Myescape. My companion when I hadno oneelse.
And there he is. He’s real, and he’s almost close enough to touch.
A dog, the color of California sand sits at his feet. It perks its head up, looking at me with intelligent eyes. The music stops mid-verse, and he turns, angling those broad shoulders so he can look at me over his shoulder. Our gaze meets, and the world around me dissolves. Sage-green eyes sit under a prominent brow and thick eyelashes. The hard line of his jaw is partially obscured by a short, dark beard, but it’s there.
The dog at his feet jumps up excitedly, and for a second, I’m sure it’s going to leap over the couch and tackle me to the gleaming marble. But Carson’s hand shoots out, grabbing her collar and holding her back.
“Hey, you must be Aria.” His voice washes over me, his country boy accent smooth and deep. But what really sets my panties on fire is the way his eyes roam my body, a soft smile tugging at his full lips. Oh, sweet Jesus. I think my heart is going to explode in my chest, it’s pounding so hard. His hand is between us. I’m supposed to shake it, but my brain refuses to make the connections it’s supposed to.
I’d love to look back at this moment and say that I was as cool as a cucumber in Antarctica… but that would be a big, fat lie. I stare at him with huge eyes, unable to blink for so long that the dry air has them burning. And then it happens. A sound comes out of my mouth. It’s something between a hysterical giggle and a donkey’s bray. I clap my hand over my lips and try to reel my broken brain back in.
“I am so sorry,” I squeak out. “I wasn’t expecting… you.”
He gives me a wide, toothy smile. One that makes his dimples sink in his cheeks. One that makes my knees weak. “You aren’t quite what I expected either, but it’s great to meet you. Aaron says you’re an animal whisperer.”
Oh,God,that accent could ignite a wildfire.