Going Overboard

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  Chance followed his brother out to the front deck, battling his thoughts the entire time. All the reasons for not getting involved with Andi still existed. Without birth control he might be able to avoid making a stupid mistake. Not buying it would serve as a built-in brake to his runaway libido. So why was he even considering it? Because he was going insane, that’s why. His famous discipline was crumbling in the face of temptation. He couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t grab her in a moment of lust and say to hell with precautions. It had almost happened the night before. He wished he’d receive some sort of sign, some indication of what he should do.

  “Chance?” Andi called after him.

  “Yeah?” He turned around just before he was ready to leap to the sand.

  “Want me to bring in the laptop?”

  The laptop. It had been the furthest thing from his mind. Had it stayed balanced on the deck chair, which it would have if she hadn’t reminded him, one good roll of the boat in the choppy water could have sent it into the lake. “Thanks,” he said, gazing at her.

  “You’re welcome.” She smiled at him, without a trace of sarcasm. “I know how much it means to you.”

  As signs went, it wasn’t much. But it was a small indication that she understood the demons that plagued him, that he might, just might, be able to trust her. That when he lost his head, she might keep hers. That she wasn’t trying to ambush him. Hell, he’d known all along what he wanted to do when he got to that general store. He would have taken just about anything as a sign to do it.

  ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, Andi thought Chance did an admirable job of docking the houseboat. True, he brought it in a little fast and banged the prow against the dock, causing the cupboards to fly open and a few things to topple out, but nothing broke. The wind made it difficult to stay the boat’s course, and he’d needed the greater speed to avoid drifting into one of the other boats as he came in.

  He and Bowie headed off to the general store to try their luck, with Nicole protesting all the while that the effort was totally unnecessary.

  “Let them pamper you,” Andi said as they sat on the foredeck and watched the marina activities around them. “They love it. It’s not every day they get to take care of a pregnant lady.”

  “They do seem to be getting a kick out of this. On the plane ride out here, Chance told me about the time he and a fraternity friend helped deliver a baby when a couple got stuck in a snowstorm on the way to the hospital. I could tell it made a huge impression on him. He’s pretty awed by the whole process.”

  “No kidding! I’m sure we’d all remember something like that. The poor woman must have been panicstricken.”

  “I’m sure. I’m glad this baby will be born before the snow hits Chicago.” Nicole arched her back and put her hand to the base of her spine.

  “Boy, am I out of it,” Andi said, getting up. “I have the perfect exercise to help you with your backache, and I haven’t even shown you.” She pushed aside her chair and lay down on the deck. “Come on down here beside me.”

  Nicole laughed. “Shouldn’t we go inside and do this?”

  “No, the deck floor is warmer. It’ll feel good. Come on.”

  “You are the most uninhibited person I know. Okay, but I refuse to do that inverted vee thing where you stick your butt in the air.”

  “You won’t have to.” Andi waited until her sister was lying beside her on the deck. “Now, bring your knees up as far as your tummy will allow, and wrap your arms around them as best you can.”

  “Which isn’t much.”

  “That’s good enough. Now just gently rock back and forth on the small of your back, like this.”

  Nicole followed her directions. “Oh, Andi, that does feel good. It’s like giving myself a massage.”

  “Told you.” Andi rocked in a synchronized motion with her sister. “Close your eyes. That’ll focus you on the massage and it’ll feel even better.”

  “Oh, God, yes. That’s it.”

  Bowie’s voice came from somewhere above them. “I swear, Chance, we can’t leave these women alone for a minute. Now they’re in the fetal position having a religious experience on the deck.”

  “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Bowie Jefferson,” Nicole said.

  Andi opened her eyes and looked up at the two men standing over them. Bowie held a plastic bag that probably contained Nicole’s gel pack. Chance had something smaller wrapped in concealing plastic clutched in his large hand. Her pulse rate picked up. The purchase she’d hoped Chance might make would come in a package about that size. She wondered if Bowie had any idea what his brother had bought at the general store.

