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When love comes calling, never say never...
What's a guy to do when a damsel in distress lands at his door on Christmas Eve? Dr. Alex Cortes doesn't want company on the holiday that reminds him of his parents' tragic deaths five years ago. Seeking time alone, the last thing he needs is a sassy, enticing distraction like blonde beauty Georgiana Kincaid who knocks him off kilter.
Georgie
had planned for a picture-perfect Christmas Eve with a gorgeous holiday
dress and a lavish celebration dinner with her boyfriend. But when he
unexpectedly dumps her, she has nowhere to go. After driving for hours,
her car stalls out in front of handsome exotic Dr. Alex Cortes's
beachfront home in the midst of a rainstorm.
Will bad boy billionaire Alex let optimistic Georgie weave her magic? Or will he run when he finds out her true Christmas wish? It might take a Christmas miracle for love to win...
Will bad boy billionaire Alex let optimistic Georgie weave her magic? Or will he run when he finds out her true Christmas wish? It might take a Christmas miracle for love to win...
With over 5,000
ratings and great reviews across her alpha male romance titles on
Amazon, Goodreads and other retailers, Sophia Knightly is sure to keep
you turning the pages.
TROPICAL HEAT SERIES - Each book can be read as a STANDALONE.
Wooed by You: Linc and Isabel
Wild for You: Clay and Marisol
Sold on You: Marcos and Gabriela
Kissed by You: Alex and Georgiana
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Dr.
Alex Cortes hated Christmas Eve. Bleakness coiled around his heart
like insidious smoke as he took a swig of Scotch and stared at the
leaping flames in the living room fireplace. Thank God he could
retreat to his small beach house on Barefoot Beach during this time.
It kept him balanced and far away from the high expectations everyone
placed on Christmas—the parties, the decorating and shopping for
presents.
In
spite of his friends’ efforts to include him in their family
celebrations, he just didn’t feel like joining in. Five years ago
today his parents had unexpectedly died, and every Christmas Eve
since, he relived the tragedy. The staggering disbelief followed by
profound sorrow of knowing he would never see them again. He wondered
if he’d ever be able to fill the desolate emptiness their passing
had left in his life…and the unfinished business with his mother.
He
lived in the moment and didn’t take anything for granted because
everything could change in the blink of an eye. He knew that only too
well.
Life
was frail and unpredictable, like the stillborn baby he had held in
his hands this morning. After caring for Adriana Chapman for
years as she suffered one miscarriage after another, he had hoped
he’d be delivering her healthy baby on Christmas Eve. She had taken
excellent care of herself during her high-risk pregnancy, eating
healthy, doing yoga, meditating and resting as much as possible. Then
one misstep and she’d fallen down the stairs from her deck to the
backyard. A freak accident that ultimately killed her baby.
In
all his years as an obstetrician, he’d learned to disconnect
emotionally from his patients, but today he hadn’t been able to.
Adriana’s anguished sobs at losing her baby girl had knocked the
wind from his lungs and left him feeling sick and hollow inside.
Because of her age and the serious complications during delivery,
most likely it would be her last pregnancy.
Alex’s
hand tightened around the glass. He hated when accidents happened
that were completely out of his control. Rare accidents like the
private plane crash that took his parents’ lives because of an
engine failure.
He
knocked back the rest of his drink and drew in a harsh breath. How
long was it going to take for numbness to set in? He got up and stood
before the large bay window overlooking the choppy, gray Gulf of
Mexico. He longed for a stunning, multi-colored sunset, like so many
he’d seen on the water since buying this getaway in Southwest
Florida. But there’d been no sunset tonight to lighten his gloomy
mood. Only grim, murky darkness to match how he felt inside.
The
rain was coming down harder now and the palm tree fronds were
flapping in the wind. The temperature had dipped to the forties, a
rarity in southwest Florida. A sudden crack of lightning made the
lights flicker and a boom of thunder practically rattled the windows.
