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“Oh, I think it was something.” He brushed his side against hers as he wrapped his hands around the railing. This woman intrigued him, pulled at him. They barely knew each other, yet she’d come to his defense. He itched to move behind her, hold her against his chest, and puthischin on her shoulder.
She pushed back and sat on the bench in the corner of the terrace. If she was trying to keep her distance from him, it wasn’t going to work. He took the spot beside her, his leg grazing hers.
“Why does it matter?”
He shrugged. “Probably because I noticed your blush again and wondered if her comment had something to do with me.”
“You think everything revolves around Zane Hollander, don’t you?”
“No. But I think your blush does.”
Her shoulders tensed and she pressed her lips together. The thin line of her mouth didn’t prevent him from hearing her irritated sigh. She was annoyed—at him, at herself?—and hell if she didn’t look cute in the process.
“Your notice makes me jumpy.”
“Sorry.”
“And I don’t like it.”
“Here’s the thing.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “I do.”
She shivered, and he felt it as if she were a part of him. He should stop teasing her, he knew he should, but something about Sophie Birch jerked at his control.
“I like the pink flush that rises in your cheeks and moves down your neck, your throat.” He slid a finger across her collarbone. “Makes me wonder how far down that blush goes.”
“Please stop,” she breathed. Her eyes drifted shut.
“What did Honor say?”Asshole.
“She said Zane is going to love how you look, so relax and have fun tonight.”
He dropped his arm and rested against the bench to take in her dress. “You went shopping for something to wear tonight?”
“Yes.”
Zane imagined Sophie wasn’t the first girl to do this, but she was the first genuine person he’d met in a long time. She had no ulterior motives. Didn’t seem to care about his fame or his money or getting her picture taken with him.
“Sophie?”
“Hmm?”
“Look at me, please.”
She very slowly turned her head. Worry, warmth, and innocence swirled in the shimmering pools of her light green eyes.
“I should have told you the minute I saw you that you look beautiful. I do love the way you look tonight.”
He wouldn’t act on it, though. Coaxing her out of her shell would be a hell of a lot of fun. But Danny and Bryce were right. She was perfect—and he wouldn’t ruin her.
Chapter Four
“He told you you looked beautiful?”
“His exact words were ‘I do love the way you look tonight,’” Sophie said to the ground. She still couldn’t believe Zane had spoken such words to her. “It doesn’t mean anything, though,” she added. “He was just being nice.” She thought she’d heard sincerity in his voice, but she couldn’t be sure. His charm wreaked havoc with the emotional part of her brain.
“And honest. You looked amazing,” Honor said, bumping Sophie’s hip and linking their arms as they moseyed down the middle of Main Street. “Did he say or do anything else you need to tell me?”
Sophie lifted her gaze to the booths lining the street. A Taste of White Strand, one of the film festival’s events, had drawn a huge number of participants. Every restaurant in White Strand was there, personal chefs, bakeries, and any shop with a culinary section, too.
