They’d assured him as soon as he began the arduous task of coming to terms with his part in the accident and learning to forgive himself, he could begin to heal, mentally and physically. Justin had little doubt Anna McCall held the key to helping him bridge the boundaries preventing him from enjoying the physical pleasures he used to take for granted. Too bad she seemed more interested in his best friend.

  He sat down on the towel she’d spread out on the soft sand and leaned back on his hands, watching her and reveling in his body’s natural reaction. He knew she would probably be mortified if she witnessed his state of arousal, but for a man who’d nearly given up hope, it seemed like a blessing.

  Anna slowly came out of the water, gradually revealing a daring black bikini that seemed at odds with the sweet shyness he’d witnessed last night.

  Justin had been with many sexy women in his life, models, actresses, but none compared to her natural beauty. Her physical assets were impressive, to say the least, but that haunting innocence made him want to know more about the girl lurking beneath the beautiful exterior. With dark hair and eyes, full lips, and long lashes, she was stunning by most standards, but he sensed she didn’t fixate on her reflection. That was a refreshing change from the women he usually dated.

  She glared at him before fixing her gaze on the brightly colored beach towel he sat on. “Do you mind?”

  “Oh sure,” he said, getting up. He walked the short distance to hand the second clean towel to her. Watching her dry off made his mouth dry out. The slow rub of terry cloth over her soft skin…

  “If you’re finished ogling me, I’d like to go in and take a shower. Excuse me.” She brushed past him.

  He seized her wrist. “Anna, wait.”

  She glared at the hand wrapped around her wrist before resting her eyes on him. “Let… go… of… me,” she said, enunciating each word.

  He released her quickly, hoping she wouldn’t flee. “I’m sorry. I just… uh… wanted to apologize for coming on so strong last night.”

  “Really?” she asked, wrapping the towel around her neck. “I just assumed you always man handle women that way.”

  “I don’t.” He was mortified when he couldn’t seem to form a reasonable line of defense. Taking a deep breath, he decided to go with the truth. Raking his hands through his dark, cropped hair, he said, “Look, the truth is, I’ve had a rough time of it lately.” When she didn’t look impressed by his proclamation, he knew he had no choice but to continue and hope for the best. “I don’t know if you heard, but I was involved in an accident…”

  “I know,” she said softly. “I heard.”

  The last thing he wanted was her pity, but compassion seemed better than contempt, so he took what he could get. “The accident really messed me up.”

  She tipped her head back to look him in the eye. “I can imagine.”

  Seeing that as an invitation to continue, he wondered how far he could take his confession without humiliating himself completely. “I… uh… came here to get away for a while. I invited some of my friends to, you know, help take my mind off things.”

  She inclined her head toward his palatial beachfront home. “It seems to be working. Looked to me like you were having fun.”

  “I guess I was… until you showed up.”

  “Sorry to have spoiled your fun,” she muttered, stepping away from him.

  Knowing he couldn’t risk touching her again, he decided to try to prevent her escape with brutal honesty. “You ruined it for me,” he said, raising his voice, “because I couldn’t get you out of my head after we met.”

  She stopped walking but didn’t turn around to face him.

  “I was mad as hell when Mitch told me he was coming over here.” He took a few deep breaths to ease the apprehension clawing at his chest. “I laid awake most of the night wondering what was going on.”

  She turned to face him. “Nothing was going on. We just talked.”

  Relieved that she hadn’t told him to mind his own business, and even more relieved by the truth in her eyes, he said, “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “We fell asleep in the lounge chairs, waiting for the sun to come up.” She smiled, the first genuine smile she’d treated him to since they met, and it took his breath away. “I told Mitch I never woke up early enough to see the sun rise here, and he told me I didn’t know what I was missing.” She laughed. “He said we had to stay awake to see it. Unfortunately, neither one of us made it.”

  Justin was secretly glad. He wanted to be the one to share that experience with her. “Mitch is right; it’s definitely worth losing sleep to see.”

  She smiled again, making his chest tighten. “Maybe I’ll make a pot of coffee and try to stay up to see it tonight.”

  “If you want some company…” he said, returning her smile.

  “You’ll send Mitch over?”

  Justin knew she was teasing him, but that convinced him the island wasn’t big enough for him and Mitch as long as they were both interested in the same woman. “Not a chance,” he said, giving her a lop-sided grin.

  She snapped her fingers, feigning disappointment. “Damn.”

  “So, are we okay?” he asked, gesturing between them.

  She looked at him carefully. “My father and brother told me you’re a pretty cool guy.” Folding her arms over her chest, she said, “Of course, I have yet to see it, but I trust their judgement.”

  Tongue in cheek, he asked, “Does that mean you’re willing to give me another chance to make a better impression?”

  “Well…” She tapped a fingernail against her full lower lip. “Since we’re neighbors and all, I’ll think about it.”

  “You’re too kind,” he said, grinning.

  “That’s what they tell me,” she said, rolling her eyes. Walking backward across the beach toward her house, she lifted her hand in a brief wave. “Later, neighbor.”

  ***

  Justin knew his conversation with Mitch wouldn’t be easy, but he didn’t see another way.

