Her phone buzzed again from its facedown position on the bed. “If my mother is calling back to give her opinion…” Sasha flipped the phone over and saw Xander’s name flash on the screen along with a text.

She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or to get worked up again, this time for a wholly different reason. “Looks like my– Looks like Xander’s here.”

Cassidy raised her eyebrows. “Tell me you weren’t about to say date.”

Ignoring her, Sasha lifted her phone from the bed and replied she’d come down to the lobby. She grabbed her handbag and met her friend’s gaze. “I’m leaving.”

Cassidy waved, wriggling her fingers. “Be good!”

Sasha rolled her eyes and strode past her friend, the butterflies in her stomach growing by the second.

“I’m kidding, you know that right?” Cassidy asked. “If you need to talk about anything, I’m here.”

She turned back toward the bedroom, where Cassidy stood in the doorway. “I do. I’m just a nervous mess. I’ll see you later.”

Making her way down to the lobby, Sasha caught sight of Xander standing by a pillar. He wore a pair of jeans that showed off his toned physique. A black tee shirt hugged the muscles in his upper arms and chest, and a pair of loafers were on his feet. His dark brown hair was cropped short, same as when they’d met.

He rarely spoke about his military service, but she was aware of the tension that often consumed him in crowds of people. His hair was just part of his routine and who he’d become while in the Marines.

A pair of sunglasses hung from the neck of his shirt, and as if he felt her staring, he raised his gaze to meet hers. Between his chiseled features, full lips, and piercing stare, he was so sexy, any self-respecting female with a pulse would notice him.

He pushed himself off the pillar and strode over to meet her. “Hey,” he said at the same time she said, “Hi.”

She smiled.

He didn’t but his intense expression unnerved her.

She fidgeted, wondering how to break the ice, then decided to just ignore his mood and the walls he obviously intended to keep in place. “I thought we could take a walk and talk about Amanda? Her motivations, who she is, things like that?”

He inclined his head. “That works. I made an early reservation at Serafina,” he said. “It’s pizza and Italian food. And I asked for a private booth so we won’t be mobbed by people.” He paused. “Unless you’d prefer to be out in the open?”