A look of pure incredulity passed over his face before morphing into a grin.

“So, tell me about the wedding,” I said.

“It’s in three weeks, and my entire family is in a frenzy.”

“I know the feeling. I’ve got two sisters and a brother, and they’re all married. We all had wedding fever before every event. My mom was freaking out before each one. How is yours faring?”

He set his lips in a firm line. “My parents died in a car crash when I was a teenager.”

“Oh. I’m sorry for your loss.”

He nodded, focusing on his taco. I wanted to lighten up the mood again.

“I hope there isn’t a singles’ table at the wedding. They should be banned. I went through that horror once.”

He barked out a laugh. “There isn’t. My family isn’t that cruel.”

“Neither is mine. Just clueless. My brother got married first, and they had that terrible table. My sisters were also single at the time. We still torment him about it. He’s since paid for his sins, but we’re evil little things.”

Will scrutinized me in silence for a few seconds, as if he was trying to make up his mind about something.

“What are you doing Saturday in three weeks?”

I grimaced. “Trying to weasel out of a meeting with some high school classmates.”

“High school not your favorite scene?”

“Not really.” 

“My sister’s wedding is that Saturday. How would you feel about going with me?”

“Very funny,” I said. He wasn’t smiling. “Wait, you’re serious?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you take someone you don’t know?”

He moved closer. Our arms were touching, and it had the inexplicable effect of making my entire body heat up.

“I know essential information. You blatantly disregard speed limits and have a sassy streak a mile long. Plus, a wedding is a good excuse to give to your high school crowd.” He winked, looking at me expectantly. I was a little stunned, and I scrambled to gather my wits. I was so very tempted to say yes.

“That’s very flattering, but... no offense, I barely know you. Why do you need to take anyone anyway? Go alone.”

“I risk giving my cousin Pippa a reason to exercise her matchmaking skills.”

I cocked a brow, taking a swig of my soda. “You’re asking me to be your protector?”

“Not how I would put it.” He shifted his weight on the leg closest to me, bending slightly at the waist, towering over me. The effect was overpowering. Fire danced in those deep brown eyes as if daring me to say no. Which I did, of course.

“Answer’s no. I still don’t know you.” I liked him, and I’d had a lot of fun this evening. But I’d still met him just two days ago. “And I should get going.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

“I Ubered here.”

“Where are you going? I can drop you off.”

“I’m headed to Venice. Is that on your way?”

He nodded, but I hesitated.

“I’ve never been on a bike.”

“Come on, first time for everything. Including going to a wedding with a guy you just met.”

I laughed as we crossed the street to his bike. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Detective.”

“When do you have to be there?” he asked.

“I’m meeting someone at a bar near the beach in forty minutes.”

His posture changed. The easy smile from before faded. He shrugged out of his jacket as we reached the bike.

“Just one protective jacket. You’re getting it.”

“The jacket is about five sizes too large.”

“It’ll protect you anyway.”

I put the jacket on, then a helmet. He had two of those. I felt like RoboCop as I climbed behind him on the bike.

“Hold on tight,” he said after I told him the address.

Oh, yeah. Guess what holding on to him meant? I got to keep my palms on the front of his torso. The six-pack complemented his biceps just right. I had to really work at keeping my hands still. I wanted to touch more.... How did he get so ripped? My arms were pressing in on his waist. He didn’t have an ounce of fat.

Will Connor was pure muscle.

Riding a bike was an adrenaline rush; there was no other way to put it. The speed, feeling the wind on my legs. My dress was loose enough that I could spread my thighs comfortably but not be afraid the wind would blow it away. I had the craziest impulse to take my helmet off, feel the wind against my face and in my hair, but I knew it wasn’t safe.

I held on even tighter when Will took a narrow turn, bending the bike at an angle that made me break out in a sweat.

We came to a stop in front of my meeting point with Luna all too soon. I climbed down, careful not to flash Will my underwear, then took off the helmet and the jacket. I smelled a bit like Will now.

Luna was waiting in front of the bar. Her jaw hung loose when she noticed me getting off the bike. Her gaze moved between Will and me.

“Detective, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon,” she told Will.

I held up the bag. “He helped me pick an alarm for the inn.”

“Want to join us for a drink?” she asked.

“Just the two of you out for girls’ night?”

“Yes,” I confirmed.

Will held his hands up, but his smile was back. “I have it on good authority that crashing a girls’ night isn’t a good idea. My sisters drilled it deep in my mind.”

Luna crossed her arms over her chest. “I like you.”

I liked him too. Very much so.

“I insist,” Luna continued. “One cocktail on us?”

“We don’t want to keep you,” I said. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’m sure you have plans.”

Will flashed me a devastating smile. I could feel one knee weaken, then the other. He was concocting a plan. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it had to do with me.

“I don’t. One cocktail.” That deep baritone voice was exquisite. “Why not?”

One cocktail turned into two, then three. All nonalcoholic for Will. I was mixing it up. The bar was crowded, but we found a table for two. It was tiny, and the three of us crammed around it rather awkwardly. Will was sitting next to me.

