Page 47 of The Summer Intern

"Keep your center of gravity low," he instructed as the boat rocked beneath me."And relax your hips—the kayak moves with the water, not against it."

I nodded, concentrating on not wiping out on the beach before we’d even started.Once I was settled, Matt pushed the kayak further into the water and gracefully slid into the front seat with practiced ease.The boat barely wobbled under his confident movements.

"Show off," I muttered.

He glanced back at me with a grin."Just wait until you see what else I can do."

My mouth went dry as he handed me a paddle.His fingers brushed against mine, and I felt a jolt of something visceral that shot straight to my core.

"We'll paddle around the perimeter," Matt explained, demonstrating the proper technique."Keep an eye out for any campers going beyond the boundaries or getting into trouble."

"So we're basically the lake police?"

"Something like that," he chuckled."Though I prefer 'aquatic safety facilitators.'"

I barked out a surprised laugh, then yelped as Matt dipped his paddle into the water and we shot forward, guided by his fluid strokes.I watched, mesmerized by the way his shoulders flexed beneath his rash-guard, the fabric stretching taut across his broad back with each movement.The rhythm of his paddling was hypnotic—the way each side of the paddle dipped into the water in quick, sure movements.Water droplets flew from his paddle, catching the sunlight like tiny crystals before disappearing back into the lake.

I became acutely aware of the advantages of my position.From here, I could admire every ripple of muscle, every subtle shift of his body as he propelled us forward.And best of all, he couldn't see if I was actually helping or just pretending to paddle while enjoying the view.

I mimicked his movements halfheartedly, more focused on the way his biceps bulged with each stroke than on proper technique.The sun had bronzed his skin to a rich golden hue, making the few freckles across his shoulders stand out like constellations I wanted to trace with my fingertips.Or my tongue.I shook that thought off as the kids started to arrive, racing down.

We circled around and glided past a group of giggling campers loading into smaller kayaks with the help of counselors, and Matt offered friendly encouragement peppered with reminders about staying within the area designated by orange buoys and out of the swimming area, which had a blue and white rope around it.He skillfully spun us around and paddled back out to the semicircular line of buoys bobbing in the water.Maybe he'd take me out of the designated area, somewhere private, so he could show me that sexy body without the swimsuit on.I was so lost in daydreaming that I didn't notice Matt had stopped paddling until he twisted around in his seat to face me.

"You know," he said, his voice dripping with amused accusation, "this would go a lot faster if you actually helped paddle."

Caught red-handed, I felt heat rush to my face."I am paddling."

"Casey."The way he said my name—part exasperation, part affection—made my stomach flutter."You've dipped that paddle in the water maybe three times since we started."

"I'm pacing myself," I argued."Conserving energy for...later activities."

His eyes darkened at the implication, but he maintained his authoritative camp director persona."Here, let me show you the proper technique."He twisted further in his seat, reaching back to place his hands over mine on the paddle.

The boat wobbled precariously with his movement, making me grip the sides in panic."Careful!You're going to tip us!I do not want to swim in a lake with fish in it!"

"Relax," he soothed, his chest now almost against mine as he demonstrated the correct paddle grip."This boat is very stable and difficult to tip, and I won't let you fall in."

His proximity was overwhelming—the scent of his skin mingling with sunscreen and lake water, the warmth radiating from his body, the gentle pressure of his calloused hands over mine.I swallowed hard, trying to focus on his instruction rather than how easy it would be to close the distance between us.

"You need to rotate from your core," Matt explained, turning back around and demonstrating the motion, his gorgeous body doing the movements in the most perfect, delicious way."It's not just about the arms—your whole torso should be engaged."

"My whole torso is engaged right now," I muttered, adjusting the bulge in my swim trunks.“And possibly parts of my lower body.”

“Pay attention, Casey.This is important safety information.We should be prepared for any emergency."

"Yes, sir," I replied, unable to keep the sarcasm from my voice despite how the word 'sir' sent a thrill through me.

Matt looked over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed, as if recognizing the effect his authority had on me.He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a murmur."Good boy.Now show me what you've learned.Make the boat move without my help."

He returned to his position, leaving me flushed and flustered.I gripped the paddle properly and began mimicking the technique he'd shown me, determined to prove I could handle myself.

"That's better," he called over his shoulder, his own paddle slicing smoothly through the lake."Keep that up and I might just reward you later.Wasn’t there something you wanted me to do with my tongue?"

I squirmed in my seat, trying to ignore my horny thoughts as I paddled with renewed enthusiasm, my eyes fixed on the powerful movements of his shoulders as we continued our patrol around Eagle Lake, matching his rhythm, and this time, dipping my paddle into the water at appropriate intervals.Still, with Matt's broad back flexing in front of me, concentration remained a challenge, and I was soon well and truly distracted.

Matt thought he could boss me around and get away with it.Little did he know…

I adjusted my grip on the paddle and dipped it clumsily into the water as I angled it just right, sending a spray of cold lake water arcing through the air and landing squarely on Matt's exposed neck.

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