond and tan, looked like they had good bodies.

             
“They’re friends. Tate takes them boating, and they hang out,” Eric said.

             
“Oh, by the way I helped myself,” I said, raising the beer I’d opened.

             
“As you should,” Eric said.

             
We motored around the island in the bay, and then stopped at a spot where there was a pile of rocks. People were jumping off them into the water, big splashes, and some screaming. I watched as a boy jumped from the top rotating his arms wildly in the air to stay straight.

“Come on,” Eric said.

When I hesitated at the back of the boat, Eric pushed me off. Tahoe water was like ice, although today was hot, and it felt good. I still came up for air with a gasp. Laughing, Eric jumped in after me. I splashed him when he rose. He lurched towards me and I started swimming towards shore with him chasing me. He grabbed my ankle pulling me back and I shrieked.

             
The girls from Tate’s boat were already jumping off the rocks, squealing and laughing as they did. I clambered out of the water up to the lowest point with Eric following me.

“Baby. That’s the highest you’re going?” he teased.

“To start,” I said.

He went two levels above me
, and we jumped into the water together.

“That wasn’t very high was it?” I asked coming to the surface.

“No, come on be adventurous.”

Eric and I jumped several more times
, each time going a little higher. I refused to go to the highest point though. When we swam back to the boat we spread ourselves out in the sun to dry.

“Nother beer?” Eric asked opening the cooler.

“Sure,” I said putting on my sunglasses.

I watched people continue to jump from the rocks.
Two of the girls were sitting on Tate’s swim platform talking, while the other two floated holding onto a raft.

“Thanks for thinking of me.”

“So what made you and Brad stay out all night? Couldn’t have been a little white powder?”

“Just a little,” I chuckled. “It was nice, his friends were with us until around two and then we decided to stay out. It was amazing to watch the sun rise this morning.”

Eric leaned back in his seat and put his face towards the sun.

“Yeah, done that several times myself.”

We floated for several more beers before Eric decided it was time for something else.

             
“Who’s up for skiing?” Eric called out as he pulled out a single water ski.

“We are
,” one of the girls answered.

             
“Let’s get back out in the lake and ski then,” Eric said.

             
I wasn’t up for skiing, too little sleep.

             
“Come on, girls, my boat,” Eric said.

             
“Eric, I’m not up for skiing,” I said.

             
“No problem. Go with Tate. I’ll pull the girls for a while. Tate,” he called out, “Morgan’s coming with you.”

             
Tate gave him a chin lift, acknowledging that he’d heard him. I jumped back in the lake and swam out to Tate’s boat, grabbed the ladder, and climbed aboard. Tate handed me a dry towel.

“Thanks
,” I said shyly taking it from him. “I’m Morgan.”

             
“Nice to meet you, guess you know I’m Tate,” he said with a smile.

             
Wow!
If I thought he was good-looking from far away, up close confirmed it. He had broad shoulders, which tapered down to a smaller waist.
Um, Um, Um, what a great body, a very jumpable body.
His eyes were light brown, almost gold in color, with thick eye lashes surrounding them. His jaw line and cheekbones very defined.
Oh, butterflies be still.
I could feel my heart beat faster. I noticed he was about as tall as Eric, maybe six two. I wondered why he was single. He started the boat, and we followed Eric back into the lake.

“Eric told me you’re
here visiting from San Diego, staying with Ginny for a while. I’m surprised I haven’t met you until today,” Tate said appraising me.

             
“I’ve been hanging out with all Ginny’s kids; Eric probably the least though. He and Lynn don’t get out as much as the others,” I said.

             
“There’s beer in the cooler. Help yourself,” he said.

             
I could see one of the gals on Eric’s boat, getting the ski vest on. One of the other girls was attaching the rope and getting that ready.