Page 24 of SEAL the Deal

Ali took a bite of the omelet. It tasted incredible. Sipping more coffee, her thoughts turned to Mike. According to Leonie, the boys were spending the day white water rafting. She grimaced, she couldn’t think of anything worse than paddling with a hangover. Nope, a day spa and high tea sounded far more civilized.

* * *

“Paddle hard, boys!” TJ bellowed as he steered the raft around a massive boulder and down a narrow chute.

The team hollered with excitement as the raft bounced over rocks, surging through the white water into a fast flowing channel.

“Hell yeah. That was wicked,” announced Rick as their speed subsided.

“Not a bad way to spend the day,” agreed Mike.

“Better than Vegas strippers?” asked Ernie as TJ directed the raft toward the bank.

Rick dipped his paddle propelling them forward. “Let’s not get too excited.”

“OK boys, paddle hard.” TJ aimed the nose of the raft at a pebbled beach.

The team dug deep, propelling the craft out of the current and onto the bank. Ernie leaped from the front, grabbed a rope and tied it off to a log.

“Let’s have some lunch,” said TJ as they carried the cooler ashore.

Fifteen minutes later the Chief had a fire roaring under a skillet layed with minute steak. The cooler was open and Ernie was hard at work slicing tomato, cheese and pickles. Rick, Mike and Dean had positioned themselves on a log with beers in hand.

“Yeah, this is the life,” said Rick. “I could get used to this. Get me a little cabin and invite Jenny around for some dancing, drinking and loving.”

“You’d want her around all the time if you lived out here,” said Mike.

“Hell yeah, she is one sexy lady.”

“No, I mean to save you from the scary bears.”

The boys broke into laughter.

Rick shook his head. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”

“It’s OK essé,” added Ernie. “We all know you can’t ‘bear’ to keep a secret.”

More laughter filled the beach.

TJ rose from the fire with the skillet in hand. “OK boys, meat’s up.”

The log served as a table as they lined up with beers in one hand and rolls in the other. They sandwiched the tender beef in crusty bread, layering it with relish, pickles, cheese and tomatoes.

“This is real good, TJ,” complimented Dean. “What’s the meat?”

“Venison shot in these very mountains.”

“Tastes great,” said Mike. “Guys, I just wanted to say thanks for putting this together. It’s been awesome to get on the gas with you, even if I did have to watch Rick spin around a pole in his underwear. TJ, I know this was all your idea. Thanks for being a great team leader and an even better friend.”

The others raised their beers in agreement and they sat in the sun, enjoying the meal.

Ten minutes later TJ tossed his empty into the cooler. “OK, let’s get back on the damn river before Rick starts bitching again. We’ve got the afternoon to cover twenty miles of class five rapids. This is the bit that separates the men from the pole dancers.”

ChapterEight

Revitalized by breakfast and a morning at the day spa Ali stepped out of the minivan into a picturesque park. Lush green grass met the waters of a wide slow-moving river lined with majestic swaying trees.

“This is magical,” said Ali as the other girls joined her.

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