Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

from her, when what he wanted to know was if she’d missed him? Had she thought of him over the long winter? The memories of their sweet lovemaking was like a hunger he couldn’t satisfy.
    “How’s Seattle been treating you?” she asked.
    “Wet.” He cleared his throat not liking where that one word mentally took him. “That is, we’ve had nothing but rain.” He glanced up to the azure sky dotted by a few puffy clouds. “This is the most sun I’ve seen in a while.”
    She shifted on her feet. “Which could change at any moment.”
    Silence stretched between them until Aidan indicated the boat moored out in the bay. “I see you went and bought a drift boat.”
    She nodded. “I told you I was going to.”
    She had, and he’d argued with her, which was one of the reasons why they were no longer sleeping together. Something he was going to rectify this summer. “Who’d you get to captain her?”
    “I’m her captain.”
    “You?”
    “That’s right. Got a problem with that?”
    You bet he did. “Aren’t you biting off more than you can chew?”
    “I can chew it just fine.” Her jaw tightened.
    He shook his head, not wanting to rehash the old argument. “Who’s your crew?”
    “Gramps, Peter, and Wes.”
    “Who will be working the set net sites?”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but the four of us will fish those as well.”
    “When are you going to sleep?”
    “When the fish do.”
    “You’re nuts, you know that?” Why did she have to be so damn pig-headed?
    “I’ve been called worse. In fact, if memory serves, I’ve been called worse by you.”
    He took a deep breath and held it before letting it out in a rush. This was not where he wanted their first conversation in over nine months to go. It was like they’d picked up right where they’d left off, but they were wearing more clothes this time. “I don’t want to go there.”
    “Then don’t.” She fidgeted like she wanted to leave.
    “Aren’t you worried about what the other set netters are going to think?” Couldn’t she see the troubles she was about to bring down on herself?
    “I don’t waste time worrying about what anyone thinks of me.”
    “You should. Word’s got around what you’re planning this summer. A lot of people don’t like it.”
    “I’m out here to fish, not to gain in popularity.”
    “I’ve heard things, Sonya. Not nice things. You need to be worried.”
    Her gaze hardened. “Do I need to worry about you?”
    He sucked in a breath remembering what he’d done last summer. He never should have said those things. Did those things. “No. Not from me.”
    “What about Cranky and Crafty?”
    He smiled at her nicknames for Earl and Roland. “I’ll keep them in line.” At least he’d try.
    “I’d appreciate it.” She made to leave, and he grabbed her arm.
    “Listen, Sonya. About that night—”
    She stiffened under his hand. “Forget it.”
    “I can’t. If I hadn’t—”
    “I said forget it.” Her voice hardened.
    He let go of her arm and ran a hand through his hair. “I really messed up…and I wanted, needed, to tell you that I’m sorry.” There he’d said it, finally apologized for being an ass. He should be getting pretty good at it by now.
    She narrowed her eyes as though wondering if he was truly sorry or just trying another tactic. “Apology accepted.”
    He breathed a sigh of relief. “Want to take a walk?”
    “Just because I accepted your apology doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten.” She turned away, and then looked back over her shoulder. “I won’t be taking any walks with you, Aidan. I never repeat mistakes.”
    “You don’t believe in second chances?”
    “Not for you and me.”
    “I’ve changed, Sonya. I spent time working on my…issues. I won’t ever do that again.”
    “Good. I hope you don’t. But you won’t get another chance at me. That boat’s sailed.”

    “So how’d it go between you and Aidan?” Gramps didn’t mince words when Sonya entered the cabin. He and Grams were sharing a cup of cocoa and a plate of shortbread cookies. Wes and Peter were nowhere in sight.
    “Fine.” Sonya had shed her chest waders and hung them in the gear room, taking a bit of time to compose herself after her run-in with Aidan. The man was still as handsome as ever. Black hair, always in need of a cut, dark stubble that sexed him up, haunted brown eyes. He seemed older and sadder, but she wouldn’t let that sway her.
    She grabbed a cup and mixed