Lizbeth practically fell ass-over-teakettle into her own cart from the jolt of running into another shopper. “Oh, shit. Excuse me!” She felt the heat of embarrassment rushing up her neck and flooding her cheeks. Oh my! She found herself staring into a pair of slate blue eyes—ones with a teasing twinkle. Say something, Liz. She darted around the cart, reaching her hand out to the delectable stranger.
“I am so sorry. Did I hurt you?”
Laughter rumbled from his chest in a deep vibrato as the lines around his eyes accented their color. “No, I’m okay. Really.” He wrapped his hand around her extended one. “I’m Beau Landry.”
His touch was some sort of unspoken cliché as uncontrollable need tingled her hand. Liz was sure he had one of those hidden hand buzzers she had played with in her youth. “Lizbeth Spensor.” She was pretty sure she’d said her name.
“How pretty and unique.” His southern accent warmed her.
As he continued to hold her hand, Liz felt a flutter in her groin. She shivered slightly, pulling away from his magical grasp. “Thank you. I— I get that a lot.” She shook her head slightly. “I mean, people mention that my name is different. And they often try to correct me.”
Beau laughed again, this time stretching his arms over his head, pulling his light cotton shirt up enough to show Lizbeth a well-tanned abdomen with swirling tawny hair that disappeared into the elastic waist band of a pair of faded swim trunks.
Sweet Josephine! She had to get away from this looker before Amy and Carolee found her blushing like a teenager. Stepping back to the handle of her shopping cart, Liz kept her eyes averted.
“Is it something I said?”
His question drew her back in as an unbidden grin spread across her flaming cheeks. “No, not at all. It’s just that I need to catch up with my friends.” When she raised her eyes to his, she saw him give her a slight nod.
“Blonde with a pony tail and a curly brunette?”
Lizbeth felt her shoulders sag when she realized what he would say next.
“I think they’re standing right behind you.” His hands slid into unseen pockets in his trunks, pulling his shirt tight across his chest. Through the thin material, Liz admired a dusting of more hair on his solid pecs.
“I am so sorry. Did I hurt you?”
Laughter rumbled from his chest in a deep vibrato as the lines around his eyes accented their color. “No, I’m okay. Really.” He wrapped his hand around her extended one. “I’m Beau Landry.”
His touch was some sort of unspoken cliché as uncontrollable need tingled her hand. Liz was sure he had one of those hidden hand buzzers she had played with in her youth. “Lizbeth Spensor.” She was pretty sure she’d said her name.
“How pretty and unique.” His southern accent warmed her.
As he continued to hold her hand, Liz felt a flutter in her groin. She shivered slightly, pulling away from his magical grasp. “Thank you. I— I get that a lot.” She shook her head slightly. “I mean, people mention that my name is different. And they often try to correct me.”
Beau laughed again, this time stretching his arms over his head, pulling his light cotton shirt up enough to show Lizbeth a well-tanned abdomen with swirling tawny hair that disappeared into the elastic waist band of a pair of faded swim trunks.
Sweet Josephine! She had to get away from this looker before Amy and Carolee found her blushing like a teenager. Stepping back to the handle of her shopping cart, Liz kept her eyes averted.
“Is it something I said?”
His question drew her back in as an unbidden grin spread across her flaming cheeks. “No, not at all. It’s just that I need to catch up with my friends.” When she raised her eyes to his, she saw him give her a slight nod.
“Blonde with a pony tail and a curly brunette?”
Lizbeth felt her shoulders sag when she realized what he would say next.
“I think they’re standing right behind you.” His hands slid into unseen pockets in his trunks, pulling his shirt tight across his chest. Through the thin material, Liz admired a dusting of more hair on his solid pecs.