CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A warm, sweet shock pinned me in place as my lips curved into a smile.

‘Hello,’ I said.

‘Hi,’ he replied.

And then I completely forgot how to make any other words. That split second when they transform from a stranger into someone. Wasn’t that how Juliette had put it?

Even though the terrace was lined with heat lamps, a crisp, cool breeze still came in off the water and as it blew past me to ruffle his hair, it smelled sweet, like sea salt and secrets.

‘You’re here,’ he said.

‘And you didn’t die,’ I replied, truly a master of flirtatious banter.

‘Nothing but a bruised behind and a dented ego.’ There was happy confusion all over his face and my ears prickled at an American accent I hadn’t noticed before.

‘Was everything all right in the shop? The girl was so angry,’ I said, still marvelling at the perfection of his face. ‘I felt horrible for leaving, but I had an emergency I had to take care of.’

‘I remember, some kind of soda emergency, right?’ he replied. ‘Don’t worry about the girl, I took care of her.’

I gasped and lowered my voice. ‘You killed her?’

‘No!’ He laughed loudly enough for several strangers to turn around to see what they were missing. ‘I meant I paid for the damages.’

He was taller than me, but not so tall that it would be the first thing you’d tell people about him, not when you could wax lyrical about his eyes for months on end. They were dark brown, sloping downwards at the corners ever so slightly, and when he smiled, his entire face came alive. He was smiling now, a wide, curving grin so gorgeous, it deserved its own fan club.

‘Did you get the sodas to whoever needed them so urgently?’

‘If we could agree to never speak about the sodas ever again, I would be eternally grateful,’ I replied. ‘You really paid for all the damage? I’m so sorry I had to run out, I feel awful.’

‘We can’t have that,’ he replied gently. ‘And for real, don’t worry. It’s just money.’

A sudden flush of self-awareness forced me to break eye contact and engage in a very important staring match with the floor.

‘I’m Evan,’ announced the most magnetic man I had ever met, holding out his hand.

I took it in mine and fought the urge to lick it.

‘Francesca,’ I replied, a warmth radiating from my hand, all over my body.