Met Her Match Read online

  “Food!” she yelled.

  With a half grin, Nate nodded in understanding, dropped, then kicked the balls under the overhang of a building.

  “Funny!” she said as he got into the boat and she took off.

  The rain was coming down harder and Nate was getting drenched, but he held his face up to it and wiped his hands over his head. He was using it as a shower.

  “Get down!” Terri shouted.

  When it came to shouted warnings, Nate was well trained. Instantly, he flattened out, his chest on the wooden seats.

  Terri bent and the next second they went under a steel fence that stretched from one piece of land to another. She slowed the motor as they entered a narrow spit of water. On both sides were stairs leading to houses that could barely be seen through the pounding rain.

  As soon as she reached the dock, Nate got out and did a perfect cleat hitch to tie the boat in place.

  Terri followed him and they ran up the stairs.

  At the top was a house, all cedar and glass. Terri ran to a small porch, pulled a ring of keys from her pocket and unlocked the door.

  Inside, they stood in a puddle as she removed her slicker and hat. Nate was so wet he made her laugh. “Stay there and I’ll get you a towel.” She went down a hall.

  Nate remained by the door, but he could see through to the front with its big glass windows looking out at the water. The rain was beating down hard, making a misty fog that seemed to enclose them.

  The interior of the house was too “designed” for his taste. The part of the living room he could see had white couches and chairs, with white pillows that glistened like they were made of silk. It wasn’t the kind of room where you could drink beer and eat nachos with your friends while you watched a football game.

  “Here.” Terri held out a stack of clothing and towels. “These belong to Greg, who owns the house. He’s about a hundred pounds overweight so they should fit you.”

  “Was that a slam?”

  “Just a fact.” She was smiling. “Don’t take a step off the welcome mat. These floors are... I don’t know what they are, but I make sure they stay dry.”

  She was still holding the stack as Nate began to peel off his wet shirt. When his hard, flat stomach was exposed, she just stared.

  “Give me a hand, will you?” He was tangled in the wet cloth and it was stuck.

  She tossed the dry clothes to the floor, then reached up and pulled. When the neckline caught on his ears, they both worked on it and finally got the shirt off. Terri handed him the towel, then stood there watching him dry off.

  For a moment, their eyes met—and she could feel her face turn red. “Lunch,” she murmured and pointed to the room just off the entrance. “Kitchen.” She scurried away.

  Around the corner from him, she opened the freezer door. “Pizza okay? Miranda leaves a variety in here for me. Do you have any preference?” When she closed the freezer door she could see Nate’s reflection in the shiny surface.

  He had his back to her and he was peeling off his wet trousers. They landed on the mat. Then came his boxers. He stood up straight and was drying himself, lifting his legs to do his thighs.

  Terri could feel herself beginning to sweat. He had a truly magnificent body! Shoulders the width of half an oar, then down to a small waist. The curve of his behind was tight and high, topping thighs that were like tree trunks.

  When he started to turn in her direction, she nearly leaped toward the sink.

  “Just so the food has flavor,” Nate said as he pulled on the dry clothes. “Why does someone leave food for you here when you live just a few feet away?” Nate was standing behind her. “Are you okay? You’re shaking.”

  “Just got cold from the rain, I guess.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward the living room. “Go sit down and I’ll stick a pizza or two in the oven. What about wine?”

  “Can’t. I have to work later.”

  Nate nodded toward the windows. “This isn’t going to stop anytime soon. Let’s have lunch and you can tell me all about this place.”

  “Love to,” she said as she sat down on a white chair. She didn’t dare put her shoes on the ottoman for fear of getting it dirty. She could hear him in the kitchen. “The Kissels—”

  “No,” Nate said. “I want to know about you and the present. It was good to finally meet your dad.”

  Terri laughed. “He loves you. Really. He asked me how much you’d charge to work here full-time. He and Uncle Frank—”

  “And he is?”

  “The sheriff. Remember I told you that Dad first came to Summer Hill to visit an army buddy?”

  “And they were going into business together.” Nate handed her a glass of cold white wine. “There’s red if you want it.”

  Terri hesitated, but she took it. “This is good, thanks.” She was watching Nate as he looked from one white piece of furniture to another.

  “I’m afraid to sit down.”

  “You have Greg’s clothes on, so I think you’re safe.”

  “Good point.” He sat on the couch, but didn’t lean back and he kept his drink on the all-glass coffee table. “Is the sheriff the buddy?”

  “No. That was Jake.” Her voice lowered. “He and Dad were great partners and worked well together. We were all shocked when he suddenly died just as I graduated from college.”

  “Ah.” Nate seemed to be searching her eyes. “What plans of your own did his death force you to give up?”

  Terri shook her head in wonder at his keen perception. “All of it. Everything. I was going to go through Europe with some girlfriends. Europe on two cents a day, that sort of thing. We were going to have wild affairs and...” She shrugged. “Dad needed me, so I returned. What about you? How’d you get involved with Kit?”

  Nate ignored her subject-changing question. “How’s the sheriff connected to your dad’s partner?”

  “Frank Cannon was Uncle Jake’s bad boy little brother. He was always getting into trouble. When I was a kid I thought Uncle Frank was wonderfully exciting. But Dad and Uncle Jake were always threatening to murder him if he didn’t straighten up. Finally, Uncle Jake said that since Frank knew so much about criminals, he should try to catch them. For once Uncle Frank listened and now he’s the sheriff of Summer Hill.”

  “How did he—”

  “Oh no, you don’t. It’s your turn. Tell me about your years with Kit Montgomery.”

  Nate started to speak but the timer went off for the pizzas and he got up. “Shall we go to the dining room?”

  “They have a rug in there that costs more than I made last year.”

  They looked at each other and when a flash of lightning lit the room, they smiled. “I’ll get the towels,” Terri said and ran down the hall.

  By silent agreement, they had decided to eat while sitting by the windows and looking out. They’d have to move some furniture and they’d have to cover the white upholstery in case food was dropped, but they could enjoy the storm.

  When Terri returned with an armload of towels, Nate had moved two chairs in front of the big window. Terri covered the pristine surfaces while he sliced the first pizza.

  Minutes later, they were seated in front of the window. The lights were off so there was only the hazy gray of the rain. They set their wineglasses on the sill, their plates on their laps.

  “So tell me all,” Terri said. “Start when you went back to Dartmouth and majored in something besides beer. What I want to know is why you chose business. From what I’ve seen, you’re not a person who sits still.”

  “Was that a compliment? I’m the guy you have to babysit. Remember? I squeal at live bait. I only eat off fine china. Never been on a boat that didn’t have a crew. I—”

  “But I was right on most of it. Are you going to tell me about Kit or just whine that I