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We climb out of the truck, and he leads the way down the sidewalk to the entrance. He swipes his card at the door, and we stride over to the bank of elevators.
“So you grew up here?”
He nods, pushing the button for the 24thfloor. ThePenthouse.
“Yep. Our family has lived in Pelican Beach for several generations, actually. That’s why the move into politics was so easy for my father.”
“Politics? Like city government?”
He smiles. “Sometimes, I forget just how little you know about this town.” He shakes his head. “Mayor Cyrus Jacobson is my ather. He’s building a campaign to run for Senate.”
“Ambitious,” I comment. “Planning on stepping into Daddy’s shoes?”
He laughs as the elevator opens. “Maybe one day.”
We walk out into his condo, and I try not to betray just how floored I am. Ornate black marble tile lines the open floor plan, accented by dark leather sofas and glass-topped tables. The kitchen runs along the wall with a marble bar separating it from the living room and matching leather stools tucked beneath. Large, intricate pendulum lights hover above the bar, suspended from the ceiling towering above me.
The back walls of the condo are windows, floor to ceiling, at least two stories high, with massive pillars separating them. Long silvery drapes cascade all the way to the floor, pulled back to reveal a breathtaking view of the beach stretching the coast in both directions.
Everything about this space exudes masculine superiority. I’m starting to understand Paige’s interest. Evan is everything we’ve never had.
I glance back at the elevator as it closes, feeling trapped despite the immense space. Muddy boot prints mar the shine on the marble floors all the way to where I’m standing. Oops.
Glasses clink in the kitchen, and I glance over at Evan as heopens a bottle of Scotch and pours several fingers into a glass for himself and me.
“This place is… amazing,” I say, stepping up closer to the bar. “You know, I met your Mom earlier this week, and Nick called her Pelican Beach royalty. He wasn’t lying.”
Evan smiles. “Pelican Beach prides itself on the small-town vibe, but it’s bigger than it looks. There’s a lot of money to be made here.”
“I guess so,” I comment as he hands me a glass. I take a sip and it hits me like smooth fire, all burn and no aftertaste. Quality. Interesting. He’s trying to impress me. “A place like this makes me wonder if you sell more than shrimp.”
He watches me carefully as he tilts back his glass. “We also sell grouper.”
I laugh. “Fresh, not frozen. I remember.”
“Come on,” he says, nodding toward the balcony. “Check out this view.”
I look down at my boots, and then back toward the elevator. “I cannot, in good conscience, go any farther into your immaculate home.”
He shrugs. “Then take them off. And don’t worry about it, my housekeeper has seen far worse.”
Okay then. I unlace my boots and leave them beside the bar, then pull off my socks and stuff them inside. When I look up, I see Evan removing his shoes as well, and unbuttoning his wet shirt before tossing it onto the back of a chair. He pushes a button near the balcony doors, and they slide open to reveal a nighttime panorama of ocean and stars.
I wander outside, through a maze of perfectly arranged deck furniture that could easily be a backdrop for a home designmagazine, and pause near the edge of the balcony. I place my hands on the cool metal railing and look over, twenty-four stories down into the sea.
“On the top floor, with the way this curves out,” he says, stepping up beside me until I feel his arm brush against mine. “The only thing you see beneath us is ocean.”
“It’s amazing.”
He nods. “Best view in the city. Hands down.”
“I believe it.” I take a sip from my glass and turn to face him. His white tank undershirt is pulled taunt over his broad chest, outlining all the abs of his stomach, and tucked into his black slacks. The muscles of his arms and shoulders flex as he raises his glass to his lips for a drink. This feels so… intimate.
Answers. I’m here for answers. Fuck.
“So, Prince of Pelican Beach, what do you do for fun around here?” I ask.
“Work.”
