Second Chance in Laguna, page 1
Table of Contents
Excerpt
Kudos for Claire Marti
Second Chance in Laguna
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
A word about the author…
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Nick arrived right on time, looking gorgeous in faded jeans and a plain white T-shirt. How did he always manage to start the butterflies fluttering in her stomach? Just by standing there with the setting sun framing him. She was in trouble.
“Hi, beautiful. Ready to go?” He clasped her face in his hands and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
Returning his kiss, Sophie wound her arms around his neck and deepened it. She couldn’t resist. His strong arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her close to his broad chest.
“Mmm, feel free to greet me like that every time I come over.” His lips curved up into a sweet smile.
Heat washed her cheeks, and she returned his smile. “Let’s go. Prepare to be blown away by the movie snack of the century.”
Determined to keep things light and enjoy the movie before “the talk,” Sophie thrust down the lick of panic bubbling in her gut. She’d accomplished next to nothing all afternoon, instead wrestling with whether she needed to tell him about Doug.
The angel on her shoulder whispered to tell him because if they were going to have any kind of relationship, even a friends-with-benefits one, honesty and trust were vital.
The devil urged her to zip it. They’d only known each other a few weeks. What if he lived up to his Player of Laguna reputation and expected only a fun fling? Even though he seemed deeper than that. What if she scared him off with a premature talk?
Kudos for Claire Marti
SECOND CHANCE IN LAGUNA, Claire Marti’s debut novel, is a 2015 Molly Winner and third place Maggie Finalist for contemporary romance.
~*~
“Sophie Barnes is a spunky heroine, not afraid to leap without a net and create a new life for herself. Nicholas Morgan is a hero you’ll fall for right away.”
~anonymous reviewer
Second Chance
in Laguna
by
Claire Marti
Finding Forever in Laguna Series
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Second Chance in Laguna
COPYRIGHT © 2017 by Claire Petretti Marti
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com
Cover Art by RJ Morris
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Champagne Rose Edition, 2017
Print ISBN 978-1-5092-1288-0
Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-1289-7
Finding Forever in Laguna Series
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
To my husband Todd.
Thanks for always believing in me.
This one is for you.
Chapter One
She was not going to scream.
She was not going to scream.
She screamed in utter frustration.
Where were the bloody keys? Sophie muttered as she rummaged through her oversized purse. How could she be such an idiot to misplace them? She just wanted to get inside her new house. Beside her, Zack meowed in agreement.
“I’m sorry, Zack. I’ll have you out of the carrier in a minute, as soon as I find the keys.” Great. Now she was talking not only to herself but also to her cat. Not exactly an auspicious beginning to her fabulous new life.
It was bad enough traffic had been horrific on Highway 1 driving into Laguna Beach. Then her rear tire decided to explode, and she lost an hour waiting for the AAA man to change it. She white-knuckled it up the narrow, winding road leading to her new home, wincing each time one of the lushly beautiful green trees scraped against her car.
When a truck materialized around the corner, heading straight for her, she jerked over and became too familiar with a hedge on the side of Hayden Lane. She’d thumped her head on the steering wheel, fighting the urge to flip a U-turn, slink back to San Diego with her tail between her legs, and beg for her job back. Hell, beg the universe for her life back.
Now her fresh start was officially a hot mess. She’d plugged her agenda into her iPhone calendar, and nowhere did it say risk life and limb on journey or get locked out before actually moving in. She frowned, certain she’d dropped the shiny keys inside her purse that morning when she hightailed it out of San Diego. They couldn’t walk away on their own.
Fine.
She knelt and dumped the contents of her scarlet satchel upside down, emptying everything onto the quaint porch of her seemingly impenetrable new cottage. Sitting back on her heels, she tossed aside her wallet, three brand-new lip glosses, some breath mints, an old-fashioned planner, a comb, and some stubs from movies she didn’t remember attending. What was she doing with all this stuff? Three lip glosses? She only had two lips, for goodness’ sakes.
No keys.
No way. She never misplaced anything.
Her competence was part of her success as associate editor at Healthy Woman magazine. Oops. Her former job, as she’d given notice right after her fiancé failed to appear for their wedding, jilting her at the altar. Jerk. She’d shocked her boss, who thought Sophie would throw herself into her work as opposed to shucking it altogether. Maybe this absentmindedness was right in line with her new unemployed status.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep cleansing breath of the cool, crisp ocean air, hoping for calm to permeate her as it did in yoga class. Inhale and exhale. Everything was going to be okay. Her shoulders softened.
“Bailey, no. Stop,” a deep voice shouted.
