Pieces Of Us (Angel Sands 6)

“That’s where we come in,” Frank told her. “You come up with a plan and the chamber will help you with the rest.” He nodded, as though it was a done deal. “Thank you for being so supportive, Ms. Paxton. And welcome to the town. We’re very happy to have you here.”

“I’m happy to be here too,” she murmured, feeling bulldozed. Had she really just agreed to plan for a charity event in a few weeks?

From the beaming smile on Frank’s face – and the amused crinkles at the corners of Griff’s eyes – it looked like she’d done exactly that.

* * *

The ocean was quiet, waves gently lapping at the shore in a soft rhythm, as Griff walked her to the door of her beach bungalow. “I had a great time,” she told him as she slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.

“I’m glad.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he leaned on the doorjamb, his hands pushed into his jean pockets. “Everybody loved you.”

She flicked the light switch. The sunken spotlights flickered for a moment, then plunged into darkness with a loud bang. Frowning, she flicked again, but nothing. “I think I just blew a fuse,” she told him. “You go on home, I’ll find a spare bulb and the electrical box.”

“The electrical box is at the back of the laundry room,” he told her. “And there should be spare bulbs in the kitchen. I can change it for you if you’d like?”

“It’s okay. I can do it.”

“I know you can,” he said gently. “But it’ll be easier if there’s two of us. It’s dark in there, and you’ll need to stand on a chair to change the bulb. I just want to help.”

She caught his eye. “Your help would be much appreciated.” She smiled at him. “Here, I’ll turn on the flashlight on my phone. That should help us a bit.”

Just as he promised, the fuse box was in the laundry room, the main switch pointing down. Unlike Autumn, he didn’t need to pull a chair over to reach it. He flicked it up, and a moment later they were plunged into light.

Then it clicked and everything went dark again.

“Do me a favor,” he asked her. “Go into the living room and see which light doesn’t come on when I hit the switch again.”

She walked into the living room and called out for him to try again. This time, when the lights flickered on she could see the bulb by the front door was dead. Griff used his own phone light to rummage around her kitchen to locate the bulb, then quickly changed it and reset the circuit breaker.

“There.” He smiled at her. “Now I can go home without worrying about you breaking your n

eck on the wooden floor.”

She laughed at his expression of mock-horror. “My hero,” she murmured. “Thank you.”

The flash in his eyes had nothing to do with the lights shining overhead. The lines next to his eyes disappeared, a seriousness coming over him.

Autumn swallowed. Hard. He was standing right next to the front door. Another step and he’d be back outside. She couldn’t hear the waves anymore, her ears were too full of the blood rushing through them.

“I’m going to head out,” he said softly, reaching down to cup her face. She tipped her head up to look at him. Their gazes connected and it set her skin on fire.

His palm was warm against her skin, his fingers rough against her cheek. He ran the pad of his thumb along the line of her chin, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

“I really want to kiss you,” he murmured.

“You do?” she breathed. God, she wanted that, too.

“But I’m not going to. Not until you’re ready to be kissed.”

Disappointment shot through her.

“Good night, Autumn,” he said, pressing his lips against her fevered brow. “Sweet dreams.”

Then he was gone and all she was left with was the burning memory of his lips on her skin.

* * *

“Stop laughing,” Autumn told her sister, as Lydia’s chuckles echoed over the phone line. “It’s not funny.”