Chapter 2

Her growling stomach interrupted her memories. Juniper stood and brushed off her jeans. She was almost back to the resort when a large man greeted her.

“Good evening!”

“Oh. Hi!”

“Need any directions?” the employee in the Danger Bluff Security polo shirt asked.

“No, thank you,” Juniper said politely. The staff here were personable and helpful.

Continuing on her way, she went toward the dining room. The highlighted menu for the night was posted on the wall. Several choices sounded good, but eating by herself didn’t sound fun at all. Maybe they had room service.

A sign on the wall caught her attention. It announced “The Market Dining” and pointed outside. The rumble of her stomach convinced her. Walking out the back of the resort toward the water, she followed the path and arrived at an open-air, casual restaurant.

She was seated quickly at a small table with an ocean view. This was okay. She had the water and this view to take in as she ate. Grabbing her camera, she took a couple of pictures before consulting the menu. She started with a glass of wine, and when that disappeared quickly, Juniper ordered another.

“Excuse me, Miss. May I join you?” a deep voice asked.

Looking up, Juniper pressed one hand to her chest in surprise. It was the same man she’d noted earlier in the elevator. This time, he was dressed in a Danger Bluff polo shirt. Her body reacted in exactly the same unusual way. She sat up straighter and felt her body responding to him sexually. Squeezing her thighs together, she casually draped her arm on the edge of the table to shield her hardened nipples from his view.

“Join me?” Juniper echoed, not knowing what to say.

“I hate eating alone,” the man told her in a tone that almost made her laugh.

“That’s a total lie,” Juniper chided.

“You’re right. It is,” he said with a small smile. “The management likes us to join hotel guests for dinner instead of taking another table. I’ll go grab something at the bar,” the man suggested.

“No. I’m glad to have you join me. That just struck me as funny,” she said, trying to see under his baseball cap. The sun was setting. He didn’t need to wear it anymore to shade his eyes. To her delight, he tilted his head up slightly to allow their gazes to mesh. A shiver ran down her spine at the heat that sizzled between them.

To fill the potent silence between them, she quickly said, “You’ll have to excuse me as I take some pictures of the view from time to time. It’s lovely here.”

“Please. Don’t let me stop you. I’ll be glad to take some pictures of you if you’d like to have them for your vacation album. I’m Magnus,” he said, introducing himself as he sat down.

“Magnus?” Juniper repeated. “Is that a nickname, or did your parents really name you Magnus?”

“Magnus is my name. My dad is quite the gun collector, and my mom was loopy on meds when they chose the name. She calls me Marvin.”

“Marvin. Oh, no. That’s worse,” Juniper blurted before realizing he might think she was extremely rude. Oh, why hadn’t she ordered food with her wine? “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No problem. There’s nothing wrong with stating the obvious. Have you ordered?” he asked, signaling the waiter.

“No. I’m hesitating between a steak and the rock lobster,” she admitted.

“The steak is good, but you want the lobster. May I order for you?” Magnus asked.

“Um, yes.”

Not used to a man even offering to take care of this for her, Juniper watched him carefully as he talked to the waiter. He was decisive but not rude. The server greeted him with the name Magnus, so he had been telling the truth. He was known at the resort, so she relaxed a bit. Besides, everything he ordered sounded amazing.

“Thank you,” she said quietly when the waiter left.

“My pleasure, Little girl.”

Juniper froze and then covered for herself. “I was a child when I was here before. Now, I’m definitely not small.”

Magnus ignored that statement and simply stated, “I’m very glad you’re here now as an adult,” before changing the subject. “Tell me, what have you found different so far?”

“Well, I don’t understand why the elevator only goes up to the fourth floor.”

“Oh? Who knows what happens in an old resort? This building’s been around for years, I’m assuming,” Magnus commented without reacting.

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I think you know more than you’re saying? Your face looks all calm, but…”

“Look. Our appetizers have arrived,” Magnus announced as the waiter approached with two plates.

Leaning forward, Juniper devoured the display with her gaze. She wondered how much she could eat before it was too much for Magnus. He’d ordered this for them from the menu. Maybe it was okay to have what she wanted.

