Anna Taggart parked her car in front of 3232 Seashell Lane and double checked her paperwork. Double checking was her thing, maybe it was her undiagnosed OCD or just her, she never knew. Not that it mattered. She always had to check and cross check for as long as she could remember.

The house was cute, in an old-timey Florida way. A typical pink seashell stucco bungalow with bright yellow hibiscus plants blooming in the front yard. Anna couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting for an open house. Now she just had to hope that the inside looked as good as the outside. If it did, she might be able to sell it today. She didn’t get a chance to make many sales anymore so this could be fun. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

First, she had to make sure the house was clean, a comfortable temperature, and smelled great. It was one of the most important parts of the open house and was one of the first things she shared with her new real estate agents when they came on board. That and the trick about baking cookies. There was nothing more tempting to anyone who walked into the house than the smell of cookies fresh out of the oven.

As CEO of Willow Haven Realty, Anna didn’t usually spend her Saturdays holding open houses. Instead, you could usually find her at her desk dealing with the mounds of paperwork that multiplied faster than bunnies. The paperwork would still be there tomorrow and helping her best friend was more than worth a few extra hours of work on a Sunday. When she’d scheduled the open house, Adria had no idea her son’s soccer team would make the finals, or that the game would be today. The best solution had been for Anna to help, this way if it sold Adria would still get the commission, rather than have another agent take it over.

Thinking back to when she met Adria for the first time still made her smile. She’d come into the office just before closing on a Tuesday evening. No experience, tons of enthusiasm, and a great personality all convinced Anna to give her a chance. It wasn’t until a few months later that she had learned Adria’s husband had been shot down over Iraq. It was crazy that it was four years already. Anna had been happy to hire her, but Adria had become her best friend, something Anna hadn’t had in a very long time.  That alone was worth giving up a hundred Saturdays.

Grabbing her “go-bag” as she liked to call it and an open house sign from her back seat, she got out of the car mumbling a prayer as she climbed up the stoop to the front door. With about an hour to spare, she should have just enough time to make sure the house was clean, pop a batch of cookies in the oven and put out the fresh flowers and candles she had in her bag.

With a whispered prayer that the house was in good shape, she unlocked the lockbox, opened the front door and stopped inside. The realtor gods were smiling down on her for sure, and she would have done a fist pump if her hands weren’t full. Not only was it clean, but it was also adorable and the perfect house for snowbirds or a young family. Adria had said the sellers were anxious because they’d been transferred overseas, and if her luck held she might be able to sell it today.

After a quick walk-through, Anna put the cookies in the oven and set up staging the house.  By the time the buzzer sounded, she had candles lit, soft music playing, the dining room table set, and the flowers in vases. Once the cookies were cool, she’d put the platter on the dining room table to entice her ‘guests’ as they came through the door. Her company wasn’t the number one realty in Willow Haven for no reason. Even though it was a small town, she had competition from the large realtor chains.

One more quick check through the house and Anna was satisfied. It was time for the last step, putting the sign in the front yard. Grabbing the balloons she’d brought to attach to the sign, she opened the front door, stepped outside, and collided with a rock-hard t-shirt-clad chest. Backing away on instinct alone, it took her brain a moment to register that she knew that chest. Very well, in fact.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“Damn it, Ethan. You scared the crap out of me.”

“It wasn’t intentional, but I didn’t expect you to open the door as I was about to knock.” He might be saying he was sorry, but his smart-ass grin said otherwise. And oh, how she loved that smile and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, and the dimple that appeared on his right cheek. Stop it. Get a grip, girl. She knew better.

“How did you know I was here?” Every last inch of his six-foot three-inch frame was good enough to eat, and she’d tasted just about all of it. Sex with Ethan was beyond amazing, and just thinking about it make her hot and bothered. But now wasn’t the time or the place. Staring at this bulging biceps and ripped abdomen outlined by his t-shirt, wouldn’t do her a damn bit of good.

“I stopped by the office. Jenny said you were covering Adria’s open house. Don’t you have enough on your plate already?”

“It’s not a big deal. Besides, you know Adria would do anything for me. Scotty’s soccer team made the finals. I thought I told you last night?”

Ethan Price, ex-Air Force pilot and Willow Haven police detective, rolled his eyes and shook his head. It wasn’t the first time he’d given her that look. And it wasn’t like she hadn’t made it clear from the beginning that friends with benefits was all she could handle. But he made it clear that he wanted more, a lot more, every chance he got. “You run yourself ragged.”

“It’s my company.”

“No, it’s your father’s company. He just lets you do all the work.” He was right even if she didn’t want to admit it. Her parents had retired four years earlier and left her to run the business while they hit every golf course in the world.

