“Yes, this would mix with that.” Kit smiled. “I’m actually a decorator.”
“Ahh. Well then, sold.” He accepted the frame from her. “I’m Matt Healy, by the way,” he added like an afterthought.
She was standing so close to him that she could see the light freckles on his face. There was something about him that was both rugged and refined—the cropped beard and mustache contrasting with the sophisticated air. And then there were those freaking blue eyes. When she’d handed him the frame, she’d noticed there was no wedding ring on his hand. Though, of course, that didn’t mean a thing.
“Kit Finn,” she said.
“Here on vacation?” he asked.
“Partly. I’m also checking things out for a client. How about you?”
“Uh, business and pleasure, too, I guess you could say. I sold my company recently and I’m trying to figure out what my next move should be. . . . I actually drove down here from New York this time.”
“And how was that?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “I’m from the city myself but I don’t think I could handle a drive that long.”
“Well, let’s just say it was an experience.” She sensed him deliberating again, caught between two thoughts, and then he glanced at his watch.
“I’d love to buy you a cup of coffee as thanks for helping me,” he said, looking back at her, “but I have a business call in a few minutes, and then another at four. Maybe later?”
“Sure,” she said. Though later seemed right up there with, “Why don’t we grab a bite together the next time we’re both in Bogotá.”
“Do you have a card at least?” he asked.
She pulled one from her wallet, handed it to him, and, as he slid the card into his pants pocket, she said goodbye. Who knew? Maybe he’d at least need an interior designer at some point.
As he paid for the frame, she inquired of someone else behind the counter about the price of the sawfish bill—outrageous, unfortunately—and left the store. Heading up the street in the steamy air, she felt herself longing for a dip in the pool.
And then as she strolled, lost in thought, Matt Healy was suddenly hurrying up to her from behind.
“Hello, again,” he said. “This may be presumptuous on my part, but would you like to join me for dinner tonight? I was planning on eating at the hotel.”
“Yes, I’d like that.” Why not? she thought. To her surprise, she realized she found him attractive. And maybe having dinner with a total stranger would satisfy that yearning she’d had earlier for a little bit of danger.
“Great. Then why don’t we meet on the restaurant patio? Say, eight-thirty?”
After parting from him, she walked to one more shop, and then arranged for a cab back to the hotel.
Matt was already seated on the patio when she arrived for dinner. His back was to the bay, and though it was too dark to see the water now, there were scattered points of light farther out—boats, she assumed. Ones that seemed to be on secret missions.
As she wound her way to the table, she noticed he was reading on his phone, holding it close to the hurricane lamp on the table. For a moment a frown flickered across his face. As if sensing her presence, he suddenly glanced up and took her in. She’d worn her blond hair in a messy bun, with a few loose pieces hanging around her face. And she’d picked an outfit that she thought was sexy enough but didn’t look like she was trying too hard: white jeans, silver sandals, and a lavender-colored halter, which she knew worked well with her light green eyes. Baby liked to call it “the wisteria effect.”
Matt rose to greet her, setting his phone facedown on the table.
“It’s nice to see you again,” he said.
He was wearing a navy blazer over a collarless off-white shirt. He pulled out the chair across from him and gently cupped her elbow, guiding her as she sat down. His touch was like an electric spark and she felt it shoot all the way through her.
“Did your phone calls go okay?” she asked.
“Yes. Yes, they did, thanks.”
He asked if she wanted to share a bottle of red wine, and she told him, “perfect.” Good girls go to heaven, she thought, but bad girls drink Bordeaux.
“So how did you end up becoming a decorator?” he said after the waiter moved off.
“I got a job as an assistant with the mother of a friend of