Page 8 of Embraced at Seaside
Jana wasn’t so sure about that. “Have a great time writing! Make it hot and sexy. Think ofmeas your character.”
Harper waved and blew her a kiss as she drove away.
The dance studio was located around the corner from the harbor. Jana walked along the road thinking about Harper’s suggestion. There was no way she’d call Hunter out in front of everyone, because she might not like his answer. That thought bothered her. She really did like him as a friend, and as a lover. It was just putting the two together that got messy for them, because it couldn’t lead anywhere.
She gazed at the upper deck of the Pearl Restaurant, where couples were sitting beneath colorful umbrellas. They looked happy, the men and women leaning in close. Jana hadn’t had a real boyfriend since Spencer, and that was five years ago. Relationships petrified her. They made her feel claustrophobic. But it was scenes like these that made her heart flutter longingly and a little voice whisper in the back of her mind aboutone day…followed by the urge to run in the opposite direction.
She shifted her gaze to the gallery next door and noticed a man carrying a large metal sculpture of a fish. It was nearly as long as he was. The artist, a handsome man in his midthirties who sometimes sat out front of the gallery while he worked, followed him out. The smile on the artist’s face told of his joy of finding a home for a piece of his artwork, and she wondered if Hunter felt that way when he sold one of his pieces.
As she neared the studio entrance, she realized how strange of a thought that was, because when it came to Hunter, she usually didn’t think much beyond his looks, his danger zone, and the pigheaded opinions that came out of his big mouth.
Oh, that mouth.
No, she wasn’t going to stroll down Hunter Road today. She needed to concentrate on her impending meeting with theCape Cod Timesto solidify marketing space, and then she had three more classes to teach.
Her cell phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her purse, and her pulse quickened at the sight ofDO NOT RESPOND!on the screen. She stared at the screen for a long time, debating whether she should open it. Who was she kidding? She swiped the screen, unable to resist reading Hunter’s text.
Pick you up at 7 to watch the sunset before the bonfire. Be ready.
She had to read it twice to believe it. What was he up to, telling her what to do? She wasn’t about to be told to be ready for any man.
She typed a quick reply—No, thanks—and pressed send, irritated with him for assuming she would want to go anywhere with him. Seconds later her phone vibrated with another text.
Is that any way to treat a romantic invitation?
Really? Was he that competitive? She responded with,What do you really want?
Her phone rang seconds later, stopping her in her tracks. She accepted the call and put the phone to her ear. Before she could say a word, Hunter’s deep voice flooded her ear.
“The truth.”
She sighed. “What?”
“You asked what I wanted. I want you to admit that you want to be with me.”
“Hunter—”
“I’m not going to be baited into a fight. Just say you want me, and you’ll feel much better.”
He said it so confidently that despite her annoyance, it made her smile. “Oh, will I? Well, for your information, I don’t want you.” If she were Pinocchio, her nose would have instantly grown.
“Now that we’ve established that you’re a sucky liar, I’ll be at your place at seven. I don’t like to wait, so be ready.”
“Oh, that’ssuperromantic,” she said flatly. “Listen, I—”
“Seven, pretty girl. See you then.” He ended the call, leaving her slack-jawed, annoyed, and slightly turned on.
Chapter Five
HUNTER SHOVED HIS phone in his pocket and stalked up front to find Clark. They’d stayed up half the night talking about Clark’s troubled marriage, and Hunter was even more determined to get his buddy to work things out with Nina. She was a beautiful woman with a big heart, and he knew from what he’d witnessed, and from the things Clark had said last night, that she was an incredible mother. Their trouble seemed to boil down to Clark feeling undesirable and stripped of his manhood, and Hunter had no experience with that. But he was willing to try to figure it out. Right now, though, as he leaned against Clark’s desk and crossed his arms over his chest, he needed his buddy’s help. Clark was married. He’d once romanced his wife into marrying him. Maybe talking about that would remind him how much he loved her.
“Romance one-oh-one. Give it to me.”
Confusion washed over Clark’s face. “What?”
“Romance. You know, flowers and all that bull. Tell me what I need to know.” He was determined to get the wordsI want youout of Jana, and to do that, apparently he needed to know how to be romantic.
Clark laughed so hard his chair tipped back. “You think I can teach you how to be romantic so you can sleep with that chick from the bar? Man, move on to the next girl. What do I know about romance?”
