“Natalie.” He tucked his hands into his pockets. “You can tell me to go.” Her gaze tracked over his tattoos, but he couldn’t tell if it was with approval or wariness. He shouldn’t care either way. Not at all.
“That’s silly. If you’re ready to check-in, I can do that.”
She was so pretty. Absolutely adorable in her flowy dress with the colorful pattern that skimmed her torso, showed off her toned arms and fluttered around long legs. The artist was as whimsical as her artwork. “Great. Am I the only guest?”
“The agency didn’t tell you?”
He shook his head. “We recently changed to a full-house rental system,” she explained. “So, um… There it is!” She spotted the tablet and dashed across the kitchen to retrieve it. “Yes. You’ll be the only guest for the duration.”
“Perfect.” No need to make small talk with anyone but Natalie.
She pulled up a document on the tablet and turned it toward him. He filled in the make and model of his truck and confirmed his cell phone number and email. She scrolled and tapped the screen. “You should have an email with all the information including the door lock codes and my number so if you need something, just call.”
“You’re not staying? You don’t live here?”
“No.” She hugged the tablet to her chest. “The place is all yours, but we’re close if there is a problem.” Her gaze slid toward the beach and he heard the squeal of car brakes. “New neighbors?”
“Well, there is some construction beyond the trees.” She pointed. “I’ll apologize now for the noise.” She was looking past him now and he turned to see a policeman walking by. “And we have excellent security.”
“What’s going on, Natalie?”
She gathered a couple of cookies into a napkin. “Just a small issue. You go ahead and settle in. Remember, choose any room you like,” she called over her shoulder as she darted after the cop.
He followed, too curious now to pretend to play along. “Is there a ride-share app around here?”
She stopped short and turned around. “Of course. Sometimes. If you can’t get a response, just call me.”
“You’re the backup ride-share service?”
“For the Hideaway,” she clarified. “I’ve been known to drive a person here or there. My sisters would tell you I mostly drive them crazy.”
He stepped closer and looked over her shoulder to where the cop had stopped near the shore. “If I’m the only guest and the beach is private, I’m guessing that guy in the sand is a friend of yours?”
The color drained from her face, leaving her as pale as a ghost. Her body swayed and he reached out to catch her before she toppled into the fire pit. He was always pushing too hard. The issue had come up regularly in his performance evaluations.
“Easy,” he murmured, guiding her down into the nearest chair. He ignored the way her body felt under his hands. “Take a breath,” he said. “Nice and slow.” He demonstrated, urging her to follow his example.
“I’m fine,” she managed after a couple of cycles.
“I’d like to believe you,” Trent replied. “Why did you call the cops for the trespasser down there?”
“Because he’s dead.” She clapped a hand over her mouth and surged to her feet. “Celeste will have a fit. That was hardly professional.”
“But accurate,” he soothed. “And I’m not a typical tourist.”
Her attention whipped back to him and she relaxed. “You’re right.” A smile bloomed slowly and color came back into her face. “You’re right. Holy cow.” She lunged forward, wrapping him in a big hug. “Thank you for being you.”
“You’re welcome?”
She laughed, this time sounding sincere about it. “I was worried we’d have to refund the reservation or find you another place.” Her eyes went wide. “And we will, if it bugs you that someone washed up like this.”
“Washed up?”
“Yes.” She nodded, clearly miserable. “I was taking a break from the morning to-do list and he rolled in with the surf. No one would blame you for wanting to find somewhere else to stay.”
The kind offer fit better with his first impression of her. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Really?”
