Rufus came over to where she was, sat down on her foot and watched the ocean from that vantage point. Shar felt a tug at her heart and reached down to gently rub his ears. “I know I wanted him back. It scared me. In all honesty, I don’t put myself out there that much. He’s the first pet I’ve had in a very long time.”
“Really? I would have thought you had a lot of them.”
She shook her head and toyed with her salad. “No. I had a cocker spaniel in high school and I loved her dearly. It hurt far too badly when she died. I’ve never been able to let myself actually have an animal of my own ever since that time.”
He looked confused. “You really loved her.”
“Dolly. I loved Dolly so much. And I’ve just never wanted to feel that again. I understand that I’m going to lose people I love sometime in the future. And I can’t stop that. But I don’t have to ever go through that with an animal. And so I have rescue programs I send animals to. But then I saw Rufus and he needed someone.”
“And you rescued him for yourself.”
“Something about Rufus was undeniable. I knew we belonged together.”
They ate in silence after that, listening to the waves and feeling the soft breeze.
“Have you ever felt like you and a man belong together?”
The question had her taking a drink of her tea. “No,” she managed to say and hoped it sounded convincing. Because the truth was that she had that feeling about Gage. And she barely knew the man.
But then, she’d only taken one look at Rufus and she’d known the truth.
“So what are you doing here?” Shar asked later, after they’d finished their meal and Gage was walking her home.
The moon was out and it sparkled on the water like a spotlight from heaven; Gage felt the magic of the evening. He’d never dreamed this morning when he’d set out to the sea turtle hospital in search of Shar that the day would end with him having had dinner with her and now walking along the moonlight beach where they’d met.
“Can you hear that?” he asked, deliberately not answering her question. “It sounds like music.” He paused and listened to the waves and the wind; somewhere from one of the homes along the beach came the distinct sound of wind chimes. They mingled with the sounds of the ocean and wind and created a romantic symphony.
“I call it a Windsong.” She stopped to listen.
He studied her. “I like it.”
“Me too. It’s like nature’s love song.”
He smiled at her and fought the desire to pull her into his arms. “I like that more.”
“So,” she said slowly, eyeing him as he took a step toward her. “Why are you here on our island? Vacation?”
“No, I’m hiding out.” It was the truth.
“From?”
“My life, I think.” She probably thought he was crazy.
“And why would that be?”
“My father died eight days ago.”
“Oh,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry. You have my condolences.”
He realized in that moment that he’d been hiding from all of it: his dad’s dying, the life he’d been groomed for, the life he’d never lived. And as he looked at Shar, he found himself thinking of possibilities of a life he’d never dreamed of…one with her. He knew that was completely irrational thinking but that was what he was thinking and there was no stopping it.
“Thank you.” He studied her, unable to take his eyes off her. “My father was all about the work. Always going from one big deal to the next. As far as I know, he never slowed down. And I kept up the pace. I hopped on the company plane right after the funeral and I flew to London, where business associates were waiting for me to seal a deal. But I ended up having the plane fly me back to the States and had my assistant find me a place to disappear for a few days. Or weeks.”
“And here you are. Right where you need to be. You needed time off after your dad’s death. I can’t believe you left the day of his funeral and flew overseas. You needed a break. Time to grieve.” Her eyes flashed.
“And you sound like you know what you’re talking about.”
“I lost my grandmother last year and it was hard to do anything for days. We were really close. Grief takes time.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I just thought carrying on as he would have wanted me to was the way to go.”
“I think carrying on the way you needed to is and was the way to go. And Windswept Bay is a laid-back place to retreat and get your heart healed.”
“I believe you’re right.” He started to walk again and she walked beside him. Rufus raced ahead of them and then raced back to them and circled them before heading off after a lapping wave.
“This is me.” She pointed to lighted windows and they headed across the sand toward the light. “So, who exactly are you, Gage?” she asked when they reached her porch.
“I’m just a guy who works in corporate America.”
She studied him. “No—who are you?”
He wanted to be honest with her but would knowing who he was make a difference in how she perceived him? How she reacted to him? There were scores of women who came after his name, his money and looked at him as a commodity. He’d felt that at the resort with the woman in the lobby; he’d already forgotten her name. He’d never forget Shar’s name.
“I’m Benjamin Gage Lancaster of Lancaster Industries.”
“Lancaster Industries sounds familiar.”
“It makes the news every once in a while.”
Shar studied him. And now he wished maybe he hadn’t told her.
Her eyes widened. “Got it. You were on the cover of one of those financial magazines,” she gasped. “I didn’t read it, but I noticed your picture.”
“I did an interview with them.”
“You didn’t have a five-o’clock shadow in the picture on the cover?” Her eyes twinkled in the moonbeam.
He laughed, feeling the tension ease a little. “No, clean-shaven all the way and knotted up inside business suits and dress shoes. I bought what clothing I have with me at a store in the airport. All the way down to the flip-flops and boat shoes.”
