“Shit. I’m sorry,” he tells me quickly. “I really have to go deal with this.”

“Oh. OK.” I sit up, trying to adjust to the sudden change.

Ash gives me a regretful smile. “I wish I could stay. Believe me,” he adds fervently, his eyes roaming over my naked body. “But we’re juggling so much stuff right now. I have the New York calls, and architects due here in town this afternoon to talk.” He leans in and kisses me: slow and hot, and full of promise.

“Dinner, tonight?” he asks, softly caressing my cheek. “I promise, we’ll pick up right where we left off.”

“In the middle of a restaurant?” I grin. “Sure, if you want to get arrested.”

Ash laughs. “OK, maybe we’ll rewind to the part where you have clothes on.” He slides out of bed and grabs his pants from the floor. “But then there’s going to be a full replay.”

“Slow motion too?” I quip, watching that gorgeous body disappear under clothing again.

Ash gives me a dark look. “I’m thinking fast-forward.” He buttons his shirt and then leans in close to whisper in my ear again. “Hard, and fast, until you’re screaming my name.”

I blink, dazed at the sexy promise as Ash collects the rest of his things. “I’ll call you later?” he checks from the doorway.

“Sure,” I manage to reply. He winks, then leaves, and closes the door behind him.

Wow.

I flop backwards on the bed, reveling in the moment. I can’t believe that after everything, we finally got it together—and it’s only just the beginning.

I can’t wait for what’s in store tonight.

I spend the rest of the morning wrapped in a goofy, happy daze. I wave off the Keller family and clean up their rooms, replaying every moment of last night over and over in my mind. With nothing else to distract me, my memory runs riot with hot, sexy scenes, like something from a movie.

Except a movie never made me feel like this, like I’m balanced on the edge of a cliff, ready to take off and soar into the unknown.

Ash is still a mystery to me, but I’m finally breaking through that controlled barricade he keeps locked tight around himself. The hints of vulnerability, of passion, he’s revealed only make me hungry to discover more.

My cellphone rings as I’m unloading laundry. Juliet.

“Hey,” I answer, happy to see her name on my caller ID. “What’s up?”

“That’s what I called to find out.” Juliet’s voice is teasing. “I heard a rumor that you and a certain real estate kingpin were getting friendly last night…”

“What? How?” I exclaim, before the answer arrives. “Oh, Tegan.”

“Yup.” Juliet laughs. “I ran into her this morning in town, and she was pumped about it. She’s determined to fix you guys up on a date.”

“It might be a little late for that…” I reply, folding sheets.

Juliet gasps. “No! OK, I want to hear everything. Can you meet for lunch?”

I check around the room. I’m nearly done here, and I was planning to run errands anyway. “Sure, see you in town in twenty minutes?”

“Done. And you better have all the details.”

I hang up and quickly finish up the laundry before grabbing my purse and walking to meet Juliet in town. We decide to grab a couple of sandwiches from the diner, then go eat them on the beach; when we’ve finally settled on the sand and unwrapped our food, Juliet turns to me with an expectant look.

“OK, I’ve waited long enough. Spill!”

I feel myself blush, and busy myself with a mouthful of food while I try to figure out just how much to share.

She laughs. “Now I know this is going to be good.”

I swallow. “Well…Ash took me home last night. And then…one thing led to another.”

Juliet claps her hands together in glee. “I knew it! The way he’s been looking at you, I knew something was going on.”

“Well, we actually have some history,” I admit, then quickly fill her in on the details of our night together in New York.

“Even better,” Juliet declares. “I love a good passionate reunion story. Emerson and I were apart for years before we got back together,” she adds. “It just made us stronger in the end. I knew I would never meet anyone like him again.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I tell her quickly, before she’s planned the wedding. “This is totally different. I’m still finding my bearings here, and Ash…” I pause, thinking how hard it’s been to get even this far; for him to let his guard down and allow himself to connect. “He’s not exactly diving in. We’ve got a lot of stuff to figure out. It’s only the beginning.”

“A sexy, hot beginning,” Juliet corrects me with a smirk. “At least, if that goofy smile you’re wearing is any indication.”

I laugh. “OK, you’ve got me,” I admit. “It was…pretty spectacular.”

“See, I knew we’d find you someone.” Juliet toasts her soda can against mine. “Now, all we have to do is make the B&B a massive success, and you’re all set!”

I giggle. “Sure, how hard can that be?”

“Ye of little faith.” Juliet sits back, and looks out at the ocean with a contented smile. “I’m telling you, there’s something about this place. Nobody plans on winding up here, but once they do, everything works out great in the end.”