Page 45 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

“Zara?” the woman asked when she came to a stop in front of her.

Zara pasted a smile to her lips, wondering why the woman looked upset. “Yes. And you are?” she asked, refusing to let the woman know she already knew who she was.

“I’m Samantha Groover.”

She offered Samantha her hand, but the woman didn’t take it. Instead, she said, “You know what I detest about rich women like you?”

She was about to tell Samantha that she didn’t even know her, but curiosity made her say, “No, what?”

“They think money can buy them anything. Personally, I think it’s pretty selfish of you to waltz into town and decide Saint will be your flavor for the month. He’s a swell guy and is only dating you because you threw yourself at him. Anybody who knows Saint can see that you’re not his type.”

Zara fought back rolling her eyes. “And I guess you know his type.”

“Yes. Saint needs a woman who will have a permanent place in his life. Not someone who’s in town one minute and out the next. You only want him because he’s available.”

Zara tilted her head. “You honestly believe that?”

“Why not? Rumor has it that your boyfriend recently dumped you and you’re in town licking your wounds.”

She wondered where this woman got such misinformation. Her breakup with Maurice was over two years ago. “Look, Samantha. If you have a problem with me spending time with Saint, then I suggest you talk to him about it. He’s a grown man who makes his own decisions about who he wants to be with. Have a good day.”

With that, Zara turned and walked off. Had it been so blatantly obvious to anyone who’d watched them dance just how much she’d wanted Saint that night? What had she expected when she’d kissed him in front of everyone the way she had? Jeez. No wonder Saint had suggested they pretend to be having an affair. Her behavior that night had dictated it.

Still, like she’d told the woman, if she had an issue with her and Saint dating, then that was something she needed to address with Saint. Just in case Samantha didn’t, Zara had every intention of telling him herself.

Saint quickly walked across the pier toward the cottage. He’d been surprised to get the text message from Zara. All it said was, We need to talk!!

Those two exclamation points were a good indication that whatever they needed to discuss was serious. He’d tried calling her, but she hadn’t picked up. What was that about? What in the hell was going on? Was she upset that he hadn’t stayed the other night? He honestly didn’t think so. One thing he knew about Zara was that she wasn’t the clingy type. If that wasn’t it, then what was?

Tuesday night he had been consumed with a need for her the likes of which he couldn’t define. He’d long ago accepted this thing between them defied logic, but what he’d felt Tuesday night was playing with emotions he’d declared null and void after Mia. It had scared him.

He was an in-control kind of guy and, granted, he’d lost some of that control with Zara, but he was determined not to lose all of it. When he felt emotions clouding his senses, he knew he had to put some distance between them. He was glad it had worked because now he felt more in control of his senses again.

As he made his way across the pier, he figured she knew he was coming the minute he’d entered the access code. When he got halfway across the pier, he saw her. She’d stepped out onto the porch with her arms folded over her chest. She was wearing a blouse and jeans, standing with her legs braced apart. She didn’t look happy. No. She appeared to be in a fighting mode, something he’d never seen her in before. What the hell...

Concern consumed him. She was upset. She looked angry. He walked up the steps and when he reached for her, she took a step back. That was something else she’d never done before. “What’s wrong, Zara? You had me worried when you didn’t answer my call.”

She lifted her chin. “I needed time to calm down.”

He lifted a brow. “Calm down? What happened?”

“Today I was confronted by Samantha.”

“Samantha?”

“Yes, Samantha Groover. You know, the woman who kept getting all in your face at the engagement party. The woman who thinks since you had a crush on her in the sixth grade that it means something now. Well, she thinks I should back off from you.”

“What!”

“You heard me.”

Saint rubbed a hand down his face. “Let’s go inside, and I want you to start from the beginning and tell me everything.”

“So, there you have it, Saint. I don’t need or want that kind of drama.”

He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. This time, she let him. “No, you don’t, and I’m sorry for it. Samantha had no right to say that to you, and I’m glad you told me about it.”

She pulled back and stared up at him. He could see anger still in her eyes. “Of course I was going to tell you about it. Samantha Groover thinks you need a woman who wants a permanent place in your life, and I’m in the way of that happening.”

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