“So that explains the I love Florida T-shirt.”
He plucked at his shirt. “So you don’t like palm trees and Florida?”
She smiled. “Oh no, I love it.” Her smile faded. “So you just lost your father? I’m sorry. I can’t imagine a world without mine in it. What happened to him?”
His hand tightened on the deck railing. So that was it; she just breezed past the Forbes article and went straight back to sympathy for his loss. An unexpected lump formed in his throat. He had to clear his throat before he spoke. “He had a massive heart attack in a business meeting. He died instantly. I buried him three days later.”
“I’m sorry. What was he like?” she asked gently and smiled encouragingly.
Her question threw him a little. “He…he was a powerful man, competitive. Driven. He taught me everything I know. He was very successful.”
“I’ve figured that one out.” She studied him with an odd look in her eyes. “You just talked about him in business terms. What was he like when he wasn’t working?”
“He worked all the time. He taught me to work all the time.” He didn’t miss the shadows that came into her eyes. “Like I said, I left his funeral and flew to a closing overseas. It’s what he would have wanted but I ended up coming straight back to the States for time alone.”
“Good for you. You must be hurting. Grieving. You should never have been working in the first place.”
“I had commitments. My father was a stickler for keeping commitments.”
“Your father died. You’re entitled to mourn.”
He stared at her; she’d echoed in similar ways what he’d told Kym. “It’s more than that, though. I realized that I don’t want to live my life where all that matters is work and commitments to work. I’ve never taken a vacation. I’ve been to some of the most beautiful places in the world but
I’ve looked at it from behind a glass hotel room window, a car window, and a conference room window.” He turned to face her. “And then I meet you. You’re passionate about something and you’re vibrant and alive and caring.”
She stood on the top step and he was one step below her, making them eye to eye. He reached for her and she came hesitantly at first into his arms. “You draw me to you like nothing I’ve ever felt before.” His adrenaline raced with the feel of her in his arms. He knew he was moving too fast but he’d never felt as passionate about anything in his life as he did about Shar. And it was hard to hold back.
She placed her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He felt her heart thundering against his. He just held her. They stood like that for a long moment with the sound of the ocean behind them and the moonlight surrounding them.
After a moment, she pulled out of his arms. “You’ve never had a vacation?”
“Never. Until now.”
“That’s just sad. We’ll have to do something about that. I have an early morning and a busy day tomorrow. What are you doing at five-thirty in the morning?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know—why?”
“I look for turtle nests at various places every morning. I try to go at sunrise before too many other people are stirring. You can come, if you want?”
“I want,” he said without hesitation. He pulled her back into his arms and then lowered his lips to hers. The taste of salt air on her lips was a reminder that he was in a tropical place on a magical night. He made the kiss quick, not trusting the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.
“You have a good night,” he said, his voice husky.
She nodded and backed out of his arms, turning to the door. She pulled a key from her pocket and had the door opened quickly. Rufus raced inside as if he was overjoyed to be back at his place.
“Gage.” She turned back to him. “I’m not looking for a relationship. Nothing serious.”
Her words didn’t surprise him. He’d felt that about her. And understood it to a point, he thought. He cupped her jaw. “One day at a time,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He left then, heading back the way they’d come. Not giving her the chance to say more.
Chapter Eight
Shar couldn’t think straight as she watched Gage disappear across the sand. Every fiber of her body hummed a happy tune from the kisses that he’d given her and she could still feel the last one. Her fingers went to her lips automatically, as if touching her lips where he’d kissed her would hold onto the feelings he’d drawn from her.
She wasn’t on the market for a relationship. She wasn’t.
But…could she stop what he made her feel?
Locking the door, she forced herself to stop watching the beach where he had been and she headed to her room to get ready for bed.
He’d lost his dad and he’d never been on a vacation, despite all the money he obviously had. There was more to life than just work.
Her own father had worked long hours at the resort when she was growing up but he’d always had time for her and her brothers and sisters. There was a balance and it was obvious Gage’s dad hadn’t had that. And neither had Gage.
The entire idea threw her into a tailspin and she’d been unable not to invite Gage to her early morning excursions. She could tell that he might not realize it but he was in need of some life. And she couldn’t help showing him what he’d been missing. She liked to rescue things…and she couldn’t help the feeling that Gage Lancaster needed rescuing.
The fact that he attracted her like nothing she’d ever felt was an exciting addition that she also couldn’t ignore. She’d just have to let him know up front that she was not one to get tied down.
Nope. Not her. And yet there was no denying that she couldn’t wait till sunrise.
When Shar pulled up outside Gage’s home the next morning, he was waiting on the front porch of the massive house. He jogged toward the car and her heart skipped beats…she’d anticipated seeing him even in the short hours that she’d managed to sleep.
“I’ve been waiting for hours to see you again.” He slid into the seat next to her and before she could react, he’d leaned across and kissed her soundly on the lips.
