He felt his brow furrow. Hard didn’t begin to describe it. His reluctance to enter a serious relationship again had nothing to do with opportunity and everything to do with his feelings. His wife, Natalie, had been only twenty-nine when he’d lost her to an undetected congenital heart defect. It had taken him almost three years to learn to navigate the world without his childhood sweetheart by his side.
“Just think about it, dear. That’s all we ask.”
He could hear the love and concern in his mother’s voice, and it did much to soothe his frustration. “I will, Ma.” And he would think about it. But that didn’t guarantee he’d come home with a fiancée any time soon, and he hoped she realized that. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, son. Travel safe.” She disconnected the call.
Devon stood and pocketed his phone, glancing around his room to be sure he hadn’t forgotten anything he’d need for his trip. That done, he dropped the wheeled suitcase on the floor, lifted the telescoping handle and pushed it out of the room.
Hadley pulled her midnight blue sedan up to the curb in front of the rental unit and cut the engine. Unbuckling her seat belt, she dropped the driver-side visor and opened the lighted vanity mirror. She took a moment to make sure her upswept hair and carefully applied makeup were on point, then righted the visor and smiled.
Devon was due to arrive any minute now. She’d always known him to be punctual, and that was just one of the qualities he possessed that made him so attractive. She knew she wouldn’t have to wait long for him to appear, so she gathered her wits.
She still didn’t know what she would say to him, other than the rote script she always gave to longtime customers when she delivered their appreciation gifts. She’d thank him for his loyalty, just as her brothers would expect. That would be the easy part. What came after that, she had no idea. There was no point in trying to plan what to say to him now. She fully expected that when she looked into his gorgeous golden eyes, she wouldn’t remember her name, let alone any impassioned speech she planned to make.
She looked down at her outfit. She’d chosen a close-fitting sweater, slim jeans and knee-high boots. Her aim was to be appealing to Devon’s eyes while still looking professional. She’d also considered the conditions outside. Despite the bright sunshine, the temperature hovered somewhere in the low fifties. She possessed more enticing outfits, but she was looking to make a certain impression. Besides, no one looked sexy while shivering.
The sound of an approaching engine drew her attention, and she checked her rearview. Seeing Devon approaching in a midsize SUV made her lips stretch into a smile. This was another thing she liked about him. Here he was, rich and famous for his acting, yet he eschewed the bodyguards, drivers and entourage many people in his position had. She had no idea how he lived his life in LA, but it was clear that he didn’t make himself fodder for the celebrity-gossip bloggers and television shows. And when he was home in Sapphire Shores, he was about as low-key as a person could get. He flew commercial, rented a car and drove himself where he needed to go.
She sighed as she watched him navigate the vehicle into the driveway. He’s so down-to-earth.
Gathering the large gift basket she’d brought with her from the office onto her lap, she slipped out of the car as gracefully as she could. Once she’d closed her door, she stood by her car, watching and waiting. She tamped down her excitement at seeing him again, not wanting to ambush him before he had a chance to get out of his car.
His driver’s side door swung open then, and as he stepped out and stood to his full height, Hadley could feel her heartbeat racing. Dark sunglasses obscured his eyes, but nothing obstructed her view of the rest of his smooth, brown-skinned face. She reveled in the sight of his thick dark brows, his perfectly groomed mustache and beard, and the full, soft-looking lips centering it all. His long, lean body was dressed casually in a pair of khakis, a green sweater and brown loafers. The clothes weren’t tight, but they were fitted enough that she could see the hard lines of his muscles flexing beneath the fabric as he moved.
To Hadley’s appreciative eyes, he almost seemed to be moving in slow motion. Her lips parted, allowing a pent-up breath to escape into the cool winter air. She tightened her arms around the gift basket, knowing that if she didn’t, it might fall to the ground, forgotten, as she stared at her favorite client. How can he be that damn fine?
He opened the hatch at the back of the vehicle. Dragging out a wheeled suitcase, he shut the hatch again and turned her way. “Hadley, is that you?”
She shifted the basket, offering a wave before shifting it back into both hands. “It’s me,” she called. “How are you?” As she spoke, she started walking in his direction.
“I’m good, thanks. How about you?” He remained by the back of the SUV, as if waiting for her.
A few more long steps brought her into his personal space. “Good, good. Can’t complain.”
He smiled, showing off two rows of shimmering white teeth. “Glad to hear it.”
That familiar tingle started at the back of her neck, and she did her best to ignore it. Extending the basket in his direction, she spoke. “This is for you, from all of us at Monroe Holdings. We want to thank you for your loyalty in renting from us for five consecutive years.”
“Thank you, Hadley. That’s very nice.” He extended an arm, taking the basket she’d needed two hands to carry and sweeping it into his grasp as if it weighed nothing. Regarding the selection of fruit, nuts and candy, he looked her way. “Looks like there’s some pretty good stuff in here.”
She offered a soft smile. “I... I mean, we hope you’ll enjoy it.” She reached into the hip pocket of her jeans and fished out the key to the unit. “I’ll go ahead and let you in so you can put your things down.” She started walking toward the front door.
He started to follow, but when he turned, he winced.
The basket slipped from his arms.
Hadley took a wide step and reached out, catching hold of the free end of the shrink-wrap just before the basket could hit the ground. The bottom of it scraped the driveway, but as she raised it to inspect, she found all the contents intact.
He reached up, slipping off his shades and tucking them into the neckline of his sweater.
The moment his intense hazel eyes met hers, Hadley felt a tingle shoot down her spine until it touched the base, then flare out to the rest of her body.
“Wow, Hadley. You’ve got amazing reflexes.” He looked genuinely impressed.
She shrugged, straightening up with the basket in her arms. “I take a kickboxing class.” She looked back at him, letting her concern show through. “Are you okay?”
He waved her off. “I’m fine. Just a little twinge in my back that pops up now and again.”
She nodded. Even though she suspected there was more to it than he let on, she knew it wasn’t her place to press him.
Firmly grasping the handle of his bag, he rolled it to the front door.
As he passed by, she caught a glimpse of his firm backside. It was all she could do to hold onto the basket as she trailed behind him. They walked up the two stone steps to the door. Shifting a bit, she used the key to unlock the place and followed him inside.
He rolled his bag into the nook by the window seat, then glanced around the room. “The decorations are really nice this year. Subtle, but still festive.”
She grinned, probably a little wider than she had intended. “That’s the look we were going for. I’m glad you like them.” She crossed the room to the low mahogany coffee table, setting the gift basket down before any more mishaps could occur.
As she bent, she had the distinct sense