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“I’m not seeing anyone,” he said, dumbfounded enough to fall back a step.“What are you talking about?”
She folded her arms, and he noticed how classic and sophisticated she was.His ex-wife was more of the hippie variety, with beads in her hair year-round and one pair of shoes she wore until they had holes in the soles.
He wasn’t sure why he’d thought a relationship between the two of them would work, especially now, looking at Bea.She was so much more the type of woman he was interested in, even right down to the intensity in her personality.
Everything about Pearl had beenc’est la vie, and the only reason they’d stayed married for a decade was because Grant hadn’t wanted to abandon his daughter.
“You can tell me if you already have a girlfriend,” she said.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Grant said, frowning.He raised his phone.“That was Chelsea, my housekeeping manager.I’m supposed to be at the house she’s cleaning right now, and I’m running late.That’s it.”
Bea held her ground for another moment, and then she sagged into the doorjamb.“You’re not cheating on me.”
“No,” Grant said, though he wondered if they had a relationship serious enough to be cheated upon.“Not at all.Not—why would you think that?”
Bea dropped her gaze to the ground, and Grant found he knew the answer to his question.“Your ex-husband cheated on you.”
She nodded and turned away.
“Bea,” he said, following her into the bungalow.“Hey, I’m sorry.”
She sniffled, and Grant didn’t want her to cry again.“It’s not your fault,” she said, keeping her back toward him.“He always had something at work keeping him from coming home.From meeting me for lunch or dinner.From ever having to spend time with me.”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” Grant said as gently as he could.“It’s just…work—and me not being careful enough when checking the calendar.I looked at next week and didn’t see any appointments.That’s all.”
There was so much more, and Grant wondered if now was the time to say them.“Bea.”He reached out and touched her arm.She turned toward him and practically fell into his arms.He grunted and then steadied her in his embrace.He wanted to tell her she could cry as much as she wanted with him.She was safe with him.He would never hurt her.
He stroked one hand over her short hair while the other held her tightly against him, so many things firing inside him, from his hormones to a quiet voice telling him how nice it was to have such a close human connection.He didn’t get to hug many people, and this feltso niceon so many levels.
“I want you to be my girlfriend,” he whispered.“No one else.”
She pulled back and met his eye, questions in hers.He smiled something soft at her.“Yeah,” he said.“I like you, Bea Callahan.I think about kissing you, and I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you that I don’t want you to leave for Austin next week.”
Still, she said nothing, and Grant chuckled to cover his nervousness and the awkwardness he’d brought into the bungalow.“I really do have to work.It’s not an excuse.”He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers, his eyes drifting closed.He breathed in deeply and took in the floral, sugary smell of her skin.“Are you going to go to the historical sites by yourself?”
“No,” she whispered.“I was thinking…I was actually thinking we could try going together another day.”
Grant opened his eyes, his smile widening as he put enough distance between them to see her clearly.“Because you like me too.”
Bea’s shock registered on her face, and then it melted into acceptance.“Yes,” she said quietly.
“So what are your plans for today?”
“No plans,” she said, and no wonder she looked so lost.Bea loved making lists and accomplishing them.She’d admitted last night that sometimes she made lists of things she’d already done just so she could gocheck, check, checkand cross everything off.
An idea struck him.“How about you come clean houses with me today?”He moved further back and took both of her hands in his.“It’s not terribly romantic, but there is air conditioning, and we can have lunch, and still spend the day together.And I’m still all yours for the beach bonfire tonight if you still want to go to that.”
With all he’d just said, he felt like he’d told her he was all hers for anything she wanted, not just the bonfire.
Bea slid her hands up his arms and across his shoulders.“A cold shower, a hot house, and now you want me to clean your properties?”The level of teasing in her voice made every cell in Grant’s body sing.
“That’s right,” he said, hoping and praying this misunderstanding would iron itself flat.“And tonight, we can dance on the beach.”
“Oh, all right,” she said as if he’d really put a major kink in her life.“Let me get my purse.”
Grant released her and watched her walk back toward the bedroom.He breathed out, wondering what temporary madness had made him say so much, so soon.Bea hadn’t seemed rattled by his confessions, and Grant actually felt lighter than he had since his divorce.
He knew he let his imagination run wild sometimes, but he couldn’t help thinking that tonight, by the very romantic light of a bonfire, he could kiss the gorgeous Bea Callahan and really call her his.