Magnus picked up one of the small hors d’oeuvres plates and loaded it with the most choice selections. Juniper felt her heart sink with every bit he put on his plate. She waited to see what he would leave for her.

“Here, try this,” Magnus said, placing the dish in front of her.

“Oh! I thought…”

“I’ll always take care of you first, Little girl. Eat. Traveling always makes me hungry. You have to be starving.”

“I am. Thanks.” Juniper picked up a fork and tried a bite. “Wow. This is delicious.”

“I know. The chef here is great. He’s not too heavy-handed with spices but adds just enough to enhance the food without overpowering it,” he said as he grabbed the other plate and helped himself.

“Are you a foodie?” she teased.

“I appreciate the best in everything.”

Juniper didn’t know how to take that, so she had another bite to give her an excuse not to talk for a few minutes. Finally, she swallowed and whispered, “You called me Little girl again.”

“I know. My brain has already claimed you, I’m afraid,” Magnus admitted before taking another bite as if that weren’t a ground-shaking statement to make.

“What?” she asked.

“I’ve been looking for my Little girl for a long time. I’ve watched others find theirs, and they reported the same thing I feel now. An undeniable sense of rightness.”

Rocking back in her chair, Juniper stared at him. His gaze held hers steadily without any hesitation or sign of deception. “You mean that, don’t you?”

“I do. What do you think of the cheese rolls?” Magnus asked. “They seem so simple, but the taste is unique.”

She blinked at his smooth change of subject. “I remember these from when I was here as a child. They’re delicious. My friend Sammi’s mother made these for us as a treat,” Juniper shared, lifting a piece of the toasted bread rolled with a cheese mixture inside.

“You must have the last one then,” Magnus said, placing it on her plate.

The server returned with a fresh glass of wine for Juniper and water for both of them. When he left, Juniper asked, “Do you not drink?”

“Alcohol?” Magnus asked.

When she nodded to indicate that was what she meant, he answered, “Rarely. I like to be in control.”

“That does not surprise me.” The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them.

He laughed, and she loved seeing him relax enough to have fun. Juniper had the impression that very few people saw this side of Magnus. Taking another sip of her wine, she studied him surreptitiously as she looked past him toward the water. His torso was honed steel, and his jawline was chiseled and strong. He was hard to her soft.

Searching for something innocent to talk to him about, she seized on the department printed on his shirt and asked, “You do something with computers here?”

“Yes. I keep all the systems operating here at Danger Bluff.”

“That sounds complicated—and kind of boring,” she teased.

“I’d love it if that would be the case.”

“Oh, I bet an old resort like this does pose some tech problems. All these people wanting the highest speed connections,” Juniper guessed.

“That can be a challenge.”

She had a feeling that was the least of the things he dealt with. I wonder what happens behind the scenes.

“Your entrees,” the waiter announced, setting their plates in front of them and clearing away the empty appetizer dishes.

“This smells amazing,” Juniper complimented, leaning forward to sniff.

Magnus lifted his fork to invite her to take a first bite. Laughing, Juniper grabbed hers and tasted one of the side dishes. Groaning in delight, she tackled her rock lobster, sure it would be delicious. “This is amazing. Thank you for helping me order.”

“It’s my pleasure to spend time with you,” he said with a smile.

“Do you ever not wear your hat?” tumbled from her lips.

“I do not wear it to shower or sleep.”

“Will you take it off for me sometime?” Juniper sensed that he would resist removing it in the bustling restaurant, but maybe if they were alone…?

“Yes.”

“Really?” she squeaked, feeling herself grin delightedly at him.

“Really, Little girl. Eat your lobster,” he said, and she saw the corners of his lips tweak upward.

Juniper savored the delicate flavor of the lobster. It was so good. Thank goodness she hadn’t missed this.

“You didn’t try the rock lobster as a child?” he asked.

“I guess I ate kid things,” she said with a shrug. “I’m so glad I came back to try this.” With you.

“I’m glad you came back as well.”