As she turned, one hundred pounds of flying black fur plowed into her and knocked her flat onto her back. The longest pink tongue she’d ever seen slathered her with wet kisses. Laughing, she tried to push the huge paws off her shoulders and stop the assault by the giant dog that seemed determined to give her face a thorough washing. Her bath ended when someone plucked off her assailant as if she were as light as a feather.
“Bad girl, Bailey. Sit. Now.”
The dog hung her head, attempting to appear ashamed.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, I’m certainly clean, aren’t I?” Sophie said. “I’m fine, just a little surprised by that missile of yours.”
He extended a strong hand, and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. A jolt of electricity shot through her. Glancing up, she sucked in her breath at the gorgeous six-foot-plus guy. For a moment, she was lost in a pair of bottle-green eyes with ridiculously thick dark lashes. Those eyes stared at her out of a chiseled, high-cheek-boned, square-jawed face that belonged on the cover of GQ magazine. Sun-streaked blond hair fell across his forehead.
She snatched her hand free, reprimanding herself for staring. Her fingers still burned from his touch, and awareness prickled along her skin. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She had to stop it and remember what the last beautiful man did to her. Men were trouble—not part of her new, improved life.
“Are you Sophie Barnes?” His warm gaze raked over her.
“Yes, yes, I am. And who are you?” She squared her shoulders, desperate to appear unaffected, even as her pulse quickened. Please don’t notice the coffee stains decorating my white tank top. Another casualty from her trip. She refused to analyze why she cared what he thought.
“I’m Nick Morgan, your landlord. I was just stopping by to make sure you were settling in.” He arched his brow at the haphazard pile on the porch and the luggage surrounding her.
“I can’t find the keys. I’m not sure where they could be. I know I had them this morning. I never lose things…” She bit her lip to stop babbling.
“I’ll let you in. Sorry about Bailey. She doesn’t have the best manners, but she means well.”
At the sound of her name, Bailey thumped her tail, grinning up at them.
“Is she a Lab?” She leaned down to scratch Bailey behind her floppy ears. The tail banged faster.
“Part Lab and part horse. I got her at the shelter. All I know is she’s failed obedience school twice and doesn’t seem to be ashamed of it.”
Sophie smiled at the affection in his voice.
“Let’s get you inside. I’ll bring you another set of keys.” Nick unlocked the door, then grabbed two of her suitcases and proceeded inside.
“Great.” She stuffed her belongings into the purse and grabbed Zack’s carrier.
Gleaming hardwood floors greeted her as she followed him into the living room. A comfortable overstuffed couch and matching armchair accented by polished wood furniture gave the room a cozy feel. Windows graced every wall, the clear glass shining brightly with the echo of blue skies. Cream crown molding framed walls painted seafoam green. Two arched doorways led from the main room into what appeared to be the kitchen and the bedroom.
“Oh, the photos online didn’t do it justice. I love it. It’s like a dollhouse,” Sophie said as she explored her new home.
A huge four-poster bed carved from deep cherrywood, with elegant posts soaring up to the high ceiling, dominated the bedroom. She stroked her hand along the bed’s soft, charming white-lace coverlet. Enormous open windows allowed streaming Southern California sunshine and the ocean breeze to fill the room.
She continued through a lovely, marble-tiled bathroom into the office, where an old-fashioned rolltop desk faced the window that framed a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean and clusters of vibrant bougainvillea. When she paused to admire it, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled from Nick’s proximity. Why was he right behind her? Too close for comfort.
“Umm, I should let Zack out of the carrier.” She turned, forcing herself not to sprint back to the living room.
“Zack, we’re home.” She unlocked the carrier door, and the cat slinked out, then leapt onto the couch and began washing his peach-colored face.
Bailey bounded up to greet him, wagging her tail. He glanced down at the giant creature and continued his bath. When Bailey leaned in to help, she licked Zack, soaking the cat’s head in one stroke. The cat tapped the dog on the nose and moved to higher ground.
“Your cat isn’t afraid of dogs?” Nick laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Zack isn’t afraid of anything, it seems. Don’t worry about Bailey.”
“A lot of people are scared of her. She’s harmless, just too big for her own good.” He ruffled Bailey’s fur.
“Really? You can see she’s just an adorable goof.” Sophie scanned the room again. “The cottage really is charming. Did your wife decorate?” Her gaze flicked down to his left hand. His third finger was bare, but these days, you never knew.
“No wife. My sister’s an interior designer, and she used to live here and just moved out. We didn’t want it to sit empty.” He flashed her another sexy grin.
