Page 81 of My Heart Still Beats

---

She could be the one.

I’ll have to move slowly, and I’m not used to moving slowly.

But slowly is the way I’ll move now, because it’s what she needs, and I’ve got other things that need to be dealt with in my own life.

The past coming back to haunt me.

The past that I thought was gone forever.

Dirk Conrad…

And whoever that asshole bartender is…

I need to make sure he never goes near Tessa.

“Tessa?” I say.

“Yes.” She looks down at the sand. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?”

“For begging you to kiss me. That’s not who I am, Ben.”

I smile. “I wasn’t offended.”

“I didn’t think you were. It’s just…” She bites her plump lower lip. “You’re right. It’s not the right time.”

“Tessa, I want to kiss you more than I want my next breath of air. I don’t think that’s any secret at this point.”

She looks down again, and even though I can’t see the blush on her cheeks in the darkness, I know it’s there.

“We’ve got another big day tomorrow,” I say. “Please let me see you back to your suite.”

She nods then, her hands still in mine. We turn around, walk along the shoreline until we get to the point where she and I both left our shoes.

The beach is dark now except for the resort’s security lighting.

The bar is empty, and that bartender—I don’t even know his name—should be off the island of Jamaica by now.

At the very least, off this private resort.

Tessa stares toward the bar. “There was this bartender tonight…”

“There were a lot of bartenders tonight,” I say.

“But there was one…” She rubs her upper arms as if to ease a chill. “He seemed familiar to me… Not in a good way.”

I turn to her, gently hold her by both of her upper arms.

Surprisingly, she doesn’t pull away.

“Tell me something, Tessa. Did you think you knew him?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t have any recollection of him, but he seemed familiar.”

“Was it the one with the light brown hair? Same color as his eyes? Large nose?”

She widens her eyes. “How did you know?”

---