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“I’m still good.”
“Hello, gorgeous,” a woman said, drawing his attention away from Sophie.
The muscles in Zane’s back tensed. He recognized the woman from last year’s festival. They’d had one night together. Caroline? No, Chloe. “Don’t tell me boy saves girl and suddenly they’re an item,” she added, getting closer.
Zane stepped in front of Sophie. “Hey, Chloe. It’s cool to see you again, but this is a private conversation.”
“Even from me?” She ran her hands down his chest. “I just wanted to see how you are.”
He gently took hold of her wrists and dropped her hands, took a step back. And bumped into Sophie.
She surprised the hell out of him when she wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted enough to put her chin on his shoulder. His body relaxed. Got warm. “He’s good. Very good.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes at Sophie. “Was I talking to you?”
“Hey,” Zane said, keeping his voice even as he addressed Chloe. “We had some fun, but I’m no longer interested.”
“Really?” Her sarcastic tone had him wrapping his arms around Sophie’s.
“Really.”
“Well, if you change your mind, and we both know you will, I’ll be around.” She threw an expression of disapproval at Sophie, turned, and walked away.
Sophie let go of him, and he spun around. She chewed her bottom lip in a far too unsettling way and blinked repeatedly. He gathered she’d surprised herself, too.
“What was that?” he asked, his voice quiet, gentle.
“I heard you have some groupies who can be a little aggressive.”
A slow smile took hold of his lips. “Who told you that?”
“Honor. We were shopping this afternoon, and some woman made a show of disgust when she overheard Honor talking about how…” She paused and swallowed. “Anyway, Honor told me there are a few locals who like to follow you.”
Voices drew his attention toward a small group of people walking in their direction. Zane took Sophie’s hand and tugged her to the stairway that led down to a small observation terrace with an unobstructed view of the coastline.
Her breath caught, and she leaned against the iron banister. “Oh my gosh. This view is spectacular.”
With the last remnants of daylight and first signs of nightfall crossing paths, the viewwaspretty amazing. “I’m glad you got to see it,” Zane said.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
“And thanks for helping me out.”
“You’re welcome.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, focused on the midnight-blue sea. “Out in the water, I don’t have to worry about uninvited attention or my reputation or letting anyone down. The world falls away and…and it feels good.”
“You’re feeling bliss,” Sophie said, seeming equally taken with the darkening ocean. “You’ve trained almost your whole life to be out there, and you’ve got a connection to nature that can lead to a naturally soothing psychological effect.”
Zane stared in awe at Sophie’s profile. She was right, and it blew his mind. How had she gotten into his head like that? He needed to change the subject.
“What did Honor say?” he asked.
Her head tilted and turned at the same time. “Sorry?”
“When you two were done shopping. You said someone overheard her say something but you didn’t say what that something was.”
“It was nothing.”
