Page 276 of Labor of Love

I wanted to know his name so we could get started on not being strangers anymore. Standing, I brushed my hands off on my T-shirt. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” I held out my hand. “I’m Noah. Noah Cove.”

He stared at my hand, then looked up at my face, and my breath caught in my chest. Until that moment, I’d thought the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen was the Key West sunset, but I’d been wrong. The stranger’s eyes were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. They were light gray with the tiny brush of copper brown right around the pupil. The only time I’d ever seeneyes even close to his were on the panther shifters that lived in a protected compound out on the very edge of the key. While his eyes were similar enough to mark him as a big cat shifter, the color was completely unique and not something I’d ever seen before.

I had a feeling I could live a million lifetimes and never see anything as captivating as the man who stood in front of me. Besides his eyes, he had a wide slightly flat nose, high sharp cheekbones, and ashy light brown hair that had dark almost gray-looking lowlights. He was tall but thin, his frame lithe and fit, his muscles compact and rangy. And then there were his lips—full, pale pink, and so soft looking I had the insane desire to pull one between my teeth to see if it tasted as sweet as it looked.

Until he finally took my hand in his, I’d forgotten I had even offered the handshake. The touch of his skin against my palm felt like an electric shock to my heart.

“I’m Milo Frost.”

Milo. Even his name was perfect as I rolled it around on my tongue.

“I haven’t seen you around before. What brings you to town, Milo?” Mentally, I crossed my fingers, praying he wouldn’t say he was just passing through. I didn’t think my heart could take it if he was just here for vacation.

“Oh, I just bought a building on Caroline Street. I’m opening an art gallery.”

“So you’re new in town?”

He nodded, his hair ruffling in the breeze. “I moved in last week.” He lifted the hand that had shaken mine to brush his hair out of his face, and I watched as the multihued strands fought back, flopping back over his forehead in the most adorable way as soon as he dropped his hand.

“And how are you liking Key West so far?”

“Besides my building and what I can see from the windows, I’ve only seen the grocery store and now the marina.”

I shook my head. “Well, that won’t do.”

“I’m sorry?” He cocked his head to the side, studying me like I’d said something that confused him.

“You need to get out and see the city. There are so many hidden gems in Key West.”

“You’re the second person to tell me that today.”

“Then it must be true.”

He shrugged. “I have a lot to do to get the gallery in shape. I don’t have a lot of time.”

A long beep from a car horn broke the moment between us. “Noah! Are you coming?” Caspian shouted and waved from where he was waiting by his Jeep.

Milo shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you.”

“It’s fine. You’re not.”

He looked back at where my brother was leaning out the side of his car, not that that was particularly difficult to do since he’d taken the doors off.

“Ignore him. That’s my brother.” I waved him off. “I’ll meet you there.”

He plopped into his seat and started his car, pulling out of the parking spot followed by a spray of gravel.

“Now, where were we? Oh, right. You were telling me you haven’t seen much of the city yet, and I was about to offer my services as a local guide.”

“You were?”

I nodded. “Indeed I was. No one knows Key West like I do. I’ve lived here my whole life.”

“Oh.”

“Are you free tonight?”

Milo looked down at his feet, and I had the sinking suspicion he was going to say no. I wanted to spend more time with him,to get to know him better, and I wanted to start right now, so I hurried to add, “It’s Taco Tuesday at the Ice House, and Magnus’s food is good and his drinks are better. If you haven’t eaten, you should come with me. The Ice House is the best shifter bar between here and Miami.”

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