Page 35 of Deep Tide

“Pesto pasta salad.”

“Got it.” Siena grabbed her duffel off the chair and slung it over her shoulder. She’d come from the gym, saying she just wanted to drop by and say hi, but Leyla had known there was something weighing on her mind.

“See you in the morning.” Leyla opened the door.

“Bye.”

Siena tromped down the stairs.

And nearly bumped into Sean Moran on the sidewalk.

He looked up at Leyla, and her heart did a little dance. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he ascended the steps. She hadn’t seen him since yesterday on the beach. After the way they’d left things, she hadn’t expected him to come by again.

He reached the landing and gazed down at her. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“You got a minute?”

She looked at him, debating. She had no idea why she would want to let him in after he’d practically admitted lying to her. She didn’t trust him.

And yet...

He gazed down at her with those eyes, and she felt a warm tingle rush through her. And damn it, this was the problem with this man. He was much too attractive. And he had this intense way of looking at her, as though he could read her thoughts and knew she was attracted to him, even though she didn’t want to be.

“Sure.” She moved back to let him inside, chiding herself for being a pushover.

As he stepped over her threshold for the first time, she took a quick look around, gauging the messiness of both herself and her apartment. The apartment was passable, but Leyla was wearing a stained white apron and had her hair in a damn scrunchie. And why she should care, she had no idea. It wasn’t like she’d invited him over for dinner. Or invited him at all.

“Smells amazing,” he said, peering into the kitchen. “What is that?”

“Gumbo.” She swung the door shut.

He stood in the cramped bit of space between the armchair and her drop-leaf table. It was the only place to stand unless he moved into the kitchen itself. Her place was tiny, especially with him in it.

But she wasn’t going to feel embarrassed about her apartment or anything else.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“I came to apologize.”

That was not what she’d expected him to say.

“For what?”

“Lying to you.”

She tucked her hands into her apron pockets and watched him. Here it came, whatever he’d been keeping from her. She was pretty sure she knew what it was. Her stomach clenched, and she realized her heart was pounding.

God help me, I’ve been lusting after someone else’s husband.

He stepped closer and gazed down at her, and her heart pounded harder. He’d shaved, finally, and she caught the faintest whiff of cologne. Had he actually cleaned up before coming over here?

“I’d like to start over,” he said.

“How do you mean?”

He pulled a leather folio from his pocket, flipped it open, and set it on the table.

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