  “We were in luck, sweetheart,” Bowie said. “Got just what we needed, right, Chance?”

  “Right.” With his aviator shades on, it was nearly impossible to read his expression, but he seemed to be looking at her. “Everybody ready to set sail?”

  Andi got to her feet as Bowie helped Nicole up. Andi had the feeling Chance had been thoroughly enjoying the view of her lying on her back, knees pulled to her chest, in her revealing black suit. The game had become a little less playful and a lot more erotic. There wouldn’t be burros on the beach every night. She swallowed. “Sure. Let’s go for it.”

  ALTHOUGH ANDI campaigned for Bowie to take the boat out of the slip this time, Chance ended up at the wheel, after all. Andi told herself that she just didn’t have enough leverage yet. Before the week was over, Chance would have new respect for his brother’s abilities, or her name wasn’t Andi Lombard.

  “How about sailing down toward Hoover Dam?” she suggested as she heated the gel pack in the microwave. She’d noticed that the small package he’d had in his hand when he’d returned with Bowie had disappeared somewhere, and he’d never mentioned buying anything at the general store. Her certainty about the contents of the package grew.

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Bowie said. “Nic, is that okay?”

  “Just fine.”

  “Try this on your back.” Andi brought the fabriccovered gel pack to where her sister sat.

  Nicole placed it at the small of her back. “Heaven. I know it was a bother to go back for this thing, but I appreciate the effort, you guys.”

  “Glad to do it,” Chance said.

  “It was important,” Bowie agreed.

  Andi tried to tell from their expressions if there was any double meaning to their comments. Andi had seen the general store. It wasn’t large. For Chance to buy the condoms without Bowie knowing would have been difficult. Yet there were no exchanged winks or clearing of throats to indicate the brothers were giving each other invisible nudges in the ribs. If they were colluding in this effort, they were better at it than she’d have given them credit for.

  The prospect that Chance would be looking for an opportunity to make love to her totally changed the way she viewed him. She became fascinated by the curve of his fingers on the wheel, the flex of his shoulders, the shift of his hips on the captain’s seat, the angle of his foot. Fascinated and aroused. She hoped to hell his little package wasn’t a couple of packs of chewing gum.

  “Bowie, want to take the wheel for a while?” Chance asked.

  “Sure,” Bowie said.

  “Good. I’ve checked my laptop, and it seems to be working okay. I’ll go in the back, place some calls and make a few notes.”

  So his mind wasn’t similarly occupied, she thought. He could plan a seduction, then efficiently continue going about his business. She was irritated that he wasn’t as focused on their relationship as she was. He had a lot to learn, and she was just the woman to wake him up. “Give my regards to Wall Street,” she said.

  “Be glad to.” He gave her a totally bland look as he turned the captain’s chair over to Bowie.

  Chewing gum, she thought. The jerk had probably bought himself a supply of tutti-frutti and had no intention of following through on last night’s impulse. Which would save her from making the mistake of getting involved with Mr. Business-Comes-First.


  Chance picked up his laptop and walked down the hallway without giving Andi another glance.

  “Hey, Nic, I’ll play you a game of gin,” Andi said, mentally sticking out her tongue at Chance’s retreating back.

  Sometime later, the cards began sliding across the table of their own accord as the boat pitched from side to side. Nicole was looking a little green, and Andi turned to Bowie. “A little bumpy out there, huh, Captain?”

  “Yeah.” He adjusted his visor. “We talked about pulling into a sheltered cove and waiting it out if the wind picked up. What do you say we moor this tub, at least for lunch?”

  “Good idea.” Andi got a nod of approval from Nicole, who had her hand over her mouth and wasn’t looking too chipper.

  “I’m gonna have some of that canned chili, cut up some onions, maybe shred some cheese,” Bowie said. “How does that sound, Nic, honey?” He looked over at her. “A little woozy, babe?”

  Nicole nodded.

  He smiled. “Then you don’t have to fix my chili.”

