Two

      Two days later, Swan didn’t leave the shop for lunch. Instead she accepted Jamila’s offer to bring her something back from the sandwich shop on the corner. Although she’d tried convincing herself her decision to hang around had nothing to do with the fact that David Holloway would be returning today to pick up his items, she knew it did.

      And her anticipation was so bad that every time the door chimed, her heartbeat would kick up a notch, only to slow back down when someone other than him walked in. She checked her watch. The shop would be closing in an hour. What if he didn’t make it before closing time? What if...?

      The door chimed, and her heart nearly stopped when David Holloway walked in.

      She’d told herself the man hadn’t really looked as good as she remembered from that first day, but now she saw that he did. In fact, today he looked even better than she remembered. Maybe it had something to do with the unshaven look. Men with a day-old beard had sex appeal. But it could also be his tan, which indicated he’d probably spent the last couple of days lying in the sun.

      If he’d been at the beach, there was a good chance he hadn’t been there alone. But didn’t he say he was in the Keys working?

      Why did she care?

      She quickly dismissed all those questions from her mind as she continued to watch him walk toward her in a strut that had blood rushing through her veins. His blond hair and blue eyes seemed brighter against his tanned skin. He was deliciousness with a capital D.

      But then that capital D could also stand for dangerous if she wasn’t careful. Or it could stand for delusional if she didn’t get control of her senses. Right now, she would play it safe and claim the capital D stood for David. She couldn’t allow herself to think any other way for now, no matter how tempting.

      She smiled. “Hello, David.”

      “Hi, Swan.”

      “Your tan looks nice.”

      He chuckled. “So does yours.”

      She grinned. “Yes, but mine’s permanent.”

      “I know and I like it.”

      She didn’t say anything to that because she understood what he was implying. He was letting her know he had no problem with interracial dating. She didn’t have a problem with it either. Neither had her father, although his family had had conniptions about his marriage to Swan’s mother. She pushed that thought to the back of her mind, refusing to dwell on an extended family that had never accepted her or her mother.

      She reached behind the counter and retrieved a box. “I hope you like the way the earrings came out.” She opened it to show him the final earrings.

      “Wow!” He ran his finger over the stone that came closest to matching the color of his eyes. “You’re very gifted.”

      “Thank you, and I believe your mother will love them.”

      “I’m sure she will. I think I’ve outdone my brothers this time.”

      She closed the box and placed it, along with the one containing the necklace, into a shopping bag. “You have brothers?”

      “Yes, four of them. I’m the youngest.”

      “My goodness. Any sisters?”

      “Not a one. Three of my four brothers are married, so I have sisters-in-law. They are the best.”

      “And the fourth brother is still single?”

      “He’s divorced but has a beautiful little girl. And she’s my parents’ only granddaughter. They have six grandsons.”

      “Sounds like a nice family. Is your father still alive?”

      “Yes, Dad is still alive. He and Mom own a medical supply store.”

      She nodded as she offered him the bag. “Here you are, David. Thanks again for your business.”

      He accepted the bag. “Thanks. Now that this is taken care of, there’s something I want to ask you, Swan.”

      She lifted a brow. “What?”

      “Would you go out to dinner with me tonight?”

      * * *

      Normally Flipper was good at reading people, but he was having a hard time reading Swan. He definitely needed to remedy that. Although both Commanding Officer Shields and Admiral Martin were convinced of her innocence, the jury was still out for him. He had to remain impartial and deal with the facts, not speculations.

      For two nights, he’d searched the area around her shop. Getting inside without triggering her alarm hadn’t been easy, but he’d done it. Once he’d picked up the location of the interior security cameras, it was a small matter to make sure he stayed out of their range and within a certain perimeter until he could deactivate them and do what he needed to.

      “Go to dinner with you?”

      “Yes.”

      She was apparently mulling over his invitation in her mind and he would give her time to do that. He had no problems studying her while he waited for her answer. Today she looked even prettier than the other day. He figured it had to be the lighting in this place.

      “Yes, David. I’ll go to dinner with you. You name the restaurant and I’ll meet you there.”

      She wasn’t going to give him her address and he had no problem with her being cautious. Little did she know he already knew where she lived and had visited yesterday while she’d been here at her shop. She had a beautiful home on the ocean. Inside it was as neat as a pin with no clutter. She’d even made up her bed before leaving.

      “I noticed a restaurant off the pier. Summer Moon. I’ve heard only good things about it since I’ve been here.” And he knew the place was within walking distance from her home.

      “Everything you’ve heard is true. Summer Moon is fabulous and one of my favorite eating places. I’d love to join you there. What time?”

      “What about seven? Will that be a good time for you?”