Blaze’s hand settled low against her back as they walked together along the waterfront beneath glowing lights and passing crowds. Music drifted faintly from nearby bars while couples wandered the harbor holding hands beneath strings of white lights reflected against the water.
And for the first time… nobody recognized them.
Without gossip, whispers, or nosy Sheraton Beach residents pretending not to stare while collecting information for tomorrow morning’s breakfast conversations.
It was just the two of them.
The night suddenly felt private in a way Johanna hadn’t realized she needed.
“You like being away from home,” he murmured as if he’d read her mind.
Johanna glanced out toward the harbor. “I like not feeling observed every five seconds.”
A grin spread across his lips. “Too late. I got my eyes on you.”
Lord help her.
The man flirted as naturally as he walked. And somehow he managed to do it without sounding rehearsed.
Blaze guided her toward an upscale seafood restaurant overlooking the water where warm golden light spilled through massive windows and soft jazz drifted into the street every time the front door opened.
The hostess greeted them when they stepped inside. After checking the reservations, she said, “Mr. Carter, your table is ready.”
Johanna looked sharply toward Blaze as they followed the hostess deeper into the restaurant. “You made reservations.”When did he start doing that?
Blaze looked genuinely offended by the question. “Baby, I flew you to another state. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t make reservations?”
The laugh that escaped her turned heads nearby.
And Blaze—
Lord.
Blaze looked entirely too satisfied hearing it.
Their table overlooked the harbor, candlelight flickering softly between them while the city shimmered outside beneath the night sky. The atmosphere felt intimate without trying too hard, and Johanna found herself relaxing around Blaze without constantly bracing for emotional impact.
Conversations came easier now. Like the years apart had finally stopped sitting between them at the table.
Johanna laughed halfway through dessert while Blaze told a story about Ryan nearly falling into the marina after too many drinks during a firehouse fundraiser.
“I know you’re lying.”
“I swear to God.”
“There’s no way.”
Blaze leaned back grinning. “That man was out there fighting for his life in three feet of water.”
Johanna laughed harder, leaning forward against the table while Blaze watched her with that same mesmerizing expression he always wore whenever she relaxed around him completely.
The look unsettled her every single time.
Because Blaze looked at her like her happiness mattered to him.
“You know what?” she said while studying him across the candlelight.
A few months ago, she would have sworn she'd never sit across from Blaze Carter again, let alone enjoy herself this much. Yet here she was, smiling until her cheeks hurt and wishing the night would slow down.
