Page 31 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

The man who’d interrupted his private moment was one he’d known his entire life, Levi Canady. Levi, who was the assistant manager of Sierra’s café, the Green Fig, was highly respected in the community. He was good friends with Saint’s parents as well, and he and Saint’s father often went fishing together.

When Saint was growing up, Levi had been a part of Catalina Cove’s police force. One night while patrolling the outskirts of town, Levi had encountered a group of bikers who had been speeding.

He pulled them over to give them tickets and the four bikers overpowered him, took his gun and shot him in the leg.

The bikers were apprehended less than a month after the incident. Levi turned in his badge after that and for years had taught drivers education at the high school. When Sierra returned to the cove to open her café, she offered Levi the position as her assistant manager.

More than once, Saint had heard his mother express her concern that Levi refused to open up his heart to love again after losing his wife to a sudden heart attack some years back. These days, when he wasn’t working at the café or out in his boat fishing, Levi preferred spending his free time with his dog, Chip.

“Tonight I just want to watch,” he said to Levi. “What about you? I haven’t seen you on the dance floor.”

“My leg’s been bothering me today.”

“Oh.” Saint recalled due to trauma after his injury, there were times he walked with a slight limp.

“I only plan to hang around a little while longer. It will be time to feed Chip and take him out.”

“And how is Chip?” He would often see the dog when Levi, along with Chip, visited his parents.

“Chip is great and the best companion a man could have. Tell your dad I’ll be calling him next week, Saint. I heard from Kaegan that the trout and whiting are all but jumping out of the ocean. It’s time for us to go fishing.” Kaegan Chambray owned a seafood shipping company in town.

“I’ll be sure to tell him.”

“It was good seeing you, Saint. Have a good night.”

“You do the same, Levi.”

When Levi walked off, heading toward the buffet table, Saint turned his attention back to the dance floor. A different song was playing, and Zara was out there dancing with that guy again. A part of him was glad that so far, the DJ was playing fast songs.

Deciding not to stand there and stare at Zara a moment longer, he headed over to the buffet table, hoping he didn’t run into Samantha again. The other women had taken his hint that he didn’t want to be bothered, but it seemed Samantha was slow to catch on.

He had filled his plate with what he knew was Kaegan’s mouthwatering seafood dip when a feminine voice behind him said, “There you are, Saint. I’ve been looking for you.”

He cringed. It was Samantha again.

“I was wondering if you and that guy were going to ever get off the dance floor,” Vashti said, grinning.

“And Saint had his eyes on you the entire time,” Sierra said, as if also amused.

Zara sipped her wine, refusing to comment. To be honest, although she hadn’t seen Saint’s eyes on her, she had felt them with each and every dance move she’d made. She didn’t want that to mean anything to either of them... Just like it didn’t mean anything every time she’d seen Samantha, Robin or several other women sidle up to him tonight.

But it had meant something to her.

She reasoned that since he’d been the only man she’d slept with since her breakup with Maurice, she was due to feel some kind of possessiveness, even if it was unwarranted.

“I’m surprised you and Saint haven’t danced together yet,” Vashti said.

Zara knew what Sierra and Vashti were doing. They’d never seen her and Saint dance before, but they had been witnesses to the strong sexual chemistry they could emit. Although they figured anyone watching her and Saint dance would witness it as well, they were encouraging her to do whatever the hell she wanted to do when it came to Saint. If others picked up on the crackle of sexual energy passing between them, it was her and Saint’s business and nobody else’s.

Speaking of Saint, she looked around for him and didn’t see him anywhere. Had he left the party? Now that it had grown dark, lanterns had been lit, giving the area a romantic feel. The DJ had taken a break and a number of people who’d been dancing were at the buffet table to refuel. More guests had arrived, and additional food and drinks were being served.

A short while later the music began again. Now the DJ was playing a slow song. Earlier, Sierra had rescued her from Keith, who’d seemed intent to hang by her side. Although Zara had enjoyed dancing with the man and thought he was nice, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to assume something was developing between them. It wasn’t. The only man she’d wanted to dance a slow song with appeared to have left the party.

Fighting back the disappointment she knew she shouldn’t be feeling, Zara headed for the buffet table. She figured since most people were now back on the dance floor, it wouldn’t be as crowded as it had been earlier.

Zara was halfway there when suddenly a jolt of energy rocked her to the bone and made her pause. Even before glancing around, she knew why. Obviously, Saint hadn’t left the party after all. She craned her neck, determined to find him among the crowd of people in the yard. She finally saw him and, the moment their eyes met, they began moving toward each other, as if a magnet was pulling them together.

When she came to a stop in front of him, she said, “I thought you had left.”

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