Page 2 of Sultry Summer

I nod my head and step around the register, jerking to a stop when he doesn’t move back. I gasp, my whole body tensing.

He steps back and smirks. “I’m sorry, Aspen. I didn’t mean to get in your way.”

Then he steps back and holds his hand out, sweeping it out like some knight of old. I nod my head at him and scurry past him as fast as possible.

He chuckles under his breath.

I duck in the new fridge room and pick out some flowers, barely looking at them.

I just want to get this guy out of here as quickly as I can. He’s….disturbing. I don’t like it.

He’s also a stranger. That’s the one thing that I do like about him. He has this look about him that says he’s not afraid to travel, to live.

I wish I could say the same. I’ve never been anywhere but the local college and my home town.

My fingers shake and I pause, closing my eyes. There’s nothing to be scared of.

But when I tie the pale green ribbon about the little bouquet, that little shudder runs through my hands again.

I take a deep breath and stiffen my spine. Then I cradle the flowers in my hand and step out of the cold room and back into the main room. My belly flips and I bite my bottom lip.

But I step out confidently like there’s not a damn thing in the world bothering me.

I hold out the flowers to him and he grins, a devilish little smirk with a dimple on his left cheek that fascinates me for some reason.

“These are lovely. Almost as pretty as you. I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch with me later.” He doesn’t ask it like a question. More like there’s no way I could possibly even think about saying no.

“I don’t make a habit of going out with guys that don’t tell me their name!”

He sets the flowers down and holds his hand out. “Hi. My name’s Hunter…umm, Devon. Now perhaps we know each other well enough for you to go out with me.”

My spine stiffens because once again…it doesn’t sound like a question.

Cocking my head, I glare at him. “You know…this whole schtick that you have going might really attract some women but I’m not really interested in getting to know someone who’s gonna hit the road sooner rather than later.”

Huffing, he nods at me. “I might be here for just a short time but I guarantee you’d have fun with me.” His blue eyes dart down my body and it’s like a damn physical caress. Heat fills my face and I shove the chills racing down my spine down, down, down.

I pick up the flowers and slap them lightly at his broad, muscular chest. “It’s been nice meeting you Hunter Devon but I need to get back to work. I’m sure the delivery’s gonna be here soon.”

He smiles wickedly. “If you change your mind, get ahold of me out at the resort. I’ll happily come out here for a little one on one time.”

I shake my head and close my eyes. “You really can’t stop yourself, can you?”

He smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

“Yeah, I thought so. It’s been lovely meeting you.” I turn around and walk away from him.

His answering chuckle is warm and tempting as hell. But I don’t turn around until I hear the bell tinkling again.

My head whips around and I flush when I see his shadow outside the glass door. He tips his cowboy hat and my body liquifies.

Then he walks away and I’m left standing there, my hands twisting in front of me.

My heart pounds in my chest, my mouth dry as the Sahara desert. I don’t know what the hell is the matter with me but I know one thing.

I need to avoid that guy like the damn plague because he’s as tempting as my favorite Neapolitan ice cream.

And probably just as bad for me.