He
crossed to the front of his house where he’d seen the flash of
lightning. A white car drew his attention as it puttered along in
front of his house and came to a stop. He wasn’t expecting anyone
and was in no mood for company.
Go
away. All he wanted
was to drink his Scotch—alone.
The
car remained in front of his house, and seconds later, a woman got
out with a jacket slung over her head. It was getting dark out and
with the stormy weather he couldn’t see her face, but it was
definitely a female sprinting on high heels toward his house.
With
a muttered oath, he set his Scotch down on the coffee table and
headed for the door, annoyed as hell that the first day of his
vacation had been interrupted. So much for privacy.
He
jerked open the door just as lightning struck. The young woman let
out a high-pitched scream and lurched forward.
“What
the he—” Alex’s words were muffled as she landed against his
chest, and he caught her in his arms. He kicked the door shut just
before losing his balance, and they toppled to the ground, landing
with a thud on the hardwood floor.
In
disbelief, he got his bearings as he stared into bewitching,
long-lashed sapphire eyes in a stunned face partially hidden by the
jacket. His hands closed around her small waist and held her firmly
so she wouldn’t slide off and he could get a better look at her.
With
a shaky hand, she pushed the jacket from her head, revealing a tumble
of long, blond waves around the face of an angel. Sweet
Jesus, what
a beauty.
“Oh
gosh, I’m so sorry.” She wiggled against him and his body reacted
instantly. “Are you hurt? Am I too heavy?”
“A
little girl like you? Hardly,” he said with a wry shake of his
head.
She
frowned. “I’m hardly
a little girl.”
He
had to laugh. She looked so indignant. “I know. I meant that
figuratively. You don’t weigh much.”
“Oh.”
That seemed to mollify her. “Do you think we were struck by
lightning? It sure feels like I’ve been zapped. I’m a little
dizzy.”
He
felt zapped too, but for different reasons. He was painfully aware of
soft feminine curves pressed against him and a floral scent so
enticing he wanted to bury his face in her soft neck. Delicious.
She
wriggled in his hold. “I should get up.”
“Not
yet. Stop wiggling,” he grunted. “Don’t get up until you’ve
taken a few deep breaths.” Ha, he should talk. He could barely
catch his breath at the pleasure of having such a sweet surprise
sprawled on top of him.
Wide-eyed,
she nodded and laid her head on his shoulder, breathing deeply as she
nestled against him like a kitten. His body stirred and he fought the
temptation to stroke or pat her slender back. If anyone needed a hug,
it was this girl who hadn’t hesitated to snuggle up to him the
moment he told her to stay put.
After
a few seconds, she drew in a shaky sigh and attempted to get up
again. This time he released her and she scrambled up from the floor
with his help.
Standing
before him on stilettos, she only reached his chin, and he had to
bend his head to peer at her.
“What’s
wrong? Do you still feel dizzy? Are you sick?” Alex assessed her
with the eyes of a seasoned physician. She didn’t look sick, just
rattled; but upon closer inspection, he noticed her eyes were
bloodshot with mascara smudged underneath. Her softly rounded cheeks
were deep pink and her breath was coming out in short gasps.
Had
she been crying? Or drinking? She didn’t seem drunk, but she didn’t
look steady on her feet either. Maybe she was still spooked by the
lightning.
“Not
sick and no longer dizzy. Though it felt like someone was throwing
golf balls at me when I ran here.” She waved at the window. “Is
that hail?” She clutched her head. “Probably. With the kind of
day I’ve had, I wouldn’t be surprised if a tornado blew my car
into the Gulf.”
His
mouth twitched. “That bad?”
“Yeah,
that bad.” She shivered and hugged herself. “Old Bertha decided
to die on me.”
She
looked so sad, he wondered if she was a relative. “Who’s Bertha?”
“My
car. I tried calling for service, but no one wants to come out on
Christmas Eve, especially for an old Packard.” She sucked in
quivery breaths, drawing attention to her round, pebbled breasts
beneath a slinky hot pink cocktail dress.
