“Everyone lies.”
He pulled back and searched her eyes. “I don’t. I’ve never been able to fake feelings either. They’re either there or they’re not. It’s who I am.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, “Then we’re a perfect pair, because I’m who I am, too.”
THERE WERE NOT many things in life that scared Leanna. Starting over in a new city was exciting; quitting jobs was as easy as changing her clothes. She knew she could pick up the pieces of her life and find a way to carry on no matter what was going on around her. She might not be the neatest girl on the planet, or the most organized, and she might not remember everything—like where she left her bike or Pepper’s leash—but she knew the moment she set her head on Kurt’s shoulder that her heart had opened to him in a way it never had before. And that scared the heck out of her. One of her biggest skills was being discontent—and although this felt a world away from anything remotely similar to discontent, she hoped her mind didn’t steal this happiness from her.
As Kurt drove toward her cottage, her heart told her to invite him in and ask him to stay for the night, but her head told her that was stupid. They’d gone out once. She didn’t know him well enough. Yet her gut reaction was that he was not only trustworthy, but different from—maybe even opposite of—any man she’d ever met. It was after midnight when they pulled into Seaside. The lights in Bella’s and Jenna’s cottages were still on. Of course. Directly across from Leanna’s, Amy’s cottage was dark.
Kurt opened the car door for Leanna, something no man had done for her in the past. And there he was, standing tall and handsome in his linen pants, with those piercing blue eyes. A perfect gentleman. And what was she thinking? She wanted to rip his clothes off and climb on top of him again.
She stepped from the car, and he folded her in his arms.
“I wish I had thought to take you to my place for the night,” he whispered.
Could they possibly be in sync?
“I…um…” She turned at the sound of whispering behind her and noticed Amy, Bella, and Jenna walking up the street from the pool. Pepper took off in their direction, dragging the leash behind him.
Kurt followed her gaze. “Were they swimming?”
“Chunky-dunking.”
“Chunky-dunking?” He laughed. Their hair was piled up messily on their heads. Each woman was draped in a towel that barely covered her private parts, and they were grinning like fools.
“It’s what we call skinny-dipping,” she whispered. “The pool closes at eight, but we sneak in sometimes.”
“I’ll have to set my alarm so I don’t miss the next episode of Seaside Skinny-Dipping. May I see you tomorrow?”
May I? She reminded herself that words were his life. “I’m making another batch of jam tomorrow, so I’ll be here all day. Aren’t you writing tomorrow?”
“I write every day, but I’d like to fit some time in to see you. Unless you have plans or would rather not.”
Leanna sensed her friends behind her, turned, and nearly bumped into Bella.
“Bella,” she chided her. Pepper was legs to the sky with his tongue hanging out of his mouth as Amy scratched his belly.
“Sorry. I wanted to say hi to Kurt. Hi, Kurt.” Bella smiled and tilted her head.
“Hello, Bella.”
“This is Jenna.” Bella pointed to Jenna, who waved. “And Amy’s loving up Pep.”
“Hello, ladies. Nice to meet you.” He glanced at Leanna. “Tomorrow?”
“Sure. I don’t know what time I’ll be done. What do you have in mind?”
He leaned in close. “It doesn’t matter. I just like being around you. Although, I kind of owe you a real date.”
“A real date,” Bella whispered.
Leanna shot her a look.
“Sorry. We were talking about having a bonfire here in the quad tomorrow, if you guys want to join us.” Bella turned away and tightened her towel.
“That’s not exactly a real date, and I’m sure the last thing Kurt wants to do is hang out with a bunch of women.” Leanna touched his hand. “I’d love to see you.”
“I don’t mind hanging out with your friends if that’s what you’d like to do.”
“Great. Then it’s a date,” Bella said.
“Oh my gosh, Bella.” Leanna glared at her. “Jenna, please take her home.”
Jenna looped her arm into Bella’s. “Come on, Bell. Let’s give Leanna a little privacy.”
“I’m going, too.” Amy picked up Pepper’s leash and handed it to Leanna. “Nice to meet you, Kurt.”
“You, too, Amy.” Kurt settled his hands on Leanna’s hips, and she lowered her forehead to his chest.
“I’m sorry. Bella’s a little pushy.”
He lifted her chin with his index finger. “They seem nice. I don’t care what we do, as long as I’m with you. Why don’t you decide, and I’ll come by around six or so?”
“Perfect.”
He kissed her good night, and Pepper whined at his feet. Kurt shook his head. “Good night, Pepper.”
As he drove away, Leanna wondered if her luck had changed—or if she was on the way to a crash-landing but too high up in the clouds to notice.
Chapter Twelve
COLD. WET. STINKY. Leanna opened one eye and found Pepper’s nose pressed against her cheek. She groaned and rolled over.
“Five more minutes?” she pleaded.
Pepper yelped in her ear. She pulled the covers over her head and felt Pepper pawing at her. Leanna drew the covers back down and sighed at Pepper’s tongue hanging from his mouth, his tail wagging. She dragged herself from bed, peeked out the window, and spotted Pete the pool guy’s truck. Nine o’clock. Another late start to her morning.
Totally worth it.
She’d stayed up for hours thinking about her evening with Kurt, reliving his touch, his kisses on her skin. She shivered in her T-shirt and panties as she opened the door for Pepper to go out. He ran straight down to the pool to greet Pete. Leanna grabbed her laptop from the bedside table and checked email. She skimmed the junk messages announcing sales and ways to make her love life sizzle. My love life is already sizzling. The thought surprised her, because for once in her life it was true.
The mouse bounced between two unopened emails. One was from Mama’s Market, a local farmers’ market, and the other was from Daisy Chain, the largest grocery chain in New England. She’d sent a proposal to each three weeks ago. She was two clicks away from either the end of her dream or the beginning.
Too nervous to read either yet, she closed her laptop. Pepper scratched at the door as Bella barreled in behind him, wearing her bathing suit beneath a sarong, her thick hair tamed in a high ponytail.
“Hey there, girlfriend. You’re finally up. Were you up having phone sex all night?”
“No. Mental sex. Oh gosh, you know what? Kurt doesn’t even have my phone number. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure where my cell phone is.” She looked around the cottage, trying to remember the last time she’d used it.