He watched her blush again, enjoying the knowledge that he’d been the cause of the charming reaction.
"I do in yours.” Lifting her chin defiantly, she said, “Sam and Martha said it was okay if I took pictures on your property. Sam does such a wonderful job with it and the flowers are always changing.” She gestured with her free hand. “It’s calming to be surrounded by so much beauty and I love trying to capture that." She twisted her ponytail nervously while talking to him.
He could not resist as he lifted her hand, brushed some mud off it and kissed her knuckles. "Not as beautiful as watching you in my garden in the early morning light." His plan was two-fold, one to find out who she was and what she was doing in his garden and the other was he was enjoying teasing her and making her uncomfortable.
"Thanks, I think.” Lexi took a step back. “I'll get out of your way now. Sorry to disturb you."
He watched her hands shake. "Oh, don't worry about it. Would you like some coffee?” Noah winked and held his mug up in front of her face. “I was just about to get another cup. I'm sure Martha made something sweet to eat." He watched as she contemplated his offer, wanting her to say yes, unable to deny the pull to her. Maybe it was that she wasn’t falling all over him, or expecting him to bow to her like the high-maintenance models and actresses he was used to having on his arm. He cocked his head to the side and nodded toward his home. "Come on, we’re neighbors, let's get to know each other better. I promise not to bite." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. Crossing his arms he stood and waited for her to make a decision, wondering what thoughts were going through her head.
"Sure, I only had one cup this morning, but I’m a little muddy."
He could tell by the way she fidgeted while she put her camera in her bag, she was uneasy.
“How did you make it so long without another?” he teased. “Come on neighbor, let me get you a cup. Don’t worry about the mud. We live on the ocean, there’s always sand in the house anyway.” Noah turned away and started walking toward the house, knowing she’d follow. His vacation was starting to look up. It might be fun to see if she would show him around. He could play tourist.
When she caught up to him she said, “I’ve lived here for a few years and haven’t seen you here before. If I remember correctly, the sale of the estate went through a couple years before I moved here, while my grandmother was still alive.” There was a sadness to her voice that touched Noah. He knew all too well what it was like to lose someone you cared for deeply.
“I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. I only met her once but she seemed like she knew how to have fun.” He laid his hand on her shoulder in sympathy. “I’ve been working hard the past few years in the hopes that I could take some serious time off to just relax. Not too many people know I own it, so it’s the perfect getaway. Now, I’m wishing I’d made trips sooner. The scenery here is lovely.” He made it a point to glance her way hoping to see her reaction.
“How much time off do you plan on taking?”
“I can only take a few of months off,” he sighed. “But I plan to think of nothing but myself, and now, maybe you.” Noah leaned in close to give her his trademark look, flashing his dimples unrepentantly.
She stood her ground and raised one eyebrow at him. “You’re a smooth talker aren’t you? How many women has that line worked on?”
He laughed, stepped away and put a hand to his heart “You caught me.” He opened the door and gestured with his hand “After you.”
Lexi toed off her muddy shoes before entering the gourmet kitchen. “Do you ever stop?”
“Not if I’m breathing. What can I say? Women are beautiful. Your skin is always so soft.” Noah ran his hand lightly across her cheek. “You do all these mysterious things to try to make yourselves even more beautiful, never realizing to a man, you’re beautiful just the way you are. There’s something amazing about every woman.” Shrugging, he said, “I try to use my music to help women understand that concept.”
“Oh, you are good.” She laughed with a nervous quiver.
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Yes I am. Maybe someday I’ll show you how good.”
She grinned and winked at him. “Who knows, if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll show you what you’ve been missing by not taking a vacation sooner.”
He put both hands to his heart and with a dramatic sigh. “So how long will I have to wait? Because I want to make sure I clear my schedule for a week or two.”
She chuckled at him. “How about that coffee before the academy comes in to give you an award?”
Noah smiled and shrugged. “How do you want it?” He winked. “The coffee I mean. Sugar, creamer?”
“I think I’ve had enough sugar this morning, black is fine,” she said dryly.