Lie to Me (Pearl Island Trilogy #4)(7)

“CPR?” Aurora blanched. “You didn’t say anything about CPR.”

“It was kind of hard to get the whole story out,” Chloe explained, “with all the shouting and crying going on.”

“Oh my God.” Aurora clutched AJ’s head to her shoulder as she looked at the stranger. “How will I ever thank you?”

“No need,” the man said, then sent AJ a mock scowl. “I just hope you don’t have cooties, kid.”

“Only girls have those.” AJ giggled.

“This is not funny,” Aurora scolded her son, then gave the man another look of gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Anyone would have done the same.” He shrugged.

“Or wanted to.” Chloe looked at him, impressed. A conceited man would have been puffing up with self-importance, not discounting what he’d done. “I don’t know how to do CPR.”

“Really?” Curiosity lit in his eyes. “Then I guess we’re even, since I don’t know how to swim.”

“Seriously?” Her gaze dropped to a body so fit, she had trouble believing he couldn’t swim all the way to the mainland.

“Well, we’re grateful,” Aurora said with feeling. “I’m Rory Chancellor, by the way, AJ’s mother.”

“Pleased to meet you.” He nodded.

“And this is my sister, Alli.”

“Chloe’s aunt,” Allison clarified as she leaned over the twins, offering a hand and a welcoming smile.

After shaking Allison’s hand, the stranger smiled at Chloe in a way that made her heart flutter. “So that would make you... Chloe.”

“That would be me.” She smiled. “And you would be?”

His face went blank for just a second. “I’m... Luc-as.” Color tinged his cheeks as he repeated it more confidently. “Lucas.”

“Good to meet you, Lucas.” She marveled at his blush. He looked adorably out of his element, like he didn’t really know what to say, but couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her head spun with giddiness at having a guy look at her like that. Had her first impression of him been that off base?

“Hmm,” Allison hummed, and Chloe felt her aunt’s gaze moving back and forth between the two of them. “We’ll just leave you two alone while Rory and I take the children downstairs. Assuming you don’t mind watching the brownies.”

“Not at all.” Chloe barely noticed as the family filed down the back stairs to the private apartment in the basement. Leaving her alone with Lucas.

“Well,” she managed. “Welcome to Pearl Island.”

“That was, uh...” He cleared his throat. “Quite a welcome. Is it always like this?”

“Some days.” She glanced about the kitchen. “Can I offer you anything? Something to drink? Eat?”

“I, uh, hmm.” He looked uncertain. “I’m fine.”

Was he shy? How could a guy who looked like that be shy? “You never had a chance to tell me why you’re here.”

“It’s... complicated.” A scowl drew his brows together. “Maybe we should wait until things calm down a bit.”

“Around here?” She rolled her eyes. “That could take a while.”

“I can at least wait until you change.” His gaze traveled down.

She glanced down as well. “Oh, God,” she groaned in embarrassment. “I look like a drowned rat.”

“Actually, you look... great.” His voice tightened on the last word, which made his cheeks turn even redder. His eyes darted away. “I think I should wait while you change into something dry.”

“I think I need to do more than change.” She pushed her wet hair back from her bare face.

“Oh. Okay.” He frowned. “Take your time. I can wait in the lobby.”

She stared at him in disbelief. Most men she knew wouldn’t have had the patience to wait. The fact that he kept defying her expectations seemed promising. “You know what,” she said on impulse. “I have a better idea.”

“Oh?” He looked intrigued. And a tiny bit wary.

She relaxed her weight onto one hip, knowing the subtle shift would make her body even more appealing. “How about I take you to dinner?”

“Dinner?” His eyes widened as his gaze flicked down, then back up to her face.

She smiled as she realized he was struggling not to stare at her body. Unpretentious and polite, she realized. “As a way to thank you for saving AJ.”

“You want to take me to dinner?” He looked stunned. “I... can’t do that.”

“I’m sorry. I should have asked if you had plans.”

“I don’t. What I mean is...” He hesitated. “If we’re going to dinner, it’s on me.”

Relief filled her when he didn’t turn her down. “If you insist.”

She waited for him to take over, but he stood there, looking as if he had no idea what came next.

“I suppose you’ll want to pick me up as well,” she prompted.

“Oh. Yes. Of course.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “What time?”

“Seven?” she suggested. Was he punching their date into his schedule?