  “I just may fix your chili, buddy-boy.” Andi scowled at him as she stood and gazed at the shoreline. “Hey, up ahead, see that spot with outcroppings on both sides of the beach? We’ll slip in there, tie up and be protected from the wind. Are you ready for that, sis?”

  Nicole nodded again.

  “Okay, I’ll take us over there.” Bowie eased the boat to the right. “Man, can you feel the boat hydroplaning?”

  Andi walked over to put a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s time to have a silent cockpit.” She rolled her eyes in Nicole’s direction. “Want me to go get Chance?”

  “If I know him, he’s on his way down the hall.”

  “We’re bobbing around like a damn cork,” Chance said as he walked into the room.

  “What’d I tell you?” Bowie said under his breath.

  “Good thing we don’t have anybody who gets seasick in this group,” Chance said, setting his laptop on the table. “Rocking back and forth like this would sure bring on the upchucks if we did.”

  Nicole bolted from her seat and rushed past him toward the bathroom.

  He stared after her. “What’s the matter with Nicole?”

  “Way to go, Einstein,” Andi said as she started down the hall.

  “God, I’m sorry. I had no idea.” Chance sounded contrite.

  “Nic hates people to pay attention to her when she gets like this,” Bowie called after Andi.

  “I know,” Andi said, but she continued anyway. “Nic?” She tapped on the door. “Let me help you, hon.”

  “I’m okay,” came a muffled response.

  Andi stood there, unsure how much to push. Bowie was right—Nicole hated having anyone see her in embarrassing circumstances. “I’ll check back in a minute,” Andi said finally.

  By the time she returned, Bowie was heading the boat into the inlet. Jagged, narrow rock walls rose on either side.

  “Not much maneuverability in here,” Chance said.

  “Yeah, but the rock walls on either side will protect us from the wind,” Bowie said.

  “Still, I’m not—”

  “No use debating. We have to moor,” Andi said. “Nicole needs to get off this boat for a little while and let her stomach settle down.”

  “You’re right.” Chance stood behind Bowie. “Looks like there’s a channel there we can use to get in. There’s not a whole lot of clearance, but we can make it.”

  “Andi,” Bowie said, “go back to the bathroom and warn Nic when we’re ready to hit the beach. I don’t want her losing any teeth.”

  “Okay.” Andi started toward the bathroom.

  “And brace yourself,” Chance said. “With this much wind, we need to really dig into that sand.”

  “Right.” She looked into his eyes and drew comfort from the confidence she saw there. A little wind on the lake wasn’t going to panic a man like Chance Jefferson. She held on to that thought as she went to the bathroom door. “Nic? Hold on, kid. We’re going up on the beach, and we’re going in fast and hard.”

  “Okay,” came the weak response.

  “Want me in there with you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Here we go,” called Chance from the front of the boat.

  Andi grabbed the doorjamb and flexed her knees. Whomp! She nearly lost her grip as the force of the impact threw her forward. She recovered herself and pressed her ear to the bathroom door. “Nic?”

  The door opened, and a pale Nicole stood patting a washcloth over her face. “Good thing you warned me,” she said with a little smile. “Otherwise I would have beaned myself on the toilet lid, and Lord knows how I would have explained that to my mother-in-law. She was very much against my coming on this trip. She thought Bowie and Chance should go alone. Which made me all the more determined to be here, of course.”

  “Of course. That’s the Lombard spirit coming through. And the meddling battle-ax will never have to hear a thing about this.” Andi put her arm around Nicole. “How about a glass of water?”

  “Fine.”

  Andi walked her slowly into the kitchen, got her the water and waited while she sipped it.

  “Ready to get off this tub for a while?”

  “Sure.”

  As they walked to the front of the boat, the ringing sound of sledgehammers against iron stakes told Andi that the brothers were already mooring the boat.

  “Oooh, Bowie, let’s rent a houseboat,” Nicole said, mimicking herself. “It’ll be so cool. We’ll lie around in the sun, fish, and feel the gentle rock of the waves. Ha.”

