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CHAPTER1
Lucy
Isat in a bar in downtown Seattle, staring out the window at the rain as I nursed a margarita, contemplating how my life had come so far off course. Career-wise, things were great: I’d just wrapped up a week of seminars on IT security at the world’s largest computing firm, and next month I was running an audit at NASA.NASA!
But that was the only part of my life that was going according to the very detailed, very well thought out plan I’d mapped out for myself. Up until two years ago, Richard and I had walked that path together, pretty happily. Not earth-shattering happiness, maybe more like mild comfort. But I certainly hadn’t beenunhappy.
Until I wanted to head down a different path and Richard…well, he just didn’t want to come along. So here I was, sitting alone in a bar, divorced at thirty, living with my parents. Moving back in with them had felt like an all-time low.
I loved my parents dearly, but waking up again in the room I’d left more than ten years ago meant I started every day with a reminder that I wasn’t anywhere near where I’d wanted to be. At least the decision to stay in my hometown rather than head back to San Francisco was already made: I was closing the deal on my very own house next week. That was something, at least. Maybe when I was living on my own for the first time in my life, I’d start to feel better. More in control.
The bartender placed another margarita—my third—in front of me. I looked at him questioningly, since I hadn’t ordered it, and frowned when he gestured toward a man across the bar. He was tall and reasonably handsome, with wavy blond hair and a chiseled mouth. Superficially handsome, I suppose, but his expectant smirk ruined the whole look. Aside from the fact that he wasn’t nearly as hot as he thought he was, I just wasn’t the casual fling type of girl. I’ll admit, sometimes I wondered if I was missing out in that department, but not when it came to this guy. Nope, no way. Seeing him push back from the bar, his eyes on me, had me sliding the drink away resolutely, declining his offer. He scowled in response, as if I needed further proof that he was a dick.
Much to my relief, he shrugged and set his sights instead on a group of women sitting at the other end of the bar, leaving me alone. Turning away, I caught sight of myself in the brushed mirror that lined the back wall of the bar. I stared at myself for a long moment, wondering what on Earth about me had caught the man’s eye. My long blond hair was pulled back in a tight, low bun and there was a weary look in my green eyes that I could see even at this distance. I was dressed for business in a high-necked cream shirt and slate-gray suit, cut to disguise my shape as much as possible. Really nothing remarkable or sexy about me, I thought objectively. The man’s attraction was probably based purely on the fact that I was on my own. Great.
Heaving a sigh, I decided to get back to the hotel and reached for my purse. My flight back home to Esperance, North Carolina tomorrow was early. I had to get my life back on track, and that meant a lot of focus and hard work. Fortunately, that was exactly what I was good at.
“Lucia?”
I snapped my head around sharply when I heard the name that only one person had ever called me. My heart leapt, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face as I jumped up to greet the man behind me. “Dante!”
He moved in, kissing first one cheek, then the other. I leaned back, surveying him. The ten years since I’d last seen him had been more than kind to Dante Moretti. He was tall, well over six feet with broad shoulders, and thick black hair cropped close. It was his eyes that really pulled at me, though. Dark and fathomless, with just a hint of devilry in them. And he smelled…oh goodness…absolutely amazing. Heat pooled in my belly at his closeness, surprising me. His hands didn’t leave my waist as he looked at me, his palms warm through my clothing. I tried not to blush under his scrutiny. Maybe it was the margaritas?
“What are you doing here?” we both asked at the same time, making me laugh.
“Business trip. What about you? Do you live in Seattle?” Wow, was my voice always so… squeaky?
“No, I came here to catch up with my sister Stef, but she’s had to go out of town unexpectedly. So I thought I’d have a look around. I had no idea the sights of Seattle were so very lovely.”
The sparkle of mischief in his eyes had me smiling, then I realized he meant me. He thought I was lovely? Oh my. I had no idea what to say to that, and I didn’t trust my voice not to shake or squeak again anyway. I felt locked in with his hands still on my hips, mine resting on his upper arms. Neither of us seemed inclined to pull away. Why would I? Feeling his hard muscles under my hands, I could happily stay here all night, early flight or no early flight.
Dante moved first, dropping his hands and pulling back. “Will you have a drink with me?”
I nodded, still not trusting my voice, and grabbed my handbag and coat. We made our way through the bar to the dining area. I was hyper aware of Dante’s hand on the small of my back as he guided me to a rounded booth. By the time we got there, my heart had sped up and I was a little breathless.
I scooted across the rounded bench until I was sitting at the halfway point and was pleased and surprised when Dante did the same. We sat very close together, our thighs almost touching. The scent of him filling my head almost made me dizzy. When he moved his arm so that it was resting on the bench behind me and turned his body a bit to face me, I had to stop myself from scooting even closer.Get a grip, girl.
“Have you eaten?”
I shook my head. I’d been planning on heading back to the hotel and raiding the mini bar, since sitting in a bar eating on my own seemed pretty sad.
“Stef told me you can’t miss the house pizza here. You wanna share?” He smiled as he spoke, and I felt my insides turn to mush.
Forcing myself to think straight, I finally answered, “Okay, sure, sounds good.”
“Great. What are you drinking?”
“A glass of red, please.” It was time to dial back on the margaritas, judging by how warm and languid I was feeling.
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I watched him as he walked across the crowded room to the bar. He had that sort of a commanding presence that meant people naturally stepped aside to allow him to pass. It was a far cry from what I remembered from ten years ago. Back then, he’d been pretty wild, drinking a lot and raising hell any chance he got. I had been the complete opposite, already in a committed relationship with Richard, planning our future with way more precision than your average twenty-year-old.
Then something had happened that changed everything for Dante: a car accident that left a close friend in hospital and Dante badly shaken. He’d left Esperance not long after, and I hadn’t seen or heard from him since. But watching him now, leaning casually on the bar, his tall frame relaxed, whatever he’d been doing since leaving Esperance had been good for him.
Glancing my way, he caught me staring and gave me a wink. My heart stuttered painfully. From just a wink! Rolling my eyes at myself, I shifted over a little on the seat so that there would be a bit more space between us when Dante came back. I’d never reacted to a man like this before. All gooey, hot, and distracted. It made me a little uncomfortable.
He returned with our drinks, sliding in next to me on the U-shaped bench. I noticed he didn’t move in as close as he had been before and didn’t know whether to be grateful or sorry.
