From This Moment On: Heartwarming Contemporary Romance (Windswept Bay Book 1)

by Debra Clopton

  “That doesn’t sound like Cam.”

  She gave a tight smile. “No, it doesn’t.” Not unless he neglected to tell her on purpose. What was her brother up to?

  “Are you all right with this? You just need to trust me.”

  No, she wasn’t all right. Not at all. She’d been off-centered from the moment they’d met and felt as if any moment she was going to roll headfirst down the rocky slope. And trust…oh, trust was a hard one for her, even if it was just about a painting. “I’m fine,” she lied, because she couldn’t tell him what was really going through her head. She started to bring up her ideas for the wall and then remembered he was doing this for pennies compared to what he normally charged. Her thoughts racing, she said the only safe thing she could think of: “I guess we’ll continue the tour.”

  She led the way toward the beach area. “You just need to trust me.” Such a common statement with more meaning than most people realized. Especially to someone like her.

  She told herself he was not her ex and she had to fight off her instant need to judge him or all men by Paul. The mere thought of her ex disgusted her.

  Grant had no idea that trusting any man other than her brothers and her dad was a hard request to make of her. But that was an irrational problem that she was going to have to overcome.

  Starting now. If she couldn’t trust Grant Ellington, then this project was already doomed.

  How would they make it work?

  And Cam would be upset with her. He’d explained Grant’s situation. She knew he’d been through a horrific tragedy when the plane he’d been flying in had crashed near the runway. There had been three men on the plane and he’d been the only one to live. Cam had told her it had hit Grant hard. She’d been going through her own version of horrible about the same time as she was in the midst of her nasty, long, drawn-out divorce.

  Cam had confided that he was worried about his friend. And that this would be his first time to travel from his home since the tragedy. The first time for him to fly, too. Coming here could not have been easy for him.

  Determination filled her. They’d make it work. She’d make sure they did.

  The plane ride had done a number on Grant. He managed to calm down by the time he’d reached the resort but that didn’t mean his head was screwed on straight yet. But, Cam had been right when he’d said Windswept Bay was an inspiring place and could help him ease back into his work. Grant hadn’t been interested at first, but then Cam had played the “you said you owed me” card.

  Ironic, considering Cam didn’t really believe Grant owed him anything. It was Grant who insisted that he did and so Cam had known full well that that was the best way to get Grant to make a move.

  Grant had made the mistake one evening of telling Cam that he felt dead inside and didn’t think he’d ever feel anything again. And that had been when Cam told him that his sisters had taken over running the small boutique resort that had been in their family for several generations. They were making some changes and updates and one of the sisters wanted murals painted on a few strategic areas. That said, Cam had called in Grant’s debt.

  And that was the only reason Grant was here now.

  The verdict was still out on whether he’d be able to paint.

  But, as Grant followed the quick-stepping Cali, he was fascinated by her. Mesmerized might be a better word. She was distractingly gorgeous, with her gleaming blonde hair and her sun-kissed skin. She’d been soft in his arms when she’d run headfirst into him; he’d wrapped his arms around her and he’d had a very hard time releasing her.

  He was having trouble concentrating. She probably thought he was one odd bird but, after feeling numb for months, when he’d looked down into her eyes, he’d felt alive.

  And every time since. He had to force himself not to stare at her. She was like a work of art waiting to happen. Her face was made to be painted.

  But she was nervous. Shaken, even. And he’d done that to her.

  Had it been because she’d felt the sparks too? Or was it something else?

  Cam had told him that one of his four sisters had gone through a really bad divorce. It was hard to keep them all straight because he and Cam mostly talked about ranching. But as Grant rifled through his memory, he was certain it was Cali’s name Cam had mentioned with divorce.

  As they moved across the courtyard, he couldn’t help noticing how pretty it was. Filled with tropical flowers and cobblestone paths, he focused his attention to his surroundings and off Cali. “This is a beautiful place.”

  “We think so. But, I can only imagine the gorgeous places you’ve been to and created your work. Our small resort has to be a let-down.”

  “No, not at all. You don’t like your resort?”

  “I love it, but it has its shortcomings if compared to world-class resorts. I’ve seen the places that have commissioned your murals.”

  “And now you’re one of them. I like the smaller, boutique feel of this. Some resorts can be too large and the landscaping too much. These grounds are fantastic.”

  “I agree. My sister Jillian’s responsible for the gorgeous landscape. She’ll be pleased that you like her work. I think she’s an artist with her plants. I’m a big fan of Jillian’s talent. Even if she is my sister and part owner of the resort, we are fortunate to have her as resident landscape artist.”

  They walked over a small bridge with a man-made lagoon flowing gently beneath it and he could see the pool area ahead of them. There was a very blank wall running across from the pool.

  “As you can see, this needs some livening up. The pool is a popular place despite the ocean being just past the courtyard interior. I’d like to bring the ocean here, to those who don’t want to actually swim in it.”

  “It is in need. Is there an outside wall I’m supposed to paint?”

  She nodded and looked back at the blank wall beside the pool. He could tell she wanted to tell him more about her vision of what she wanted on the wall. Instead, she literally bit her bottom lip and held back.

