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“Okay…” I’d been on enough first dates to know I should keep it simple. Easy to walk away from if we didn’t hit it off. But I already knew this first date would be nothing like all the others. “How about a walk along the beach?”
The ocean waves and wet sand, underneath a blanket of stars, sounded like just about the most romantic thing I’d ever heard of.
“Perfect,” he answered immediately. “When?”
I caught my reflection in the mirror by the door. I was already ready to go, but I didn’t want to seem that eager.
Or did I?
“Ten minutes? Meet at the veranda.”
He clearly didn’t have the same reservations about showing his excitement. “I’ll be there in five.”
With that, the call ended and I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt.
***
Long walks on the beach might be the oldest romance cliche by far. But as it turned out, they were every bit as wonderful as people claimed them to be.
Of course, that had everything to do with the person walking beside me.
If Malachi was practically a god in his poolwear, then he was downright sinful in everyday jeans and a white button-up shirt—sleeves rolled up to show off his forearms.
Why were forearms so sexy, anyway? I couldn’t stop looking at his. He probably thought I was into some kinky forearm porn.
Ha. Maybe I was and just didn’t know it.
Malachi seemed to know more about me than I knew about myself.
We’d been out here for hours, walking alongside the ocean as lazy waves lapped at the sand. Conversation flowed naturally between us. It was like we’d known each other for years instead of just days. But by the time the moon started rising, I realized Malachi was either very good at reading me… or someone had filled him in on some important details.
Could’ve been Gia.
Or maybe Kara. She believed in love at first sight and all that happily-ever-after stuff.
Stuff that I secretly wanted to believe in too.
I couldn’t be mad at them. Malachi was truly interested in knowing me, and it was sorta sweet that he’d gone to great lengths to do so.
As the last remaining rays of sun fell behind the horizon, I pushed the topic.
“You seem to know a lot about me.”
He grinned. “Ah, but there’s the magic word.Seem. I only know what’s on the surface. I want to dig so much deeper.” The seriousness of his words sent my heart pounding. “Besides, I cheated a little.”
“Cheated how?”
He gave me a scandalous look. “Can you keep a secret?”
I didn’t know if he was serious or not, but I smiled at the boyish way he actually glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot.
“Sure I can.”
“No, really, Maisy.” He pressed a hand to his heart, but the twinkle didn’t leave his eyes. “It’s top secret information. No other resort guest knows about it. If I tell you, it stays right here, between you and me.”
Well, that certainly had my attention.
I narrowed my eyes. “My lips are sealed.”