“That’s not entirely true.”

“C’mon, it’s true, and you know it.”

With a sigh, she pushed past him to set up the sign. It was an old argument, one they’d been having for months. She knew he admired how she worked hard and took care of all her employees or ‘work family’ as she usually called them. But he didn’t like that she worked twenty-four/seven, and didn’t or wouldn’t take more time for herself.

It would be easy to give in, to commit more of herself to their relationship. Much too easy. And that was the problem. She didn’t want to get hurt again, didn’t want to have to put together the shattered pieces of her broken heart. Losing Ryan had devastated her, she’d barely been able to get out of bed and face the world. Then a few months later Brad or as he liked everyone to call him now, Tag, was almost killed, she threw herself into work. It was that or lose it totally. Too much pain, too much loss. Work was easier.

“Why are you here, anyway? Ugh. Sorry, that sounded kind of harsh. I thought you had to work today.” He’d turned around to face her as she put the sign in the front yard. Every inch of his frame oozed sexy as he leaned against the doorway.

“Nope, this is my weekend off. Which is why I figured we could sneak in a little afternoon fun. Or I did until I realized you weren’t in the office.”

“Oh, you did, huh? What makes you think I’d have time for some afternoon nookie?”

“Hmm. I think I’d have found a way to convince you.”

Seeing the gleam in his steel-blue eyes sent a shiver of desire down her spine. Damn. She’d tried so hard to keep him at arm’s length, but he was just too—everything. Everything she wanted, everything she needed, and everything she was terrified of having again. Why was she even thinking about this now? She had an open house to run and stacks of paperwork waiting back at the office. Maybe it was time to put some distance between them, it was getting too hard to say no to him.

His quick smile proved he knew how he affected her. “I brought lunch. We both know you never remember to eat, and I figured since I couldn’t have you, we could at least have lunch together. You have to eat.”

Unable to resist his smile, she grinned. “Oh well. You win some, you lose some.”

“I consider this a win. I still get to spend time with you.”

“I don’t have a lot of time. Buyers could show up any minute, and it’s not professional to be eating on the job.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to eat fast. Jenny said you’d have time.”

“Good thing I don’t employ Jenny to keep secrets.”

“She can’t resist my charm.”

Snorting, Anna shook her head. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly why.”

“Hey, if you don’t want what I’ve brought…”

“What did you bring?” She couldn’t see the writing on the bag, but from his huge grin, she’d bet anything he’d gone to the best sandwich place in Willow Haven. If he had, he was right. She wouldn’t be able to resist.

“I stopped at Dixie’s. You know you can’t turn down one of her roast beef sandwiches.”

“That’s so not fair!” Her mouth watered just thinking about the thin-sliced rare roast beef, provolone, and fresh tomatoes from Dixie’s garden. All placed with extra care on top of two slices of the homemade sour dough bread she’d have made that morning. Dixie’s food was like a little slice of heaven.

“Why not? I promise I won’t tell the boss.” Anna laughed. She couldn’t help it. His eyes sparkled with mirth. Yup, he was trouble with a capital “T” and had been from the first moment she’d met him. He was the first man who had even gotten close to breaking down the brick wall she’d erected around her heart after Ryan was killed in action.

“Fine. But it has to be quick. There’s no way I’m going to be picnicking while potential buyers are walking through the house. I do have a reputation, you know.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m very aware of your reputation,” he answered with a salute and a grin. “Where do you want to eat?”

“The kitchen table, I guess. Please try not to make a mess. I have everything staged already, and I want it to stay that way.”

He nodded, then flashed her a bright white smile and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. The house was ready; she was ready—well except for the unplanned lunch break. A quick check of her watch told her she could probably eat at least half of the deliciousness waiting for her in the kitchen as long as she kept her hands off Ethan and focused on the sandwich. The open house was supposed to start at one, so they had fifteen minutes to eat before “show time.”

***

Ethan unpacked the food as he glanced around the kitchen. He tried to pick out what she’d added to help with the sale versus what was already there. He’d gotten good at finding her “special touches.” She had a knack for making every home look welcoming, which was probably why she was the most sought after realtor in Willow Haven.

He was glad he’d trusted his gut and brought lunch. He knew she wouldn’t have eaten. It was her standard argument—she was too busy. As a bonus, he’d be able to check things out without her getting suspicious. As he unpacked the bag, his mouth watered. Iced coffee for her and sweet tea for him, two roast beef sandwiches, potato salad, and brownies for dessert.

“Are you coming?” he yelled for her as he finished unwrapping the food. If she waited much longer, she’d say she didn’t have time and wouldn’t eat at all. Not that he’d mind eating the rest her meal. But it defeated the whole purpose. Since he had the day off, he’d gone for his usual ten-mile run on the beach before the summer crowds gathered for the day. He loved the peacefulness of a sunrise run, just him, pelicans diving for fish, sandpipers digging for food, and the gentle lap of the waves against the shoreline.

