The shoes alone were probably worth more than Sandra’s monthly salary. Nobody—not even the few lawyers around town—ever dressed so extravagantly in Ocean Shores. This man was definitely a stranger. As Sandra’s eyes continued to move up, she realized that the top few buttons of his shirt were undone, offering an enticing glimpse of the sculpted chest underneath.
She looked at his face. Rough stubble covered the man’s cheeks, offering a contrast to the clean-pressed folds of his pants and blazer. His eyes were hidden behind dark designer shades; why he would wear sunglasses so early in the morning, Sandra couldn’t fathom. His wavy, tousled hair was a deep brown. It curled softly on his strong neck, making him look like he’d just rolled out of bed—lazy and hot. Sandra had always found that look so very appealing. It was a stark contrast to the dull, uptight men she’d gotten used to in her premed days at college.
One corner of the man’s mouth was raised in a half-smile, making him look like he was in on some immensely amusing private joke. It gave him an aura of ruthless carelessness that Sandra knew was universally attractive. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one to appreciate it. Cassie gave a fluttery sigh from behind the counter.
In a slow, lazy motion, he moved his hand toward his shades to remove them. The tight-fitting blazer constricted around his bicep; the fabric pulled and stretched almost to the point of tearing, as if his muscles were trying to escape the confines of the jacket. He began to walk to the counter, looking around as he moved. His eyes met Sandra’s for a flash, moved on… and snapped back.
He looked right at her. Sandra got the first full-on view of his face unobstructed by sunglasses.
Holy fuck, was the first thought that came to mind, followed closely by, Oh, wow.
Time stopped.
Sandra knew it was rude to stare, and she didn’t want to attract attention to her drab blue work uniform, but she couldn’t look away. Something about that gaze held her spellbound.
The man’s eyes were magnificent.
When Sandra saw his face from the side, she thought he looked decent—well-endowed, but not quite movie star handsome. Seeing his eyes blew away that first impression. His eyes pulled the features of his face into perfection. He had a distinct, straight nose, and a strong, prominent jaw to die for. His cheekbones were defined, his cheeks hard planes beneath that stubble…and those eyes!
His eyes took her breath away.
They were a shade of the lightest green, yet intense and piercing, like the most brilliant Dresden diamonds Sandra could imagine. They seemed to penetrate straight into her.
They were the eyes of a hunter.
There was a sharpness to them, too—an unabashed masculinity that Sandra would have never expected to find on a morning like this. His eyes… she knew he was looking at her, and the look he gave her—that look—exuded brazen sex appeal.
Muscles in her lower belly that had lain dormant for two years tightened as the man continued to hold her gaze. A slow, provocative smile spread across his lips. White teeth stood out against olive-tanned skin. Sandra found herself being tugged into the aura of his presence, slipping deeper and deeper in the sensual allure of that look.
Out of nowhere, the man perked a suggestive eyebrow. The unexpected gesture jarred Sandra back to reality. I know you’re checking me out, it said. There was a challenge there, too: You might be pretty, but looks alone won’t impress me.
Sandra failed the challenge because at that moment her body decided to send an unnecessary flush of heat into her cheeks. She blushed and turned away, hiding her face so the stranger couldn’t see how flustered he’d made her.
The entire moment lasted no more than a second. But to Sandra, it felt like ages. It was also long enough for her to experience a strange feeling of déjà vu, as if she should recognize that man from somewhere.
When she’d composed herself enough to look back, he’d forgotten all about her, striding for the cashier with relaxed, confident steps.
“Psst!” Cassie whispered. “Do you know him?”
“I’ve never seen him before.” Yet Sandra couldn’t shake the feeling that her reply wasn’t quite true.
“Well, he’s ha-a-andsome,” Cassie purred, stretching the word out. “Do you think he’s taken? I don’t see a ring.”
“Cassie!”
“What? You can’t blame a girl for looking.”
“You can if she’s been married for eight years!”
