TE

re you wann

inal touch on my makeup. His tall and athletic physique stood at t

even maybe catch a bullet— I hoped it would not come to that. When I had a conflict with my father, Quinn sta

o do,” he prompt

ked up my panic b

. Unless you wanna go

ink and walk down

esitantly. “Going to

. I turned to face him. Hi

ng out alone? You know I can still bring

ight p

ad almost got taken by a cute guy hired by my father to bring me back home.

I’m just a

e bar is just ar

d a feeling that someone might

it cards anymore, and there’s no way Dad would go to that le

u to get in trouble w

address every time I did my conference ca

r for the rest of your life. You eventually have to dec

t know that? Conside

ave you been enjo

d threw him a glare. “What’s up with you today? Yo

y. I over

s wrong? Is everyth

but when it came to my safety, I knew he wouldn’t je

You need to chill out. Have fun. This is a beautiful

ust be c

st go out and hook up with the tourist or

ank you

eady in my favorite bar. Of course, Quinn didn’t miss checking me out every

Caiparoska wa

our dinner for tonight?” The

be l

re al

being Qu

” He

definitely a New Yorker. What caught me off guard was how tall he was, taller than Quinn, towering over me. He was broad and muscular but not too bulky, wit

ly not cute— he was hot. He had a five o’clock shadow dusting his prominent sharp jawline. His aquiline nose reminded me of

apologized. I guessed I just ruin

s buy you a drink for

arched as he gestured outsid

nder that bi

er.” I rose from the stoo

d from the stool. “We’re

eat alone while you’re with me.” I walked toward the door. He was fas

s. He was charming. Linden, whatever his

’s no biggie, really. You already

ams is delizioso.” I did it wit

n. The breeze wasn’t chilly tonight, just perfec

hat brought you to Marittemo? Aside

s. But then I remember accusing him of working for my fat

siness, he will do anything to keep the money running. So he arranged a marriag

re. He really didn’t have any idea

ea

n’t you find a man on your own?” He looked at me, r

I dated two years turned out to be a jerk, a cheat. Because I was more

You deserve more th

I laughed. I didn’t admit I needed to let that out o

private milit

like a m

We have ethics. W

but I feel like it

n b

from your boss forcing you out of

no to him. It’s not because he’s

le of red wine, he respectfully dis

his face as he took the fo

’s my first

, and garlic didn’t overpower the clam. Given we are just beside the ocean, the clams are fresh.” He c

u c

” he repli

us, but you just told me what’s in here one by one. No on

taste them,” he a

ology dinner. That was all. We would not meet again. He

telle. G

feet. “Since this was your trea

k you, Linden, for ha

our skin touched, I did my best to ignore the little jolt in my body

d ni