Jeanne

I leave my table at the Wild Shrimp and sit down at the bar. I ate my dinner, or some of my dinner. My stomach is still whirling since I talked to my parents yet again. I don’t understand why they can’t get it through their thick heads that I am not marrying their business partner, Rô.

I nod at the bartender and they drop off my chosen drink. A fruity cocktail with an umbrella that looks like a glorious sunrise but packs a punch that quickly makes me feel no pain.

Which is when I notice the sexy guy studying me at the end of the bar. He sees me looking at him and grins cheekily. “Hello.”

I nod my head and smile at him. “Hi.”

He nods his dark head at my drink. “What are you drinking?”

I lift it up and take a sip and grin at him. “Honestly? I don’t really know. I’m not much of a drinker but I asked the bartender for something that tasted fruity and refreshing.” I hold up the glass. “This is what they gave me.” I take another sip and feel my head start to swim. “It’s actually r-r-really good.”

He chuckles and I have to admit, it makes my stomach flip just a bit. But I know that I can’t worry about that. I’ve got too much on my plate to get involved with any man. Especially for what has to be nothing but a vacation romance. Even if his dark, sparkling eyes are making my insides clench wildly.

“Sounds like you’ve had a few already.”

“Nope,” I whisper, popping the p in an annoying fashion that would make my mother cringe.

He laughs again.

“I just have really low tolerance for alcohol or drugs. I can sniff a cap and I’m falling-down drunk.”

He eyes me warily. “You better watch that drink then. That’s a pretty big one for such a tiny woman.”

I snort. Loudly. He grins again. “I’m not a tiny woman. I’ve got a lotta extra curves.”

His smile immediately fades away. “Who said that to you?”

I wave my hand airily. “Don’t worry about it. My mother is the one that usually says it. All the damn time.”

He winces. “I’m sorry. That’s gotta suck. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you. I think you’re beautiful.”

“I think you must have bad eyesight.”

“Actually, I have fantastic eyesight. I’m an artist and I know gorgeous when I see it.”

My brow lifts. “Really? An artist?”

“Yeah. What do you do when you’re not on vacation?”

“I’m a jewelry designer. Although my parents would rather I wasn’t,” I grumble under my breath.

“That’s cool. Is that yours?” His big hand reaches across and delicately traces the chain where it lies against my skin, lifting the pretty iolite pendant in a teardrop shape and studying it carefully.

My breath feels like it stalls in my chest and I shake my head. It must be because of the drink. It can’t be anything else.

Like the gorgeous man with his warm hand barely skimming my bare chest.

He looks up and his dark eyes lock on mine and I can’t look away. “It’s really pretty. Kinda like you,” he says softly.

I snort again. “You’re a smooth talker there…?” My head lifts. “ I don’t even know your name. I shouldn’t be talking to you since you’re a total stranger.”

He chuckles at my sudden worry about protocol. “I’m Tony. Tony Albert.”

I hold out my hand and he envelopes it in his big, warm paw and my head lifts to study his eyes. It feels like electricity zings through my fingers and all the way down to my toes when he touches me. His eyebrow lifts and he pulls away reluctantly.

“I’m Jeanne. Jeanne Aimme.” He starts to open his gorgeous mouth up and I quickly slap my hand on his mouth, smiling when the rough days’ growth on his cheeks rubs at my fingers. “And don’t bother. I’ve heard all the jokes.” I roll my eyes.

He snickers behind my hand. “I’ll just bet you have.”

I stand up and sway back and forth. “I-I’ve got to get back to my hotel.” I stagger towards the door and then I pull to a stop when he darts in front of me. At least it feels like he darts in front of me. Maybe I just quit moving and he kept walking.

“What?” I sway on my feet and he puts a hand out to hold me up.

“Hey, I think you kinda need some help there, Jeanne.”

“Naw. I’m good.”

“Really. I really want to help you get back to your hotel. Where are you staying?”

His big, meaty paw touches my arm and I grin at him when I feel those electric shivers skating along my skin. “The Sugarplum Inn. You know where it is?”

“Of course. I didn’t grow up in this little town but I’ve been here for a little while. And I’ve been wandering around exploring so I could work. The scenery around here is amazing.”

For some reason when he says this, his dark eyes blaze down my body and then back up. I can actually feel the heat of that gaze all the way down to my toes.

“That sounds quite nice. But I can really find my own way home.” And then I promptly weave on my feet so far that I almost fall over. I giggle and Tony groans.

“Yeah. I think that you are gonna need some help, Red. How about you let me help you home and then I’ll come by later tomorrow and take you to show you an awesome spot I found to find seashells early in the morning. Just in case you want some for jewelry. And I can take you for some breakfast.”

I study him, weaving on my feet and then I shoot him a grin. “That sounds amazing. And I can’t wait to tell them that I don’t need their dagnabbed approval to work on the office side of things. Or the personal side of things. Or just to do whatever the hell I want.” His head cocks.

“Did any of that just make sense?”

I laugh. “You know, Tony. I think that you’re playing with me a little bit.”

“You know, Jeanne. I think you’re not talking about me. You’re talking about something else. And I’d love to know what it is but I think I need to get you home. You look like you’re half asleep.”

I study him and then nod my head. “Okay. I guess that would be alright.”

And then I follow Tony out of the door and down the street, singing a little ditty that makes me laugh and has Tony rolling.

“That has to be the first time I’ve seen a girl like you singing dirty sailor shanties!”

“Hah! I can be a lot dirtier than that!”

He laughs in my face. “Okay. Well, it’s not necessary to prove it.”

For the rest of the short walk back to the inn, I chatter happily while Tony grunts and huffs without talking at all.

“Hey! There it is!” I say, laughing.

He grins at me and helps me up the steps and into the building. He follows me up to my room and I smile. “Did you want to come in?”

He shakes his head. “I would love to, baby. But not while you’re like this.”

I shrug and smirk. “Your loss. I’ve been told I’m not very good at the sex though so maybe it’s not your loss.”

He groans and carefully helps me inside the door and over to the bed. “Here. Sit down and let me get your shoes off.”

“Did you change your mind? I bet you’re really good at the sex, Tony.”

He just laughs. “You need sleep.” He pulls my legs around and then gently covers my legs. “Sleep tight, sweetheart.”

I close my eyes to try and stop the room from spinning. “Ugh. I don’t feel good.”

“Do you need to go in the bathroom?”

“No. I’m good. I just want to go to sleep.”

“Okay. Night.”

Damn, I wish I hadn’t gotten so drunk. I have a feeling that tomorrow I’m gonna regret it.

But not Tony. I could never regret spending time with him. He seems sweet and gentle. And sexy as hell.

Which if I wasn’t so drunk might send me running in the other direction.

Luckily, I am. So I could care less.

I close my eyes and sigh, letting the dark room lull me to sleep, while I dream about dark eyes laughing and full lips smirking at me while I struggle to remember what the hell I said to him to make him laugh.