A protest formed in the back of her mind but the exhilaration of his touch buried it behind the haze of joy that filled her. “It was a short night,” she managed as he relaxed back in the seat and smiled at her.
“Too long if you ask me,” he said. “I’m ready for the sunrise with you.”
Shar was not often at a loss for words but she was now. Not finding a coherent reply, she drove. Finally, words seeped into her thoughts. “It’s going to be a beautiful sunrise. I can guarantee it. We’re going to one of my favorite beaches on the opposite side of the island. We get sunsets on this side; we get sunrises on the opposite.”
“Sounds good to me. Is it far?”
“Nothing on the island is far.” She began to feel more herself as she drove.
“I’m starting to realize that. It’s not like Manhattan. Of course, a cab can get you where you want but it’s never a straight, easy shot in traffic.”
She laughed. “I’ve never been to New York. Not sure I’d like it.”
“It’s certainly different than here but it has its charm. You’ll have to come visit sometime. I’ll show you everything.”
She looked across at him. “Does that mean you’re going to slow down and enjoy yourself a little more than you have in the past?”
He looked thoughtful. “I’ve given it some thought and I’m going to make some changes.”
For some reason she wasn’t quite sure about, his words made her sad and happy at the same time. “Good. I’m glad.”
“But right now I’m going to enjoy the sunrise and searching for clutches with you.”
Those words caused a whirlwind in the pit of her stomach. “Sounds good. And well deserved.”
As they arrived at the beach, the thin pink line of sunrise was just beginning to peek over the horizon. She parked her car. “Let’s grab the gear and head out,” she said.
“Lead the way.” He joined her at the back of her vehicle.
Within moments, they were jogging along the water’s edge toward the rising sun. The gentle waves lapped just a few feet from them. Gage’s stride was longer than hers but he paced himself with her.
“I just watch for turtle trails coming from the water. You usually can’t miss them. And then we mark the area with the eggs. It warns curious people to stay away.”
She’d pulled on her backpack today that held small flags and yellow tape warning people to stay back. She’d made the mistake of not wearing her backpack on her own beach and had needed her knife that day.
“So you do this every morning?”
“Every morning. I need exercise and so the two hobbies go together well.”
“Multi-tasking at its best.” He grinned. “Hey, there.” He pointed to tracks ahead of them in the dim morning light.
“Yes, that’s what we’re looking for,” Shar said, happy he’d spotted it first. She’d been slightly distracted by him. “I had a feeling today would be a good day.”
“So you don’t find them every day?” he asked.
She pulled off her backpack and pulled out a couple of red flags and handed them to Gage. “Take these and we’ll push them into the ground on either side of the hole. No, there’s not enough of me to go around. But someone finds them and calls them in. I just enjoy the thrill of finding them myself.”
He laughed. “I totally get it.”
She heard the excitement in his voice and she felt that he did get it. Not everyone who’d ever been in her life had felt the same way.
She pulled out a notebook and noted where the nest was and then from where they stuck out of the backpack, she pulled out three wooden sticks each eighteen inches long. She handed these to Gage too. Last, she pulled out a flyer that cautioned people to stay back and n
ot to touch the sea turtle nest.
Within seconds, they had three stakes in the ground around the nest and then the caution tape was attached from one stick to the other so that it made a protective barrier.
“And so our work is done. And just before the sun comes up.”
Gage picked her backpack up and strapped it on his back. “I’ll carry this for you. I had actually forgotten about the sunrise.” He smiled.
“Me too. Come on.”
She jogged a short distance to a flat rock big enough for two. “I love to watch the sunrise from here.”
They sat beside each other on the rock, arms brushing. They were barely touching and yet Shar had never felt so attuned to anyone in her life.
“I had a blast,” Gage said later, as he got out of the car in front of his house.
“I did too. You helped a creature that’s struggling with extinction today. Every one that we can save is one more to carry on.”
He got that. Not until he’d seen the eggs had it hit him, though. “I get what you’re doing, Shar. I could get hooked on it too.”
She smiled over at him. Excitement sparkled in her eyes and he understood it now, the determination she had and the exhilaration she felt when she found a nest.
He could become obsessed with that feeling himself. He wondered whether that was how his father felt in business. Gage had never felt that kind of all-consuming drive and passion…until he’d met Shar. Until he saw her passion and he wondered what it would feel like to have that passion directed at him. Someone was going to be a lucky man one day. Shar Sinclair was a special woman.
“I’ll see you later. Have a good day at work.”
She’d told him that she jogged and looked for sea turtles eggs early and then showered and headed by the hospital to check on the turtles; then she headed to work by nine. She’d said that she and her sisters had decided earlier that year to take over the running of the resort so their parents could retire. And they were doing some remodeling.
She was, he decided, a very busy lady.
“Oh wait,” she said. “My schedule is off today. It’s going to be busy. I’m picking up bridesmaids’ dresses from the cleaners today. The wedding is at the resort and it’s almost here.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe it.”
Somewhere With You (Windswept Bay Book 2) Page 5