“Why are you yelling?” 

He looked up to see her standing in the doorway watching him. How long had she been standing there? From the way the skin was wrinkled between her eyes, she’d been thinking hard about something. About him, if he was lucky, but he wasn’t counting on it. She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever met, and he’d met a few over the years.

“C’mon. Stop stalling.”

“I’m not. I was just admiring the view.”

He laughed and shook his head, and he pulled out a chair for her.

“Thank you, Ethan,” she said as she lifted half of the sandwich and sniffed. Her look of pure bliss almost made him jealous, almost. It still didn’t come close to the look on her face when she came apart in his arms. Just thinking about it made him squirm in his chair as the zipper of his jeans pushed against him. He could not get enough of her, and he doubted he ever would even if he spent every day with her.

They ate in silence. He was happy she hadn’t tossed his ass out and just kept the food. It had been debatable as to whether she’d let him stay, and he was glad she had. It hadn’t been easy to win her over. She was a hard nut to crack, and he’d done everything he could think of to try to get past the brick wall she’d built around her heart.

From the first time he’d seen her, Ethan knew he had to get to know her. At first, he was convinced it was lust, but it didn’t take long for him to realize how special she was. And even less time to fall head over heels. And even though she wouldn’t admit it, she felt the same way. He’d caught the look on her face when she didn’t think he was watching too many times. But damn the woman wouldn’t give an inch. So determined to not commit. Wasn’t it supposed to be the guy who was afraid of commitment? What she didn’t realize yet was that he was just as stubborn. When he decided on something nothing and no one would deter him, and he wanted her by his side for the rest of their lives.  

They’d met while he was volunteering at the rehab clinic at the military hospital. After serving five years as a pilot in the Air Force, he couldn’t just walk away from his brothers and sisters and volunteered as much as his schedule would allow. But he’d needed to get out. Too many close calls and lost friends convinced him it was time to get out before he lost himself. There were things he’d seen he’d never be able to share with anyone, and they’d left permanent scars on his soul. He still suffered from the nightmares almost every night. The evenings he spent with Anna helped. He figured the happiness helped to override the memories on those nights.

The clinic was usually busy, and the afternoon he’d first met Anna was no exception. It was one of those moments that you know will always be as crystal clear as when they happened. It was corny, and he’d never admit it to Steele, his partner on the job and best friend, but it was like she’d been surrounded by light and sparkles. He tried to blame it on the sun shining through the glass doors as she wheeled her brother into the building. It didn’t take long for the bubble to pop when Tag mouthed off. He’d been a real son of a bitch then, but he hadn’t been out of the hospital for long and was still learning how to deal with the loss of his leg and arm.

Ethan had been about to go over and tell the guy to lay off. But before he could walk away from the Vet he’d been working with, Anna told Tag he needed to get over himself, and she’d had enough of his bullshit. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stop the bitching coming out of Tag’s mouth. He had to choke back a laugh when she’d turned around and left him in the middle of the check-in area and told him he could figure out another way home because she was too busy for his crap. She’d known exactly how to handle her brother—no pity. It was the best, they called it tough love, but really it was just telling him like it is, giving him the love he needed without babying him. Adjusting to losing a limb let alone two was never easy, but pity parties only made it worse, and Anna seemed to know that.

After that, he’d checked to see when Tag’s sessions were and made sure he was there as often as possible, and then made a point of talking to her each time. The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn. It had taken two months, and three days before she agreed to a date. But who was counting? He had Tag to thank for it, too. Now it was a year later and they were still moving at a snail’s pace. He still couldn’t get her to move in with him, leave some clothes at his place or let him leave some at her house. God forbid he should ask her to marry him. She’d probably get him booted out of town.

Tag told him she’d changed after the death of her fiancé. He’d been killed in action in Iraq. He’d volunteered for some secret mission and had never come home. It had pretty much destroyed her. He’d found out about Ryan’s death about a month before the IED almost killed him. And once he and Mac got back stateside, she’d made it her personal missions to take care of both of them. But it was obvious to him that she wasn’t the same Anna he’d grown up with. But he’d told Ethan not to give up on her either.

“Hey. Are you awake?  What did you get?” Her question brought him back to the present, and he realized he’d been staring at her instead of eating.

“Sorry. I was thinking. I got the same thing as you.”

“Couldn’t resist the call of the roast beef, could you? Thank you for doing this. It’s really great.” She took another bite of the sandwich, and he suppressed a groan as her tongue slid across her lower lip to pick up a bread crumb. Damn, didn’t she realize how sexy she was?

