“It’s at the nature reserve. They have a biotech lab to study why eggs aren’t hatching.” I find another broken shell and pop it in the bucket.
Finn pulls out more shell and drops it in the bucket. Our hands touch, shooting an electrical current up my arm, jolting my heart. I suck in a breath. He leans over the nest and claims my mouth. Any air I had in my lungs is sucked right out, leaving me breathless.
“I’ve thought about nothing else but these lips since our date,” he mumbles against my mouth, nibbling on my bottom lip.
I smile against his mouth, my stomach now a school of dolphins performing tricks. “I’ve missed you these last few days.”
“If I didn’t have to go out of town on business, I would’ve been here with you.” He kisses me again. “I wish we hadn’t arranged to go to dinner tonight. I just want to be alone with you.”
I giggle against his mouth. “I don’t want to make a bad impression with your family and bail, but you can have me for the rest of the night.”
That seems to satisfy him and he goes back toexcavating the nest, picking out more broken shell. “What’s this?” He pulls out a baby turtle covered in sand.
“Oh wow. We have a baby straggler.” My heart swells at how carefully he cradles the turtle in his palms.
“Hey, little guy.” He looks at me with a wide smile on his face. “What do we do with him?”
“We can let him start his journey into the ocean.”
Finn looks down the runway we made for the turtles. The tide is out, and the sea seems like an awfully long way away. “I’ll hang on to him and take him down to the ocean myself.”
My heart soars. I misjudged him as another rich frat boy, but once I dived deeper, I discovered he’s so much more than that. I want to know everything about him and uncover all his layers.
Finn scoops up some sand into an empty bucket, then gently places the turtle inside. I have the urge to kiss him again, so I lean over and kiss his cheek, the stubble on his jaw scratching my skin, reminding me of our first kiss. “You’re so cute.”
He chuckles, but kisses my lips. “You’re the cute one.” His fingers graze the bare skin on my exposed stomach where my t-shirt ties in a knot. “Especially when you wear your top like this.” His hand slips around my waist and grabs my ass, covered in my denim cut-offs. “Do you know what you do to me in this little outfit you wear?”
“Oh look, we have another live one.”
Finn helps the little guy out of the sand with the gentlest of touches. Lifting the turtle into the palm of his hand, he strokes the tiny head as if he’s petting a kitten.
Not only can the man melt panties, but he’s melted my heart. My dad always says you can tell a man’s character by how they treat animals, and how Finn is with this turtle shows he’s a good egg.
My tummy flutters as my mind gets carried away with thoughts of settling down with this man and building our own nest. The better I know him, the more beautiful qualities I discover.
“Don’t be nervous.” Finn takes my hand in his, preventing me from wiping my clammy palms down my crochet lace white boho dress. Tassels and shells clink together at my bust when I walk, along with my white heeled sandals clicking against the tiled floor.
“I feel like I should’ve worn the linen trousers. Is this too much?” With my other hand clutching my shell purse, I lift the floaty maxi dress at the hem as we step into the country club.
“You look beautiful. Don’t worry.” His lips press to my temple. “It’s very you and I wouldn’t have you dress any other way.” His lips lift in the corner. “Apart from that wet lace you were sporting on our date.”
My shoulders relax a little. I grip his hand as he leads me through the foyer of the club. The restaurant is all white linen and silver cutlery with crystal glassware.
A man stands, looking very much like an older version of Finn with a salt-and-pepper beard. The woman by his side looks not much older than me.
Finn raises his hand, his dusky-blue blazer rising to reveal a silver cufflink. He looks every part of the rich upper class that goes here, and I’m like a fish out of water.
“Just be yourself.” Finn’s smile warms my heart. He guides me to the table. “Shelly, this is my father, Alex, and this is his girlfriend,Cordelia.”
His father steps forward and kisses me on the cheek. “Nice to meet you, Miss Myrtle.”
“Thank you, and same to you, sir.” I shake the woman’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Cordelia.”
She waves a hand in the air. “Call me Delia, hon.”
We sit down. The waiter brings a menu and there isn’t much choice for me except the avocado caprese salad.
Finn places his hand on my thigh, his thumb stroking soothing circles over the material of my dress.