His
gaze shot up from temptation and he caught her raised eyebrow look as
she folded her arms over her chest.
“Who
are
you?” he asked, bemused. His voice sounded unintentionally gruff as
he tried to shake the haze of lust. The sizzle between them was so
intense it felt as if lightning really had zapped them.
She
held out a slim hand. “Georgiana Kincaid.”
His
hand closed over her outstretched one, enjoying the softness of her
skin. “Georgiana, I’m—”
“I
know. You’re Dr. Alex Cortes, the obstetrician.” She shook his
hand and then lifted her large tote bag from the floor.
“You
know who I am?” Was this some kind of a set up? “Did Marcos or
Gabriela send you here?” He wouldn’t be surprised if they had.
Ever since his partner and closest friend, Dr. Marcos Calderon, had
married the feisty social worker, Gabriela Morales, they were both
determined to end Alex’s bachelorhood.
Georgiana’s
tawny eyebrows furrowed. “Who are Marcos and Gabriela?”
He
waved a hand. “Never mind. Then it was Marisol.” Yes, it had to
be that mischief-maker. Marcos’s little sister, Marisol, had
involved him in an elaborate ruse to make Marcos jealous last year
and that had ultimately led Marcos to marrying Gabriela. Marisol was
in town and he wouldn’t put it past her to concoct a scheme to set
him up with a date for the Christmas party tomorrow at Marcos’s
place.
She
stared at him, puzzled. “Marisol? I don’t know her either.”
He
stared back, trying to figure out her motives. “Then why are you
here?”
She
flung her long hair over her shoulder and shrugged. “Isn’t it
obvious? My car stalled out in front of your house and I saw a light
inside.” She took a deep breath and blew it out in exasperation
when he remained skeptical. “Look, I’ve had a horrible day, and
I’m not here for any other reason than to use your phone.” She
made a face. “I hate to bother you on Christmas Eve, but my phone
battery just died too. Do you mind if I make a few calls?”
Did
he mind? “Not at
all. Come on in.”
“Thanks.”
He
lifted the wet jacket from the floor. “I’ll hang your jacket up
to dry.”
She
stiffened and recoiled, waving it away. “It’s not mine. Please
get rid of it.”
Taken
aback by her strange reaction, Alex said, “You want me to get rid
of it?”
“I
do.” Her chin lifted and jutted belligerently as she pointed to the
fireplace. “Throw it in there. Burn it. I don’t ever want to see
that jacket again,” she said, her tone vehement.
“Why
do you hate it so much?” He held up the leather bomber jacket and
inspected the buttery soft brown leather. “Not too shabby.”
Her
upper lip curled, and he couldn’t help thinking she had the most
kissable pout he’d ever encountered.
“Yeah,
I thought so too…until today,” she said glumly.
She
stood before him, all sleek curves in the form fitting cocktail dress
with her hands on her hips. His gaze roved those slim, dangerous
curves down to her silver stilettos. Who wore a skimpy dress and high
heels in stormy weather? Either she was on her way to a holiday
party, or Blondie was as ditzy as they came.
His
eyes bored into hers, wondering how she’d known who he was. “Have
we met before today?” he asked, though he sincerely doubted it. He
would have remembered dazzling eyes as blue as the Mediterranean Sea.
She
pursed her lips, distracting him from his question. Wasn’t it
enough that her eyes were hypnotic? His gaze riveted to her lush,
rosy lips—the kind of lips he would love to suck into his mouth,
first the top curved one, then the full lower one.
She
cleared her throat sharply, drawing his attention. “We haven’t
actually met. I was there when you delivered my friend, Laura
Galley’s baby last summer.” Her face softened when she mentioned
the baby.
An
image of Laura’s earnest face came to mind. Damn, he would have
never figured Laura for a matchmaker, but why not? Most attached
women he knew made it their business to set him up with one of their
friends, family or co-workers. There was no escaping a married woman
on a mission to marry off single men to her friends.
