Summer Lovin'

'But you don't like conservative,' Ari said, tossing her hands in the air in frustration.

'Exactly. If he'd bought the pen because it was the right thing to do, I'd hate it. But he picked it so I'd have something special to mark signing the contract with our first real client. He gets how excited I am about the business.' Which was why she had to pull back from him now, before anyone really got hurt.

'Aaah.' Ari nodded slowly. 'I'm beginning to understand. The man gets you. And you're going to repay him by handing over Sam?'

'Good question.' Quinn strode into the room and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. 'By the way, can we go with a darker yellow on the walls? This color is so cheery I may walk in and vomit every morning.'

Zoe rolled her eyes. 'No. And no I am not just handing over Sam. Quinn, did you find out anything about the break-in? Like why the burglar would be in Sam's room at all?'

He shook his head. 'I haven't a clue what Sam has that could possibly interest someone enough to break in and ransack the house.'

'Start with anyone in our family,' Ari said, obviously resigned to the fact that someone could be involved in a con of some kind.

She wasn't wrong. Zoe knew firsthand that their scheming could lead to anything. Lord knew she'd ended up in a safe house, thanks to a simple matchmaking scheme.

Quinn eyed his wife with wariness and concern. 'You know I checked up on them?'

She and Quinn glanced over, but Ari showed no signs of distress. Not long ago, just the mere mention of an old family prank or oddity caused Ariana to withdraw, if not as far as Vermont, then deep inside herself where she didn't have to deal with the family's oddities. Quinn had accepted the family right away and he'd helped Ari learn to value her close-knit clan.

Ari nodded. 'Of course.'

Apparently her twin had come to terms with who and what the Costas family was. Zoe was grateful because it helped strengthen their relationship, too.

'And?' Zoe asked.

He groaned. 'Well, let's see. There have been some complaints about the new skin-care cream Elena created and the fishy smell, but as far as I can tell from the bookkeeper, those people have been reimbursed.'

'She's working on finding a scent to cover the fish oil,' Zoe offered helpfully and grinned. 'Anything else?'

'Elena had been giving massages to men and women, but after one male patron lodged a complaint about wandering hands, your mother instituted a policy that men work on men, and women on women.'

Zoe shook her head. 'Makes no sense considering someone could just as easily lodge a complaint against the same sex.'

'When did any of Mom's actions need to make sense to anyone but her?' Ari asked.

'Good point.' Zoe settled into a desk chair and began spinning back and forth. 'Is that it?' she asked Quinn.

'Except the one person who claims they had something stolen from their wallet during a facial session.'

Zoe frowned. 'Is there any reason we're just hearing about this now?'

Quinn shrugged. 'I don't know. All I had to do was talk to the receptionist and she spilled all. I think your parents just want to succeed and don't want you or Ari to worry about anything.'

Ari blew out a frustrated breath. 'Just because of who they are, I'll always worry. So there've been some complaints.'

'The police were only called in about the stealing issue, but the client decided not to press charges. Everything else was settled in-house and amicably. No reason for anyone to trash the house,' Quinn said, his frustration obvious.

Zoe stopped spinning herself and waited till the dizzying sensation subsided. 'Quinn, the person who declined to press charges, could she have sent someone to break in to look for what she claims was taken? Maybe they thought it could be stashed in an un-obvious place, like Sam's room.'

'It's something to consider and we'll look into it.'

Ari nodded. 'I think you should.'

'Now how about Ryan's family?' Zoe asked. 'What did you find out about them?' She hated that she was prying into things she'd rather hear from Ryan himself, but desperate times and Sam's welfare called for desperate measures.

Quinn pulled a pad out of the back pocket of his jeans. 'They own Baldwin's Department Stores, a ritzy chain scattered throughout New England's wealthiest areas.' He glanced at his notes. 'Baldwin himself is a lawyer and has no part in the family business. It's mainly run by his father's brother, Russell. The family's fairly conservative, which means boarding schools and country clubs and the like.'

Ari rubbed her hands up and down her arms. 'Sam will die in that kind of environment.'

Zoe nodded. 'From what I've got on paper, I agree. We're going to have to see what happens beyond the basic introductions. Ryan understands she's a sensitive kid despite her tough exterior. Once she knows the truth, he's going to have to spend more time with her here. Then we'll have to talk about what comes next.'

'I hate it,' Quinn muttered.

Zoe nodded. 'Join the club.'

'When do we break the news to Mom and Dad?' Ari asked, resigned.

'Sam has plans to sleep at her friend's tonight. We'll double-check and if Mom and Dad are home alone, we'll fill them in then.' Zoe laid her head in her hands, not wanting to face her parents with the dreaded news.

Especially after she'd spent the night with the man who could take Sam away. And what a night it had been. She still recalled every intimate moment, each sensual touch.

Zoe groaned. Quinn had suggested she stick close to Ryan as a means of measuring him as a person and keeping him from revealing all to Sam. Her mother had suggested the same, her motive being for Zoe to cozy up to the so-called social worker who'd ultimately determine Sam's placement. Although Zoe had gone along with their suggestions, she'd never fooled herself into believing she'd been with Ryan for completely selfless reasons.

The attraction had been potent from day one and had exploded between them last night. So had emotions she had no business feeling. Even if she put his relationship to Sam aside, that didn't change her reservations.

She and Ryan couldn't be more different. He was a conservative man with a life and expectations far removed from her own. He lived in a city that was a solid four hours away. And he evoked an intensity of feeling that could cause untold upheaval in a life she was just beginning to reclaim.

Heaven only knew what kind of damage he could cause if she let him into her heart.

* * *

RYAN WALKED BAREFOOT DOWN to the beach, wishing he could share the gorgeous night with Zoe. Instead, he found himself alone. Because it was early evening, the sun lovers had headed inside, but there were still large groups of people hanging out by the water. The frothy waves hit the shore and rolled back, relaxed and easy- unlike how Ryan was feeling at the moment. He rolled his shoulders, but the tension remained.

He was a short time away from achieving everything he'd come to New Jersey for and yet the victory was bittersweet. In getting what he desired, he'd be hurting people he'd come to like and respect. Worse, he was falling hard for a woman who had every right to want distance between them.

He kicked at the sand in disgust and when his cell phone rang, he was grateful for the distraction.

He pulled the phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. 'Hello?'

'Ryan, how are you?'

'Uncle Russ. I'm fine.'

'You don't sound fine.'

Ryan could picture the scowl on his uncle's face. 'I never could put one over on you, could I?'

His uncle chuckled. 'That's because I'm older and wiser. Now talk to me.'

He told his uncle about Sam, about how much her attitude reminded him of his sister, about how she tried to act tough, but had a soft heart for animals and about her relationship with her foster family. 'She's a great kid,' he summed up, knowing that great didn't nearly cover all Sam's attributes.

'Of course she's great. She's got Baldwin blood running through her veins,' Uncle Russ said, chuckling.