AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER1
The Texas sun beat down on Emily Young as she lay out beside the hotel swimming pool in a new two-piece suit that fit her slim body. No one told her about the drastic weight loss plan grieving caused. With sorrow, pounds just melted away.
It had been years since she’d taken some time to relax and enjoy herself, and starting tomorrow, once again, she would be tied to a job in a new location with new people surrounding her and a town that didn’t know of her past.
This time it would be far away from the memories that plagued her. Memories that were heart-wrenching and left her in tears.
This time she was starting over in a new state. But today and tonight were her time to relax and rejuvenate. To rest and prepare for her new adventure. To adjust to the summer heat.
She’d traveled a long way to get to this hotel and spend today preparing mentally for her new home in a state where the temperatures soared in the summertime and there was no snow in the winter. A state where she knew no one and they didn’t know her past.
And yet here she lay beside the hotel pool relaxing. Today had been wonderful. All about her, and yet she still felt anxious about her new job and new beginning. Hopefully those feelings would disappear with time.
A tall muscular man dove into the pool, the splashing water cooling her off, filling the air with the smell of chlorine. How long had it been since she’d felt a man’s arms around her? Too long. How long since a man had kissed her? Too long.
She watched as he swam the length of the pool, his muscles rippling as he moved through the water with purpose. Each stroke was a powerful push as he swam across the pool.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Actually a nice welcome sight. One she had not enjoyed in a long time.
Finally, he surfaced and shook his head sending water droplets flying from his dark hair, then he turned, glanced at her, and smiled.
They were the only two at the pool. The sun would be setting in a little over an hour and most of the families had already deserted the area. They were alone. And yet she didn’t fear him, but rather enjoyed gazing at him.
“Good evening, ma’am,” he said.
“Good evening,” she said. “I have yet to reachma’amstatus. That’s for old ladies and I’m not there yet. Though the sun feels like it’s hotter than a Fourth of July firecracker and baking me right into old age.”
He grinned, his full lips spread wide with perfect white teeth making his smile brilliant.
“Sorry, I was taughtma’amwas a show of respect.”
“Respect for someone older,” she said. “Don’t push me there.”
“Never,” he said. “Are you from around here?”
“No,” she said. “I’m just passing through on my way to a job.”
“It’s always this hot this time of year,” he said, swimming to the wall nearest her. His muscular arms held him up on the side of the pool.
An instant sizzle of heat spiraled through her as she stared into his emerald eyes with long, wet, dark lashes. A trim mustache covered his upper full lip and she had the most incredible urge to taste his lips. How would they feel against hers?
His arms were tanned, his biceps large, his chest ripped with muscles and his abdomen had the nicest six pack she’d seen in ages.
Oh, dear who had taken over her body? She didn’t react to men like this. It just never happened. And yet it had been years since she’d been attracted to a man or even noticed the other sex.
One good thing had already happened since she’d come to Texas. This rugged, handsome man had reawakened all her lady parts. They had come out of the deep freeze and were once again on high alert, warming at the sight of him rather nicely.
His smile seemed to delve straight into her soul and she almost gasped.
Licking her lips, she smiled at him, trying to remember how a woman acted when a man was flirting with her. Did women her age still flirt?
Oh, come on, she wasn’t that old. Mid-twenties, but she felt like she’d lived a lifetime.
“I like hot,” she responded, her voice giving a soft laugh.
“Good,” he paused. “You’re in the right place. Where are you from?”
“Boulder, Colorado,” she said, missing the mountains, but not the memories. Missing the cooler air, but not the pain of her past.