“So
Laura sent you here,” he surmised. “How did she know where I
live? Nobody knows about my beach hideaway. Especially not my
patients.”
“You
don’t have to worry about your privacy. Nobody sent me. It was
purely coincidence I ended up here.” Her eyes narrowed at his
skeptical look. “Well, it was,” she insisted with a lift of her
chin. “I was driving around aimlessly and then my car stalled out.”
She shifted from one foot to the other and smoothed the sides of her
dress, distracting him again with her delectable silhouette of nipped
in waist and goddess hips.
“Why
were you driving around aimlessly on Christmas Eve?” he said,
striving to free himself from the sexual stupor she wove.
“It’s
a long story.” She sighed and shook her head. “I’ll fill you in
on it, but first may I use your restroom?” Limpid blue eyes peered
into his with urgency. The questions would have to wait—and he had
plenty of them.
Suddenly,
his quiet, self-reflective mood turned to curiosity. Who was this
wayward angel who’d landed on his doorstep, all tousled hair,
sparkling eyes and tempting curves? Beneath her fiery show of bravado
over the guy’s jacket, he had detected desperation.
“Where
is it? The bathroom,” she prompted, when he didn’t answer.
Alex
rubbed his chin, wishing she didn’t intrigue him so much. He was
pretty sure her visit wouldn’t be short, and for some reason he
didn’t mind. “Use the bathroom in my bedroom. It’s bigger than
the guest bathroom and has clean towels. First door on the left, down
the hall.”
A
dimple appeared in her right cheek, disarming him on the spot. She
had high round cheekbones and a firm little chin that appeared
obstinate when thrust forward. Yet her overall expression was fresh
and natural. She had the most captivating, guileless smile he’d
ever seen.
She
lowered her lids and peeked at him impishly. “Thanks. That’s very
kind of you.” Wide, blue eyes sparkled like crystals from beneath
her lush lashes.
“You’ll
find the towels—” Alex’s voice came out hoarse and he cleared
his throat before continuing. “In the cabinet beneath the sink.”
He
hadn’t finished speaking when she turned on those impossibly high
heels, giving him a heart-stopping view as she scampered away on
golden, toned legs with high inset calves.
Alex
swallowed hard at the hot desire surging through him like a rampant
river. He didn’t know quite what to make of little Georgiana
Kincaid, but she was eye candy for sure, and more than a little
entertaining.
With
a wry smile, he shook his head and watched her sweet little ass sway
to a rhythmic beat as she made her way into his bedroom.
Chapter Two
Georgiana
shut the bathroom door and sucked in deep breaths. Calm
down, calm down. Her
heart was racing out of control. My God, Dr. Alex Cortes was
drop-dead gorgeous. When he wasn’t frowning, that is. The grim look
on his face when he had answered the door had sent a chill up her
spine, but when he saw she needed help, he warmed up to her.
She
must have interrupted a casual evening from the looks of his clothes.
The faded jeans and light blue sweater did his athletic build more
justice than the scrubs she’d seen him in at the hospital…and
he’d looked pretty hot then. Was he expecting another visitor,
besides herself?
When
she’d landed on top of him, all she could think of was his chest
and shoulders felt like marble beneath her. A shiver ran through her
remembering the feel of his large hands on either side of her waist,
holding her firmly against him. He’d told her to stop wiggling, but
she couldn’t help it. The mere contact with all that hardness had
sent her into a tailspin and when he finally let her up, she’d had
a hard time finding her balance. She had wobbled before him on jelly
legs, not able to think straight, let alone breathe. When she’d
told him she felt dizzy, she hadn’t been lying.
Was
this some crazy twist of fate? She had somehow landed in front of his
house and had no idea why fate would bring her here. Last summer, Dr.
Cortes had taken her breath away the first time she’d laid eyes on
him after he’d delivered Amy, Laura’s baby. She would never
forget his glowing smile or those beaming dark eyes as he’d
announced that both mom and baby were doing well. She had put the
attraction quickly out of her mind because she’d been dating Bill.