  “We did that yesterday,” Andi said, giving her a hug. “You wanted two days of that? Greedy woman.”

  “I’m sorry I barfed, Andi. How gross.”

  “I’m sorry, too, but only for your sake.” She walked Nicole out on deck. “Nobody minds. Are you okay?”

  “Feeling better every minute. But I can hardly wait to put my feet on solid ground.”

  “Solid ground, coming up.” Andi called to the men, who immediately came over and helped Nicole to the sand. Andi handed down chairs and towels so they could establish a little camp.

  “Are you coming down?” Nicole asked.

  “In a minute. I’ll rustle up some beer and chips for our gallant lads first. Want anything?”

  Nicole swallowed. “Not yet.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute.” Andi walked inside and almost tripped over Chance’s laptop lying on the floor. She stooped to pick it up from where it had apparently fallen when the boat hit the beach. He must have been so concerned about getting the boat firmly anchored and Nicole on steady footing that he hadn’t even noticed.

  As much as she resented the darn thing, she didn’t want it to be broken and all the information in it lost She set it on the table and snapped it open. Everything looked fine, but she’d been around computers enough to know that looks were deceiving. The thing could be deader than a doornail. She flipped the switch and the screen began to glow. So far, so good.

  The operating program came up, but that didn’t always mean anything, either. She clicked the mouse and opened his list of files. If one of the files opened okay, then the laptop was probably okay. She glanced over the cryptic list and picked one with the initials AL, just for the heck of it. She expected a report on Athletes and Litigation, or Assets and Liabilities. Chance wouldn’t have a file on her in his precious laptop, for heaven’s sake.

  But he did.

  Andi gasped, and then her eyes narrowed. Oh, he would pay for this. Nobody listed the pros and cons of making love to her on some spreadsheet and got away with it. He made an emotional choice sound like some sort of corporate decision.

  Andi skimmed down the pro side and read sentences like: She excites me more than any woman I’ve known and Touching her would give me intense pleasure. Now, that was sort of nice, even listed coldly in columns. It made her tingle. A lot. But there were less complimentary phrases on the con side such as: She’ll destroy my concentration an
d Her wacky view of life spells trouble.

  “Oh, I’m going to spell trouble, all right. And you won’t need a spell-checker to know when it’s arrived,” she muttered. After typing Who cares? next to the sentence about destroying concentration, she highlighted the wacky view sentence and switched it to the pro side. Then she changed wacky to unique and spells trouble to fascinates me.

  Apparently Chance was confused. He’d written, Her kiss blots out all reason in both columns. Andi deleted it from the con side. Kisses were supposed to blot out all reason. Otherwise there was no point in kissing. Boy, did he have a lot to learn. For good measure, she added another sentence to the pro side. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known looked very nice on the screen. It looked so good, she added another: Her intelligence is matched by her sweetness and charm.

  “Hey, Andi!” Bowie called from the beach. “Are you brewing the beer yourself?”

  She jumped. “Be right there!” She’d forgotten all about her errand. Quickly she saved the information on the screen, closed the file and turned off the computer.

  As she pulled beer from the refrigerator, she considered what Chance would do when he opened the file and discovered her changes. Then she smiled. He wouldn’t be likely to make a public scene, now, would he? She had him. And at least she knew he’d been writing about her instead of doing his work. That almost made up for his stupidity in thinking that she could be reduced to a list on a computer screen.

  CHANCE DIDN’T LIKE the quality of the sand holding the mooring stakes. The night before there had been a more solid feel to the way the stakes went into the ground, and he’d never doubted they’d hold, even in a wind. The sand was more loosely packed here, but they had to do the best they could to secure the boat. Even if Nicole wasn’t seasick, he couldn’t imagine how they’d back out of this narrow spot with the wind blowing the way it was. He would have preferred a different mooring inlet, but this was the one they had, and they’d make the best of it. To anchor the stakes more securely, he and Bowie piled large rocks around them.