“Happily married,” Cassie corrected. “Besides, I wasn’t looking for me. He looks just your type. Did you see the way he looked at you? He looked ready to devour every cell in your body!”
Sandra cleared her throat. “You noticed?”
“I think everybody within a ten-mile radius noticed! The temperature must have gone up twenty degrees in here when you two made eye contact. Are you sure you don’t know him?”
“I swear, I’ve never seen him before.”
“Well, wait here. I’m going to go talk to him.” She winked. “Maybe I can introduce him to you.”
“Wait, no!” Before Sandra could get another word in, Cassie had pushed off the counter and was strutting to the cash register, clearly on a mission. She tapped the boy working there on the shoulder, whispered something in his ear, and took his place before the man. As soon as she stepped up, she smiled and batted her eyelashes obviously at the newcomer. She didn’t even have the grace to look ashamed!
Sandra watched, nervous butterflies flittering away in her stomach, as Cassie reached out to touch the man’s arm, then threw her head back and laughed. He said something to her, and she nodded, smiled, and started gesturing in Sandra’s direction.
Sandra knew she should turn away again, but she could not. Her cheeks were still warm, yet her eyes were glued to the man. She knew she shouldn’t gape at him like some love-struck groupie, but she couldn’t help it. As Cassie continued motioning in her direction, Sandra did her best to look presentable. She shifted in her seat, squared her shoulders into a better posture. She hated that she’d tied her long blonde hair in a bun like some old retiree, hated her thick and stifling work uniform. She hated that Cassie was the one talking to the man instead of her. Most of all, she hated how uncertain of herself that man made her feel—with just his eyes.
If Cassie brought him over for any reason, it would be disastrous. It wasn’t that Sandra wasn’t interested, she most definitely was, but she could find her own man—if and when she wanted to. She didn’t need Cassie—no matter how well-meaning she was—to make the first introduction.
He turned his head to glance at her again. Her heart froze in her chest as their eyes met. This time, though, the look was transitory. His eyes passed over her for a split second before he returned his attention to Cassie. Disappointment bloomed in Sandra’s belly. There was no heat in his gaze this time. Had she misjudged his interest in her before?
Maybe there was nothing special about the way he looked at me. Maybe it was my imagination playing tricks after a sleepless night. Love at first sight is a fairy tale, anyway.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Josh, the boy who Cassie replaced at the register, strolled over.
“Cassie said you wanted me to tell you about our customer?”
“What? No, I—”
Josh laughed. “I’m kidding. I hate when Cassie tries to set me up with one of her unimaginative ‘friends.’” He hooked his fingers to make air quotes. “It’s not like there’s anyone in this town I don’t already know. I’ve only been here my entire life.”
Sandra smiled, feeling right at ease. Josh may have been eighteen, but she couldn’t think of him as anything more than a boy. When she’d met him two years ago, he was a shy, mumbling sixteen-year-old working his first job wiping tables. Though he’d matured since then, Sandra still saw the face of that boy whenever she spoke to him. In fact, she had come to feel a little protective of him—like an older sister looking out for her kid brother.
“Cassie has the worst taste in women,” Sandr
a agreed.
“That’s why she never hired you.”
“Oh, stop!” Sandra reached out to muss up his curly hair. He glowered at her and shied away.
“I hate when you do that.”
“What, this?” Sandra laughed, reaching for him again. Josh swatted her hand away.
“Yes, that. It reminds me of my aunt.”
“I hope I’d make a very good aunt one day,” she retorted.
Josh scowled at her. Sandra beamed back. The standoff lasted until he jerked his head in the direction of the register. “You can look now. That man just left.”
As if to accentuate his words, the bell announcing the opening and closing of the door chimed once more.
Sandra sneaked a peek over her shoulder. She saw the man’s back as he strode out into the street. Before she could help it, her eyes shifted to take in the mesmerizing sway of his firm glutes. It was very hard to look away from that, given how well the thin fabric of his dress pants hugged his legs. A wild and unexpected desire rippled through Sandra. At that moment, she knew that she couldn’t stand to let him go.
