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“No, it’s not.Andyou knowIdon’t get involved with hotel guests.”Hepulled his dry shirt on over his still slightly damp skin. “Sowhatever it is you’re doing or you’re trying to do, stop.Please.”
“Butwhat did you think of her?Isn’tshe pretty?” she asked, and heat licked at his insides as he remembered just how prettyHazelwas.Thelust that had slammed into him earlier hadn’t dissipated yet, still simmering low in his gut.
“Ididn’t notice.Iwas busy fixing the shower.”
“AdamShephard, you are such a liar!”
Hequickly swapped his wet jeans for dry ones, grimacing when he realized he didn’t have dry boxers to change into.Thiswould have to do until he could go home at lunch and change.
“Don’tyou have something to do?” he asked, squinting at her as he stepped out of the office. “Toursto arrange?Pillowsto fluff?Adifferent brother to pester?”
Shecontinued as though she hadn’t heard him. “Andshe’s a writer, too.Andshe’s so sweet andIthink she has a good sense of humor.Ialso think she’s been hurt in the past, and…”
Hetuned out then, his stomach clenching, cold and hard, at the thought of someone hurtingHazel.Whohe didn’t even know.Whowas a guest at his hotel.Ina couple of weeks, she’d be nothing but a memory.
“…find what she’s looking for,” finishedAutumnbreathlessly. “WhichIthink, is you.Youjust don’t know it yet.Buttrust me, once the magic starts to do its thing, there’s nothing you can do.Justgo along for the ride.”
“You’rea nut,” he said, pointing a finger at her. “Whydon’t you go see ifHuxneeds any help in the restaurant?”Helowered his voice, gentling his tone. “He’shaving a tough time, and he might have to take some time off soon.I’msure he could use a friend.”
Autumnlicked her lips, swallowing visibly. “Right, a friend.Sure.”
Adamstared at her expectantly.
“Fine,I’llgo.Butonly becauseI’drather drool overHux’sfood and tattoos than argue with your stubborn ass anymore.”Shestuck her tongue out at him and spun on her heel, heading for the restaurant.
Adamshook his head, letting thedrooling over tattooscomment slide.Heaccepted thatAutumnwas a grown woman, and that she probably had a sex life that he—thankGod—knew nothing about.Butas far asAdamwas concerned, no matter how old they got, she would always be his baby sister.
Hesighed and pushed a hand through his damp hair, his mind flashing back to the wayHazelhad gently threaded her fingers into it, checking for a bump.Thestill simmering lust ramped back up, even though he did his best to ignore it.Topush it away.BecausewhileHazelwas beautiful and sweet and honestly pretty fucking charming, for the good of his own battered heart, nothing could happen.
Legendsand myths and whatever else be damned.
EIGHT
Hazelstaredat the blinking cursor on the screen in front of her.Theblank page filled up the entire screen of her laptop, and the longer she stared at it, the more anxious she felt.Shehad four chapters of…well, honestly, of total crap.Witha frustrated sigh, she clicked back to her notes, reading over the character sketches and plot notes she’d made for this book.Usually, returning to her notes gave her clarity, or at the very least, she could figure out a place to start.Butlooking at the pages and pages of notes—notes that had taken her weeks and weeks to put together—she didn’t feel anything except anxiety and frustration and the gnawing sense that this story just wasn’t working.
Theconcept was solid—two vampires fated to find each other again and again across time—but the characters felt flat.Thechemistry, the supposed bone-deep connection between them wasn’t coming through, and she didn’t know how to fix it.
Maybeshe just didn’t know how to write about love anymore.She’dwritten the second book of her trilogy—the most romantic of the three—while falling madly in love withSeth.Butnow that she knew how that love story ended, the magic was gone, and she couldn’t find it within herself to write about sparks and passion and racing hearts.
She’dhoped that if she got out of the city and away from everything that was weighing on her, that the words would start flowing.Butwhile she was quickly falling in love with the town ofGossamerFalls, the words were still very much stuck.Sheblew out a breath, closed the lid of the laptop and flopped back onto the bed, spread out like a starfish as she stared at the ceiling.Sheturned her head to the side, her gaze landing on the little stack of books on her nightstand.
Theslim volume containingTheLegendofGossamerFallssat on top.She’dfinished it last night, and she was already planning on re-reading it.Therewas something about the story that spoke to her—the magic, the hope, the healing after grief—it was special.
Thephone on her bedside table started ringing, startling her out of her thoughts.Immediately, her heart leapt into her throat; she hoped it wasAdam.Sexy, droolworthyAdamShephard, with his dark curls and dimpled smile, his broad shoulders and arms the size of tree trunks.Seriously, the guy looked like he lifted refrigerators, not weights.Andhis voice, ohGod, his voice.Deepand melodic, smooth, almost lilting.Shecould listen to him read a thesaurus and never get bored.
She’dthought she wasn’t interested in dating after the way her marriage had gone down in flames, so she was surprised to find that she was, in fact,veryinterested inAdamShephard.Shedidn’t really know if anything would come of it, especially given that she was just visiting.Whatshe did know was that she was crushing.Hard.
“Hello?” she asked, trying and failing not to sound overexcited, because now she was remembering the way his wetHenleyhad clung to his muscular torso.
“Hey, it’sAutumn.I’mfinished early for the day, soIwas wondering if you’d be into grabbing a late lunch and seeing some of the town.Unlessyou’re busy, of course,” she added.
“No!I’mnot busy at all,” saidHazel, pushing up off the bed. “Andthat sounds perfect.I’dlove to see more of the town.”
“Great.I’llmeet you in the lobby.Tenminutes?”
“Perfect.”
Hazelquickly changed out of her oversized sweatshirt and leggings and into a cute off-white sweater and a pair of jeans.Shebrushed her hair, slicked on a coat of mascara and a little blush, and then grabbed her jacket and her purse.Asshe made her way down the stairs, her heart picked up its tempo slightly.Then, at the sound ofAdam’svoice, it pushed right up into her throat.
