Under the circumstances, she should not find Xander’s frustrated growl so sexy.
He raked fingers into his dark hair, leaving a trail of crumbs. Without thinking, she reached out to brush them away. “Here, you’ve got cr—”
“Will you quit touching me!” he hissed, eyes blazing.
She jolted backward, mortified to her very bones.
“Sorry.” He raised both hands and blew out a breath through flared nostrils. “It’s hard to think when you touch me. Especially when you have a point, as much as I hate admitting it.”
“Oh?”
“Listen, I…” Glaring at the table, he strangled his paper napkin. “Okay, it’s true. I hate the alien crap. I hate the idea of people thinking I’m one of those tinfoil hat-wearing, conspiracy theory-believing nut jobs. But they do spend money.”
At last, the man was seeing reason. “So you’ll do the smart thing and stay the course?”
His brows snapped together. “You make it sound so black and white, Hannah. Why should I expect you to get it? You’ve got nothing to prove, no family curse weighing you down.”
I am an insensitive asshole.
Appetite gone, she crumpled her napkin and tossed it onto her plate. “You told me about that. And I’m supposed to be good at remembering key details. It’s kind of a job requirement, in fact. Guess I got distracted by—” Her shoulders slumped. “Never mind.”
His brow smoothed, and he reached for her hand. “No, tell me.” His broad, warm palm settled over her icy knuckles, massaging, soothing.
Ugh, this is so embarrassing.
She flapped her free hand. “You’re a good-looking man, Xander, and I’m not immune to that. You’re funny and smart, and I enjoy spending time with you. Plus, you’re in a tough place. Anyone with a heart would want to help you.” She sucked in a deep breath. “But it’s not my job to tell you how to run your business. Itis, however,my job to protect Trappers Cove from developers who’d gladly rip the heart out of our community.”
“I see.” His thumb traced hypnotic circles on her palm. Slow and sweet as honey, a seductive smile spread over his face. “For the record, you’re a good-looking woman, Hannah. Stunning, in fact. You’re sharp and insightful, and you know this town. I’d be a fool to ignore your advice. But,”—he squeezed her hand, then released it— “I’ve got to find a way to build Souvenir Planet into a business I can be proud of. And yeah, that damn curse is a factor. I’ve got something to prove, and not just to my family.” He tapped his sternum.
“So, you could…” she twirled her wrist, waiting for inspiration to strike.
He beat her to it. “Keep the aliens, but add something new. Maybe divide the shop somehow. God knows the building is big enough—if it doesn’t fall down around my ears.”
“Like one of those antiques malls where different vendors have stalls?”
His grin widened. “Yeah, maybe.” He scraped his stool back and stood. “But first, I’ve got a lot to learn about my temporary hometown. Shall we?”
Relieved to be back on track and, apparently, forgiven for her thoughtless accusation, she rose to her feet. “Yes, let’s do it.”
He arched an eyebrow, but thankfully let that unintentional double entendre lie. Lay. Whatever.
There was no denying it—Xander scrambled her brain and heated her blood. Keeping this relationship professional would take every shred of self-control she had.
Chapter Ten
Anhourlater,they’dscratched the west side of Main Street off their list and were crossing to the east side when the first drops hit—fat, icy plops that slid down Xander’s collar. He pulled his hood up and glanced at his watch—a vintage Bulova Uncle Gus gave him for his college graduation.
“Wow, I didn’t mean to take up so much of your day, Hannah.”
Her smile shone so bright and inviting he’d willingly stand in the rain just to bask in its glow. But that wasn’t fair to her, especially after she’d been so incredibly generous with her time and resources.
He crooked his elbow. “Shall I walk you back to your place?”
She chewed her bottom lip for a moment—slightly uneven white teeth digging into plump, pink flesh—and man, did he crave a taste.
“There’s no need. I’m just up the street, above theBeaconoffices.”
“Huh. I guess Uncle Gus wasn’t the only one living at the shop.”