He was fun to be around. He knew how to keep the conversation going, shared a lot about himself without dominating the conversation. I learned that in addition to three sisters and two brothers, he also had a one-year-old niece and an eight-year-old nephew that he was quite fond of. He was the son of the sister who was getting married.

Then he told Luna about the wedding, and his relative’s propensity for matchmaking. I was wondering why he brought it up, when he said, “I asked Paige here to go with me and save my ass, but she declined.” 

Luna blinked. “Why would you say no?”

“My thoughts exactly,” Will replied.

Well, well, will you look at that. The good detective was playing dirty. 

“I’ll let you ponder that, Detective. Some soul searching now and then is healthy, I’ve heard.” I fished a cherry from the bottom of my glass, looking at him over the rim. Sometime during the exchange, he’d moved his hand to the backrest of my seat. One of my shoulder blades was pressing into his bicep. He laid his palm at the end of my other shoulder blade.

“I’ll put in a good word for you,” Luna informed him.

“I’d appreciate that, Luna,” he said, without taking his eyes off me. He was drumming his fingers on my back, and the muscles strummed tightly together. 

“I’ll get going and leave you to enjoy the rest of your girls’ night. Paige, let me know if you need help installing the alarm.”

As he pushed his chair back, our thighs touched. The contact electrified me, sending a bolt of heat from the tips of my breasts right to my center.

“Have fun,” he called before he left. I had a feeling it wasn’t the last time I’d be seeing Will Connor. 

“Holy Moses,” Luna exclaimed. “That’s one hot man. Wanna tell me why you’re not going to the wedding with him?”

“I just met him.”

Luna slurped from her cocktail, rolling her eyes. “I think we can rule out him being a serial killer. He’s asked you to a wedding, not a dark alley.”

“I know. But he’s just... I don’t know. Kind of cocky, asking a woman you just met to a wedding.”

“Honey, a man who looks like him can afford to be cocky. Why don’t you tell me the real reason you’re not all over him? You were saying the other night that you’d like to give dating a real shot. Here comes a bachelor who looks like a god, and has a sense of humor and a good job. Explain yourself, friend.” 

I pondered this. “I think I’d prefer dating someone whose job doesn’t include the possibility of getting hurt.”

“Oh,” Luna said softly.

“I don’t know... it’s silly. I just don’t like that kind of worry.” Luna would know all about it. We’d been friends since the time my dad was still in the Army.

“Well, it makes more sense than you not being into the kind of hotness Will Connor has going on. I wonder if he’s got a six-pack.” 

“He does,” I confirmed. “Felt them when we were on the motorcycle. Had a great excuse.”

Luna raised her glass. “That’s my girl. How’s the inn coming along? Found a handyman?”

“Sent requests to three, waiting to hear about their prices. I’ve made a list of repairs needed—that I could tell, at least. It won’t come cheap. I also want a new coat of paint. Apparently newly painted spaces haul a 5 percent higher price on average.”

“Thank God you don’t have to live there. Living in a place that’s being renovated is my own personal hell.”

Luna had renovated her house last year.

“Was worth it though. I’m still jealous of your place.”

We hung out another two hours at the bar, long after happy hour passed. I’d missed this. In Paris, I’d made a few friends, but I’d never grown as close to anyone as I was to Luna and Faith.

Once we both decided we’d had enough cocktails, we each hopped in a cab.

But by the time I arrived at my apartment, I felt wide awake. So instead of slipping into bed, I started sorting through some old clothes I planned to donate. I should have done this in Paris instead of hauling everything with me, but I hadn’t had time. I set aside a scarf I knew Mom would like, and a lace cardigan. I ended up with a sizable pile of clothes for charity. I filled my largest suitcase with them, which I set by the entrance door, and looked around at my home. I hadn’t wanted to let go of this apartment, so I’d sublet it while I was away. The apartment was in a two-story U-shaped building that boasted an inner courtyard with ferns, small palm trees, and a pergola. The living room was small, but the white kitchen appeared more spacious than it was. As a plus, it boasted a walk-in pantry where I stored clothes.

The occupants hadn’t been careful. Some walls were chipped in places, others had grease stains. My mother had suggested I find another place to live when she’d seen it. She’d also made another offhand comment that had stuck with me.

“Oh, honey, Dad and I bought our house when we were your age. And we had you a few months later.”

The thought that I wasn’t moving forward was nagging at me. I’d peaked in my career two years ago. I’d rejoiced at the time because I’d been the youngest development director in the company. But the next career jump was only possible if my boss quit, and honestly, I didn’t want Greg’s job. I liked mine. On a personal level, I’d had two “serious” relationships before moving to Paris, but I’d never seen those going anywhere. I hadn’t felt either was the one. I was in a funk, that much was clear. But thinking about it in the middle of the night was only going to make it harder to fall asleep. I walked across the cream-colored tile to my bedroom, which was as girly as it got. Most of my sheets were a shade of pink, or flowery.

I had one more thing to do before going to bed: put the alarm in my tote so I wouldn’t forget it in the morning. I grabbed the package, and when I turned it around, I laughed. Will had written his number with a black marker under the instructions.

Here is my number again, just in case. Call me if you need help with the alarm. ;) These things are hard to install.