of my bagel, don’t you?” Recalling how the ducks used to paddle close when they’d take Stacey to the park, he took out the bagel, planning to tear off some pieces for them to take gently from his hand. His eyes widened as they began to pick up speed, flapped their wings again, and surged forward.
“Holy shit.”
It was the attack of the killer swans. They dive-bombed toward him, their vicious, beady eyes glaring with hate, and Jake scrambled to the opposite end of the rowboat. It rocked wildly as the first swan bumped it, and Jake held on to the sides for dear life, but he couldn’t withstand the second direct hit. The boat capsized, and arms flailing wildly, Jake went overboard with a loud splash.
When he resurfaced, he shook his head free from the streaming water and reached for his floating backpack. The lake didn’t seem very deep, but he hadn’t fastened his life jacket. It ballooned out, providing some flotation aid, but not much. Jake could dog-paddle okay, but the shoreline looked a hell of a long distance away. He began to splash his way toward it. The jeans, T-shirt, and hoodie he’d worn in the cool, early morning air took on water and bogged him down, and still clutching his backpack, he began to struggle. Then, through waterlogged ears, he heard his name called.
“Jake. Jake, hold on. I’m coming.”
At the shore, Shea quickly stripped off his clothes and entered the water. With swift, strong strokes, he reached Jake, placed an arm under his armpits, and hauled him close.
“Shea,” he gasped, trying not to swallow lake water. “Those fucking swans.”
“Ross and Rachel? Yeah, they’re not the friendliest.”
“Ross and…you’ve got to be kidding me. I’ll never watch another fucking episode of Friends again,” he muttered. Shea’s laughter rumbled through him, and he held Jake tighter.
“Let’s get you to shore and dried off, and then I’m gonna give you a talkin’-to for not following the rules.”
With the benefit of Shea’s strength to lean on, Jake managed to push through, and Shea half dragged him up the embankment and set him none too gently on the ground.
“Now,” Shea said, hands on his hips, feet planted wide. “What the ever-living fuck were you doin’ out there in the middle of the lake with no life vest on?”
Jake knew he should be apologizing and thanking Shea for rescuing him, but goddamn, he was rendered speechless by the furious man in front of him. Shea dressed was a gorgeous sight. But in soaking-wet briefs that clung to him like a second skin? He might as well be naked. A libido he’d thought long burned to ashes rose hot and strong in Jake’s blood, and he hung his head, not from Shea’s scolding, but to keep from staring and possibly embarrassing himself. As beautiful and memorable as Shea Montgomery was in the pages of a magazine, in person he was perfection.
“I had one. I just didn’t manage to buckle it in time. I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
“You sure as hell didn’t. What woulda happened if I didn’t come lookin’ for your sorry ass? I only knew ’cause Patty mentioned you’d been by the kitchen real early and where you were off to. And I had a feelin’ you’d think you were a superman and do somethin’ foolish.”
“It wasn’t my fault.” He glared at Shea, who raised a brow and, unfortunately, pulled his jeans on.
“No? Tell me how you ended up in the lake, then. Should be a good one.”
“Just forget it.” Jake pressed his lips together, and Shea, now fully dressed again, snickered.
“ ’Cause you know I’m right. I saw you as I ran over. Trying to feed them birds somethin’. And just like you ignored the life-vest sign, you ignored this one.” Shea pointed to a sign Jake hadn’t noticed until that moment: PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE SWANS.
“I said I had the life jacket on, just not the right way. And I didn’t see the sign about feeding the birds.” Jake stood and took off his shirt and hoodie, squeezed them out, and put his T-shirt back on. “Sorry.”
“Sorry? That’s all you got to say for yourself? Maybe you should look ’round ’fore you do things. Dammit, Jake, what kinda dang fool are you?” Shea fumed.
The angrier Shea got, the stronger his country accent grew until Jake couldn’t control his smile. Which only made Shea angrier.
“Calm down, Shea. It all turned out okay. I would’ve made it to shore.” The man was seriously