Chapter 10
Boone noticed the way she wolfed down her dinner in the food truck courtyard. One of her favorites was back tonight and he considered it comfort food for her. She needed all the comfort he could give after the unpleasant report. It made him happy to see her feeling better. The situation wasn’t easy. He’d seen more than a few glances aimed their way from folks around town. Speculation and whispers about them must be swirling. Exactly as she’d feared. Well, credit to her for insisting on transparency about his presence.
He was more than willing to play the bodyguard role. He could keep it professional, despite the desire that pulsed between them. Day by day he was more certain he wasn’t the only one affected. They practically gave off sparks when they were close, but for some reason, she refused to admit to feeling anything but stressed.
As they finished, he glanced toward the row of shops across the street. He knew she didn’t want to go to the Pelican. She’d said it was about stirring up rumors, but he figured it was probably too similar to their one “date”.
Going back upstairs would be torture. Being alone and unable to touch her made him antsy. She needed him calm, so he needed a diversion.
“Why don’t we go down to the beach again?” he suggested. The outing would be good for both of them. “It’s a gorgeous evening.” The overcast skies had given way to a clear night. “I hear the Carolinas have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.”
“You heard that from me.” Her lips tilted up at the corner.
He fought not to lean in and kiss that half-smile.
“It’ll be dark soon,” she pointed out.
“I’m good with stargazing.” For now. Out in public, he had to keep his hands to himself. He wondered again—always—why she’d walked away that night. Did her decision to sneak away make it easier for her to ignore that spark now? He resisted the temptation to ask her outright. She had enough stress right now.
“Okay, let’s go.” Though she smiled, there wasn’t much warmth behind it. She glanced back at her shop. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
“I wouldn’t suggest it otherwise,” he assured her. “Jess has reinforcements in place. Some local, some remote, monitoring cameras.” He was pretty sure Jess had called in every available protector to get a handle on this situation.
“Lila’s bakery was vandalized even with surveillance,” Nina grumbled. “Sorry. That’s rude and it wasn’t your fault. A totally different situation.”
“I’m sure it was.” All he knew about Lila’s case was that it was over.
Boone would be happier if Spratt only had vandalism on his mind. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the jerk’s MO. He leaned more toward dominance through personal violence, from his very first crime on record. Grabbing purses and picking pockets hadn’t been good enough for Spratt back in Baltimore. He’d managed to injure every victim and still get away .
Spratt’s focus on Nina was problematic and his ability to evade the authorities even more worrisome. Still, there was nothing more Boone could do right this minute.
Ever alert, he matched Nina’s leisurely pace as they walked away from the town center and across the path boardwalk that protected the dunes. There were people lingering on the beach, though he imagined the crowds would be thicker come tourist season.
Overhead, Venus was already shining brightly as twilight fell and stars winked to life. “I can’t imagine how you get anything done, knowing these views are out here.”
She chuckled as she stepped out of her sandals. “It’s home.” Her lips tilted to one side. “My parents raised me not to take it for granted. Everyone raves about Charleston—with good reason, but I think Brookwell is better.”
He toed off his shoes as well, leaving them beside hers. “Do you want the rest of the world to know that?”
“Yes and no.” She stared up at the sky once more. “As a business owner, I’m all for tourism. We need the revenue. As a hometown girl, I’m allowed to appreciate the off-season.”
He laughed. “Balance can be a tricky thing.” There was a lesson in there somewhere, but he wasn’t inclined to go searching for it right this minute.
“Mm-hm.”
They walked a little further, the twilight deepening all around them.
“I do owe you an apology,” she said.
He wasn’t sure he needed it anymore. This time with her had given him a peek into her life, her world. He tucked his hands into his pockets. “For what?”
She shot him a look. “Running away. Y’know… After. ”
“After what?” He was teasing and realized too late it was the wrong time. Her expression crumbled and she wrapped her arms tightly around her middle. “Hey, that was supposed to be a joke. I didn’t mean to make it awkward.”
“Hardly.” She blew out a long breath. “I made it plenty awkward all by myself.”
“You can tell me anything, Nina. I’m here to protect you, not to judge anything. Past or present,” he added, “just so we’re clear.”
“Thanks.”
She meandered past the tide pools, closer to the waterline, and he trailed along, the wet sand squishing under his feet.
“The thing is, I don’t have a good explanation,” she admitted, her voice barely audible over the constant throbbing of the ocean. “At the time it made sense to me. One incredible, anonymous night was perfect.”
It sure had been. He wished she’d look at him.
“In your hotel room, I convinced myself that staying was clingy. Needy.” She shook out her hands, the way she did after a tedious design task. “I was sure we’d wake up and not have anything to say.”
They’d never know. “Isn’t that why morning sex was invented?” She snorted, but he wasn’t joking this time. “I woke up reaching for you,” he admitted. She shivered and he moved to stand closer, protecting her from the wind, hoping the weather wasn’t the only reason for the reaction. “Not for the obvious reasons. Well not just for that.” He nudged aside her long hair so he could rub her shoulders. Her muscles were tight. She carried so many responsibilities on her fine-boned frame. “I woke up wanting to know your name along with everything else about you.”
She twisted to look up at him. “ You’re serious.”
