Seaside Heartbeats: A Sweet Romance (The Seaside Hunters Book 2)

by Stacy Claflin

  The mixture of smells from her perfume and hair products had been a divine combination of sweetness. He'd wanted to pull her even closer, turn her around and kiss her. And the way she'd looked at him? It had almost been too much.

  He would have to speak with Jake and find out how things had progressed with him and Tiffany. How his baby brother had managed to be one of the few locals to convince a tourist to stay.

  It was strange in a way to think about going to Jake for advice about love, but they were all adults now, and Jake had been the only one of the brothers to have any real success. Well, Rafael had a girlfriend in LA, but that was a far different experience than falling in love back home.

  Not that he was in love. Love didn't happen that fast, and even if it did, it was something else entirely. Although, Lana herself was something else. He'd never met anyone remotely like her in all of his life, not in Kittle Falls or Dallas.

  Brayden looked back over at her. He found himself wanting to rush across the room, take her into his arms, and kiss her like she'd never been kissed before. To run his hand through that thick, soft blonde hair.

  She looked up, and their gazes met.

  "Find anything?" he asked, his voice cracking.

  "Not yet."

  They continued to stare at each other, strong feelings rising from Brayden's core. How was it possible they'd been joking and teasing each other just a little bit ago?

  Because that had been before she stood so close to him. Maybe what they needed was space. That way he could regain his composure and think with a clear head.

  He cleared his throat. "Let's keep looking."

  Lana nodded, and looked back at her book. Brayden couldn't take his eyes off her. No matter what she did, she was gorgeous. She was both sweet and sexy at the same time.

  As much as he knew he needed to get away to clear his mind, he just wanted to wrap his arms around her.

  "I'm going to look around at some other rooms," he said. "You want to stay here and look at books?"

  She nodded, bit her lip, and then looked down at the book in her hands.

  Brayden took a deep breath and then left the library. Once out in the living room, he released the air. He looked around at the room, trying to focus. He couldn't get Lana out of his head—how she looked, how sweet she smelled, and how soft her hands were in his.

  He walked through some rooms until he came to a living room that led to a deck. Fresh air would help. He tugged on the door. It stuck just like he always remembered, but then released, allowing him to go outside. He stared at the tree-covered hills, taking in the clean, woodsy smell.

  Serenity started in his chest as he breathed in and out. It moved slowly through him until he was able to think clearly again. He leaned against the rail. He had to take this slowly—or at least find a way to slow down what was already barreling at dangerous speeds.

  Before going into the woods with her alone, he needed a safe date. Something that wouldn't be alone. Maybe they could go out somewhere with Jake and Tiffany or Cora and Marcus. Anyone would do, really. So long as he had someone else to focus on besides just Lana.

  "There you are."

  Brayden turned around to see Lana standing in the doorway. She was gorgeous, threatening to steal away his cleared mind. "Sometimes being in nature helps me to think. Did you find any clues?"

  "No, but there are so many books to go through. What are the chances of finding just one that has something?"

  "We can always come back." He stepped closer to her, careful not to get too close.

  She nodded, looking thoughtful. "We should get back before my family starts to worry. Since I went to the ER, they've been watching me like a hawk."

  "Can't blame them, can we?"

  "I guess not. But they shouldn't worry too much since I'm with my—a—cardiologist."

  They stared at each other. Brayden could barely breathe. He needed to get her back home, and quickly. She broke their eye contact and moved inside.

  "Maybe next time we'll find a decent clue," he said.

  "When's next time?" She looked hopeful.

  "As soon as possible."

  "Good." Lana smiled. "In the meantime, I'm going to find everything I can about the history of this town online. There has to be something to point us in the right direction."

  "Maybe." Brayden's gaze wandered to Lana's ear. Her right earring hung at a funny angle—it was about to fall out. "Hold on."

  "What?" she turned her head, sending the diamond stud flying down toward the ground. It landed on the old wooden floor and rolled behind a little table next to the couch.

  Lana grabbed her ear and held out the back of her earring. "At least this part didn't fall." She stuck it in a pocket, and then stood near the little table, looking behind it.

  "Do you see it?" asked Brayden.

  "No. Let me use the flashlight on my phone."

  "I can do you one better." Brayden pulled a mini-maglight from his pocket.

  Lana stared at him. "You… you keep one with you?"

  "Always. They're always needed when least expected."

  She looked impressed, and he held back a smile. "See what you can find," she said, moving out of his way.

  Brayden moved as close to the end table as he could and turned on the light. The diamond caught the light near the wall, pretty far behind the couch. "I see it." He moved the table and then he pulled on the couch. Both were a lot heavier than they looked. He pulled again, this time making more progress. "They sure don't make furniture like this anymore."

  "Let me help." Lana went around to the front and put her hands underneath the front. Between the two of them, they were able to move it out far enough for him to squeeze against the wall and pick up the small stud.

  She grinned, looking at him like he was a hero. They put everything back in place, and then Brayden walked over to her feeling like he'd moved a mountain, not furniture. He loved the way she looked at him.