But now that she’d been up close and personal with Dr. Cortes, the
attraction blindsided her.
Talk
about lousy timing to meet him. She was reeling from the big fight
and breakup earlier with her boyfriend Bill, after a year long, bumpy
relationship that had caused her more pain than happiness.
She
should have listened to Piper. Her best friend hadn’t liked Bill
from the get-go because she’d pegged him as selfish and aloof. Bill
might have been a bit aloof, but he had also been exciting, a world
traveler who was cultured and interesting. There was a reason
Georgiana was thirty-three and wasn’t married. Her artist’s soul
couldn’t tolerate being smothered and controlled. Bill had given
her the freedom she needed and that had lured her into thinking he
was the one.
Over
the past month, Bill had hinted many times at a surprise during the
holidays, not telling her when it would happen to build the suspense.
He seemed to sense she was pulling away, and the truth was she had
been trying to convince herself to stay only because he had good
qualities that made up for his inattentiveness. She had hoped that he
would propose today and had mistakenly thought it would ignite their
fading romance.
A
flash of anger made her grit her teeth. He had proposed all right,
but he had also whipped out a pre-nuptial agreement so unfair and so
one-sided that she’d ripped it into shreds and flung it back at
him.
Her
eyes welled up at the memory, but not because she still loved Bill
and wanted him back. She realized she had never really loved him when
she walked out of his house with her head held high and so much
bottled-up anger she wanted to spit nails at him.
When
she’d gotten in her car, a flood of tears had burst forth and she
cried like an abandoned orphan. It wasn’t that he’d presented her
with the pre-nup, which went with his mega-wealthy persona; it was
what the pre-nup specified that galled her.
The
elderly people who made up her clients in her concierge service often
said that time was a priceless commodity. And before her Grandma Emmy
died, she made Georgiana promise she wouldn’t waste time on the
wrong man.
Unfortunately,
she had wasted precious time trying to make things work with Bill,
time she would never regain. He had duped her big time. A fresh batch
of hot tears stung her eyes and she forced them back. No
more tears. She’d
cried enough ugly tears.
Every
special thing she’d planned for them today had been ruined. The
champagne dinner, the beautiful dress that she’d bought in an
exclusive consignment shop, the designer leather jacket she’d spent
months saving for to surprise him with on Christmas morning. All
of it for nothing. It
was too depressing—and jarring—to realize that after the break-up
and angry tears, she actually felt more relieved than pained.
A
knock on the door followed by Alex’s deep voice startled her, and
she quickly blinked back the moisture pooled in her eyes.
“Georgiana,
would you like to borrow a sweater? I usually don’t run the heater,
but if you’re cold...” His voice trailed off.
“No,
thanks. I have a change of clothes in my bag. I’ll be out in a
minute,” she called out. “Oh, and don’t run the heater on my
account. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay.”
For
the first time, she noticed her surroundings. The bathroom was large,
almost as big as her bedroom in her small apartment, but it was
meticulous and organized. No clutter on the marble countertops and no
clutter in the cabinets either. Alex had mentioned it was his beach
house, but the man was neat to a fault.
She
towel-dried her hair with one of his plush, dove gray towels and ran
her fingers through the loose curls. She knew better than to take a
brush or comb through her hair or it would end up looking like a fuzz
ball.
She
made quick work of cleaning her face with a make-up wipe from her
tote bag until all the smeared mascara was off. After applying a bit
of moisturizer to her face, she glided cherry flavored lip balm on
her lips and puckered them. This
is for you, Dr.
Cortes. She
suddenly grinned, surprised she could be so silly when Bill had just
kicked her to the curb.
Straightening
her shoulders, she remembered what her mother always told her. It’s
the hiccups in life that make you stronger, Georgie.
Yep, this was a major hiccup all right, but she much preferred the
hiccups that came from champagne.
She
made a face in the mirror. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get
out there. Dreamy Dr. Cortes is at your disposal. She shook her head
at her foolishness. If
only that were true.
