Page 20 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

On Saturday night Vaughn, Sierra and Teryn had treated her to dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant. Sierra had asked if she’d ever considered moving back here and the answer had been a resounding no. She had outgrown Catalina Cove even before she’d left for college. Returning on occasion to visit was enough for her.

She continued walking on the wide sidewalk, passing the historic buildings that were now various shops and cafés. Sierra’s café, the Green Fig, was one of them. A short while later, she stopped when she came to a vacant building and stood facing the huge glass front. The Catalina Cove zoning board had strict laws against architectural changes, especially to this section of town. The buildings had been preserved and looked as they had when they’d originally been built. She liked it.

Her mind drifted to thoughts of how this place could be transformed into one of her boutiques. The four she presently owned were scattered around the New England area and there was one in New York. They had become so popular and successful that they were often featured in fashion magazines. She’d never considered having a boutique in the southeastern part of the country.

She began walking again and inhaled the scent of the sea. With the shipping district just blocks away there was no way she could not. She’d also noted the vacant building was a two-story structure like Sierra’s café. She found herself imagining a second floor that would display her fashions as well.

Stop it! she mentally ordered herself. Forget about that For Sale sign you saw in the window. The last thing you should want is to have any reason to stay connected to Catalina Cove. However, she knew she had that connection whether she wanted it or not. Vaughn, Sierra and Teryn lived here. They were her family. Besides that, she knew Vaughn wanted a big family and she could see them starting one soon. That meant several nieces and nephews for her to love on and spoil.

There was one reason for her not to have too many ties to the cove and that was due to Saint. She hadn’t seen or talked to him since Vaughn and Sierra’s wedding. They had hooked up the night of Vaughn and Sierra’s celebration cookout in February, after Saint had taken her dancing. They’d hooked up again the night of the wedding in March, after Vaughn and Sierra had left for their honeymoon. That was a double dose of Saint within a thirty-day period, but she’d had no complaints, just memories of two nights of pleasure in his arms that were still emblazoned in her mind.

The one thing Zara liked about their hookups was that they were never planned. They just happened, and so far, they’d occurred whenever she came to town. She’d been back a few days now, and so far, they hadn’t run into each other. She wasn’t sure Saint even knew she was in the cove, unless Vaughn had mentioned it to him. By mutual agreement she and Saint hadn’t exchanged contact information. Keeping in touch wasn’t part of the arrangement.

She entered the Witherspoon Café and the first thing she noticed was that it was crowded. The second was an awareness that suddenly began stirring to life in her midsection. She carefully studied the room and saw Saint. He was staring at her with that same hot, powerful intensity.

And as usual, her intense attraction propelled her legs to move toward him.

Saint, who’d been sipping coffee and eating blueberry muffins, felt his heart skip a beat, then start to race, when his eyes collided with Zara’s. Her features conveyed her surprise at seeing him.

He was surprised as well. As she headed toward him, he stood and watched her weave her way around tables and customers—just as she’d done the night they’d first met. She looked just as stunning as she had then. Today she was wearing a pretty printed sundress that showed off her beautiful shoulders and gorgeous legs. Usually, when other women approached him vying for his time and attention, he would quickly find an excuse not to be bothered. No such excuse would be given to Zara.

Saint still hadn’t figured out why he’d broken a couple of rules for her, and as he stood watching her move toward him, he knew if push came to shove, he would break a few more. Hell, push didn’t have to come to shove. All she had to do was give him an indication that her thoughts were aligned with his, and he was all in. Literally.

As she drew closer, he began feeling overwhelmed. Zara Miller would and could have that effect on any man. The woman was striking and stunning, all rolled into one and sprinkled with a large amount of gorgeousness. When her lips curved into a smile, he knew he was a goner.

“Hello, Saint.”

As usual, her voice was distinct, soft and breathy—that was, until she was in the throes of passion. Then it would become raspy, impeccably sexy and unequivocally arousing. “Hello, Zara. Would you like to join me?” he asked, gesturing to the empty chair at his table.

“Weren’t you about to leave?”

If he was before, he sure as hell wasn’t about to now. “What gave you that idea?”

“Your bill is on the table.”

Saint looked down and saw that it was. “I still have time,” he said, without checking his watch.

“In that case, yes, I’ll join you.”

Not only did she look good, Saint noticed that she smelled good, too. But then she always did. He leaned in as he pulled out the chair for her and asked, “How have you been, Zara?”

“Fine and what about you, Saint?”

“The same.”

At that moment the waitress came to take her order of coffee, a side of bacon and blueberry muffins. He asked for a refill on his coffee. Before she walked away, he asked the woman to add everything to his bill.

“You don’t have to do that, Saint.”

“I want to.”

He felt sexual energy passing between them. In a way he was glad she was still just as affected by him as he was by her. “Vaughn mentioned you were in town,” he then said.

“Yes, I arrived a few days ago.”

“For Jaye and Velvet’s engagement party?”

“Yes, and to pack. Vaughn and I have decided to list Zara’s Haven as a historical landmark and open it to the public for tours. That means it’s time for me to do something I’ve avoided doing for years. Namely, pack up the stuff in my parents’ room and my room that I want to keep. Neither Vaughn nor I will be living in the house.”

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