She started to get up to go after him. She had to find out who he was, and why a part of her thought she should know him. But before she had the chance, Cassie fluttered over to them. She fixed Josh with a frown, hands on hips. “I don’t pay you to gawk all day,” she announced, with an obvious wink directed at Sandra. “Go on back to the front where you can take orders from paying customers.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “You told me I could take a break.”
“Well, break’s over. Come on,” she added more seriously, “we’ve got to get ready for the morning crowd.”
Shrugging, Josh walked to the front and started putting together the breakfast sandwiches that were so popular at Cassie’s Blend. Distracted by the brief interaction, Sandra lost some of her resolve… and when she looked over her shoulder, she could no longer see the ravishing man.
“He’s gone, in case you haven’t noticed,” Cassie said.
“I noticed,” Sandra answered. The street was empty. She gave a resigned sigh as an emptiness filled her middle. I hesitated, and missed my chance. “So? What was all that gesturing and hand motioning toward me? What did you tell him?”
“I asked him if he knew you.”
“What?” she protested. “Why?”
“I saw the way he looked at you. I thought maybe he recognized you from somewhere.”
“And?”
“Curious, are we?” Cassie smirked.
“Cassie, don’t tease!”
“Oh, alright. He told me he’d never seen you before. Although it would have helped if you hadn’t spun back like a frightened mouse the moment he looked.”
“I didn’t!”
“It looked like it from where I was standing. Seriously, it was like you’d discovered your top was see-through right at that moment or something.”
“This old thing?” Sandra picked at the unflattering blue blouse. “I don’t think you can even tell I’m a woman under it!”
Cassie tossed her head and laughed. Sandra smiled weakly.
“Oh, you can tell,” Cassie assured her, sweeping a hand in a curving motion down Sandra’s body. “Anyway, I don’t think either of us will be seeing him anymore. He’s just a passerby driving through town.”
A terrible stab of disappointment pierced Sandra’s gut. It must have shown on her face, because Cassie lowered her voice and leaned over. “You know, if you go now, maybe you can still catch him. The way he looked at you, I swear he was interested. Who knows? You might even keep him around for a few days and give the rest of us gals a bit of eye candy.”
“That would be something you’d like, wouldn’t it?” Sandra looked over her shoulder again. There was nobody there. She shook her head. “I’m too late. He’s gone, anyway—”
“Come on,” urged Cassie. “I bet if you run you can catch him.”
“You want me to run after a stranger?” Sandra asked incredulously. For a moment she forgot that was exactly what she’d been considering.
“Why not? I swear to God, you were ready to do it before I came over.”
“I was that obvious, huh?” Sandra shook her head in disbelief at how well Cassie could read her. Then again, one of Cassie’s greatest gifts was her ability to understand people on a very deep, very intimate level after only a brief interaction. It was one of the reasons she made such a great café owner. People came to Cassie’s Blend not just for the drinks, but also for Cassie’s sage advice. She knew everything about anything that had ever happened in the small Washington community. People loved her for it. Sometimes, Cassie even jested that she was the town’s personal shrink, and could make a fortune if she only had the business sense to capitalize on it. The town’s adoration was well founded. Although it was hard to catch Cassie outside her shop, Sandra had learned to count on Cassie’s companionship during her stay in Ocean Shores. “Anyway, what would I even say?”
“You’ll think of something! It’ll be a spur-of-the-moment type thing. Guys find that terribly romantic, don’t you know? You’re interested in him, right?”
Sandra gave a shy smile. As if she could hide the flush on her face. Even thinking about the anonymous stranger made her insides tingle. Just remembering the look he gave her had heat flooding between her legs. “Of course,” she admitted.
“Well run, then! Come on, I’m just the push you need.”
“Really?”