He had been polite and chivalrous, but a man as handsome and
accomplished as he, surely had a woman in his life—and big plans
for the evening.
With
a sigh of resignation, she stepped out of her stilettos, which she’d
worn for Bill, and changed into a violet cashmere sweater and her
favorite jeans. Luckily, she’d grabbed her overnight tote before
running out of the car, but all her other shoes were in the suitcase
in the trunk. She would just have to go barefoot. No way was she
putting the uncomfortable stilettos back on.
As
she approached the living room, her bare feet padded across the
gleaming hardwood floor to where Alex sat on the sofa with his elbows
resting on his widespread knees. His broad shoulders were hunched
forward as he gazed at the fire in the stone fireplace. When she got
closer, she noticed a few threads of silver glinting in his thick,
black hair.
Georgiana
tapped his shoulder and smiled hesitantly when he turned to peer at
her with glimmering, coal black eyes. A tingle spread through her,
and she was suddenly embarrassed about her earlier behavior. Okay,
she was more than embarrassed; she was totally mortified over the way
she’d screamed and flung herself at him when the lightning struck,
and then her outburst over the leather jacket. Gosh,
he had to be thinking she was a real nutcase.
“Any
chance I can use your phone, Dr. Cortes?” she inquired politely. “I
need to make a few calls while I recharge my phone.” Her hands
fiddled with the charger cable dangling from her cell phone.
“You
can’t do anything unless you call me Alex,” he teased.
She
noted the sparkle in his eyes. “Okay, Alex.”
“That’s
better.” His rich, deep voice laced with the slightest trace of a
Latin accent made her shiver involuntarily.
She
smiled to cover up her silly reaction. “I’m really sorry to barge
in on your holiday. I’m sure you have plans for tonight, so I’ll
leave as soon as I make those calls.” She didn’t want to be a
nuisance and he was surely being a gentleman, something fewer and
fewer men were these days.
“No
worries. I’m not going anywhere tonight,” he said, surprising
her. “I have a landline or you can use my cell.”
No
plans? Why not? Looking around his cozy living room, she noticed no
Christmas decorations—not even a Christmas card. From what she
could see, she’d interrupted a quiet evening between him and a
bottle of Scotch.
She
pointed to the leather jacket folded neatly beside him. “Didn’t
burn it, huh?”
Alex’s
exotic eyes crinkled at the corners, drawing her attention to long,
thick eyelashes. “I figured I’d give you the satisfaction.”
She
tossed her head. “I changed my mind. I’ll give it to charity
instead. I’m sure someone can use it in this chilly weather.”
“Good
idea, but it’s supposed to warm up to eighty degrees tomorrow.”
“Eighty
degrees?” She raised her widespread hands. “Small wonder I chose
to live here when my grandma relocated from up north. As much as I
love them, my parents couldn’t convince me to go back to New York.
My grandmother was a beach lover, like me. She used to always say
that Naples was paradise.”
“Yeah,
it’s hard to beat this kind of weather in the winter.” He reached
for the bottle of Scotch and poured two fingers in his cut crystal
glass. “Want a drink?”
“Sure.”
She never drank the hard stuff, but today was one day she needed it.
“If
you don’t want Scotch, I’ve got wine, beer or orange juice. No
soft drinks.”
“Scotch
is fine.”
Alex
poured her drink and handed her the glass. “Salud,”
he said, raising his glass.
“Cheers,”
she returned automatically, though a cheery toast was a bit of a
stretch. The whisky burned her throat all the way down to her
esophagus. “I hate to drink on an empty stomach. Have you eaten?”
“No.
Are you hungry? I can order some food in.”
That
brightened her mood. It didn’t sound like he was bothered by her
impromptu arrival. “Surprisingly, I am hungry.” When she’d left
Bill’s house the last thing on her mind had been food, but why let
the wonderful spread she’d packed for them go to waste? “Do you
like stone crabs?”
“Love
them.”