  Brayden considered sliding the earring back into her ear—she was standing close enough—but he had no experience putting earrings in and didn't want to hurt her. So, he held it out and she took it, clasping it in her hand.

  "I can't thank you enough."

  "It was nothing."

  Lana shook her head. "It really was. My parents gave these to me when I graduated high school, and they're really special to me. Thank you, Brayden. I can't tell you how worried I was." She threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around him.

  "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help." He squeezed her tight, taking in her sweet scent.

  She stood back and put the earring back in its place. "We should probably get back."

  He nodded in agreement, unable to find his voice. The effect she had on him was unsettling, but he liked it.

  "We'll have to come back to look for clues."

  "That we will." He took her hand and they made their way to the front of the mansion and waved goodbye to the staff on the way out. They looked tired, but that wasn't surprising given their long hours during the tourist season.

  Lana spoke about the books she'd seen in the library, impressed at how well they'd survived the years. Brayden could hardly focus, though. He was so taken in by her.

  Twelve

  Lana sat at the table with her dad, lost in thought as he discussed the papers and the plans for the mansion back home.

  "Are you even paying attention?" he asked.

  "What?"

  He shook his head. "That answers that. You're not interested in these?"

  "Dad, we're on vacation. I need the break. You know how intense the exams were."

  "It's been a long time, but yes, I do remember."

  "You should take a break, too. There's more to life than work, and we already have plenty of nice things." Lana rubbed her earring absentmindedly. "It's not going to hurt anything if you wait to work on those plans until we get back. The clients aren't expecting anything until we get back."

  "But think of how surprised they'll
be when they see these."

  "Have you even played with the boys today? They were begging you earlier."

  "Marcus took them out for ice cream. They're not even here now."

  "That's not what I asked. When they get back, you should take them to the park down the road. Or maybe we could all go to the beach. Get outside and enjoy the fresh ocean air. You might be surprised at how good it'll make you feel."

  He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "You're probably right."

  "Probably?" Lana raised an eyebrow.

  "Okay. You are. When did my little girl become so wise?"

  "Most likely when I stopped being a little girl, Dad."

  "That's true." He ruffled her hair. "Am I going to have to make room in your life, scooting down to the number two place in your heart?"

  "Oh, it's too early to worry about anything like that."

  "I saw the way the two of you looked at each other. And especially the way you looked at him when he played with Nolan and Ryder."

  Lana's cheeks burned. "Stop."

  He put his hand on top of hers. "As proud as I am of your accomplishments, I'm glad to see you taking an interest in something other than architecture. I was beginning to think you were going to be an old maid."

  She shoved him. "Old? Really?"

  "You'll always be my little girl, but honey, you're not the spring chicken you used to be."

  Lana scowled. "Thanks."

  "Just don't let yourself get too attached."

  "What do you mean?"

  "As wonderful as Brayden is, it would never work long-term."

  "How would you know?" Lana asked, trying to keep the defensiveness out of her tone.

  "He's building his life here, and yours is back home." He dug through his papers. "See this? He has big dreams of this urgent care clinic here in Kittle Falls. You're going to be the head architect at our firm one day."

  Lana narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what's going to happen, okay? Things have a way of working out when they're supposed to. I don't know if he's the one or not, but I do know that I like him. We have plans to spend more time together, but he's hardly proposing."

  "I just don't want to see you heartbroken, honey."

  "I can handle my own love life." She stood, pushing the chair back

  "I'm not trying to upset you, Lan."

  "Well, then, let me do this myself. If I end up heartbroken, then it's about time. If I end up having the best summer of my life, then I'd say it's time for that as well. All I know is that Brayden is wonderful, and I'm not about to push him away."

  "I'm not asking you to."

  "Dad, can we talk about this later? I just want to enjoy my time with him. I'll worry about later… later."

  He nodded. "Understood."

  Lana pushed the chair back in, grabbed her purse from the couch, and went outside. The sun was starting to go down, but it was still hot, especially after hours inside the air-conditioned house.

  She walked down the walkway and saw Marcus and the boys headed up the sidewalk. Nolan was finishing off an ice cream sandwich and Ryder looked like he had enjoyed whatever he had eaten. His face and arms were blue.

  "Good ice cream?" she asked, her bad mood melting away at the sight of the boys.

  "I had a superhero Popsicle," Ryder said.

  "Or did it have you?" Lana asked.

  Marcus laughed. "That's a great question. I'm just glad we were outside while he ate that. The tricky part is getting him into the bath without turning anything in the house blue."

  "Now I'm a superhero." Ryder stuck out his sticky arms and ran circles around Lana.

  Nolan shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth and followed his brother. "Me, too."

  Lana laughed. "You guys are going to make me dizzy."

  "I'm Dizzy Man," Nolan shouted, trying to shove past Ryder.

  "No, I am." Ryder sped up.

  "You guys better slow down before you lose your ice cream." Marcus shook his head. "I better get them inside. Is Cora in there?"

  "Still shopping with Mom."

  "Those two could be gone all night."

  Lana nodded. "I should've gone with them."

  "Well, there'll be plenty more time for that this summer. Come on, boys. We need to get inside."

  "Dizzy Man!" Ryder ran into the front yard.

