She turned and walked away quickly. He watched as she mingled with customers, laughing and talking with each table. She had a way about her. He couldn’t deny it; she was born for this. By the time she’d visited each table, she looked more relaxed than he’d seen her.
She approached the bar and asked for her usual. He smiled when Wendy handed her a Coke. He slid down the bar to stand next to her.
“Busy night.” He watched her tense and wondered what it would take for her to relax around him.
“Not as busy as it used to be.” She took another sip of her drink.
“Is it just me? Or do you dislike everyone that walks in here trying to buy your place?”
She sighed and looked at him, tilting her head. “I haven’t decided yet.”
He chuckled, and then felt the full force of how truly beautiful she was as she smiled.
Chapter Three
Cassey’s heart skipped when Luke looked at her like that. She had wavered about approaching him in the first place. When she’d walked down the stairs and seen him resting against her bar, she’d wanted to run back upstairs and hide. The funny thing was, she didn’t know why.
She’d dealt with all his employees, some of them very good-looking men, easily enough. But there was something unsettling about Luke’s eyes and his smile. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that it was the instant attraction that had slammed into her gut when she’d seen him. But she wasn’t at the point of being truly honest…yet.
“I’m not going to change my mind, you know.” She took another sip of her Coke, wishing the cool bubbles would sooth the fire that was raging inside her.
“I have no doubt about that.” He started running his fingertips over her arm, like he’d done before. She felt sparks everywhere he touched her and while part of her wanted to pull away again, it felt so good to be touched. Not since she’d broken it off with Mark a few weeks ago had someone shown this much interest in her.
In the back of her mind was the nagging feeling that he was trying to find her weakness so he could swoop in and buy this place from under her, that he was trying to use sex to soften her up. It would never work, so she had to wonder why he was trying so hard.
It was so hard to gauge his intentions. His chocolate eyes revealed little of what he was thinking.
“Then why are you sticking around?” she asked as she tried to push his fingers from her skin. Instead, he laced his hand with hers, holding her still.
“I think you know why,” he said, just under his breath.
Shaking her head slightly, she realized she had been holding her breath. “No.” It came out weaker than she’d intended.
Somehow, he’d moved closer to her, so that their knees and shoulders were touching now. She could smell his rich scent, which caused her insides to do a little flip. Even her legs felt weak now as he ran his other hand over her exposed knee. She’d crossed her legs, but now she realized how vulnerable it made her feel. Wishing she’d worn slacks tonight instead of her new dress, she felt goose bumps rise everywhere he touched her. His calloused palm was running over her knee in small circles.
Just then, someone dropped a plate. The shattering sound broke the trance she’d been in. She pulled back and stood from the stool. Grabbing her Coke, she waited until her heart rate leveled.
“I don’t know what game you’re trying to play, Mr. Callaway, but you won’t find any willing participants here. You’re better off cutting your losses and moving on. Good night.” She turned and walked away, holding her breath until she entered her office. Then she sank down in the couch and tried to get her body back under control.
Half an hour later, she stood and looked out the dark windows and noticed that he was nowhere in sight. She walked back downstairs and continued her nightly ritual. By the time she let herself into her apartment, she was feeling almost normal again.
By the next day, she had convinced herself that the attention he had given her and the way her body had reacted to him was all in her mind. He was here on a mission and would use any means possible to get what he and his father wanted—her property.
She had lain awake for almost an hour wondering why they wanted it so badly.
Boardwalk Bar & Grill sat on the largest lot along what was called the old boardwalk. On either side of the mile-and-a-half-long planked boardwalk, which had been built in the late fifties, sat residence homes, large rental beach homes, and other small businesses. Since Surf Breeze sat on what was essentially an island, land was scarce. The small stretch of land had mostly been owned by the same people for generations.
There were a few smaller hotels along the highway just on the other side of the tall bridge that led to Surf Breeze, but so far the town’s lack of space had kept the larger chains away. Most tourists coming into Surf Breeze loved the small feeling. The quaint boardwalk and its nightlife appeal had been a successful mix. That is, up until a few months ago.