  “Hey,” Mitch said, sliding his finger across his iPad. “I saw you talking to Anna down on the beach. What was that about?”

  Justin poured himself a glass of orange juice before responding. “I was just apologizing for the way I acted last night.”

  “Huh, what did she say?”

  “I think she’s willing to give me another chance.”

  “What does that mean?” Mitch asked, lifting an eyebrow.

  Justin didn’t respond at first, but he didn’t have to. He and Mitch had been friends for fifteen years. Each knew what the other was thinking.

  “Jesus, you’re really into her, aren’t you?” He shook his head when Justin didn’t respond. “Man, when was the last time we competed for a woman?”

  Justin couldn’t compete with his best friend for a chance with Anna. Nothing had happened between Mitch and Anna yet, and he wasn’t willing to give their relationship a chance to evolve. It was his little piece of paradise, which meant he chose who, if anyone, shared it with him.

  Mitch narrowed his eyes. “You want me outta here, don’t you?”

  Justin winced. He and Mitch had been through a lot together, and he had been a great source of support since the accident, but Justin needed to find out if Anna could help him overcome his performance anxiety and get back to the normal, healthy sex life he’d enjoyed before the accident. “Listen, this girl does it for me, if you know what I mean.” Mitch was the only person who would understand. Aside from his medical team, Justin hadn’t shared his condition with anyone.

  “Damn,” Mitch whispered. “Of all girls, she has to be the one?”

  Justin didn’t want to dwell on his friend’s inference. He wasn’t looking for love. He was just looking for a woman who could help him feel normal again. “I know you’re into her too, but-”

  “It’s okay,” Mitch said, raising his hand as he slid off the breakfast stool. “I get it. Say no more. I’ll rally the troops and get out of your hair.”

  Dozens of bodies still occupied his guest bedrooms, and Justin knew they wouldn’t understand why they were being asked to leave so soon, but he didn’t care. Suddenly, wild parties didn’t hold as much appeal as watching the sunrise with a beautiful woman in his arms.

  ***

  Anna picked up the phone to return her cousin’s call. Settling into the oversized sofa, she tucked her legs under her and prepared for a long overdue chat with one of her favorite people.

  “Finally, she gets around to calling me back,” Lauren said before allowing Anna to get a word in. “What took you so long, girl?”

  Lauren had called the night before while Anna was out on her jog and, given her late night / early morning with Mitch, Anna hadn’t had time to return the call. “Sorry, it took so long. I kind of met someone last night.” Laughing, she said, “Actually, I met two guys.”

  “Okay, slow down. You’re on a freakin’ island with one other house and a caretaker’s cottage, and you manage to meet not one, but two guys? Damn, I knew I should have taken some time off work to come with you.”

  Anna laughed. “You can’t say you weren’t invited.”

  “Okay, gimme the detes. Are they hot? Are we thinking ménage or what?”

  Leave it to Lauren to go there. Rolling her eyes, Anna said, “Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t even say I was into either one of them.”

  “You didn’t have to say so. I can tell. So, which one are you into? What does he do? Is he single? Have you two-”

  “Slow down!” Anna laughed. “You’ve, uh, probably heard of one of the guys. Justin Hunt?”

  “Shut the hell up! Justin Hunt is not your neighbor!”

  Anna pulled the phone away from her ear when her cousin shrieked. “Didn’t I mention that?”

  “Uh no, don’t you think I would’ve made time to come out there with you if you had?”

  Lauren was probably more Justin’s type. Sexy and fun, flirtatious and beautiful. As much as Anna loved her cousin, she was suddenly glad she had ended up vacationing alone. “His friend, Mitch, is cute too. I think he works in his pit crew or something.” Anna had never been to a car race. She couldn’t understand the appeal of watching grown men drive around an oval track trying to oust each other in their bid for supremacy.

  “Do you have any idea how much that guy makes a year?” Lauren asked.

  Perhaps because she’d grown up around money and celebrities, wealth didn’t impress Anna. Tearing at a catch in her nail with her teeth, she said, “I haven’t got a clue.”

  “Thirty mil.”

  “Huh.” Anna couldn’t deny that was a lot of money, but that didn’t make him any more or less appealing than he’d been an hour ago. The jury was still out on Mr. Justin Hunt. Was he the player she’d met last night or the sweet guy who’d come clean with her on the beach? She didn’t know, but she couldn’t deny she would like to find out.

  “‘Huh?’ That’s all you can say?”

  “What do you want me to say? I figured the guy was rich. His house is twice the size of ours, and you know this house is way too big.”

  “So, is he nice?”

  “No.” Nice was the wrong word to describe Justin. He was sexy, edgy, confusing, abrasive at times, but he’d also shown her a vulnerable side she found appealing. She just couldn’t be sure which facet of his personality represented the real Justin. “He was a real jerk when I met him.”

  “Awww, that’s too bad. I was kind of hoping he might be the one to help you forget that boring old Tom.” She yawned. “Just thinking about him makes me sleepy.”

