I’m on the Amalfi Coast.
The whole day prior flies through my memory, snippets of time ending with my head on Reid’s shoulder as I doze off on the plane and the softness in his blue eyes as he walks me to my bedroom door in this insanely gorgeous villa.
“Sweet dreams, Jane,” he had whispered before slowly shutting the door and leaving me with a spiked pulse and a wide grin as I drifted off to sleep.
A smile touches my lips again now as I relive the moment, then look around at my room since I was much too distracted—and exhausted—to explore it last night when we finally got to the rental.
I never closed the curtains last night, thankfully, because I wake up to the view of a bright blue sky sparkling over tranquil waters outside the glass French doors across from my bed. The room isn’t large by any means, but it’s gorgeous with blue and white tile floors and dark wood furniture. Plus the view more than makes up for the size. I fling the soft white quilt off my bare legs and throw open the patio doors, letting a pleasant morning breeze roll in. It’s so dreamy here. The water sparkling. The buildings and homes are bright smatterings on the cliff in the distance.
The pounding sounds on the outside of my door again, and I jump at the sound. Oops that’s right. Someone’s here. With one last glance at the view, I stalk over to the door and fling it open. Reid is standing on the threshold wearing white linen shorts and a matching short-sleeved button up, a pair of dark sunglasses hang from the V of his collar that my eyes snag on. His closed hand is still in the air, halted as his eyes immediately dip down my body. I feel his stare on me as if it were his hands and a chill runs through me.
“Can I help you, Reid?” I clear my throat, fully blaming the hoarseness on it being first thing in the morning.
A smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. “Good morning to you too.” He extends a white ceramic cup to me that I didn’t realize he’d been holding. “For you. I know you need lethal amounts of espresso to begin your day.”
I accept the mug and immediately bring it to my lips, reveling in the smell of espresso and milk and?—
“Did you make me a caramel latte?”
He shrugs nonchalantly. “That’s still what you drink, right?”
“It is.”
A please smile brightens his face. “Good.”
Where I would’ve normally expected amusement or humor in his tone, today, it’s atlaced with something else. Something deeper. Something that, coupled with the way his eyes roam down my body, makes my toes curl. He finally clears his throat and looks up at me, dropping his hand and casually resting a broad shoulder against the dark doorframe. “As hot as you look in pink satin, I don’t think this little ensemble is going to be appropriate for today’s welcome party.”
Leave it to Kate to plan a welcome party on a catamaran. I’m not complaining, but still. Bougie.
My eyes search the room for a clock, but I come up short. “What time is it?” I ask Reid.
“9:30.”
“Crap.”
I spin on my heel, still cradling the latte, and search the tiny room for where I stashed my suitcase last night.
“Allow me,” Reid says, striding into the room and grabbing the suitcase from the corner and hoisting it onto the bed. I tilt my head to the side as I watch him. He pauses. “What?”
“You don’t need to help me.”
Reid waves me off. “Relax. Enjoy your latte. Let me help you.”
“What, are you going to pick out my outfit for me while I drink coffee on the bed?”
“If that’s what you want me to do, I’ll do it.”
I sit on the free sliver of bed that’s not overrun with my giant suitcase and extend my legs. Then I gesture to Reid in a “proceed” motion as I take a sip of coffee and feel like I can see color again as the caffeine makes its way through my body. Reid smirks and slowly draws the suitcase zipper. When he lifts the lid, he pauses, then looks to me with a look of delighted surprise. I raise my eyebrow at him as I take another slow sip.
Finally, he lifts another set of satin pajamas, this one a shade of pale blue with a lace trim aroundthe edges. “Why are you doing this to me?”
I don’t say anything. I just lift the cup to my lips again with a smirk.
He draws in a breath, squeezes his eyes shut, and gently deposits the set back in the suitcase like he doesn’t want them to see any damage. Then he roams through it in search of a swimsuit. He pulls out a light blue one and tosses it at me playfully. Then he finds the crochet cover-up dress I packed and tosses that at me too, this time hitting me in the side of the head. A playful laugh bubbles out of me, which in turn causes him to grin too.
“Okay, I think I can take it from here.” I swing my legs off the bed and set the mug down on the small antique table in the corner of the room.
“Are you sure? I can definitely help pick out shoes if you need.”
