Page 14 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

“This isn’t over, Emma,” Frank hisses as he backs away, wiping at the blood on his lip. “You’ll regret this.” He points at me.

Miles steps between me and Frank, his shoulders squared and ready to pounce if Frank tries anything else. But Frank, clearly rattled by the show of force, storms out of my office, slamming the door behind him.

The second the door closes, I release the breath I was holding. My entire body feels like it’s been wound too tight, every muscle tense and coiled. I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.

“Are you okay?” Miles asks, his voice softer now, filled with concern. He’s standing just a few feet away from me, his eyes searching mine for any sign of distress.

I nod, but I’m still shaking, the adrenaline surging through my veins. “Yeah,” I manage to say, though my voice is a little shaky. “I’m fine. Thank you for… stepping in.” I wave toward the front door of my office.

Miles takes a step closer, his eyes softening as he looks at me. “I’m glad I was here. He seemed unhinged.”

I nod again, my mind still trying to catch up with everything that just happened. Frank’s outburst, Miles’ sudden appearance… it all feels surreal. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, as I told you in my text message, I’ll be in Pelican Point for a bit longer than I anticipated, and I thought we could have a proper date. You know, with names and such.” His smile is the sexiest I’ve ever seen.

Before I can think, before I can stop myself, I take a step toward him, closing the distance between us. I don’t know if it’s the leftover adrenaline or the fact that I’ve been thinking abouthim nonstop since the other night, but suddenly, I’m standing so close that I can feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Emma,” Miles says, his voice low and uncertain, but he doesn’t move away. If anything, he leans in just a little closer, his eyes locked on mine.

I don’t know who moves first, but the next thing I know, his lips are on mine, and I’m kissing him back just as fervently as we did the other night, my hands clutching his shirt as if he’s the only thing keeping me grounded. The kiss is hard, furious, and everything else fades away—the anger, the fear, the chaos of the morning. There’s only us. Only this moment.

When we finally pull apart, we’re both breathless. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I shouldn’t have—” I try to pull away, but he won’t let me go.

Miles cuts me off with another kiss, this one softer, gentler, but just as full of heat and want.

“Don’t be sorry,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’ve been thinking about this since the other night, too.”

I let out a shaky breath, my heart racing for a completely different reason now. I don’t know what this is, or why I’m so damn drawn to this man.

“Let me take you out to dinner tonight. There’s a wonderful little restaurant one town over in Hibiscus Harbor called the Silver Willow. How about I pick you up at seven?” Miles asks me as he pushes some of my hair behind my ear.

My breath catches and my stomach does a little flip-flop. “Okay. That sounds nice. Here’s my address.” I give him my address on a sticky note. “I’d give you my cell phone number, but apparently you already have it.” I give him a pointed stare.

“You shouldn’t put it on your business cards if you don’t want weirdos like me to randomly text.” His smile is so bright and charming, my panties are wet. He leans down and kisses me onmy cheek. “I can help you clean this up…” he offers, but I shake my head.

“No. I’ve got it. Client confidentiality and all.”

He nods. “Okay, then, I’ll pick you up at seven. Lock this door behind me.” He pauses, a sexy gleam in his eye. “And Emma, I can’t wait for tonight.”

I smile as I watch him walk out of my office, my heart fluttering like a schoolgirl’s as I do as he says and lock the door behind him.

Glancing around at the disaster Frank created, I know I have a lot to clean up before my assistant sees this mess Monday morning. She’ll think I was having a rave without inviting her. I pick up her laptop and give it a rueful once-over. It looks like I’ll need to buy her a new computer.

Great.

I look around my office, breathing a sigh of relief now that the mess from Frank’s tantrum is finally cleaned up. The coffee stain on the carpet is faint but only visible if you look close enough. A tiny, irritating reminder of the chaos that man brings everywhere he goes. I drop the last of the trash into the bin, wipe my hands on a paper towel, and glance at the clock.

Lunch is too far behind me, dinner is too far ahead, and I have this undeniable craving for something sweet to cut through the bitter taste of this day. A warm pastry—maybe one of Julie’s famous salted caramel éclairs—feels like the perfect antidote.

Grabbing my purse and keys, I head out, locking up behind me. The fresh sea breeze greets me as I step into the sunshine. Pelican Point is alive with its usual coastal charm, locals and tourists mingling in the shops and along the boardwalk. SeasideSweets popup shop is over by the docks just few blocks away, tucked between a surf shop and a boutique selling flowy beach dresses.

The bell above the door jingles as I step inside, the scent of sugar, butter, and cinnamon wrapping around me like a warm hug. Julie is behind the makeshift counter, her curly blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun, flour dusting her apron. She looks up and grins when she sees me.

“Well, if it isn’t the busiest woman in Pelican Point!” she teases, setting down a tray of freshly frosted cupcakes. “What brings you here? Sweet tooth or stress eating?”

“Both,” I admit, laughing. “I’ve had quite the day, Julie. Quite the day.”

Her eyes narrow with curiosity as she waves me toward the counter. “I need details. Coffee or tea?”

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