  Despite all his efforts, his gaze locked onto her mouth. And suddenly he wasn’t thinking about painting.

  She was staring at him too. “This way,” she said, tersely, as she spun and walked briskly away from him. “It will be visible from the beach and I just think it could be a great statement.”

  Electricity flowed through his veins. “Your instincts are great.” Guilt suddenly tried to swallow him and he tried to focus on anything but how he was affected by her.

  Pulling his gaze away from her swaying hips and flouncing ponytail, he forced himself to look at the white sandy beach and the sparkling water. It was a wide beach with waves washing gently onto the sand, where children built sandcastles and adults enjoyed the pristine day.

  “This is the largest area and will be seen by so many people from the beach.” Cali swung around.

  He ran into her this time.

  It happened so suddenly there was nothing he could do. Instinctively, his arms went around her as their feet tangled and to his dismay, they tumbled to the sand.

  This was not exactly the way to make a good impression.

  But…as he landed in the sand, he knew at this moment he didn’t care about anything but that he had Cali in his arms.

  Not again! Cali wasn’t sure what had happened, just that she turned too quickly and found herself in Grant’s arms and fell into the sand, with her landing on top of him.

  “Oh,” she managed, breathlessly looking down at him. He stared up at her and she could feel his heart pound beneath her hand, where it rested there on his chest. For a moment, they just seemed frozen and then he laughed huskily as he rolled to his side and gently deposited her beside him in the sand. Her heart thundered and it wasn’t from the fall or from fear. His arms held her, cocooned in their protective grasp. And then, he smiled…not the partial or hint of a smile she’d seen before but a full-blown, gleaming white smile that knocked her socks off.

  Potent. Sexy. Lethal.
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  “I’d say we need to stop meeting like this, but I’m enjoying it too much.” His gaze went back to her lips and her insides melted like honey on a hot day.

  She knew she should move. That she needed to escape his arms, but she couldn’t.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, concern in his tone.

  “Fine. I’m just…” Dear goodness, what was wrong with her? “I need to get up,” she snapped as alarm curled through her. She scrambled away from him, forcing herself out of his arms.

  What was wrong with her? She’d sworn off men and now, one moment in Grant’s arms and she was all gooey inside. And wanting his kiss?

  No. No, ma’am. This wouldn’t do.

  He sat up, and then rose and pulled her to stand. The brief teasing flirtation that had first flickered through his eyes was gone, replaced with concern. “Are you sure you’re all right? The fall didn’t hurt you?”

  “No. I…I just lost my breath for a moment.” It wasn’t a lie. She had lost her breath—just not from the fall.

  “I’m glad you weren’t harmed because of my carelessness.”

  He gently brushed sand from her cheek, flustering her all the more and making her want to dust him off. “I turned too quickly,” she blurted and started dusting herself off like a madwoman batting at attacking bees.

  She could feel his perplexed gaze on her but she didn’t look at him. Oh no, that would not do because he could probably see her thoughts in her eyes.

  “I should have been paying attention.” He dusted himself off with easy, normal taps here and there. “I was distracted by the beauty around me.”

  Her head jerked up. She looked at him and got the enticing notion that he was including her in that beauty. Butterflies the size of parrots went crazy inside her stomach. In defense, she turned back to the building. “This wall will be a feature in the ads for the resort when our new campaign begins,” she blurted. “It’ll be very important.” This was business. Only business. She shot him a glance, trying to emphasize the importance his work would make and the fact that she was getting this tour back on track.

  But instead of looking at her or the building, he had turned to stare out at the ocean and then the cliffs down the beach. Her gaze, drat it to the moon and back, drank him in like a starving woman.

  Anger boiled over inside her as she forced herself to study the view too.

  The cliff that rose up on the other end of the resort was striking and she loved to jog and hike up it as part of her workout.

  Her gaze wandered back to him; longing flared inside her. She snuffed it out—she’d sworn off men. Sworn off relationships—since she’d been finally freed from her horrible marriage—and now Grant had awakened this dangerous flood of…she refused to call it desire. She’d lost that a long time ago. Hadn’t been able to imagine ever wanting another man’s hands on her. But…suddenly, all she wanted was to be back in Grant’s arms.

  His heart raced as Grant studied the landscape and tried not to let his mind linger on what had just happened. Holding Cali for those short few moments had made him want to hold onto her and not let go.

  He was here to paint.

  To try to feel again—and boy was he. He stared out at the open ocean as conflicting emotions rolled like the waves.

  “I don’t understand,” she snapped.

  The anger in her words startled him. He focused on her and saw that her green eyes were alive with it.

  “You,” she continued with a wave of her hand in his direction. “You barely looked at the wall. Or the pool wall. Or the main lobby wall. Do you not want this job? You act absolutely bored.”

  What could he say? How could he tell her that for the first time in months, he felt an emotion other than the hollow sense of emptiness and loss?

  That looking at her, holding her, he felt alive.

  “This is ridiculous,” she muttered before he could find words. Then she stalked away, her hips swaying with each angry step.

  “Wait.” He moved quickly to catch up to her and without thinking, he reached for her arm. “Hold on.”

