“I’ll handle it, sweetheart,” Logan assured the woman, smiling down at her.
“Come down!” one of the women called out, gesturing toward the redhead. “The spot over there will be perfect!”
“I’ll carry you down the stairs,” Troy offered. She flushed, the hint of pink spreading across her cheeks intriguing as hell.
“Um, I don’t know….”
“I promise not to drop you,” he said huskily. Hell, if he had his way, he’d carry her off in the opposite direction—away from the others toward the parking lot. He’d set her down on a bench somewhere, find out her name, and then ask her out. Not that a woman he’d just met would be comfortable with him carrying her away from everyone else. Not this woman at any rate. He’d certainly had his share of one-night-stands in his younger days, where he’d meet a pretty girl at a bar and take her home, but now he found himself dating a woman for a month or so before things fizzled out.
A couple was walking toward them headed for the beach, and Troy called out to the guy. “Hey, can you carry down my girlfriend’s crutches for me?”
He winked, and before the redhead could say a word, he was lifting her into his arms. His groin tightened as he felt her softness pressed up against his chest, but he ignored it. She smelled delicious, like vanilla cupcakes or something else mouthwatering that he was dying to taste. And the sweet way she clung to him made his heart pound.
“Girlfriend, huh?” she asked dryly.
Her friends giggled and clapped as he carried her down the steps toward the sand, and he chuckled. Hell, she weighed practically nothing at all. He’d carried his six-foot-plus teammates slung over his shoulder in training. The woman in his arms hardly compared.
“It seemed plausible,” he said with a boyish grin. “I mean, you’re just my type.”
“And what type is that?” she asked, her green eyes twinkling in amusement.
“Pretty. Petite. The kind of woman who agrees to head to the beach with her friends in a cast but doesn’t mind a little help from a handsome stranger when they leave her stranded on the boardwalk.”
“I’m actually an event planner. The brunette is engaged, and she’s planning a beach wedding for next fall. The other two are her sisters. I told them I didn’t mind hanging back while they talked about their vision down on the sand. But after trekking all over San Diego with them today, I’ve decided I’m never going somewhere with stairs again—not in this cast. Maybe we can visit the rest of the venues virtually or something.”
“Never say never,” Troy quipped. “You just need to make sure I’m with you.”
They reached the sand, and he gently set her down as the other man handed Troy her crutches.
“How long have you two been dating?” the woman asked.
“Two minutes,” Troy said, and the couple laughed.
“Well, good luck,” the guy chuckled, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and walking away.
Troy and the redhead moved slowly toward the others. Logan grinned as the blonde stood right at his side. “Stacy here is planning a wedding,” he said, nodding at one of the women. “These are her sisters.”
“Are you guys really in the Navy?” the blonde asked, resting her hand on Logan’s forearm.
“Guilty as charged,” Troy said with a smirk. He wondered where she was from. Everyone who lived around here was used to seeing military men all over the place. San Diego was a damn Navy town. Maybe the woman getting married was the only one who was local. Or the blonde was just trying to play dumb.
“So, what do you think?” the redhead asked the other women. Troy realized he still hadn’t gotten her name. “The ceremony and reception could be right here. If the ramp is fixed, your older relatives should be able to get down to the beach. And we’ll have chairs set up in the sand, a gorgeous floral arch for you to say your vows under, and then a nice tented area for the reception.”
“It’s perfect!” the brunette squealed. “I can’t wait to show my fiancé. Thank you so, sooo much for showing us everything today. I feel so bad that you were on crutches. Email me the contract, okay? We’ll sign the paper for the permit or whatever we need and then plan the rest of the wedding. Eeek! This is so exciting.”
“Now that that’s settled, let’s go for a walk!” the blonde said, tugging on Logan’s arm. “I love the ocean at this time of night.”
“A walk sounds perfect,” the brunette said. “It’s such a gorgeous evening.” She looked over toward Troy and the redhead, frowning.
“Go ahead,” Troy’s girl said. His girl? He’d just met the woman a few minutes ago. She wasn’t even his date, let alone his girlfriend. “We’re all set. I’ll email you the details and paperwork tomorrow. Enjoy your walk!”
Troy turned toward her, loving the cute flush that spread across her cheeks as the others walked away. “Don’t tell me they just left you stranded here,” he said in a low voice.
“We drove separately. Thank goodness my left foot is broken, because I can still use the gas pedal,” she said with a shrug. A red strand of hair blew across her face, and Troy reached out, brushing it back. He tucked it behind her ear, watching as she licked her pink lips.
Hell. What was he doing? He’d just met her but couldn’t help imagining what it would feel like to duck down and brush his mouth over hers.
She seemed affected by his touch as well. Her eyes had widened in arousal, and he saw the way her chest rose and fell. They were standing quite close to one