  "Get back here," Nolan called, and then ran after Ryder.

  "See ya." Marcus waved and ran after the boys.

  "Bye," Lana said, knowing he couldn't hear her. She looked up at the sky. The edge of it was dark, with pretty colors already starting to form. She walked toward the beach, noticing people crowded around something. Curious, she made her way over and looked through the mass of people.

  Lana couldn't see anything, but did hear music. It sounded like a flute. The melody was beautiful.

  "What's going on?" she asked the nearest girl.

  She looked at Lana. "There's a guy playing music and his dog is dancing on its hind legs to it."

  "Thanks." Lana backed away, not in the mood to watch a dancing pet. She walked toward the shore, sliding off her sandals as she neared it. Carrying them, she walked in until it reached her ankles, enjoying the feel of the water on her feet.

  Lana wiggled her toes, moving sand around. Waves came in, each one bigger than the last until the water reached her knees. She moved back as an even bigger wave came up.

  Kids near the shore shrieked and ran, leaving their sand creations. The latest wave covered their art and pulled away, exposing the now-ruined castles. There was a chorus of disappointed awws.

  Lana walked along the edge, her legs continuing to get splashed with the waves. When she got a little way from the crowd, she stopped and looked over the water. It sparkled in the sunlight as far out as she could see.

  After a little while, the waves calmed down and moved out a bit. Lana decided to sit in the damp sand and let the waves continue to roll over her feet. The water relaxed her, helping her to forget everything.

  She watched the water, growing lost in thought. Before long, Brayden's beautiful face came to mind. Lana sighed just thinking about him. Was her dad right? Could she be stupid to let things move forward?

  Her feelings for him overpowered her. Having never fallen in love before, she wasn't sure how fast—or hard—they were supposed to hit, but it seemed like everything happened so quickly. The urge to kiss him had nearly overcome her in the museum, and that was before he'd gotten her earring back.

  Lana ran her fingers around in the sand making nonsensical designs. She studied them, wondering what they would be if they were plans for a building. One might be a skyscraper—in an amusement park. The other would have been a ride in the park.

  Looking back over the water, she considered what her dad had said—not that she would ever let him know. How dare he stick his nose where it didn't belong? She had every right to enjoy her summer, especially since a gorgeous doctor had stepped in to make everything all the more interesting.

  Did it matter that long-term it was likely a bad match? Everyone deserved a fling. Especially Lana. She'd worked her butt off her entire life. And who was her dad to suggest that she would end up hurt? They could easily part ways on good terms, having enjoyed a wonderful couple months together.

  Who cared? It wasn't like Lana was looking to get married. She hadn't worked her whole life to get where she was to throw it away. The position she had in the firm was a blessing, and she didn't get it because of her dad's position. She had earned it, working long, hard hours. He had helped, sure. But Lana had put in the effort.

  The damp sand finally soaked through her shorts, making her uncomfortable. She scooted back to where the sand was dry and hot. Her clothes would dry soon enough.

  She looked out at the ocean again. It was the same water that Billy Kittle had seen so many years ago. What had happened to him? Had he been crushed in a cave? Or could he have had a love for the saltwater and have been overtaken by sudden waves, carrying him
away?

  It bothered her that no one knew anything. Someone had to have known something, though. He had to have been a smart man. He'd started an entire town on his own, bringing forth businesses and finding capable people to run them. He'd overcome the gold fever which had destroyed many, and made it here.

  There was no way it could have been an accident. It just couldn't have been. Even though it had been so long ago, she wanted to solve the old mystery. Maybe she and Brayden would even end up interviewed on one of those cold case reality shows.

  She didn't have time for much TV, but she had always enjoyed those types of shows. If she hadn't gone into architecture, she would have loved to be a detective solving old mysteries. The victims still deserved closure, and she was sure old man Kittle—as Brayden had called him—fell into that category.

  Lana couldn't wait until Brayden's next day off. Would they go back to the museum in search of clues again, or hike through the nearby woods where Kittle had likely gone in search of more gold? Either way, she'd be with Brayden, so nothing else really mattered.

  Thirteen

  Brayden rolled over in bed, pulling blankets over his face. On his days off, he always slept in later than this. But he couldn't get his mind off Lana. Ever since their date at the museum, she invaded his thoughts—not that he minded. It was distracting at work when he had to stay focused on the patients in front of him.

  Everything about her drew him to her. Her deep blue eyes. The adoring way she looked at him after he retrieved the earring. Her soft, blonde hair that he wanted to slide his fingers through. The light sprinkling of freckles on her nose. The way her face lit up when talking about solving the mystery of Kittle's disappearance.

  He sighed. They were supposed to get together for a date today, but they hadn't worked out any plans. Brayden had said he would surprise her, but he hadn't come up with anything yet. If he spent any more time alone with her, he wasn't sure he could control himself. He would probably pull her close and force his lips upon hers, finding out if they were as soft as they looked.

  Heart pounding, he sat up. It was too soon for that, and he couldn't risk pushing her away. He knew that slow and steady won races, and though Lana wasn't a conquest, he wanted to win her heart. Letting his emotions get in the way could ruin everything.