“Is everything okay?” Her question reminded him they didn’t have all day for him to be mooning over her. And proved she wasn’t the hard-boiled business woman she tried to be, she still had a soft gooey center.

“Yup, everything’s fine, and it’s my pleasure, baby. Any opportunity for some extra time with you is perfect. I figured it was worth the shot.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. There’s always so much to do.” Score. Win one for the Ethan man. She’d finally admitted she was working too much, at least he hoped that’s what she’d meant. Maybe he was making headway.

Watching her eat was getting to be painful. He had it bad, and he knew it. They’d been together the other night, but his body couldn’t get enough of her. He wanted to pull her out of her chair and into his arms. To kiss her soft lips, feel her fingers dig into his shoulders instead of the sandwich. Ugh. He needed a cold shower. Grabbing his sweet tea, he took a long drink to try to cool his rising libido. Now was definitely not the time. But later. Oh yeah, tonight would be different.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Her big chocolate brown eyes focused on his face like she was searching for something.

“Hell yeah. Starving.” He took a big bite, and she laughed. His eyes watered from the horseradish sauce he’d forgotten about. Damn. Way to impress the lady, asshat.

“Are you okay?” She couldn’t hide the laughter in her voice.

“Funny, huh? Yeah, I’m fine, just forgot about the horseradish sauce. I even asked for extra. What was I thinking?”

“Obviously not about that.” Her giggles made him happy. She spent too much time being serious.

“Obviously. How’s yours?”

“Delicious as always. Dixie is amazing.”

“Yes, she is. I hope she never decides to retire.”

“You and me both. Willow Haven just wouldn’t be the same. Dixie’s Place has been here as long as anyone can remember.”

“So, she was one of the original residents?”

“Her family was. They opened the little sandwich shop on the beach, but over the years it grew, and her parents bought the building she’s in today.”

“Was it always called Dixie’s?”

“Yes. It was her great-great-grandmother’s name, and there has been a woman from every generation who is named after her. Our Dixie is the fifth or sixth I think.”

“Wow. That’s cool. Does everyone know the history of this town like you do?”

“Probably not. I had it drummed into my head by my parents. It makes a better realtor if you know everything there is to know about the town. I doubt most people really care about half the stuff I know.”

“Maybe, maybe not. You never know. I guess I’ll have to start asking more questions.”

“Okay, but not now. You need to eat. Time is ticking away.” It was so easy to lose track of time with her. He could listen to her voice for hours, it was like smooth satin against his ears. He needed to concentrate, and by that, he meant eat his lunch and not stare at the women in front of him.

“How long is the open house?”

“Until four. Then I’ll have to go back to the office for a bit.”

“I thought I would cook for us tonight. If you give me the keys and alarm code, I’ll bring everything over to your place and have it ready when you get home?”

“Umm, how about yours and I’ll be over as soon as I can?”

“No way, I’m vetoing that option. I know you’ll be in the office until at least seven. It’s how you are, and I’d end up getting a phone call saying you worked too late and went to bed.”

Her eyes widened, then she arched an eyebrow. “You think you have me down, huh?”

“Yup. I know you want to see me. What I can’t understand is why you always have to fight it so hard.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back or kick himself, or maybe both. It was definitely not the time for this discussion, even if they needed to talk about it. They’d been dating for a year. He wanted more, and she kept holding back.

Her gaze turned frosty, and hints of gold glittered in the chocolate brown depths of her eyes. A sure sign she was pissed off. Why couldn’t he learn to keep his mouth shut? “I’m sorry. I know it’s not the time...”

“You’re right, it’s not. We need to clean up. I’m sure I’ll have buyers here soon.” And that was that. With one comment, she closed up tighter than an oyster, and he had no one to blame but himself.

“Anna, look…”

“It’s okay, I get it. I do. But I have to work now.”

“Okay. But I am sorry. I’ll have dinner ready by seven.” She was already standing and wrapping up the rest of her sandwich. At first, she didn’t answer, and he figured he was fucked, and she’d back out of their date. But after a long—too long—sip of her iced coffee, her eyes met his, and they’d softened again. Thank God. Maybe he hadn’t fucked it up totally yet.

“What are you making? Do you want me to stop and get anything on my way?”

“It’s a surprise. And nope, I’ll have everything we need.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Babe, where’s your sense of adventure?” But he already knew and wasn’t surprised when she raised that expressive eyebrow again as she took another sip.

The sound of a car parking in front of the house ended their little interlude. But Ethan figured the way it had been going it was for the best. He needed to do some major damage control later, or he might as well flush all the progress he’d been making right down the toilet. If nothing else, Anna kept him on his toes.