Storybook Dad (Harlequin American Romance) Read Online Free Page B

beauty on the beach had him glancing over his shoulder once
again. She was sitting on the sand, watching their progress. When she spotted
him looking, she flashed a thumbs-up.
    “Daddy, Daddy, look! Look at that fish!”
    At the sudden jerking movement, Mark swung his head back
around, but it was too late. Before he was able to reprimand the boy for leaning
too far to one side, they were in the water.
    Emily jumped up and dived into the lake with record speed.
“Are—are you okay?” she called as she stroked toward them.
    “Yeah, we’re good,” Mark assured her, gripping Seth with one
hand and the overturned kayak with the other. A moment later he had his son
settled safely on his back. “And, oh…remember that tip about staying in the
center of the boat? That was a good one,” he sputtered through gulps of lake
water. “M-maybe you could add a class on kayaking to your company’s lineup.”
    Her laugh cut through the sound of his splashing and warmed him
in ways he didn’t expect in the chilly water. “I offer kayaking classes all the
time, Mark.”
    Hooking a thumb over his shoulder, he gestured toward his son,
who was pretending Mark was a white horse if the words making their way into his
left ear were any indication. “We might want to put Seth in the front row of
that particular class. So he’d be sure to catch all the helpful little tips you
might decide to share.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” she joked as she stopped momentarily
to tread water and take a breath. “How are you holding up?”
    “We’re fine. My ego, though, hasn’t fared quite as well.”
    “Your secret is safe with me.” Nibbling back the full effect of
a smile she couldn’t hide, Emily swam between Mark and the kayak, her bikini top
clinging to her rounded breasts as she flipped the boat right side up. Then,
with lithe grace, she hoisted herself into it before he could register much of
anything besides how alluring her legs looked as they broke the surface of the
water. “Now hand Seth up to me and we’ve got this.”

Chapter Three
    Emily could feel the weight of Mark’s stare as she
secured the kayak to the roof of her Jeep, his still-labored breath matching her
own. She’d felt it as she’d paddled through the water with Seth safely seated
between her legs. She’d felt it as Mark had pulled them onto the beach and
plucked his son from the boat for a firm yet loving lecture. She’d felt it as
they’d stood dripping on the sand, trying to catch their breath. And she’d felt
it as she led the way to the car after he insisted on carrying the kayak.
    In fact, the only time she wasn’t aware of him watching was
when she was stealing glances in his direction. But she couldn’t help it. Mark
Reynolds was easy on the eyes.
    “Thanks for making that unexpected swim to help us out. It was
above and beyond,” he finally said as she hooked the last clip into place. “One
minute he was pointing at a fish and the next…well, you know what happened.”
    She couldn’t help it; she laughed. It was either that or get
caught enjoying his dripping, shirtless chest even more than she already was.
“Kayaks tend to flip a little easier than canoes. It’s why people who are
skittish around water tend to shy away from them in favor of a bit more
stability.”
    “Yeah, I get that now.” He bent to Seth’s level, buying her
time to catch her breath. “How about you, little man? You doing okay?”
    The boy jumped from foot to foot, the adventure of the past
twenty plus minutes further fueling his natural energy. “I had my Floaties on,
remember, Daddy?”
    She felt Mark’s appreciative glance. “And we have Emily to
thank for that, don’t we?” he continued, his attention trained once again on his
son’s face. “Did you learn something from that adventure?”
    “The lake isn’t as warm as the bathtub.”
    “And…”
    Seth’s brows furrowed in contemplation. “You should always wear
your