Hell, yeah, he was serious. He’d been given a second chance and he refused to blow it. “To me, it was a weird miracle that you were my new assignment.”
“Me too,” she confessed. “I got home that morning and wished I’d left a note at least.”
“I stayed in that hotel room all day hoping you’d come back.”
She dropped her head gently to his chest. “If only I’d listened to my gut. I’m so sorry, Boone. You made me so happy and I didn’t handle it well. I freaked out.”
“Are you freaking out now?”
“A little. Maybe.”
He linked his hands at her back, doing his best not to rush her in any way. “I’m only here to protect you.”
“Is this particular embrace an official tactic?”
“In certain instances.” His main regret was that they’d specifically chosen not to introduce him as a romantic interest. “Want me to let go?”
She stroked his arms. “No.”
That was a plus. “Do you want to kiss me?”
“Yes.” Her breathless reply was so soft, he thought he imagined it. “But we shouldn’t.”
Yet she stayed right where she was. Possibly moved closer. “I won’t push, Nina.” Despite the desperation urging him to make her his. “But you should know I’m ready and willing to make things personal. When and if you’re ready for that.”
She licked her lips and he stifled a groan. “Why aren’t you mad at me?”
The question startled him. “Because you didn’t do anything to make me mad.”
“I left. ”
What kind of guys did she date? Not his business. Not the point. “Right. And it didn’t feel great,” he admitted. He steered a lock of her hair away from her face. “But you had every right to leave. We were consenting adults when we went to my room. Sex didn’t change that.”
“I’m so awkward with this stuff.”
“You don’t seem awkward to me.” She fit him perfectly. Why couldn’t she see it?
“I’ve been so careful,” she said, stepping out of his embrace. “Small-town gossip can be damaging. Mistakes can balloon out of control overnight. My parents are anchors here in Brookwell and they raised us to be good examples in the community.”
“So you played nice. Didn’t rock the boat,” he guessed.
“That’s right.” Her chin came up, then fell. “Unfortunately, I never mastered how to let the inevitable chatter roll off. It’s always bugged me too much.”
He could understand that. “I’m sure you’re not the only person who feels that way.”
“No, of course not.” She dragged her toes through the wet sand. “But running off to Charleston for a hookup probably wasn’t the best coping mechanism.”
“As one of those hookups, I respectfully disagree.”
She whipped around, laughter in her eyes. “What a guy thing to say.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Guilty as charged.” He lowered his arms, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Ignoring the morning after, I’m glad we had that night together.” He cleared his throat. “Knowing that walking out wasn’t easy for you soothes my ego a bit.”
“My one good deed, I guess.”
He followed her as she continued walking along the edge of the foamy ripples gliding up and over the sand .
Suddenly, she stopped and turned into him. “What would you have done if you’d found me?”
Her urgency was palpable and an answering need resonated in his chest.
Before Jess had called him to Brookwell, he’d been ready to lean on his contacts with the Guardian Agency research team. Ready to call in favors just to get a lead on her name and location.
“I wanted to find you,” he began slowly. “In my daydreams, I did track you down. You were thrilled to see me. It played out like a movie scene in my head. You’d look up and recognize me and be so happy. We’d kiss and everything in my world would feel right again.”
She was staring at him, eyes wide. “That sounds…”
“Corny, I know.”
“Lovely. Romantic.” She nibbled on her lip as she stared at him. “Sincere, actually.”
“I won’t ever lie to you, Nina.” He was more than halfway in love with her. As much as he wanted the danger Spratt posed out of her life, he couldn’t imagine leaving her once that happened.
This time he wrapped his arms around her as she tucked in close. “I know. I wish seeing you again had played out your way.” Her smile was slow and sexy as hell. “Jess’s office lacked atmosphere.”
He laughed. How did she manage to amuse him during what had been a serious confession?
She pressed against him, her warm, supple body a contrast to the cool ocean foam rolling over his bare feet. Her hands ran up and down his arms, across his chest, curling over his shoulders. He was instantly on fire for her, his heart pounding with a need only she could satisfy.
Then she kissed him. Everything in his world snapped into place. She was exactly where she belonged, with him, in his arms. He couldn’t explain it. Didn’t want to. He just wanted to live in this moment. For now. Forever, if they could have that.
He was overwhelmed with memories of their one night layered over all the exhilarating sensations of this new moment.
“That’s even better than I remember.” Her whisper fanned across his lips, making him want her even more.
“Yeah,” he rumbled. He claimed her mouth this time, letting the sweet heat roll through him and wrap closely around them. He didn’t want to talk anymore. His body ached from keeping his hands to himself. Now, he only wanted to make up for lost time, to remind them both how good they’d been. One night hadn’t been enough. A lifetime might not be enough with Nina.
But he could only live this minute. Give her all of himself right now.
“Boone,” her breath was ragged. “We need…” Her voice trailed off as she kissed his jaw.
“Privacy,” he finished for her. Easing back, he glanced around. They were alone and darkness had fallen, but after all she’d just said about town gossip, they needed to be smart. And he wasn’t about to let anything interrupt them. “Come on.”
He kissed her firmly because he just couldn’t resist her. Taking her hand, they hurried away from the water and back to her place.