Page 40 of Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

What secret was so dark, so dangerous, that murder was the only answer to keep it hidden?

A knock on my door made me yelp. I chastised myself. It had to be the room service I ordered. Thinking about murder had me

jumpy. I closed and locked the glass doors, then went to the peephole and did a double take.

Jason.

I opened the door. “I—Jason. Hi.”

Smooth, Mia. Very smooth.

“Are you okay? I heard what happened tonight.”

He tilted my chin up and looked at me closely. The intimacy of the gesture surprised and warmed me. “You’re hurt.” He touched

one of the cuts on my cheek. “Did you see the nurse? I can send her over.”

“I’m fine.” My voice squeaked as his touch was more intimate and sweet than I expected. “I’m sorry I canceled on you tonight.

I’m glad you’re here.”

“I can’t stay,” he said. “I wish I could.” He seemed so concerned, like he really did care about me and what had happened.

“You have to work?”

“Tristan called a full staff meeting tonight. He wants to find out exactly how the hole was exposed and set up better safety

protocols. It could have been so much worse. You’re sure you don’t need the nurse?”

“Nothing’s broken. I just feel stupid and klutzy.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

He hadn’t been there. He didn’t know that Brie and I had been following two thieves.

“I certainly regret not going on the cruise.”

“I missed you,” he said with a small smile. His fingers were at the back of my neck, playing with my hair, then skimmed my

jawline. I almost didn’t breathe. I certainly didn’t want him to stop. “I was walking through the kitchen and saw that you

ordered room service, so I told the staff I’d bring it to you.” He motioned to a cart next to him that I hadn’t noticed. Because

what red-blooded woman would notice anything when Jason Mallory touched her? “May I?”

I nodded, surprised and endeared and feeling romanced.

Jason wheeled in the cart and positioned it by the glass doors. “You can leave it outside when you’re done. Staff does a round-up

between midnight and one, and again in the morning.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “Happy birthday.”

He looked at me as if he saw the whole me, inside and out. My stomach flipped, my lips parted, and I couldn’t stop staring.

“I really want to stay,” he whispered, his fingers caressing my cheek.

“I wish you could stay, too,” I said with quiet confidence. Something about Jason... he brought out feelings in me I didn’t

know I had. A deep longing for something... more . For something different than I’d settled for in the past.

Someone who was perfect for me.

The thought crashed into me and I pushed it aside, because this was a vacation fling, not a permanent relationship. It couldn’t

be.

His slightly lopsided smile made those stomach flips jump higher into my throat.

Then he kissed me.

A self-satisfied sigh escaped my lungs as my eyes closed, and in that moment, it was just Jason and me. His hand on my face,

his lips on my mouth, my head empty of every single thought I’d ever had. All I did was feel... then he adjusted the kiss,

took it deeper, warmer, hotter . My hands went to his shoulders, then his neck, the ends of his hair, soft curls that wrapped around my fingers. He smelled

so good, like coconut and bay rum and the sea.

“Mia,” he whispered into my lips, then stepped back. His eyes were glassy, his breath had a hitch to it, and I knew then it

wasn’t just me. He felt it too, the attraction, an itch that I desperately wanted to scratch. “I don’t want to go.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“I have to. Dammit.”

“Duty calls.”

Then he pulled me against him, and this wasn’t just a kiss. This was... more . More passion, more need, more intimacy. He pressed his body against mine, and I felt every muscle, every rock-solid piece

of him, and he moaned.

“Damn,” he whispered. “Tomorrow.” Another kiss. “I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” I whispered, and let my hands fall to my side.

He looked at his watch, swore again, kissed me again. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll have hell to pay.”

“Go.” Stay.

“Sweet dreams, Mia.” And he left.

I loosened my robe because I was overheated. Damn was right. I hadn’t been kissed like that in a long, long time. Ever. I

had never been kissed with such intensity that I believed every second the man truly, fully wanted to be with me.

It was terrifying and one hundred percent thrilling.

I poured the wine, took a long swallow. Forced my heart rate to slow. It took a minute. Okay. Tomorrow. Anticipation was supposed to be good, right?

Damn Tristan Dubois calling a nighttime staff meeting. Otherwise Jason and I would have been making love right now.

I sat down and poured more wine, then took the domes off the plates. The shrimp salad made my stomach growl. I was hungrier

than I thought. The second plate was bread and butter. And the third was a small fruit tart with a card addressed to me.

I opened the envelope.

Dear Mia,

I have tomorrow night off. Meet me at the dock at 6 pm for your belated—and private—sunset cruise. You won’t regret it.

Love, Jason

I don’t know why I kept staring at the Love, Jason .

We had nothing in common. He was a bartender who took risks, had no future plans. No plan for disasters.

I didn’t take risks. I had my future planned from now until I died. I had plans for every imaginable disaster.

He lived in paradise. I lived in New Jersey and commuted to New York because it was cheaper than a New York apartment.

Love, Jason was just a signature, like I might write on a note to a friend. Casual. It meant nothing.

But that kiss, that perfect, delicious kiss, meant something. That kiss was... damn. It was everything I have ever wanted

in a kiss. It was the kiss to end all kisses. The kiss I had been waiting for my entire life.

No man has ever kissed me like Jason Mallory.

And when I left St. Claire, I knew I’d never find a man who could.