Page 37 of Colton's Last Resort

“You don’t really strike me as a social guy,” she admitted.

He made a satisfactory noise. “Wearegetting to know each other better,” he murmured.

The rumble of his voice was appealing. She shrugged to release the knots of attraction digging in everywhere. “Is there anything else about you I should know?”

He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I was in the navy.”

Her eyes went to his boots. They were the same ones he’d worn the first night. She’d thought some part of him was military—or militant. “For how long?”

“I enlisted out of high school. I left when I was twenty-three.”

“That’s when you became a cop,” she realized.

“A rhythm guitarist for an Eagles cover band,” he corrected.

She nodded swiftly. “Right.”Stick to the story, Laura.She checked her smartwatch and stood up. “I really must get ready. Please, have a cup of coffee while you wait.”

“So we’re still on for breakfast?” he asked, getting to his feet, too.

“Of course.” A romantic champagne breakfast for two at Annabeth with the entire resort watching. Nerves flared to life. “Give me forty-five minutes to make myself presentable,” she insisted. “Then you can get started on your investigation.”

“What should I call you?” he asked suddenly.

“I told you last night. Laura will be fine.”

“Yeah, but don’t most couples have sentimental names for each other?”

Distracted, she replied, “I believe I can trust you to come up with something.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes,” she decided. Then she paused. Couldn’t she?

“Are you ready?”

Noah cataloged the faces milling beyond the open restaurant doors. Turning to Laura, he thought again of the way his tongue had practically lolled out of his mouth when she had emerged from her bedroom back at her bungalow perfectly coiffed and dressed to the nines in a black maxidress. This one had a transparent lace collar and sleeves, with a line of ruffles below her clavicle. The skirt was a mix of ruffles and lace. A buff-colored belt tied it together with a hat in the same color. The keyhole in the back of the dress had made his palms itch as much as the cutouts in her bathing suit.

He’d wanted to say something then.

You look stunning.

You’re too fine for the likes of me.

Instead, he’d just stood there with his mouth hanging open like an idiot.

He took a steadying breath. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Take my hand.”

Cursing inwardly, he snatched her fingers up in his and hoped to God his palms weren’t sweaty.

“There’s Tallulah,” she murmured. “She’s our head of housekeeping and has been with the resort as long as my family has. She lives on property like Adam, Josh and me, and she knows everything there is to know about her staff and the guests.”

“Good to know,” he said, sizing up the woman of average height and weight. When she saw Laura, her face lit up. “Last name?”

“Deschine. And she’s not a mark,” Laura warned under her breath. His steps had picked up pace and she hurried to catch up. “Everyone adores her.Iadore her.”

“Everyone’s a mark,” he informed her.

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