Kimberly Van Meter - Father Material (Harlequin Super Romance #1433)

THE HIGH SUN glinted off the river, its smooth surface broken only by the frothy whitecaps that churned against the rocks hidden beneath, and Natalie Simmonss step faltered as she surveyed its awesome power. Her gaze traveled along the limestone and shale canyon cliffs the river was nestled between and the breath was stolen from her chest.

Holy Mother, shed never felt so small.

Amazing, isnt it? a man with blond hair and a lazy smile asked as he approached, reading her expression. She recovered with a shy nod, accepting his outstretched hand for a quick shake. It never fails to get me right here every time, he said, knocking on his chest for emphasis. He grinned broadly, showcasing nice, white even teeth that surely made his dentist proud and she found herself smiling back, though shed never been what could be deemed a flirt by any stretch of the imagination. Names Evan. Ill be your guide. Whats yours?

N-Natalie, she warbled around the dust in her throat. He chuckled as if she werent the first one to suffer from too much nature all at once and she tried again. Natalie Simmons.

Well, Natalie, welcome to Moab. Just sit tight and someone will come to put your stuff with the others. We should be ready to shove off soon.

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if another bus was coming, as she still hadnt seen Dan anywhere, but Evan the River Guide Guy was gone before she could put the words together. She started toward the cluster of people Evan had pointed to, all the while keeping an eye out for the one person shed made this trip for.

She couldnt wait to see the look on Dans face when he saw her. The urge to giggle almost relieved the tightness in her lungs but she contented herself with a secret smile, knowing everything was going to work out.

Another five minutes crawled by and Natalie slapped her thigh in mild annoyancehe was late. Dan was always late. They used to joke hed be the type to skid in on one foot to the chapel. Shed, of course, threatened him with bodily harm if he did that on their wedding day and theyd laughed. She swallowed and flinched at the sharp pain that followed but managed to keep her eyes dry. She fingered the pendant around her neck for strength. A gift from her oldest sister before she left for the Peace Corps many years ago, the pendant served to remind her she wasnt here to cry. Shed done enough of that the first month after Dan had left. Now was the time to be proactive. If Dan was going river-rafting, by damn, so was she. Shed show him there were more dimensions to Natalie Simmons than he ever dreamed. Boring, indeed. Predictable, watch this. She was practically a goddamn daredevil, she thought glancing at the river again as if it were a coconspirator, and not the subject of her nightmares a full week running prior to her flight date.

Squaring her shoulders, she jerked at the suitcase as it got stuck on a pebble and moved toward the group with a dogged smile on her face.

Her gaze skipped over the anonymous faces in an attempt to lock onto the one she knew best, but there was still no sign of him.

Double-check the knots, Joe, she heard Evan say as he motioned to the slim man who had turned his attention to the rigging on the larger raft that would be used to haul the camp supplies from each location. I dont mind eating canned beans every night but Im not sure how well thatll go over with the clients if all our food ends up in the mighty Colorado. Good-natured ribbing and lighthearted laughter followed while Natalie waited for Dan.

She spied a large gnarled piece of wood and, although it didnt look like the most comfortable place to put her rear, at least it wasnt the ground. Out of habit, she glanced at her wrist but her watch was tucked away in her luggage and only a tan line met her eye. Perhaps if Dan didnt show soon, she could ask one of the crew people to radio headquarters or base camp or whatever it was called to find him.