Beach Colors by Shelley Noble Read Free Book Online Page B

face—strong jaw, sculpted cheekbones—remained passive, Margaux swore she could see amusement in his eyes. And she could actually see his eyes; they were a deep rich chocolate. He was more approachable with those smiling eyes and she smiled back in spite of her intention to act aloof.
    He started wading toward her, came to stand right below her, which put his head on the same level as her butt. She shifted her position, which she realized wasn’t much better.
    “We seem to be running into each other a lot,” she ventured. God, where was the sophisticated woman she’d been only days ago?
    “It’s a small town, remember?”
    “Of course I remember, it hasn’t been that long since I’ve been back.”
    “No? How long?”
    She shrugged. It really was none of his business and besides she couldn’t concentrate with him standing so close to her. Get a grip, he’s the chief of police.
    “A few years, five maybe—eight—ten. And I certainly didn’t expect anyone to be swimming. You must be freezing.”
    “What, you could tell by the goose bumps?” His mouth quirked up on one side.
    She looked at his arms. They were covered with goose flesh. Her eyes drifted to his chest. They shouldn’t have. He was very buff and the cold had made everything tight.
    He hoisted himself onto the boulder, biceps swelling as they took his weight. Margaux moved back. To keep from getting dripped on, she told herself.
    “Swim here a lot?” she asked weakly.
    His face broke into a true smile and Margaux’s stomach did a little butterfly two-step. Was this the same uptight cop who’d given her a ticket? Maybe he had a twin. An evil twin who was making her feel things she hadn’t even considered for a long time. And had no right to be considering now.
    “Ever since I was a kid.”
    Margaux nodded. She really needed to keep the distance between them. But she just felt like smiling.
    “We used to climb up to these rocks and watch the summer girls lying out on Little Crescent Beach.”
    “We did that, too,” Margaux blurted. “Watch the townie boys, I mean.” She jerked her head. “But over on the other side.”
    “I know.” He moved closer.
    Margaux’s breath caught, her senses alert, but he merely leaned past her to peer at the Crescent Beach side of the jetty.
    He moved back into his own space and Margaux felt a traitorous stab of disappointment.
    “You were one of those girls?”
    “Yes,” she said without thinking. “I mean. You knew we were watching you?”
    “Of course. Teenage boys have radar when girls are around.”
    Margaux tried to think back. Surely she would have remembered him. But the past had melted into an impression, all soft lines and pastel colors. She couldn’t pick him out from the others, she couldn’t even remember how many there were.
    “And never the twain shall meet,” he said.
    “A cliché.”
    “Kipling.”
    “I mean how you’re using it. Town people, summer people. We’re not so very different.”
    “Right. You should look at it from this side of the jetty—a townie’s point of view.”
    “My father was a townie.”
    “But you weren’t.”
    He was right. Townies, summer people. She was neither. She didn’t belong here. She should never have left Manhattan. Without warning, dark panic swelled inside her, threatened to drown her.
    “I have to go.” She stood up abruptly, which was stupid because now the rock was wet where he’d dripped all over it. Her foot slipped and she fumbled to save her sketchbook.
    Nick sprang to his feet, grabbed her arms, and steadied her.
    They were standing so close that when she looked up, her hair brushed his chest. His muscles flexed, Margaux’s skin tingled, and she felt that ache deep inside her. Neither of them moved. She was standing half risen on her toes, but she couldn’t tell if Nick was holding her there or whether she had raised herself in order to offer her mouth.
    She was definitely going stark raving mad, but she didn’t