Her stomach flip-flopped. He exuded confidence. Charm. Power. Damn it, she’d sworn off men, if not forever, at least for the next year. No distractions from her brand-new life plan. No complications. Definitely no time for a hot landlord. Even more incentive for her to pretend sparks hadn’t ignited when he’d touched her.
“You’ve got my paperwork and check, right? Is there anything else you need? I’d like to get unpacked.” She turned away from him. Maybe if she averted her gaze, these butterflies fluttering in her belly would relax.
“Let me grab those other bags for you.”
“No, that’s fine. I can handle it.”
“It’s my pleasure. I insist.” He retreated toward the porch.
She huffed out a breath. Was she being unreasonable? What was wrong with him helping her? She wasn’t herself. She hadn’t been for the last few months. She sighed again, rubbing her hand over her aching heart.
“Here you go. I’ll bring you another set of keys. Call if you need anything else.” He took her hand in a firm grip.
Her palm tingled. Again. His clean, masculine scent reached her nostrils. Oh my. Their unspoken awareness simmered in the air. With one last measuring look, Nick left the cottage.
Who would’ve known the universe could be so perverse? She’d come to Laguna to heal her broken heart, to write her novel, and to focus on herself, not to jump into bed with a guy, no matter how delicious he was. Oh well, the odds of seeing him again were slim as she planned on holing up in the cottage and writing.
And walking on the beach.
Alone.
Sinking into the fluffy evergreen cushions of her new couch, she soaked up the phenomenal view. Her own personal vista. Zack leapt into her lap, and she stroked his silky fur. She couldn’t hear the waves crashing, but the quiet of the cottage soothed her. Her lips curved up as the tension evaporated from her limbs.
If she couldn’t heal her heart and start a new life here, she couldn’t do it anywhere.
Period.
****
Nick drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his convertible BMW as he guided it down the hill, away from his cottage. The explosion of heat when he’d touched Sophie’s hand shocked him. What was it about her that instantly tugged at him? Southern California was full of beautiful, sexy women.
What was different about her? It wasn’t just stunning good looks, with her shiny mahogany hair, big sapphire eyes, and creamy skin. Was it her bubbly laughter when Bailey had leapt on her? She’d smelled delicious, like warm vanilla. Maybe her obvious desire to get rid of him intrigued him?
Maybe he needed to get a life. He’d buried himself in the plans for the new art museum over the last few months, eager to create a unique masterpiece and leave his mark on the world forever with a building nobody would forget.
Turning onto Highway 1, he headed back to his office, enjoying the afternoon sun warming his skin. Bailey sighed with joy in the passenger seat, the cool wind pressing her ears back. She’d stolen his heart the day he’d gone with a friend to the pound. He’d been a goner the moment her liquid-brown eyes beckoned to him from behind sterile metal bars. Although he was a confirmed bachelor who loved living solo, she’d reminded him of his beloved childhood mutt, and now he couldn’t imagine life without her.
His chest swelled with pride as he pulled into the office driveway and looked up at the Morgan Designs sign over the awning. Ever since he saw the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan as a young boy, he’d never questioned his destiny. He’d follow in his father’s footsteps and change the landscape, one building at a time.
He bounded up the stairs two at a time, eager to return to his comfort zone. He headed to his desk, and Bailey plopped onto her dog bed. The phone rang before he could settle onto his stool.
“Have you met the new tenant yet?” his sister Alyssa’s voice demanded in his ear.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And what?” He rifled through the pile of papers on his desk for the museum plans.
“What’s she like? She’s our first tenant since we decided to rent the cottage. I mean she applied and offered to pay for the whole year up front. Spill the details.”
“Alyssa, I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Did she like it?”
“She complimented your interior-design skills, okay? Look, can we talk later?” He stemmed his impatience with his beloved little sister’s tenacity.
“Give me some details. Is she old? Young? Pretty? Why did she move here so fast? Is she on the run?”
“Go meet her yourself. Bye.”
He frowned, knowing he’d been abrupt with his sister, but the truth was his unprecedented primitive reaction to Sophie baffled him. He certainly couldn’t admit he’d wanted to rip off her clothes and toss her over his shoulder like a caveman. And carry her back to the bedroom…
He hadn’t imagined the acceleration of her pulse when they’d touched. The answering flare of attraction. Then he’d seen her retreat, at least mentally. What secrets lurked behind those gorgeous eyes? His curiosity was piqued. He looked forward to discovering some answers about the mysterious Ms. Sophie Barnes.
Chapter Two
Sophie stared blankly at the computer screen, her initial attempt at writing her book futile. Her stomach rumbled, and she leapt from her chair. She’d gnawed on a stale protein bar she’d found in her suitcase—not exactly the breakfast of champions.
