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Lord. This battle with herself was ridiculous. She knew what she needed to do: get back into the house right now and put him out of her mind.
Zac stopped. He placed the blanket and the cooler on the ground, stood absolutely still for a breath-holding second, then turned back abruptly and she was busted, caught staring hungrily after him. Luckily it was too dark for him to see her hunger, but he didn’t need X-ray glasses to notice she hadn’t moved.
He started walking purposefully back toward her.
She panicked. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?”
“No.” She put up a hand, warding him off, backing away, not even bothering to tune in to her inner voice. This was fight-or-flight time. “No, you—”
There were few things in the world sexier than being grabbed close for a kiss by a man you desperately wanted to kiss you. As soon as his mouth touched hers, she could do nothing but admit that to herself. Because it was screamingly obvious, even if the feeling only lasted for tonight, that Zac was the most desirable man in the universe and she wanted him with every fiber of her being.
Then the hottest kiss of her life was over. He pulled back and they were left staring at each other with, she suspected, identical stunned expressions on their faces.
Then his hand shot out and pulled off her ball cap. Her hair tumbled down in a wavy mess around her face.
She couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe. No wig. No faking now.
“I thought so. Now I’ll really go. Good night, Chris.”
“Good night, Zac. Thanks for a lovely chat and for the delicious food.”
That was what her brain wanted to say. Polite, in control and friendly, as if she barely noticed he’d kissed her. As if kissing like that was all in a day’s work for a pair of good buddies. As if his taking off her hat to release her natural hair hadn’t felt as if he was undressing her.
But all that came out her mouth, on a long, heartfelt sigh, was, “Mmm.”
Zac picked up his gear and continued down the street. He didn’t glance back, but she didn’t need to see his face to know he was wearing an infuriatingly smug smile.
4
BODIE UNZIPPED HIS wet suit and picked up his board, aware that women on the beach were checking him out. He didn’t blame them. It was a beautiful, unusually warm February day, and he was a beautiful man.
He swerved to pass a couple of babes, flexing his pecs for maximum definition.
Damn. They were talking to each other and barely spared him a glance!
He should head to Slow Pour later this afternoon, right before the store closed. That Chris chick looked at him as if he was chocolate. He could probably get some from her. He really needed to get laid.
* * *
GUS UNZIPPED HIS wet suit and picked up his board, aware that women on the beach were checking him out, which never failed to amaze him since he’d grown up a skinny dork. But hey, he’d worked hard; he deserved to flaunt his Greek-god physique now.
Behold, most excellent ladies. He strode past them, puffing up his chest.
Damn. They didn’t seem impressed. Oh, well.
He should head to Slow Pour for some Suja Juice and to talk to Chris later this afternoon, around closing time. He knew after their date playing pool that she was totally out of his league. Hell, he’d known that as soon as he first saw her last fall. But a guy could still dream.
* * *
ZAC UNZIPPED HIS wet suit and picked up his board. He didn’t surf often, but the rush usually cleared his head, and after last night it sure as hell needed clearing.
“Yum.” A woman called out admiringly from the blanket she shared with her friend as he walked past.
Zac nodded, wanting to roll his eyes. Yeah, she’d say the same about a rib-eye steak.
He should head to Slow Pour later this afternoon for an espresso and to talk to Chris. He was anxious to see her reaction when she saw him today. Last night, that kiss... Man. They’d definitely gotten to a new place, but if his mess of a head was any indication, he wasn’t sure what that place was, or if he wanted to be there. Or if Chris did. Seeing her today might help straighten him out where the ocean, sunshine and breezes had failed.
* * *
“HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON, Chris. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Summer hugged her temporary boss, curious as to what had happened to her the previous evening. Yesterday she’d been her new weirdly blank self, but when she came in for her afternoon shift today, she was sparking energy—except when she caught herself, which was about every five minutes. Then she’d hold still, breathe in, breathe out, relax her shoulders and get on with what she was doing until she forgot and got nutsy again. It would be funny, except people in distress weren’t generally amusing. And watching someone try to fight who she was...that was just weird.