  Her emerald eyes remained full of fire when she looked back at him.

  “Cali, I didn’t mean to make you mad. This is just my process.”

  “I don’t understand you.”

  “I can see that I should have explained better. I work in tandem with the environment around my canvas. To me, a wall is a wall until I paint something on it. Looking at it isn’t going to tell me anything. The environment around it will tell me everything. That’s what I’m looking for. I know you have ideas for your walls, but you could hire anyone to paint your idea. You can tell me what you want all day long and it won’t help me give you what makes my work what it is. Until I experience what you already know and I grow to appreciate it, I won’t have a feel for it. And even if I paint it, the wall won’t come to life. And that’s what you’re after. Isn’t it?”

  Talking about his work explained some of what she’d seen but not all. It at least gave him an excuse for making her uncomfortable.

  The anger in her eyes dissipated and the stiffness of her shoulders relaxed. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”

  Looking at her with the beach behind her, he was suddenly thinking of moonlit nights and… He rubbed the back of his neck, biding time as he tried to make sense of what was happening between them. “I get focused on my objective and I sometimes forget that people can’t read my mind. Forgive me?” he finished gently.

  Seconds ticked by. At last she nodded. “I can understand that. I can do the same thing, or so I’m told by my siblings.”

  Cam had warned him that he had four sisters and in a half teasing wager, dared Grant not to fall for one of them while he was on this project. Grant had taken his words lightly, but now…now he wasn’t so sure Cam hadn’t been right. Cali took his breath away. The force of attraction he felt toward her was incredible. And before he’d met her, he’d say that was impossible after the deadness that had been filling him since the crash.

  The crash.

  The thought sobered him. For a few moments, he hadn’t thought about it. Guilt cut through him.

  “Let’s go up there.” He walked, taking long strides, intent on putting some distance between him and the thoughts swirling in his mind. He might be thinking of moonlit nights and kisses but he was here for a job. He had no right to feel anything.

  “Grant,” she called, startling him. She took a few steps toward him and there was a lost expression in her eyes.

  “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head but he didn’t believe her.

  “I just need to get back, change and get ready for my afternoon agenda. You go ahead and explore and if you need something, I’ll be in my office.”

  She didn’t wait for a reply as she headed back toward the resort and left him standing at the base of the path, wondering whether he looked as lost as she had just now.

  Chapter Three

  Cali’s sister Shar looked up from her computer when Cali entered the office.

  “Hey, glad you’re here. I’m about to head over to the sea turtle hospital and lead a tour. They just brought in an injured big fella that got caught in a fishing li—” She stopped short and her eyes sharpened. “What’s wrong? You look…flustered.”

  “I do not,” Cali denied and fought the urge to glance in the mirror near the door. Despite having showered and changed in the hour since she’d abandoned Grant at the beginning of the trail, she still felt shaken by her reaction to the man.

  “No.” Shar gave a sardonic laugh. “Big sis, you’re in a dither. Your cheeks are flushed, you’re stomping, and you, Miss Cool, never do that. So spill.”

  A groan rolled through Cali. Shar was not one to let something drop when she thought she was onto something. Still, Cali gave pretending nothing was wrong her best shot. Carefully she pulled her chair up to her desk and turned on her own computer.

  She could feel Shar’s eyes narrow. Absolutely felt t
he pinpricks of her stare.

  Shar tapped her lip with a finger. “No, something is up. I can feel it through your pretending. Although you should win an Oscar for your performance.”

  Cali let out an exasperated huff and met her sister’s all-too perceptive gaze. “You see too much.”

  “Thanks. I try. But to be fair, this wasn’t too hard to see.” Shar laughed and then cut it short and frowned. “It’s not about your dirt-bag ex, is it? I tell you, if that sorry excuse for a ma—”

  “No, not him. Calm down, Superhero,” she urged affectionately. Shar was always rescuing something or someone. If she knew all the details of Cali’s life before her divorce, she would have been really upset. But Cali had kept most of her problems to herself, not wanting her large family of three sisters and five brothers, parents, and close-knit extended family to know the dirty details. She told herself it was to protect them and keep them from trying to harm Paul, but it was also because she was ashamed. All of this was reminders of exactly why her response to Grant was so unreasonable. At last she snapped, “It’s Grant Ellington. The man is…”

  Shar’s face brightened. “McDreamboat—I knew it. You’ve already seen him!”

  “Stop calling him that.”

  “He is and I will not. All those make-me-wanna-run-my-fingers-through-it dark curls and that crooked Patrick Dempsey smile makes a girl’s heart go pitter-patter just thinking about it. You can’t stop a runaway freight train when the brakes go out.”

  Cali frowned, because it was all true. Even the pitter-patter part. She just hadn’t expected it to be full-blown explosive in person.

  “What’s he like? I know he checked in late last night.” Her eyes widened. “You have met him.” She stood up in her excitement. “And that’s why you’re all flustered and—”

  “Aggravated. I am not flustered.”

  Her sister started to say something but her mouth dropped open and she clapped her hands together. “You’re interested. Praise God! You are actually interested. That’s life in them thar eyes that I see.”