He hooked the ruined shirt in his back pocket, started for the ladder. And that’s when he spotted her. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she could tell by the momentary pause, the angle of the head, that he was looking at her. The evaluation would be instinctive, she knew. Male sees female, studies, considers, decides.

He’d seen her all right and, as he started down the ladder, was already considering. And hoping for a closer look. “We’ve got company,” Phillip murmured, and Cam glanced over his shoulder.

“Hmmm. Very nice.”

“Been there ten minutes.” Ethan dusted his hands on his hips. “Watching the show.”

Phillip stepped off the ladder, turned and smiled. “So,” he called out to her, “how’s it look?”

Curtain up, she thought and started forward. “Very impressive. I hope you don’t mind the audience. I couldn’t resist.”

“Not at all. It’s a big day for the Quinns.” He held out a hand. “I’m Phillip.”

“I’m Sybill. And you build boats.”

“That’s what the sign says.”

“Fascinating. I’m spending some time in the area. I hadn’t expected to stumble across boatbuilders. What sort of boats do you build?”

“Wooden sailing vessels.”

“Really?” She turned her easy smile toward his brothers. “And you’re partners?”

“Cam.” He returned the smile, jerked a thumb. “My brother Ethan.”

“Nice to meet you. Cameron,” she began, shifting her gaze to read from the sign. “Ethan, Phillip.” Her heartbeat accelerated, but she kept the polite smile in place. “Where’s Seth?”

“In school,” Phillip told her.

“Oh, college?”

“Middle. He’s ten.”

“I see.” There were scars on his chest, she saw now. Old and shiny and riding dangerously close to his heart. “You have a very impressive sign, Boats by Quinn. I’d love to drop by sometime and see you and your brothers at work.”

“Anytime. How long are you staying in St. Chris?”

“Depends. It was nice to meet you all.” Time to retreat, she decided. Her throat was dry, her pulse unsteady. “Good luck with your boats.”

“Drop by tomorrow,” Phillip suggested as she walked away. “Catch all four Quinns at work.”

She shot a look over her shoulder that she hoped revealed nothing more than amused interest. “I might just do that.”

Seth, she thought, careful now to keep her eyes straight ahead. He’d just given her the open door to see Seth the following day.

Cam gave a quiet and male hum. “I gotta say, there’s a woman who knows how to walk.”

“Yes, indeed.” Phillip hooked his hands in his pockets and enjoyed the view. Slim hips and slender legs in breezy maize-colored slacks, a snug little shirt the color of limes tucked into a narrow waist. A sleek and swinging fall of mink-colored hair just skimming strong shoulders.

And the face had been just as attractive. A classic oval with peaches-and-cream skin, a mobile and shapely mouth tinted with a soft, soft pink. Sexy eyebrows, he mused, dark and well arched. He hadn’t been able to see the eyes under them, not through the trendy wire-framed sunglasses. They might be dark to match the hair, or light for contrast.