“Really, hun! You can do it. Go!” Cassie giggled. “Go, go! Make an adventure of it. Because I swear, if I wasn’t married to Robbie, I’d be all over him by now.”
“You’re right,” Sandra agreed, determined. A little adventure is just what I’m missing in my life. She took one last invigorating sip of coffee, slammed the lid on, threw her jacket over her shoulders, snatched up her purse, and ran to the door—all to the sound of Cassie’s mirthful laughter. At the door, she shouted a quick goodbye to Josh and Cassie before whirling through the exit and running outside.
Chilly spring air greeted her. It made Sandra feel alive and full of purpose. Cassie’s urging had been very much in line with what Sandra was feeling. Something inside her told her she had to go after the man. That spark, the heat she felt from his single look wasn’t something a person encountered every day. It was so far outside the ordinary that she couldn’t let it get away from her. To hell with her unflattering outfit! That stranger had looked at her, and seen something that he liked. Sandra was determined to find out exactly what that was.
She looked both ways. The street was empty. There was a parking lot around one corner. If the man was only driving through town, like Cassie had said, that was where he’d be. If I’m not too late! Sandra thought, frantically.
Picking up her pace, Sandra started in that direction. Her mind buzzed with hundreds of anxious questions. What if I’m wrong about him? What if I imagined his smoldering gaze? Will he think I’m an idiot for following him? She tugged her jacket closer against the cold. I feel like a goose-brained valley girl chasing after him this way. Where’s the dignity in this? On impulse, she yanked out her hairpin, shook her head, let her hair fall loose around her shoulders. I just have to see him once more, she told herself. That’s all. If he notices me, he’ll say something. If not, then it was all my imagination anyway.
Absorbed in her thoughts, she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going when she turned the sharp corner—
And slammed headfirst into the man who had been the object of so much attention that morning.
Time ground to a halt. The coffee flew from her hand. Sandra watched, horrified, as the hot liquid gushed in slow motion from the flimsy cup. It splashed across the man’s chest, soaking through the immaculate, white fabric of his dress shirt, leaving a dark stain.
A flicker of anger flashed across his face. “Dammit!” he swore in a rumbling growl. His curse jolted her out of the momentary stupor.
“Ohmigod!” she exclaimed, gaping up at him as
he towered over her like some furious Greek god. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
Scowling, the man ignored her, focusing on the scalding liquid soaking his shirt. He pulled the shirt away from his skin so he wouldn’t get burned, shifted to get out of the constricting blazer. Sandra reached over to help, but he stepped away without even glancing at her.
Idiot! Sandra berated herself. Clumsy, stupid idiot!
“Don’t you ever watch where you’re going?” the man scowled. Despite the situation, Sandra couldn’t help the flare of attraction that erupted inside her upon hearing the man’s deep voice. He still hadn’t looked at her.
“Let me help you,” Sandra insisted. He had already worked one arm out of the blazer, but was struggling to keep the wet shirt away from his skin while wrestling with the second. He grunted, and looked at her. A glimmer of recognition danced across his eyes. The fury that Sandra had glimpsed was swept away as he realized who it was he’d walked into. Or rather, who had walked into him.
“Hold this,” he commanded gruffly, thrusting the blazer at her. Sandra complied. The material felt light and rich, but Sandra barely noticed. Instead, her eyes were glued to the man’s deft fingers as they worked to unbutton his shirt. Every button revealed a sliver more of the lean, muscular body underneath, until the entire shirt was undone and he was shrugging gorgeous shoulders out of it. He scrunched the shirt in a tight ball and wiped at the trail of liquid that remained on his torso. The muscles of his long-limbed arms danced as he patted himself dry with the beautiful-but-now-useless shirt. His skin prickled with goosebumps in the cold and his nipples tightened, while Sandra stood witness to the most perfect male body she’d ever seen.
“I ruined your shirt,” Sandra blurted out. Immediately, she regretted the words. It was hard to think straight when you had an Adonis stripped naked to the waist in front of you.
Yours to Savor Page 2
