Page 7 of Falling for the Wrong Guy

“He didn’t touch me. I guess I’m just a little on edge after—” I shook my head. No need to bring up that entirely too embarrassing moment. I hadn’t imagined it this morning, in my stunned state of mind; the man was breathtaking, even with a sharp-beaked gull staring down from his shoulder.

He stuck out a hand, easily twice the size of mine. “We haven’t been introduced. I’m Dex.”

“Aria,” I said tersely. “It seems you still haven’t taught that gull manners. At least I was able to get past him with the sandwich this time. I wrapped it in foil.”

“I guess foil is the armored car of the sandwich world.” He chuckled, but I was feeling too flustered to join in. I had no idea why I was feeling that way, but something about the man—it might have been his size or the way his green gaze seemed to be constantly assessing me, knocked me off balance. And if there was one thing I hated, it was feeling off balance.

Dex clucked his tongue and motioned with his head toward the boat. I gasped as Gus took off and landed on top of the wheelhouse. “I guess that was bad timing. He’s a bit like a dog when I get home, only instead of jumping up to greet me, he lands on my shoulder.”

I looked over at the gull. He had settled down to rest, but his shiny black eyes never left his friend. “I didn’t realize they could attach themselves to people like that.”

“Me, neither.”

I needed to get out from under the man’s unsettling gaze. “Well, good day and thanks for stopping by Whisper Cove.” I tried to sidle around him, but he was so darn big. His gaze followed me as I walked a half-circle around him.

“‘Thanks for stopping by?’” he repeated. “Sounds like an invitation to leave.”

I stopped and shrugged. “I just figured there isn’t a whole lot for a man like you to do in Whisper Cove.”

His teasing smile was irritating. I wanted to—well—I just didn’t want to see it. “A man like me? You mean a man with a badly mannered gull?”

I lifted my chin in defense. “I think we’re done with this conversation. Good day,Dex.” I marched off feeling ridiculously and inexplicably exasperated. Something about the man had put me immediately on defense.

I marched down the dock and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the parking lot. I peeked quickly over my shoulder and instantly regretted it. He was still watching me. I picked up my pace. Suddenly I wished I hadn’t made lunch plans with Kellan. Today seemed like a good day to go home, take a hot bath and curl up with a book.

My phone rang again, and before I pulled it free from my coat, I sensed that it was yet another sister calamity to deal with. It was the last thing I needed. I barely glanced at the name on the screen. “Ava? What’s wrong?” Ava was our adventurous, world traveling sister. Sometimes I envied her life—taking off without a care in the world and no big responsibilities, like a business, to hold her back.

“I’m homesick,” she said. They were words that rarely crossed Ava’s lips.

“Let me guess—he turned out to be a loser.”

“Big time. I should never have started a relationship with a team member. He thought since we were dating that meant he could boss me around at the research site. We had a big fight, and I told him every time he opened his mouth, I liked him less.”

I giggled. “Good one. So, are you coming home?”

“I am. That way I can catch up on everything.”

“And there’s plenty to catch up on. When will you be home?”

“Tomorrow, and I’m in desperate need of macaroni and cheese. I’m tired of freeze-dried camp food. Oh, and tell Isla to bake some of her fudge brownies. There’s no ice cream out here to drown my sorrows in sugar and cream.”

“Sorrows, right. You’re the one who leaves the trail of broken hearts. Not the other way around.”

“You exaggerate. By the way, how is it going with—sorry—forgot his name?”

“Kellan? Things are going well.” I took one last glance back at the marina. Dex was no longer on the dock, so I slowed my pace.

“Going well,” Ava repeated. “Not exactly a glowing review of the relationship.”

I cleared my throat loudly to let her know I wasn’t in the mood for this.

“Uh-oh, it’s the ‘Aria admonishing throat clearing.’ You can fill me in when I get home. Looking forward to being back with my four favorite people in the world.”

ChapterSix

Aria

Ireached the restaurant a few minutes late. The hostess led me to a table in the back where Kellan was already seated. He was on a terse-sounding phone call when I reached him. He held the phone tightly, and his entire posture looked rigid with tension.

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