Honestly couldn’t they come up with anything more creative? Natalie had wondered. She thought of the email from Bibb and the voice mail from the Chief, full of praise and pretend camaraderie. As if she’d ever consider going back. Suddenly the arbiters of advancement had determined that she was a brilliant young reporter who needed a big TV job, stat! She knew that, like everything in the news cycle, this glow of triumph would pass. It was all a shimmering illusion.

She glanced over at James in his worn jeans and navy T-shirt. James wasn’t an illusion. He was real and present and seriously hot.

You can make this work.

Feeling a little flush, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

“You gonna let it go natural, now that you’re not on TV?”

Puzzled, she saw that James was eyeing her ponytail.

“My hair?” she asked. “It doesn’t work that way. All that formaldehyde is still in there.” She shook her ponytail to make the point. “Takes time for it to wash out.”

“Really, how long?” he asked with more than benign interest.

She shrugged, playing coy. “Maybe six months.”

“Nah.” He gave her a teasing glance. “There must be ways to get the real Natalie back faster.”

“Well, there are some things that can be done,” she said playfully. “Swimming in chlorine.”

“We need to get you in a bathing suit?” he asked. “Noted.”

She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Or the ocean.”

“Beach getaway, also doable.” He gave her a lopsided grin and tilted his head. “What else?”

Feeling her heartbeat quicken, she forced herself to breathe. “If I take lots and lots of showers, that’ll help it along,”

He moved directly in front of her and took a wide stance, bringing his chest closer to hers. “So you’re saying you need to go on a beach vacation. Spend lots of time in the ocean and the shower. And then I’ll get the real Natalie.” He was beaming at her. “Is that right?”

“I guess that’s right,” she whispered.

He bent over and kissed her softly on the lips.

She rose onto her tippy toes, and when he kissed her again, it wasn’t nearly as gentle. She leaned into him and felt his warmth and his strength. Crushed up against his chest, she forgot about the phone calls, her interview, her previous day, weeks, everything.

Then she was hit by a sudden worry. “Wait,” she blurted. “I want to make sure you know something.” She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “I’m not done. I mean, I’m going to keep reporting.”

“Well, yeah,” he laughed. “That’s what makes you amazing. Be noisy.” Then he gave her a conspiratorial look and whispered, “But I’ve got a secret for you, Savage.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s okay for you to be happy, too.”