Page 22 of To Steal a Heart

“You can wear a life jacket.”

His face tightened. “I’ll have to work my way up to it.”

“Let’s go tomorrow.” What would it hurt to put off her research a day?

He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’m not sure I’m up for that.”

“Come on,” she urged. “It’ll be fun.”

“Do you sail?”

“Heck yeah. I grew up on an island.”

He frowned. “An island. Where?”

Good grief, she was an idiot! “Um, I say I grew up on an island, but I really grew up near one in North Carolina.”

“What’s the name of the island?”

“Honeysuckle Island. I grew up in Summerhaven, which is right next door.” She hoped that wasn’t giving away too much information. Her words bubbled out. “My brother had a friend who owned a sailboat. We used to go a lot. I can rent us a sailboat and take you out on the water.”

“Nah, that sounds expensive. I’d hate to put you out.”

“It’s no trouble,” she said smoothly.

He pressed his lips together, considering her offer. “I suppose I could try it.”

Excitement thrummed in her breast. “Is that ayes?” She held her breath, waiting for him to reach a decision.

“I suppose I could take off work tomorrow.”

She wanted to jump up and shouthallelujah. “It’s a date.”

A smile spread over his lips. “It’s a date.” He shifted in his seat. “Okay, now tell me about your writing.”

Her eyes widened. “What would you like to know?” It was better to simply answer his questions rather than offer too much information.

“You said you were here doing research.”

“Yes.”

“Tell me about your book.”

“I haven’t started it yet,” she hedged.

“What do you want to write about?”

She moistened her lips. “The heroine comes to Carmel to work at a dance studio.”

His eyes brightened with understanding. “Ah, now I see why you were taking lessons.”

“Yep,” she chimed. “A wealthy widower—the father of one of her students—becomes enamored with her. Little does she know that he’s obsessed with her because she looks identical to his late wife, whom he murdered.”

“Wow, that’s quite the story.”

She chuckled. “It will be … eventually.”

He looked thoughtful. “Why Carmel?”