  Anna couldn’t help but smile. Her cousin had made no secret of the fact she thought Tom was all wrong for Anna. According to Lauren, Anna needed someone who challenged her to step out of her comfort zone once in a while. Instead, Tom had discouraged her from taking unnecessary risks. “I didn’t come here to meet someone. I came to the island because I wanted a little alone time.”

  “How’s that working for you?”

  “Good. I’ve been writing, painting, experimenting with new recipes, jogging, swimming... I’ve even managed to do a bit of knitting and read a few of the books I’ve been meaning to get to for the longest time.”

  “Stop, you’re making me jealous.”

  Anna knew her idea of a good time differed greatly from her cousin’s, who was the epitome of an extrovert, but the solitude suited Anna just fine. “I found what I came here looking for: peace, quiet, and a chance to figure out where I go from here.”

  “I hope you’re not still thinking about Tom. Trust me, he did you a favor when he accepted that job offer.”

  Ending her engagement hadn’t been easy for Anna, but she knew her cousin was right. She had been going through the motions with Tom for a long time. A relationship shouldn’t settle into quiet domesticity until after the vows. “No, I think I made the right decision giving the ring back.”

  “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” Lauren said. “I was worried that you’d get out there and start having second thoughts.”

  “Not about Tom, but about some other things.”

  “Such as?”

  “I’m thinking this might be the right time to seriously think about trying to find a publisher for my books.” She’d been writing and illustrating children’s books for the past several years. She was passionate about it, but Tom chastised her for wasting her time on a hobby that was unlikely to evolve into a lucrative career opportunity, and would likely distract her from her real job, being his wife and the mother of his children.

  “I think that’s a great idea.”

  “Nothing may come of it, but I feel like I should at least try.”

  “That’s Tom talking, not you,” Lauren said. “I hated that he didn’t support your books. You’re so talented. You really need to share that talent with the world.”

  Anna had been surrounded by world class musicians her entire life. Thinking of her stories and illustrations as a special talent was difficult. “Whatever you say.”

  “I’m serious. I think you need to pursue this. I know you love being a teacher, but like you said, when you get married and have a family, you want to be a stay-at-home mom. Your books may allow you to do that and maintain your own sense of identity.”

  Anna did want to be a mother and wife, and Lauren was one of the few people who knew how much that meant to her. It may seem old-fashioned, but she couldn’t help but feel as though that was her true calling.

  “Maybe. We’ll see how it goes. I’m here for a few more weeks, so maybe I’ll put some feelers out there and see what happens.”

  “Good luck. You’ll let me know how it goes?”

  “Of course.”

  “Cool, and do me a favor?”

  It always made Anna nervous when her cousin asked for a favor. “Depends on what it is.”

  “Keep an open mind with the race car driver. Maybe it’ll be nothing more than a summer fling, but that could be exactly what you need.”

  It could never be more than a summer fling. Anna would never allow herself to fall for a guy stalked by paparazzi on a daily basis and who put his life on the line for a living. “I’ll keep an open mind. I promise.”

  Chapter Three

  Justin couldn’t summon the energy to feel guilty as he waved to his friends. His boat was taking them back to the mainland where his private jet would take them back to Charlotte.

  Finally, he was alone with a beautiful woman on their private island, and he couldn’t wait to find out what the coming weeks had in store.

  Anna jogged up wearing a brightly colored tank top and black running shorts. “Hey,” she said, taking the buds out of her ears. “Some of your friends are leaving?”

  He turned to face her. “Actually, they’re all leaving.”

  She held her hand over her eyes, watching the boat fade into the distance. “Even Mitch? He didn’t even stop by to say good-bye.”

  “He wanted to,” Justin admitted begrudgingly. “But I told him I’d say good-bye for him.” He surprised her by pulling her into his arms. “He asked me to give you a hug for him.”

  “Oh.” She tipped her head back to look him in the eye when he released her.

  “Would you believe me if I told you he asked me to give you a kiss too?” She felt so right in his arms. The last thing he wanted to do was let her go.

  “No,” she said, smiling as she stepped back. “Nice try, though.”

  “You can’t blame me for trying, Anna. You’re a beautiful woman. Any man in his right mind would want to kiss you.”

  A blush stained her cheeks as she burrowed the toe of her running shoe into the sand. “You’re too much. I never know when you’re being serious.”

  He placed a finger under her chin. “Trust me, I’m serious. I’d give anything to kiss you right now.”

  She looked like she was wavering until she turned in the opposite direction and started jogging away from him.

  “Hey, where are you going?”

  “It’s time for my run,” she said, raising an arm above her head to tap the face of her watch.

  “Why don’t you stop by for a drink later?” he shouted, hoping she would respond. He saw her replace her ear buds.

  “Maybe, we’ll see.”

  Justin wandered back to his place feeling restless. He wanted to spend more time with Anna, but he didn’t want to look too desperate.

  Deciding to play it cool, he turned on his collection of country music tunes on the outdoor sound system, retrieved a tray from the kitchen holding cheese, crackers, and grapes, and opened a bottle of his favorite wine. He brought two glasses… just in case.

  He must have drifted off on the lounge chair because when he woke up, Anna stood over him wearing a white strapless sundress, and her hair was damp from a recent shower.