It was just a thin stream of bright sunlight, a persistent ray that had found its way past the nearly imperceptible opening between the curtains, but it managed to find a path directly to my face as I turned on my pillow. I opened my eyes and lifted my arm in front of them to block the light.

It took me a second to recognize the room and remind myself I was at the Silk Stocking Inn. I turned over and looked at the empty space next to me. The pillow was still concave from his head, and the sheets were twisted around the quilt, but the man, himself, was gone.

Stop, Ginger, no disappointment, I warned myself. You jumped into this fully aware of the consequences. There had never been any commitment made other than the determination to have a good time together. And that we had.

The aroma of rich coffee brought me fully into consciousness. My entire body ached with fatigue as I sat up. It was a combination of rowing a canoe, struggling to stay alive in a storm churned sea and then the wonderfully healing activities that had followed my nightmare in the water. The tenderness between my legs reminded me of just how much activity there had been. I never did anything half-assed, that was for damn sure. With work always my top priority and a severe lack of appealing men in my life, I’d basically given up on ever having a sex life again. But it seemed I’d made up for the last year of celibacy in one extremely titillating twenty-four hour period.

My legs felt wobbly as I stepped onto the cold floor. I took a step and kicked a fluffy pink slipper. Coco had apparently slipped into my room to leave me slippers and a tray of coffee and pastries. How she managed to do these things without me hearing or noticing her, I’d never understand. Just like I’d never understand exactly how I’d managed to end up at an inn and cove that I’d never heard of in my life until now.

The slippers felt like warm clouds as I pushed my feet into them and shuffled over to the coffee. As hard as I tried to keep it from my mind, I knew today was Sunday. I would have to head home and eventually spend a dreary evening in front of the computer catching up on some work. I poured myself a cup of coffee and sipped it as I stared at the empty bed.

Turner and I had spent an hour leaning over the kitchen island, eating hot apple cobbler and talking about our lives. My cynical self kept waiting for him to do or say something that would turn me sour on him, but it never happened. He was all charm and charisma, and he was extremely smart. To have all of that wrapped up in a breathtaking package was almost too hard to believe. I glanced around the room and then out at the crystal blue water of the cove. It was almost as if I’d dreamt up the entire weekend. If it hadn’t been for the tender ache in my pussy and the one in my heart, I’d swear that the whole damn thing had just been an amazing erotic fantasy.

I had no idea what time Coco needed me to vacate the room. Once I did, I had no place to go except home. Would I see Turner again? Was that it? Had he crept out this morning, making sure not to wake me so he didn’t have to say good-bye? That thought left me feeling so deflated, I sat down hard on the chair. I stared at the delicious pastries and wondered if I would be able to work up any appetite. The almond coated bear claw was definitely favoring me with a flirtatious smile.

I broke off a corner, deciding I could possibly choke down a few bites. I shoved it in my mouth, and as with everything Coco baked, an explosion of flavor helped revive my spirits. I had no one but myself to blame for feeling despondent. I knew darn well that this was just a weekend fling, an incredible weekend fling, of course, but I needed to face reality. Turner had obviously calculated that I would be just an overlong one night stand and that as soon as the sun broke on Sunday I’d be gone. It was really the perfect situation for a man like him. No commitment required. A horrible notion that he might have spent many nights in the very same room with other women sent a cold chill through me. What the hell had I done? I dropped the chunk of pastry and slumped back against the chair.

A knock on the door made me sit forward. My heart jumped, and for a brief second, I thought Turner had returned. But Coco’s lyrical tone floated through the door.

“May I come in?”

I cleared my throat to wash away the edge of disappointment. “Yes, of course, Coco. I’m just having some of your delicious baked goods.”

Coco walked inside. Creases around her eyes seemed to smooth away with each step and each step became springier with youth. “How are the pastries?” She looked down at the plate. “Why you’ve hardly touched them. The lemon curd pastry is my favorite.”

I feigned an enthusiastic smile and reached for the lemon pastry. “By the way, the lobster pot pie and apple cobbler made for one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Luxurious comfort food that I won’t soon forget.” Along with the company, I thought to myself.

“I’m so glad you enjoyed it.”

“I’ll just finish breakfast and be out of your way, Coco. I’m sure you need the room.”

Her brows knitted together. “You’re leaving so early?”

“I really should get back home. I need to do laundry and catch up on some things before the start of the work week.” I took a bite and as expected, the pastry was delicious. I washed the bite down with some coffee.

“That’s a shame. Turner will be disappointed.”

My face shot up from my plate. “Turner?” I had to work at tamping down the excitement in my tone. “Is he here?”

“Oh no, he headed out on the Pickled Pepper early this morning. Fishing is always best at dawn.”

My shoulders sank. “Oh, I see.” But I really couldn’t make sense of her statement. Why would he be disappointed when he wasn’t going to be around anyhow? I took another bite of pastry, but my stomach was having none of it. “This is wonderful food, Coco, but I ate so much last night, I’m just not that hungry.”

“No problem.” She began shifting the plates on the tray to carry it downstairs.

“I’m just going to hop in and take a shower.”

“That’s fine. I left some clothes for you in the bathroom this morning. You’re still welcome to wear them even if you aren’t going to the island with Turner.”

I stopped halfway to the bathroom and turned around. “Island?”

She stopped her task long enough to look up at me. “Yes, that’s why he’ll be disappointed. He planned to pick you up in the cove and take you on a boat ride to his island.” She smiled. “It’s really more a chunk of land in the middle of the ocean, but he’s doing a really nice job with the beach hut. Should be quite the paradise once it’s done. But since you have to get back home to do laundry . . . I’ll let him know.”

“Uh, maybe I was being a little hasty. I’m sure the laundry can wait.”

“Great.” Coco’s smile radiated through the room. She picked up the tray and I rushed to get the door for her. “Turner said he’d pick you up on the beach at ten.” She winked at me as she walked past. “I’m glad you decided to stay.”