5
Gotta Run
As Savannah and Zanderentered the Starry Cove B&B, she inhaled the musty scent and eyed the quaint furnishings.Hard to believe this is mine. Well, half mine.
Before checking in, Zander slowed to a stop. “We’ll have to evaluate the structure of the building. Make joint decisions regarding what and when to renovate.” His phone pinged with an incoming text.
She peered up at him. “You’re a busy guy.”
Tight lines around his eyes deepened. “Lots of fires to put out lately. After I deal with work, let’s discuss next steps.” He glanced around. “Down here.”
She wanted to climb him, not talk to him. “Sure.”
Again, Zander’s phone rang. “What the hell?” Like earlier, he silenced it.
“Why don’t you see why your phone is blowing up? Let’s meet in, say, an hour.”
“Savannah.” His deep timbre, paired with the intensity behind his gaze, held her full attention. What was it about this man that made him so irresistible? “I hope we can work through our differences.”
Truth was, she was just another business transaction on his radar. “See ya.” She stopped at the base of the stairs and turned back. He hadn’t moved. Across the room, his smoldering stare drilled into her. Beyond his obvious good looks, their connection tugged at her heartstrings. Or was she imagining something that wasn’t even there?
As she walked to her room, her chest tightened. She’d crossed a line with a searing kiss and would have crossed several more if Zander hadn’t been the voice of reason.I need an objective opinion.
After entering her room, the silence magnified how alone she was. She set her camera bag on the bed, dug her phone from her handbag, and tapped the home button, but the phone stayed dark. “Ugh, come on, Savannah.”
Per usual, she’d forgotten to charge it. Rummaging through her belongings, she yanked out the charger and plugged it in.
While it juiced up, she glanced around the cozy room and did a double take.How’d I miss those?The two, framed photographs that hung on the back wall were hers. One was a Virginia Beach sunrise and the second was a Shenandoah Mountain sunset.DidK-Dad hang my work in all the rooms?Her stepdad had supported her in ways she never knew.What a dear, sweet man.
Her phone lit up and binged with unanswered calls. Ignoring them, she dialed. “C’mon, babe. Pick up.”
“Savannah, finally,” said her agent, Tilly. “I’ve got great news.”
“I kissed my stepbrother.”
“Like a peck?”
“No. The mind-blowing, take-no-prisoners kind. And I wanted to take things further.”
“You don’t mean sex, do you?”
“Um…yeah.”
“Ooookayyyyy. So, um,wow. Can we blame alcohol?”
“Nope.”
“Is this a condition of the will or something?”
Savannah laughed. “God, no. He’s this uptight suit. Not my type at all. Even so, I’m crazy attracted to him. Always have been. The man is gorgeous, but it’s more than that. I like his anal personality, too. Plus, he’s driven to the point of making himself insane. Strangely, I’m drawn to that, too. And, my God, he’s built like an oak and all I wanna do is climb him. Whew, he’s hot. Tilly, I’ve lost it. I’m babbling. I don’t babble.”
Tilly laughed. “No, you don’t. You must have it bad for this guy. And you’re telling me because?”
“You know I don’t mix biz with pleasure. Talk me off the ledge.”
“But he’s not a photographer.”
“K-Dad left us property and land we have to managetogether.”