“Good,
me too. If you’ll help me bring in the cooler from my car, we can
enjoy the feast I put together for someone who won’t be named.”
He
smiled. “Give me your key. I’ll get it.”
She
rummaged in her tote and located her keys. “I’ll go with you.”
He
nixed her offer with a shake of his head. “There’s no sense in
both of us getting wet.”
“Everything’s in the trunk. The cooler and a green tote bag that has the rest of the goodies…like dessert. I’ll hold an umbrella over you as you carry it in.”
“Everything’s in the trunk. The cooler and a green tote bag that has the rest of the goodies…like dessert. I’ll hold an umbrella over you as you carry it in.”
“No.
Stay here. I’ll go out alone.”
Stubborn
and a bit bossy, but who was she to argue? “Suit yourself, Doc, if
you don’t mind getting wet.” Her sassy tone drew a chuckle from
him. She
reached for the folded leather jacket and handed it to him along with
her keys. “Here. Will you at least put the jacket on?”
“Sure.”
Jiggling the keys in his hand, Alec shrugged into the jacket and
headed for the door. When he returned toting everything, Georgiana
was waiting at the entrance with a large towel.
Alex
left his shoes on the welcome mat and set the cooler down before
coming inside. He rubbed his hair briskly and then handed her the
jacket. “Good thing you didn’t burn it.”
“It
looks great on you. Do you want it?”
He
gave her a baleful look that squelched the very idea. “What do you
think?” he asked with a sardonic lift of his thick, dark brows.
She
gave a half-shrug. “I guess not. Can’t say that I blame you. Most
likely it would bring bad luck.”
“I
don’t know about the bad luck, but I’m not interested in keeping
another guy’s jacket,” he said bluntly.
She
looked down. “Oh,” she said in a small voice.
“I
didn’t mean it harshly,” he said, softening his tone. “But a
little while ago you wanted me to burn it.”
“True,”
she conceded. Lifting her gaze, she tried to gauge where he was
coming from, but his expression was unreadable.
“I’m
going to change into dry clothes and then set everything up on the
coffee table.”
“We’re
eating in the living room?”
“That’s
the plan,” he said, white teeth gleaming against tanned skin. “Is
that okay with you?”
It
was more than okay, but she didn’t want to appear overeager.
Georgiana gazed at the fireplace instead of his attentive eyes.
“Sure. I love eating in unconventional places.”
Georgiana
couldn’t believe the irony. She had envisioned a candlelight dinner
at Bill’s house followed by him proposing to her. But instead,
she’d left his house like a scalded cat, never wanting to see him
again. And once she’d let the anguish pour out of her heart, she
had experienced a startling jolt of freedom…and a stirring of hope.
Maybe
someday she would get what she wanted most in life. But it wouldn’t
be with Bill.
“I
saw the suitcase in your trunk. Were you planning on traveling
tonight?” Alex asked in a casual tone.
“No,
I’m flying out tomorrow.”
“Where
to?”
“New
York. I’m going to spend Christmas with my parents and my two older
brothers.”
“What
time is your flight?”
“First
thing in the morning,” she said, surprised when his face fell. “I
need to check in for my flight as soon as I get someone out here to
tow my car back to my apartment.”
“Okay.”
He carried the cooler and the green tote bag into the kitchen and
headed toward his bedroom. “When I finish changing, you can make
your calls in my bedroom.”
“Thanks.
That’s very considerate of you.”
He
winked and her heart skipped a beat. “It’s the least I can do
when you’ve brought me stone crabs. Before you came, I wasn’t in
a very good mood. Now I’m looking forward to the evening.”
“Really?”
At his nod, Georgiana stifled the urge to pinch herself. Alex was not
only kind and considerate, but he was looking forward to spending the
evening with her, Georgiana Kincaid, who had stormed out of Bill’s
house an hour ago with no special plans on Christmas Eve.
Was
Grandma Emmy looking out for her from above? she wondered, blowing
her a secret kiss.
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