Someday Beach Read Online Free

focused on her. “I didn’t answer.”
    “Yes, well, I know. She told me to stop by your office.”
    He dropped his legs from the top of the desk and nodded. “And here you are.”
    She smiled. “I’m Shelly Harrison. I purchased the place two doors down.”
    He frowned. “The old furniture store?”
    She nodded. “I was just having dinner at your sister’s place and she told me about you.”
    His eyes shot up and a slow smile crossed his lips. She noticed a sexy little dimple at the corner of his mouth and, for just a moment, her eyes couldn’t focus on anything else.
    When he didn’t respond, she blinked a few times and tried to remember what she’d just said. Realizing the conversation could have taken any number of turns since she hadn’t been listening, she fumbled for control.
    “I’m in need of a contractor,” she blurted out. “My place needs a lot of work.”
    He nodded as his smile grew a little more. “I figured it might.”
    “Yes, well,” She cleared her throat again and tried like mad not to fidget with her hands. “I was…”
    “You shouldn’t be walking around without a jacket. Even though it’s still warm during the day, the wind will give you the chills after the sun is down.”
    She blinked a few times. “I’m fine.” She tried to start over, but he shook his head.
    “You keep clearing your throat. Sounds like you’ve already caught something.” He frowned and stood up. He moved towards her and she took a slight step back. “Here.” He handed her a brown jacket that was tossed over the edge of a tall file cabinet. “Wear this as we walk.”
    “Walk?” She took the jacket from him absentmindedly.
    “Sure.” He smiled. “In order to work on your place, I’ll have to see it first.” He helped her on with the jacket, then walked to the door and held it open.
    “Yes, well.” She frowned as the warmth of the coat made her realize she’d been chilled before. “I hadn’t planned on—”
    He shook his head. “No time like the present.” He waited. Something in his eyes told her that he would stand there all night if needed.
    She walked over to him as she shoved her hands deep into his jacket pockets. He shut the door behind them softly and when she turned to say something, she bumped squarely into his chest. His hands came up to her shoulders and she took a giant step backwards as his hands dropped to his sides.
    “Sorry,” he mumbled as he moved slowly around her and held the outer door open for her to walk through. She avoided his eyes as she moved past him and out onto the landing. She waited as he locked the door.
    “What are you going to sell?” he asked as they walked down the wide steps that led up to the balcony. He reached the bottom and turned back and looked to where she was standing on the last step.
    “Lots of things.” She sighed and watched people walking along the boardwalk. Even after dark there were still plenty of people strolling along, even in the chill of the winter night. She turned back to him when she realized he was standing there quietly watching, waiting for her. “I plan on opening a boutique store. Clothing, shoes, and purses. The kinds of things that tourists who flew to the area could enjoy and yet locals would still utilize.”
    He nodded then moved aside to let her step all the way down. “Do I hear a little Boston in your voice?”
    The question threw her for a moment; she hadn’t thought about being from Boston for a long time. She had grown up there, but her family had moved to Philadelphia when she was eleven, shortly after the family trip to Surf Breeze. Recently she had been living in DC. When she slowly nodded, he smiled.
    “I haven’t been up north in years.” He sighed. “I hear they got dumped on a few weeks back. I can only remember seeing snow once in my life.”
    For a moment she thought that she saw longing in those deep blue eyes of his. But when he blinked, the emotion was gone. He smiled slowly and started