Wilde Side. Jannine Gallant

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СКАЧАТЬ got this under control. Stay here and relax.” With a wink, Walton strolled away.

      “You finished?” The older guide paused in front of her.

      “We are.” Devin stacked her dirty plate on top of the congressman’s then handed Jon both. “Thanks, dinner was delicious.”

      “You’re welcome.” He offered a pleasant grin. “We aim to please. Especially Sawyer. He’s all about accommodating our guests.”

      One brow shot up. “Oh?”

      Jon nodded. “Just ask if you need anything at all.”

      As he walked away, Devin’s gaze drifted back to the man scrubbing a grill crusted with barbecue sauce, forehead creased, biceps bulging. A few personal needs he might satisfy came to mind, and her cheeks heated. Sawyer Wilde was too damned gorgeous for any woman’s peace of mind. After Porter had stomped all over her heart then given it a few additional kicks for good measure, she’d sworn not to jump into another relationship until she’d had some serious downtime to reflect on exactly why she was so awful at judging men.

      Devin chewed her lip as her gaze narrowed on the object of a few of her more creative fantasies. However, a quick fling might not be such a bad idea. During a wild ride through one set of rapids after another as they’d plunged down the river that afternoon, those strong arms had strained to keep the raft from capsizing. She’d been so busy watching every muscle in Sawyer’s body flex, she’d completely forgotten to paddle a few times. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. The man was all wrong for her, but apparently her hormones hadn’t gotten the newsflash.

      Finished with the dishes, Sawyer bent over to pick up an armful of dead limbs. Old sweatpants had never looked so fine. He turned to place the branches carefully on the campfire then dusted his hands on his thighs.

      Devin swallowed then looked away.

      A few days spent cozying up to their hunky guide would surely go a long way toward making her forget she’d ever been stupid enough to fall for a man who cared only about himself…and how far she could advance his career. Just as soon as she worked up the energy to initiate a conversation, she’d get to know Sawyer a little better and find out where their week together might lead.

      At least she’d seen Porter for the jerk he was before he’d done too much damage to her ego. It felt good to know she’d been the one to dump him. Giving herself a mental pat on the back for that, she let go of some of the tension she’d been harboring for the last couple of weeks since her big break up. Devin relaxed into the camp chair and sighed. After a hard day of paddling, the melodic lapping of the river against the shore had an almost hypnotic effect. Her lids drooped.

      “You falling asleep?”

      Her eyes popped open. “Hmm? Uh, I guess so.” Straightening, she yawned then slapped a hand over her mouth. “Wow, all that paddling makes a person tired.”

      Sawyer lowered onto the chair beside her and smiled. “Riding rapids is a good workout. I imagine you’ll sleep well tonight.”

      She made a face. “In a sleeping bag on the ground?”

      “The pads are nice and thick. What, you don’t like camping?”

      “I did when I was a little kid, if you call outdoor sleepovers camping.” Devin smiled. “My best friend and I used to pitch a tent in the yard and tell each other ghost stories after it got dark. We scared ourselves silly.”

      “My brothers and I did that, too.” His eyes sparkled in the light cast by the dancing flames of the campfire. “Good memories.”

      “I suppose.” She hunched closer to the warmth. “How many brothers?”

      “Two brothers and one sister. You?”

      “Only child, but Ainslee was like a sister—until we left Iowa to move to Vermont when I was in junior high. Even after so many years apart, we still see each other whenever we can.”

      “That’s weird…” His eyes widened as he stared at her. “Unbelievable.”

      “What?” She swiped a hand across her mouth. “Do I have barbecue sauce on my face or something?”

      He grinned. “No, I was marveling at how small the world is.”

      Devin glanced around at the endless forest. “Doesn’t seem so small to me. Did I miss something?”

      “It didn’t click the first time you mentioned your friend, Ainslee. A while back, I was discussing this trip with my brother, and Griff told me his girlfriend’s old pal worked for the congressman. I’d completely forgotten until—”

      “Griff?” She straightened in her chair. “You know Ainslee’s Griff?”

      “I should. He’s my older brother. I’m surprised you didn’t make the connection. Granted, the name Wilde isn’t that unusual, but—”

      A smile grew. “Oh, my God, you’re the reason Ainslee thought about dumping Griff last June. We ran into each other in California when Walton was there for a fundraiser and talked for a couple of hours. She wasn’t very happy the man she was so crazy about ditched her to go hang out on a rafting trip with his brother and a bunch of movie stars.”

      “I was shorthanded for that trip, and he bailed me out. They were filming scenes for a big blockbuster, and I wanted to impress the studio with my ultra-efficient operation. That kind of repeat business could really enhance Wilde Waters’s reputation.” He let out a breath. “Anyway, Griff totally freaked when he realized Ainslee was in danger out in California, and he couldn’t help her because he was with me in Utah.”

      “I didn’t hear about that part until well after the fact. Thank heaven everything worked out. When I called her last month, our conversation got cut short. She sounded really happy, but I honest to God don’t think she ever mentioned Griff’s last name to me.”

      “The way my brother talks, those two are in it for the long haul. If we hadn’t met on this trip, we would probably have run into each other eventually at some family function.”

      Devin wrapped her arms around her legs and leaned her chin on her knees. “I guess it really is a small world.” She narrowed her eyes. “Your brother better be good to Ainslee or I’ll kick his ass.”

      “Go for it. I’d back you up, but I don’t think he’ll give you a reason. The guy has it bad for your friend.”

      They smiled at each other.

      “Good.” A touch of envy stirred deep in her gut. She’d thought Porter was crazy about her, too—until she discovered he just wanted an in with the congressman. “Griff’s a good guy, right? Dependable? Faithful?”

      “He’s the best, and I’m not just saying that because we’re brothers.”

      The green-eyed monster bit a little harder. “I never meet men like him. The ones I gravitate toward always seem to have an agenda.”

      Sawyer leaned back in his chair and studied her. “That’s what you get for hanging out in a city. Country boys know how to treat women.”

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