Falling for Love by Marie Force Read Free Book Online Page A

about you.”
    If only he knew. “No, there isn’t.”
    “Whatever you say. You didn’t answer the question.”
    Laura wanted to pretend like she didn’t know what he meant, but acting coy had never been her thing. “I’ve made a few clunkers. Especially lately.”
    “Well, if you’re looking to regroup, you’ve come to the right place. Gansett is known for its restorative powers.”
    “Is that so?”
    Nodding, he said, “You might want to stick around for a while.”
    “Why’s that?”
    “Because last night, the McCarthys talked me into staying until Columbus Day to play the Tiki Bar at the marina—six whole weeks in one place.” He shuddered dramatically. “It’d be a lot more interesting if you’re here, too.”
    Laura eyed him skeptically. “If you say so. Thanks for the tour.”
    Owen walked her to the front door. “My pleasure. I hope I’ll see you again soon.”
    Unsure of how to reply to that, she put on her hood and zipped her raincoat for the walk back to her aunt and uncle’s house. The hour with Owen had been one of the more enjoyable that she’d spent since her life was ripped apart.
    He’d given her a lot to think about.
     
    If not for the storm, Grant might’ve skipped the gathering at Mac’s house. Sitting alone in a dark house had given him far too much time to think, so he headed to the marina. Back in the day, he would’ve used the unexpected free time to work on the screenplay of the moment. But lately, the words just weren’t there. He kept expecting them to come back. They’d been so much a part of him for his entire life that the silence of their absence was overwhelming.
    If he allowed himself to think too much about whether or not they’d ever come back, he’d lose what was left of his mind. The words had made him special. They’d given him something most other people didn’t have. Without them, he was nothing—a thought that filled him with irrational panic. It was definitely better not to think about it.
    As he drove, he told himself he was going to refill the generator with gas, check on the boats and make sure the marina was withstanding the storm. But underneath it all, he wanted to check on Stephanie. Thinking of her alone in the dark at the deserted marina bothered him for some strange reason.
    She was a pain in the ass, no doubt about it, but his mother had raised him right, and he’d rather not feel guilty about her being alone when she could be with his family and friends. Even though Mac had invited both of them earlier, Grant was quite certain Stephanie wouldn’t go to the party on her own.
    He parked outside the main building and pulled the hood up over his head to take a quick walk down the main pier. The few remaining boats bobbed and rolled, but they all seemed securely tied, so Grant turned into the wind to hustle back the way he’d come. The rain was almost painful as it beat against his face. Using his key, he let himself into the main building and shook off the wetness in the vestibule.
    Still dripping, he stepped into the restaurant and found Stephanie at one of the tables, poring over a pile of papers with a battery-powered light illuminating the vast space. Howling wind had the old wood building creaking and straining, and Grant was grateful that Mac had recently replaced the roof. At least it was dry.
    Despite the howling and creaking, Stephanie was completely absorbed in whatever she was doing. Grant couldn’t help but notice how vulnerable she seemed as she was nearly dwarfed by the huge stack of papers. She had her head propped in the palm of her hand, and her lips moved as she read, which was oddly adorable. Her neck was long and graceful, which spurred yet another memory from the night before—of worshiping the soft skin on her neck with openmouthed kisses that had made her moan.
    Before his body could react to the images that accompanied the memory, Grant cleared his throat and stepped into the room.
    She looked up, startled and