“I don’t own the bench.” I shrugged, sliding over to leave plenty of distance between us, instantly regretting the separation.

“I just need to catch my breath.” He huffed a bit before resting his elbows on his knees, breathing slowly and deliberately.

“If jogging is this difficult, why do you even bother?” I asked flippantly, then covered my mouth when I realized how nasty I’d sounded. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude. It’s been a busy two days.”

“That’s quite all right. I often ask myself the same question when I get dressed to come out here. But after a while I get lost in the rhythm and remember how good it makes me feel.” His smile brightened as he spoke. “It’s just that my life got complicated, and I haven’t been out here for a little while.”

“Oh, sorry,” I offered, unsure of what to say next. He looked like he wanted to spend time chatting, but I just wanted some time to myself to reflect on how the interview had gone. Donnie had asked me to call him the minute I was finished, but I couldn’t very well do that with a dark-haired stranger sitting next to me, listening to my personal business. No, I needed to excuse myself before I got sucked in.

“You look distressed. Everything okay there, honey?” I grimaced at the term of endearment.

“What did you just call me?” He looked as if he didn’t understand my question. “Why did you call me ‘honey’? You don’t even know me.”

“Because of your hair. It reminds me of the honey jar sitting on my mom’s kitchen counter.” He shrugged. “I didn’t mean to offend you. You just appear to have a lot on your mind. I don’t mind listening if you want to share.”

“I don’t normally open up to people I don’t know,” I replied skeptically.

“Sometimes talking to a stranger can be better than to someone you know, kind of like a judgment-free zone.”

“Maybe.” I shifted my feet nervously on the sandy surface beneath me. “I just feel a little unsettled, like I should be doing something exciting with my life. I came out to L.A. for a job interview. I’m a twenty-four-year-old chef, graduated at the top of my class, and I have a successful job I love back home. I think I aced my interview, but now I’m terrified that the owner won’t offer me the job. Other than my best friend back home, there isn’t a whole lot to keep me there. So far, I love this city, even though I’ve been here less than a day and haven’t seen much of it. On top of everything else, I’m surrounded by thousands of people, and I’ve never felt so lonely in my life.”

He sat staring, as if uncertain of what to say. I knew I had just laid a lot on him, but he’d offered to listen. The longer the silence drew on, the more exposed I felt. Finally, he spoke up, choosing to ignore my comment about feeling lonely.

“If you aced the interview, why wouldn’t the owner call you back?” His dark brow furrowed in confusion.

“I didn’t meet with him today; he’s off in London, so I met with his general managers instead. Honestly, I don’t know how it all works. When I graduated from culinary school, I was whisked right into a successful restaurant, and I haven’t had to do any of this before; my work has always spoken for me.”

“I’m sure you were awesome.” He smiled warmly, and a small dimple formed to the left of his mouth. I couldn’t help but stare.

“How can you say that? You don’t even know me,” I said, rolling my eyes, yet unable to hide my smile.

“Well then, let’s change that, shall we? I’m Sebastian.” He held out a large hand for me to shake; I accepted it tentatively. The electric charge I felt when our skin connected was enough to make me hold my breath. The butterflies bounced wickedly off the sides of my empty stomach. His hand engulfed mine; it was strong, and I felt the hint of small calluses at the tip of each finger as our hands reluctantly pulled apart.

“Brooke,” I offered shyly. Sebastian? Slowly, my mind began assembling the pieces together, eyes widening slightly as I finally realized just whom it was I had been chatting with. Sebastian Miles, lead singer and songwriter of the rock band Paradox, my favorite band in the entire universe. No freaking way! I smiled carefully, trying my best not to give away the fact I had recognized him. I didn’t want him to think I was a crazed fan. Besides, he seemed to like the fact that I didn’t fawn all over him. Maybe he preferred the anonymity; I knew I would. I could only assume how difficult it was to be someone in his shoes; aside from the money and fame, there had to be a huge downside to losing your freedom.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Brooke; now we’re no longer strangers. As I was saying, I am sure you did a great job.” I stared at him incredulously before shaking my head.

“I see what you did there.” I nudged him gently with my elbow. “But thank you. It means a lot to hear it, even if you don’t know a thing about me.”

“Let’s change that as well. Where are you from?”

I pondered his question, uncertain if it was wise to share my personal information with him, celebrity or not. He raised his brow as if asking the question once more.

“Michigan. I flew in yesterday and head back tonight.”

“Whirlwind trip. Be careful, the jet lag can be harsh. Michigan, huh? Never been. What’s it like there?”

“Cold right now, but beautiful. The lakes are amazing, and I love camping up north,” I replied, smiling fondly at the memories of my last trip to Lake Michigan.

“You have a beautiful smile, Brooke.” I felt the blush spreading rapidly across my face, and immediately my hands flew up to cover my cheeks. “Aw, don’t hide. You’re even prettier when you blush.” He leaned forward, lifting a lock of hair from my face. As he tucked it behind my ear, his fingers brushed lightly over the sensitive skin below my earlobe. I shivered uncontrollably at his touch and immediately blushed again.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

“Well, it was very nice meeting you, Sebastian.” I held out my hand for a parting shake, and he cocked his head slightly before realization spread across his face. I wanted him to leave. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy his company; I honestly did. It was more of what I felt by him being this close to me. I felt a sense of longing, a feeling I hadn’t recalled in years. Suddenly having him that close to me left me feeling raw and exposed, as if he could read my thoughts just by the reddening of my painfully pale cheeks. Damn my inability to hide my true feelings.

He grasped my hand gently, his reach appearing tentative this time, before he pulled it up to his lips and placed a delicate kiss on the back.

“It was delightful to meet you too, Brooke. I hope everything works out for you. Who knows, maybe you’ll get the job and I’ll see you around again.” He gave me a wink, and I watched as he jogged down the pier, away from me. The afternoon was already starting to look up.

I turned and made my way back to the edge of the parking lot, from where I had entered. I pulled out my phone to call Jade; she would die when she heard who had just spent the past twenty minutes with me. After five rings, she didn’t answer, so I hung up, neglecting to leave a message, and slipped my phone back into the small pocket inside my shorts. I made my way down the wooden path that led me to the parking lot, completely unaware of my surroundings, totally caught up in my thoughts, which was why I didn’t see them.

“Hey, baby, where are you headed in such a hurry?” Fear crept up my spine and made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I looked at both of the men and knew there was no way I could get away. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words never made it past my lips, when everything around me went black.