Page 6 of Come Sail Away

Her head fell back against the head rest, appearing a little relieved.

“What?” he asked. “You thought I had a thing going on with the owner?”

“Yes. No.” She grimaced. “I guess I was just thrown back to high school for a minute there.”

“Point taken. I suppose I was a real jerk back then.”

She gave him a silent stare, as if she wasn’t willing to add a comment.

He got it, though. As a teen, he had thought he was God’s gift to girls. They liked him; he liked them. His years in college and then in LA had softened him in that regard. In California everyone was talented and good-looking. Besides, he’d mellowed with age. Now he saw the superficial crap for what it was—crap. Other things were more important. It was much better to hang with friends and family than be worshiped for fame and fortune.

“I think you’ll like the resort. It’s very low-key, everyone keeps to themselves, and there’s a lot of privacy. There are events available for guests who want the activities, but for the most part you’re on your own. Just peace and quiet.”

“Yes, peace and quiet is what I was going for.” A dreamy expression of longing swept across her face.

Sully tensed, an ache forming in his chest. Would she be upset if he kept her from her solitude? He didn’t want to go yet. He wanted to get to know her a lot better.

* * *

Harper got in the metallic-blue Camaro convertible, and Sully trundled the top down. Nowthatwas an awesome touch, she had to admit.

She tried to relax as they drove, the wind blowing through her hair. But the ride wasn’t nearly as serene as the sailboat, and she couldn’t help the tinge of resentment that her vacation hadn’t gone as planned.

Her boat ride hadn’t resumed as expected. She was not docked at a secluded island free of automobiles and noise. And she wasnotalone. Over half her allotted vacation time would be gone already by the time she got to her intended destination—if she got there. And most disconcerting of all, she’d been rescued by an old heartthrob. She flinched at the sound of that word in her head.

He’d barely known she’d existed in high school, so the romantic imagery was completely one-sided, of course. She’d made a fool of herself back then, and she had no intention of repeating the mistake.

“Barefoot Bay has almost everything you could want,” he said as they drove.

“Solitude?”

“I’m sure it does. I’ve just never searched it out. I get that out on the boat.” He flicked a glance at her and smiled.

“Yes, I know what you mean. That was my plan, too.”

They drove past a baseball complex. “Gee, they even have a training facility?” she asked, surprised.

“Nice, huh?” He navigated a few curves in the road before turning down a long, elegant drive with a sign pointing to Casa Blanca Resort & Spa. “A little bit of everything, like I said.”

“If this place is as terrific as you say it is, then there won’t be a vacant room.”

“We’ll worry about that bridge when we come to it,” he said with a hint of the southern drawl that used to make her knees weak.

He pulled the car up to the main entrance, put it in park, and swiftly came around and opened her door. A small bubble of warmth floated through her at his thoughtfulness. She swept her hair behind her ear and eased a step away from him, feeling a little nervous. He didn’t seem to notice as he reached in the trunk to get her carry-on-sized bag. The valet attendant offered to take it, but Sully declined. He tossed the guy the car keys instead.

As they walked into the lobby, Sully slid his hand over the small of Harper’s back, his fingers brushing along her spine. She tried not to notice. It was no doubt a commonplace touch for him, but certainly not for her. As a matter of fact, it made her painfully aware of how deprived she was in the intimacy department. That sort of closeness simply hadn’t ever been important to her.

Or maybe she just hadn’t met the right person.

As soon as the thought flew into her mind, she squashed it. She knew itcouldbe true, but that’s because she didn’t date often. And group dating didn’t count. She had a bunch of friends and colleagues who got together regularly on weekends. They enjoyed hiking and boating, parasailing and drone flying, restaurant hopping. But theWhen Harry met Sallykind of dating? No.

And right now, she wanted to stop dead in her tracks and concentrate on the luscious feeling of his hand on her back. Instead, she kept placing one foot in front of the other until they reached the check-in counter.

She swallowed a sudden spurt of anxiety.

A receptionist approached them with a bright smile. “Good evening, Mr. McGlamery. How may I help you?”

“My friend has found herself unexpectedly having to stay the night on the island. Do you happen to have a room available?”