Page 31 of Tease Me

Heindicated forme to sit, and together, we wriggled into the bench seat and sat side by side, facing the ocean. “Isn’t this magic?”

He must’ve read my mind. “It truly is. Have you been here before?”

“Quite often, actually. Telitha and I sometimes bring Clancy here for a run.”

I frowned, and he aimed a finger down toward the shoreline. “It’s the only beach around here where dogs are allowed.”

Several dogs ran along the water’s edge. “What sort of dog do you have?”

“Clancy is a caramel and white Beagle—a little pocket rocket. He and my daughter are inseparable. You should see them go crazy on the beach. It’s exhausting just watching them.”

“You sit here and watch?”Iwas curiouswhy he didn’t run around with them too.

“Yeah, I usually read the Sunday paper while they run amuck.”

“Hmmm, sounds nice.”

I tried to picture how I’d fit into that scenario. I was not a ‘sit and read the paper’ kind of girl. Was that because I’d never done it? I was more likely to run around on the beach. But would that be weird with someone else’s child? Would Telitha even want me there?

“The dog was a lifesaver, actually.” Clayton interrupted my tumbling thoughts.

“Oh, how’s that?”

“He helped Telitha take her mind off her mom.”

I nodded, and unsure what to say, I sipped the champagne.

Clayton opened a Tupperware dish and held it toward me. Inside was a selection of sandwiches.“I made chicken, lettuce and mayonnaise, beef with mustard,andturkey and cranberry.”

“Wow, you’ve been busy.”

He laughed. “Not really. Telitha helped.”

“Oh.” It took all my might not to gasp at him. “She knows about me?” I reached for a turkey sandwich and set it on the red plastic plate he’d supplied.

“Yes, of course.Shemet you at Savannah’s birthday party. Remember?”

“Uh-huh.” Did our brief hello constitute asmeetingme? It was more a fleeting glance than anything. All of a sudden, this ‘thing’ with Clayton was becomingserious, and I wasn’t sure I was ready. Everything about him wasamazing, except for the instant family. A man with a daughter and a dog was a huge commitment.

Is that what I want?

“Happy birthday.” His grin was enormous.

My heart leaped to my throat at the tiny box, wrapped perfectly in red paper with a gold bowthat heheld toward me. My fingers trembled as I reached for it.

“Oh, Clayton. Youreallydidn’t have to.” I trembled both inside and out as I pulled on the gold ribbon.Please, please, don’t let this be a ring.

The ribbon fell aside, and I clenched my teeth as I flipped up the lid.Relief drained the blood from my body as I stared at the beautiful silver pendantcenteredintheblack velvet.

“It’s Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travel.”

“It’s beautiful.” I lifted the silver disk onto my finger and ran my thumb over the raised figurine in the middle.

“You told me you wanted to travel. I didn’t know what else to get you.”

I smiled and leaned toward him, and as our lips met for a brief kiss, my mind flipped with my swirling emotions.

He stepped out from the bench seat and stood. “Can I put it on for you?”

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