Chapter 12
Landon
Smooth stones the size of my fist litter Driftwood Cove Beach like gold coins in Scrooge McDuck’s vault. Last week, Zoe said she swims in the bay every morning, so I find her towel draped over driftwood near the water’s edge, drop my jacket, and tug off the sweatpants covering my wet suit.
A gentle breeze washes the scent of the ocean into my lungs and sends a chill down my spine.
I scrub my arms to increase circulation.
If I was thinking clearly, I would have overnighted a dry suit so I don’t freeze to death before I accomplish my goal, but I haven’t thought clearly since Zoe stormed into my hotel room, all sass and smiles.
Why did I think today would be any different?
She sends me text messages with the town council’s orders, but when I call to engage her in a conversation, she doesn’t answer. She won’t talk about our kiss. She won’t talk about the house. Radio silence.
She doesn’t get to brush me off like I’m a dirty secret.
We kissed.
We enjoyed ourselves.
I want more.
I’m sure she does too.
So I’m going to freeze my balls off and force her to talk to me.
Our relationship demands it.
It doesn’t help that I haven’t slept well since she kissed me. I told myself I only want to be her friend, but then I dream about her lips, get lost in the memory when I should be paying attention in meetings.
She was too rattled during the thunderstorm or on the walk back to town for a coherent conversation. I get the need to process your changing reality, but I won’t let her ignore us.
Our chemistry is rare. That kiss meant something, and we need to figure out what it is. Even if it’s resigning myself to friendship instead of tasting her again because she needs time to accept how great we can be together.
Her passion is hypnotic. That estate means everything to her, and I respect the hell out of her for it.
I should have recognized that passion when we were kids, but I was a dumb teenager full of myself…and my ego. It was there. I remember it in her eyes and the way she crumbled when I laughed at her.
She should have told me to go to hell and followed her dream. I want her to fight for what she wants.
To dream her bold dreams and chase after them with everything inside her.
I want to support her through it all.
If she takes half of her passion into the world outside Rainwater Bay, she’ll singlehandedly solve world peace and childhood hunger.
The two of us together would be unstoppable.
But what will it take to convince her she’s meant for more than being her dad’s assistant? Mayor isn’t a big enough title for her. This town doesn’t deserve her if kissing me would be enough for them ostracize her.
I need to get to the bottom of her fears if I’m going to help her overcome them.
There’s more to her running from me. But what? Who is she afraid of?
I’m done waiting for her to come to her senses.
I tuck a thermos of coffee and a couple of foil-wrapped breakfast burritos into the crevice beside the log where I laid my clothes.
I rub my hands together to encourage blood flow and say a little prayer that she doesn’t try to drown me as I wade into the water.
Pins and needles prickle my skin despite the neoprene.
I’ve swum in cold water before. You don’t belong to the Prince family without earning your deep-sea diver certification.
Heck, my brother is one of the best undersea welders in our company.
If he can survive the North Sea, I can swim a few laps in the Pacific.
Zoe completes her third lap since I arrived, swimming between a set of buoys just outside the marina. I watch her glide through the water with smooth, hypnotic strokes.
I calculate my angle to meet her at the nearest buoy. Matching her pace, I swim one hundred yards and acclimate my body to the cold. Her hair is bundled under a swim cap, and mirrored goggles make it impossible for me to see her eyes when we meet.
“Good morning.”
She treads water. “What are you doing here?” Her tone is sharp and callous.
“Swimming.”
“Leave me alone, Landon.” She strokes past me and taps the buoy, flipping to start her next lap.
I keep pace. “Why would I do that?”
“This is my me-time. I don’t need you messing it up.”
“You’re ignoring me.”
“And?”
“Why?”
“Helping my dad keeps me busy.” She says the words like I can’t possibly understand the importance of her position or the enormity of the stress she’s under.
“That’s an excuse. You care about the house, and it’s driving you crazy that you won’t let yourself climb those ridiculous stairs to visit the estate every day.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” She puts her face in the water and swims away from me.
I won’t let her get off that easily. I catch up with her, my longer arms and powerful legs giving me an advantage against her diminutive size. “Whose fault is it that I don’t know you?”
“Go away.” She maintains her stroke.
“Not until you talk to me.”
“If you’re swimming correctly, your face is in the water. Not talking.” She regains her form, kicking hard to outpace me.
I tug on her leg. “Come on, Comet. You can’t ignore me forever.”
“You won’t be here forever. You’re not staying the whole two years it takes to build everything. I’m sure you have other business that will call you away sooner or later. I can ignore you until then.”
“But why would you want to?”
“Please, Landon, just leave me alone.” The pleading in her voice makes my heart lurch. It’s like talking to me is physically painful for her. That doesn’t make sense.
It was a kiss. Well, several kisses that spanned at least fifteen, twenty minutes.
Filled with fire and want.
Not pain.
I didn’t hurt her.
I would never hurt her.
“We’re having this conversation. You kissed me. That means something, and I can’t pretend it doesn’t.” Before she can respond, I swim in the other direction.
I don’t check behind me to see if she resumed her swim, but by the time I get to the buoy, she has almost reached the other end of her makeshift swim lane. My toes are almost numb, but I spend another ten minutes swimming past her just to be close.
She needs to know I’m serious about spending time with her and talking through our issues, even as I subject myself to the first stages of hypothermia.
She’s worth it.
She’s still swimming laps when I make my way to the beach, peel out of my wetsuit, and wrap myself in warm clothes.
I could drink the coffee to speed the process, but I wait for her. She swims another three laps before she glides toward shore. When she hits the breakers, she stands and removes her swim cap. Her hair cascades over her shoulders, and my mouth goes dry.
Definitely hypnotic.
As our eyes meet, I try for a friendly smile, but she stops walking. With a little shake of her head, her fists ball at her sides, and she closes the distance between us.
I hold up the thermos. “Breakfast.”
“I asked you to leave me alone.”
“I did.”
“Do you want an apology? Is that what you’re after?”
“What do you have to apologize for? I haven’t been so turned on in years.”
Her cheeks flush deeper crimson than the cold weather warrants. “I don’t do flings. I don’t make out with random strangers. We have jobs to do, and there isn’t room in my life for anything else.”
I tuck my knuckle under her chin, raising her gaze to mine. “That’s a pretty little speech, but who said anything about a fling?”
Her mouth drops open.
“And I wouldn’t call us strangers. You felt something when you kissed me, and it scared you.” I cup her cheek. “Don’t be afraid of me.”
“You aren’t scary. I just don’t have time for men.” The wobble in her voice tells me she’s lying.
“We make time for the things that are important to us.”
She dodges from my grip and snatches her towel from the log. “I need to get to work.”
I press the thermos and bag of food into her hands. “I don’t give up.”
“I’m sorry if I bruised your ego but—”
I press my thumb to her lips. “Don’t lie to me, and I won’t lie to you.
I like you more than is sensible. Your passion for the estate hypnotizes me.
You could do infinitely better, but I want you to want me.
I want to help you realize that there is no other woman in the world more amazing that you.
I can only do that if I get to know you. ”
“I’m not a science experiment.”
“No, you are a beautiful woman whom I thoroughly enjoyed kissing. I plan to repeat the activity at our soonest convenience. Enjoy your breakfast.”
I don’t look over my shoulder until I open my car door car.
She’s wrapped in her towel, teasing the foil off a breakfast burrito.
She takes a hesitant bite before dropping her head back in what I interpret as joy.
If food is the way to break down her walls, I will deliver a Michelin-worthy meal every day until she talks to me.