laughed, marveling at how much her friend had changed since meeting her kind, soft-spoken fiancé, Jaxon Dunham.
Seeing the time on her dashboard, she stepped out of the car and activated the alarm. “I have to go. We’ll talk later, okay?”
“Just make sure you’re at Diva’s Beauty Salon by three o’clock. It’s our last consultation before the wedding, and I need everyone in the bridal party there.”
“How can I forget when you programmed the appointment into my phone?” she teased, unable to resist poking fun at her friend. “Don’t worry, Bridezilla. I’ll be there.”
“Don’t hate. Congratulate!” Kim’s effervescent laugh filled the line. “I’m so excited about getting married I feel like I’m going to burst. I can’t wait to become Mrs. Jaxon Dunham.”
And, I can’t wait to see your handsome brother!
“Have a good one. I’ll see you later.” Robyn took out her earpiece, dropped it inside her handbag and adjusted her belted, raspberry-colored dress. It had a modest side split and a loose fit. Robyn wished she was wearing something tighter, something that played up her curves, but Sean had invited her to lunch at the end of their conversation that morning, and changing in the middle of the workday would have raised suspicion. Besides, this wasn’t a date. Kim and her older brother, Sean, had been at odds for months. He’d been estranged from his family ever since Kim was awarded control of the Belleza. They’d run into each other at a Colombian restaurant recently, but didn’t say more than a few words to each other. Enough was enough. In light of what was happening at the resort, Kim needed Sean now more than ever. Robyn had reached out to Sean, determined to reunite the embittered siblings, no matter what.
As Robyn strode through the parking lot, her conversation with Sean played in her mind. When she’d called to tell him about the suspicious incidents at the Belleza, he’d suggested they meet at a restaurant thirty minutes away from the resort. Ironically, the establishment was near The Pinnacle, the Belleza’s competitor, which was due to open at the end of the month. Robyn wondered if his choice was merely coincidental or if something sinister was going on, but she quickly dismissed that last thought. Spotting Sean’s car—a sleek, midnight-blue Porsche Boxer with personalized license plates that read CALILUV—parked beside the lamppost, she felt a rush of excitement. At the thought of him, her heart hammered in her chest, and a shiver ran down her spine.
Ignoring the deafening sound of her pulse, she straightened her shoulders and walked purposefully toward the restaurant. The sun was intense, raining down from the sky with unrelenting mercy, but Robyn didn’t mind the sweltering August heat. Though she was born and raised in New York and hadn’t moved to California until after her college graduation, Robyn couldn’t imagine ever living anywhere else. She loved swimming and surfing and spending hours at Laguna Beach, relaxing in the hot sun. But it had been weeks since she’d had a weekend off to enjoy those activities.
“Welcome to The Palms,” the hostess said, flashing a pageant smile.
Robyn was struck by the lively ambiance and decor. Framed paintings adorned the walls, decorative vases filled with tulips brightened the space, and waiters in classy white jackets hustled around the dining room, chatting and laughing with well-heeled patrons. Delicious aromas drifted out of the open kitchen, rousing Robyn’s appetite. Starving, she couldn’t wait to eat and searched the main-floor dining room for Sean.
“Are you dining alone?” the hostess asked.
“No, this gorgeous beauty is with me.”
At the sound of a familiar voice—a deep, husky baritone that incited illicit thoughts—her pulse quickened. She peered around the leafy bamboo plant and spotted Sean standing at the bar.
Robyn swallowed hard. He was difficult to miss, and not just because he was the tallest person in the room. The acclaimed chef had soulful eyes, a thin mustache and thick, juicy lips Robyn was desperate to taste again. Sean was thirty-three years old, but his expensive threads gave him a mature, dignified look. He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen in the flesh, but it was his boyish smile that made her swoon. Good God, he’s so dreamy I can hardly stand it.
Her eyes ate up every inch of him, all six feet three inches. Robyn couldn’t stop her gaze from sliding over his broad shoulders, and toned physique. Sean was working the hell out of his charcoal gray suit, and as he strode toward her, she realized he was even more handsome than she remembered. Perhaps quitting his job at the Belleza and getting away from the family fold had been good for him, she thought, returning his smile. Catching a whiff of his cologne, she let the refreshing scent wash over her.
“It’s great to see you again,” he said.
It is? Seriously? You really mean that?
Sean enveloped her in a hug and kissed her cheek. Heat flowed through her, caused her temperature to rise. Closing her eyes, she reveled in the moment, in his uncharacteristic—but welcomed—display of affection. He was a chef in a basketball player’s body, and feeling his muscular arms draped around her waist made Robyn tingle all over. His lips felt soft, warm against her skin, and his touch caused goose bumps to prickle her flesh.
“I’m glad you called. This reunion is long overdue.”
He released her much too soon for her liking, but she faked a smile to hide her disappointment. “How have you been?” She finally managed to find words to speak.
“Can’t complain,” he said. “I don’t have to ask how you’re doing. It’s obvious. I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re even more beautiful than you were eight months ago.”
His words triggered memories of fine wine, soft music and passionate kisses that had left Robyn breathless. Choosing to concentrate on the present, not the past, she broke free of her thoughts and took the arm Sean offered.
He winked at her, and a giggle tickled her throat. Robyn chided herself to get it together, to quit making eyes at her best friend’s brother. You’re a twenty-eight-year-old woman with a fantastic career and money in the bank, so why do you get nervous every time Sean’s around?
The hostess led them through the dining room, placed the menus on their corner table and sashayed back to her post. Seconds later, a brunette with a thick Spanish accent arrived with water glasses and a bread basket. “Would you like to hear the day’s specials?”
Robyn didn’t, but she listened patiently as the waitress spoke. The brunette chatted with Sean about the menu, then took their orders before moving on to the next table. Robyn was glad to see the waitress go, to finally have Sean all to herself. She hadn’t seen him in months and wanted to catch up with him.
Liar! her conscience shrieked. You’re here for another kiss. Just admit it.
“I’m glad you called,” Sean said. “I’ve thought a lot about you the last few months.”
Then, why didn’t you reach out to me? The thought reverberated in her head, but she didn’t have the guts to ask.
“I wanted to call you,” he continued, “but I didn’t think you’d speak to me.”
Why? Because we had too much to drink one night and made out like teenagers?
Her thoughts returned to that fateful night. After Kim had been awarded control
