Blurb:
Can their new love survive the scrutiny of the
public eye?
After
his father’s heart attack, Australian Football League player Tyson Gaspaldi
takes his parents on holiday to a small place at the New South Wales coast.
One morning, following a surfing session,
he comes across a crying woman on the beach. Everything about her intrigues him, and he can’t walk away.
She’s not only sexy and humble, but, as he soon finds out, vulnerable as well.
It’s
only been a few months since Katie Cassidy lost her sister in a car accident.
Still overwhelmed by the loss, a chance encounter
on the beach with an attractive stranger awakens unexpected emotions inside
her. She’s instantly drawn to his caring nature, but also his looks.
However, Tyson’s past quickly catches up with them,
causing Katie’s childhood demons to return, and the road to romance becomes
anything but smooth.
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Over
an hour later, Tyson took the next wave back to shore. He shook the water out
of his hair and wiped his face before he walked back towards his car. As he struggled
with his surfing board against the gentle breeze, he saw a woman sitting only a
few feet away from him. Her body shook from her sobs as she wiped away her
tears. It was none of his business, yet he stopped. He disliked the feeling of
pity and helplessness creeping up on him. Inhaling a deep breath, he turned and
walked towards her.
“Hi
there,” he said quietly so as not to startle her.
She
quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned to him. Shading her
eyes with the other hand, she echoed his greeting, “Hi.”
Ty’s
gaze went out over the ocean before looking back at her. The thin long-sleeved
shirt which hugged her curves nicely, and the cargo pants she wore, gave her a
very casual, but sexy look. She smoothed a loose strand of her curly light
brown hair behind her ear and met his gaze. Although teary and red, the
beautiful green colour of her eyes shone through brightly. He knew he couldn’t
walk away. He looked at her for a second or two, noticing the tight lines of
her lips. Still, she had a beautiful mouth. Even though her lips were slightly
swollen from crying, there was an urge inside him to touch them and find out
what they felt or tasted like. He sighed. Not that long ago he’d burnt his
hands with a girl in his life and had sworn off the opposite sex, but there was
something about the woman in front of him that drew him in and intrigued him.
He’d always been a sucker for a lady in distress.
“Are
you okay?” he asked, scratching his head.
Her
mouth curved into a tentative smile. “Yes, I am.”
He
frowned. “Was that sarcasm in response to a stupid question?”
“Yes,
it was.”
Damn,
she had a gorgeous smile that made his stomach tighten. She didn’t offer more.
After
a brief, but silent moment, he offered her his hand. “Tyson.”
She
ignored his hand. “Nice meeting you, Tyson.”
He
chuckled. “This is where you tell me your name.”
She
let out a sigh as she looked away from him. It was a fine line he was walking.
He was well aware of it. More than anything else, he wanted to help her. It was
in his nature. She was hurt, and it seemed she was alone as well.
“Apologies,
I didn’t mean to come on to you. But I’ve never been good with going past a
girl who cries.”
“Does
that happen often?” she asked as she turned back to him.
“Actually,
no.” He laughed. “Only with my little niece.”
A
tiny smile appeared on her face. “How old is she?”
Raising
an eyebrow, he asked, “My niece? Turned four just a few days ago.”
She
stared at him as he waited for her next question. Yet, it never came.
“I’m
kinda getting cold here,” he said after a long moment. “Could I invite you for
a coffee or tea?”
“No,
but thank you for the offer. And thank you for caring.”
“Will
you be here again tomorrow?”
A
small sigh escaped her lips, and she shrugged slightly. “Not sure.”
He
nodded and stood.
“It’s
Katie,” she said as she stood as well.
Ty’s
heart skipped a beat. “Nice meeting you, Katie.”
***
Katie
stared after Tyson. She couldn’t believe how fast her heart was still beating.
It’d been a short conversation, but his smile and his touch had done all sorts
of crazy things to her insides. With one final hiccupping sob, she picked up her
jacket from the sand and walked across the dunes towards the parking lot. For
the first time since Paige’s death, she experienced a sense of joy. It had only
been a couple of minutes that she’d talked to Ty, a stranger, but she liked
him. Wiping the last tears from her face, she walked to her car, recalling
those chocolate brown eyes beneath his black lashes and the straight line of
brow. But it’d been his smile that’d been so contagious. His teeth were even
and white, in a nice contrast with his olive skin. Anticipation rushed through
her as she contemplated returning the next day. In her mind, she imagined
touching his body. He’d looked so damn sexy in his wet suit, unzipped down to
just below the navel, revealing a muscular chest and powerful shoulders. She’d
certainly been attracted to his tall, athletic physique. And she liked the way
his dark, damp hair had started to curl slightly around his face.
Katie
walked towards her car across the street when she heard her mother’s voice.
“Here you are, love.”
Katie
turned and smiled. “Mum? What are you doing here?”
Her
mother placed her hand on Katie’s shoulder. “Caring for my little girl.”
A
smile tugged at Katie’s lips, appreciating her mum’s words. “I needed a little
time out, I
suppose.”
“I
had a feeling you’d be coming down to the beach,” her mum said before placing a
kiss on her daughter’s forehead.
Taking
a deep breath, she leaned into her mother’s embrace, enjoying the comfort of a
parent. “I miss her so much, Mum,” she said, her voice nearly breaking. The
tears streamed down her face once more as her chest tightened again. Grieving
was so painful, emotionally and physically. Yet, for the first time since her
sister’s death, Katie felt something other than mourning. Something different. Sadness
had suffocated all other emotions, but today something had surfaced. She wasn’t
sure whether it was good or whether she was ready for it, but she’d never
believed there was a timeline to grieving a person.
“We
all miss her, darling, but she wouldn’t want us to stop living. Her life’s come
to an end, you will need to live your life with twice as much enthusiasm, with
four eyes, with two hearts and—”
“Without
her,” she finished her mother’s sentence.
Her
mother gave a slow nod. “Have you been working this week?”
Katie
drew in her lips before she answered. “Yes, I have, but I took today off. Only
today.”
“You
need to keep this job, love.”
She
inhaled deeply. “I know.”
Her
job in the administration at the local shopping centre was nothing much on the
career ladder, but it paid the rent and the groceries every week. Her boss had
been very considerate since her sister’s sudden death, and helped her juggle
her time off as well as catching up with her night classes in marketing.
Her
mother turned Katie in her arms. “How about a little walk along the beach?”
“I’d
like that.”
As
they headed towards the dunes, her mum said, “You two loved the beach. Some
weekends, you’d snuck out of the house and come here in the early hours. I was
always worried, but your dad would say —” She imitated her husband’s deep
voice. “They’ll be all right. The girls have the sea in their blood.”
She
laughed. “But I always saw that tiny little bit of relief on his face when you
two came back. You can’t be too careful near the water.”
Katie
joined her mother in her laughter. “We’d watch the boys surf.”
“I
liked my idea of you two building little sandcastles better.”
“Mum,
we were teenagers.”
Her
mother shrugged. “I was in denial. Sue me.”
Side
by side, they walked along the shore, both comfortable with the silence,
enjoying the fresh breeze off the water.
“I feel close
to her when I’m here,” Katie said as they stopped to watch a few dolphins swim
past.
When
an assassin threatens England's spy network, Lady Margaret Folton must find the
killer before it's too late. But when
Commodore John Lynwood is accidentally granted a title meant to be used as bait
to lure the assassin into the War Office's trap, Margaret must face the tragedy
of her past and decide which is more important: the assignment or love?
