“Hi, Carter, Hunter...” She smiled and warmth filled her gaze and flushed her cheeks. “Hi, Sinjin.”
With her face void of makeup and her hair piled on top of her head and wrapped with some type of band, a few tendrils fell lose, adding to her haphazard, sexy look, compounded by the cut-off shorts and faded T-shirt hugging her curves.
“Come join us when you get your order,” Carter said without looking his way.
Sinjin grumbled after she turned to place her order.
“You’re playing with fire,” Hunter told the idiot quietly.
Sinjin grunted his agreement. Carter was pushing it.
Isla paid for her purchase and approached with a bag and a grin. “Thanks for the invite, but I have to get back to my assessments. Who knew treating peoples’ ailments was easier than writing about them?”
“Is this part of your clinicals?” Hunter asked.
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s already my least favorite.”
His buddies smiled, and Sinjin was surprised to discover he was smiling too.
“Well, I’d better get back at it,” she said, lifting her bag. “It was nice seeing you again, Sinjin.” Then she blinked as if remembering the other guys were there. “You too, Carter and Hunter. Have a good day.”
With a quick nod, the beauty with color flooding her cheeks scrambled out of the bakery. As soon as the door swung shut, Sinjin’s pulse dropped back to normal and the awareness tingling in his body disappeared.
“Nice seeing you again, Sinjin,” Carter teased, using a high-pitched voice.
“Cut it,” he warned, but the jerk stuffed his grin with a mouthful of donut.
“She did seem to forget we were here.” Hunter pointed to him with his bun. “Think she likes you, Sinjin.”
“That happens a lot when he’s around. Ever notice that, Hunter?” Carter asked. “No matter what port we were in or what country, there was always a beautiful woman who only had eyes for Sinjin.”
“Yep.” Hunter nodded.
Whatever.
He wasn’t going to bite. Never did before and wasn’t about to now. Especially now, because this time there was a difference.
This time he liked the woman right back.
Chapter Four
By the time Sunday came around, Isla was happy to ditch her studies for a girls’ day out with Emily and Lyndsey. It was warm and sunny but not hot or humid like earlier in the week, and they took advantage of the pleasant weather with a walk along the beach.
“So, what’s the verdict, Em?” Lyndsey asked as they strolled leisurely toward the shore.
“Yeah.” She turned to her friend and pushed back a strand of hair the breeze had blown into her eyes. “Did any of those properties speak to you?”
They’d spent the past three hours touring a residence near Lyndsey, one apartment, and three small ranches not too far out of town.
Smiling, the pretty brunette nodded, also pushing strands of windswept hair away from her face. “Definitely. Although I really like the house down the street from you, Lyndsey, I think I’m too landlocked and wouldn’t have the ability to build a building in the back like you did to foster animals.”
Lyndsey sighed. “Yeah, I noticed that. I’m bummed. It would’ve been cool to have you living practically next door again.”
“I know.” Emily shrugged. “But the ranch five minutes west of town really isn’t that far.”
Lyndsey brightened. “Oooh, I liked that one, too.”
Isla nodded. “Yeah, that one already had an outbuilding.”
