Chapter One

Romilly smiled and waved at some of the dog owners as she entered the dog park. The little Jack Russell, Toby, jumped in excitement so she bent and unhooked the animal so it could play with his doggie friends. Then she headed over to the benches to sit with her friend, Elanie.

“Hi there, sweetie,” Elanie greeted. The woman had snow-white hair and the glasses on the end of her nose had a chain that went around her neck. Next to her was a bag filled with yarn as she knitted.

“Hi, Elanie.”

“Still walking the little tyrant for your neighbor?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I just feel sorry for the pup.”

Elanie patted her hand. “You’re too soft-hearted.”

“It’s not Toby’s fault his owner neglects him. That just makes him super excited when he gets here.” She laughed as she watched Toby nip and yowl at a shepherd, who watched the little dog with his tongue hanging out. “Those two are the best of friends.”

“Speaking of which, shouldn’t you be out enjoying your own friends instead of talking to an old lady at the park?”

“You’re my friend, Elanie.”

The older woman patted her hand. “You’re a sweet girl. Make sure you don’t squander your youth.”

Romilly stayed for an hour, letting Toby run his energy out while she chatted with Elanie. Then she spent another ten minutes chasing after Toby to get a leash on him. She waved to her friend as they left the dog park to start the trek back home.

She glanced upward, loving how the sun played peek-a-boo through the tree branches. The scent of wildflowers hung heavy in the air. She wasn’t looking where she was going and ran into a jogger, bouncing off a hard male body. His momentum and sheer muscular size knocked her completely off balance. Then Toby must have thought she wanted to play and darted between her legs, tying the leash around them. She teetered and then pitched forward, falling onto the man’s chest. Knocking him off balance, they fell together in a tangle of arms, legs, and energetic dog. Toby jumped on her back, adding insult to injury.

Her lips were pressed against a sculptured pec, which might have been really gross if she hadn’t been distracted by his smooth, perfect, hard, tattooed … wait, she lost her train of thought. Muscles . Yes, that was the word she was looking for.

“I’m so sorry,” she gasped. “It was, um...”

The second their gazes met, everything came to a screeching halt. The edges of her vision went a little out of focus, and all coherent thoughts fled her mind. What the hell? She’d seen beautiful men before, but this man was a different breed altogether. Rugged, with short, dark cropped hair and scruff on his jaw. Hazel eyes that stared into her own with a deep, penetrating gaze before it dropped to her mouth.

Something sparked between them, and she was surprised the whole electrical grid didn’t short-circuit. Then he grabbed her hips and pushed her back so he could get to his feet. He held his hand down to her.

She looked up muscular legs, past the mouthwatering V line that disappeared into his low-riding basketball shorts, over a taut stomach and washboard abs.

Was she drooling? She felt like she was drooling.

He cocked an eyebrow and she blinked, blushing as she slipped her hand into his. Of course he caught her staring like an idiot. He helped her rise to her feet, the heat in her cheeks turning from embarrassment into something … more. She’d felt sexual attraction before, but not like this. It was such a visceral reaction, she completely forgot how to articulate.

“Are you okay?”

His rumbly voice was like a silken caress.

“Me, um, good,” she managed to mumble. Then she gave herself a mental slap. Get it together! He’s just a man! “I meant, I’m good. I can trip on a piece of hair, so I take complete responsibility for landing on top of you.”

He smiled, revealing straight, white teeth. “I hope I didn’t hurt you too much.”

“No harm, no foul,” she said with a laugh, then pointed up. “I was too busy looking up at the sky, in any case. I love how the sunlight filters through the trees.”

He looked up. “It is pretty.”

“My favorite part of the day.” Romilly looked at the hand she still held. “Oh, I guess you need your hand back.”

“Eventually. My name is Kaiden, by the way.”

“Romilly.” She couldn’t seem to look away, or let go of his hand. “So, jog here often?”

He chuckled. “Just moved here, actually.”

“To the neighborhood or the city?”

“The city.”

“Well, then, welcome to St. Louis.”

“Thanks.”

“If you’re looking for an awesome place to visit, make sure you get to Forest Park. Lots of lovely things to see when you’re jogging.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

Right then, the conversation seemed to die and he glanced down at their joined hands. As much as she liked holding it, she had to forcibly let go of him.

“Sorry,” she said, once more feeling the heat in her cheeks. “Not every day I get knocked down by a handsome ma n— ” She gasped, cutting herself off from what she was saying, but the damage had already been done. Kaiden now knew she found him gorgeous and attractive. Ugh. She quickly stepped back. “I’m … just going to leave now.”

He threw out a hand to halt her. She blinked up at him, once more mesmerized by his beautiful eyes. Seriously, those lashes should be labeled a lethal weapon to every panty-wearing woman.

“It was nice to run into you,” he said, and winked. “Literally.”

She smiled and he returned it, and once more for a moment, the world faded away. Heat flooded through her, settling in her core to engulf every nerve ending. She shifted on her feet, needing to relieve some of her tension. Then he stepped back, and the gossamer string that arched between them snapped.

“Goodbye, Kaiden,” she said softly. Disappointment that she’d never see him again struck her, but she filed it away. With a wave, she moved past him and it took every effort to not look back.

They were two ships passing in the night.

Story of her life.