Chapter One
It couldn’t be. Symmone stared at the tall, broad shouldered man waiting at the hostess stand.
The din of voices and clink of silverware faded as her world narrowed to the man smiling at Amanda.
For a moment Symmone forgot to breathe.
Attraction made her heart flutter, but searing pain swamped and choked her.
The coffee she poured into a waiting cup overflowed and cascaded over her hand. With a gasp, she jerked her focus back to her task, set the coffee pot on the counter, and hurried to run cool water over her burning fingers.
5
She glanced over her shoulder in time to see the hostess seat the new arrival at a table near the long bank of windows. Just great. She dried her hand and tried not to wince when she scraped the coarse paper towel too roughly against her tender flesh. Leaning against the counter, she drew several deep breaths. What was he doing here?
He’d made it very clear she was a hindrance in his life.
Despite trepidation gnawing at her, some part of her was excited. She ruthlessly squashed the sentiment and filled a glass with ice and water.
Stay focused. He was the one who’d left to pursue his career, while she’d had to cope with loneliness and a broken heart.
She squared her shoulders. But why was he here? There was no reason for him to even seek her 6
out. They were divorced, good and proper. She hadn’t asked him for anything in the ensuing years, even going so far as to return the monthly support payments. She didn’t want or need his guilt money.
Besides, ten years was a long time to carry a torch for anyone, and she had too much going on in her life to waste her time with teenage fantasies and lovelorn dreams. And certainly not on Leo Sheppard.
Quickly she mopped up the errant coffee and did her best to avoid Amanda’s wave and point.
“You have a customer. And he asked for you,” Amanda said, slapping a stack of menus on the counter.
“I was really hoping to…”
“C’mon, Symmone. He’s absolutely gorgeous and he’s wearing this really great cologne.”
7
Amanda swept her gaze over Symmone from head to toe and just barely wrinkled her nose. “Why he would ask for you I have no idea.”
Disdain from the snotty hostess was a given, and Symmone could ignore the cattiness; what she couldn’t ignore was the hot, bitter emotion roiling in her stomach. For a second it felt a lot like jealousy. Ten years and she was jealous?
Unbelievable.
With an eye roll, Symmone picked up the glass of water and approached the table where Leo sat. Thankfully he had his back to her and she had time to gather her thoughts. Why was he here? She couldn’t seem to get past that question.
Her footsteps slowed as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the windowpane. She paused long enough to straighten her dark ponytail. With a 8
huff of disgust she dropped her hand from her ebony tresses and shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was primping for her ex. Primping!
She set the glass on the table with a thump.
He looked up with a tentative smile, and she was lost. She opened her mouth to speak and not a single word came out. God, he was even more handsome than the last time she’d seen him. Gone was the youthful softness of his face. Now he had a man’s face, a jaw that spoke of strength and maturity. His brown eyes, while bright and intelligent, seemed to hold a tinge of sadness, but what drew her attention most was his mouth. How many hours had she fantasized about the taste and shape of his mouth, about the firm press of his lips against hers or the butterfly kisses he used to flutter over her skin.
9
His smile widened. “You’re speechless.”
The warm rasp of his rich baritone danced over her, opening wounds she thought long since healed and igniting a desire she’d hoped long dead.
He couldn’t come in here, to her place of employment, and upset everything she’d ever worked for with just two words.
Everything came back in an aching, throbbing
It couldn’t be. Symmone stared at the tall, broad shouldered man waiting at the hostess stand.
The din of voices and clink of silverware faded as her world narrowed to the man smiling at Amanda.
For a moment Symmone forgot to breathe.
Attraction made her heart flutter, but searing pain swamped and choked her.
The coffee she poured into a waiting cup overflowed and cascaded over her hand. With a gasp, she jerked her focus back to her task, set the coffee pot on the counter, and hurried to run cool water over her burning fingers.
5
She glanced over her shoulder in time to see the hostess seat the new arrival at a table near the long bank of windows. Just great. She dried her hand and tried not to wince when she scraped the coarse paper towel too roughly against her tender flesh. Leaning against the counter, she drew several deep breaths. What was he doing here?
He’d made it very clear she was a hindrance in his life.
Despite trepidation gnawing at her, some part of her was excited. She ruthlessly squashed the sentiment and filled a glass with ice and water.
Stay focused. He was the one who’d left to pursue his career, while she’d had to cope with loneliness and a broken heart.
She squared her shoulders. But why was he here? There was no reason for him to even seek her 6
out. They were divorced, good and proper. She hadn’t asked him for anything in the ensuing years, even going so far as to return the monthly support payments. She didn’t want or need his guilt money.
Besides, ten years was a long time to carry a torch for anyone, and she had too much going on in her life to waste her time with teenage fantasies and lovelorn dreams. And certainly not on Leo Sheppard.
Quickly she mopped up the errant coffee and did her best to avoid Amanda’s wave and point.
“You have a customer. And he asked for you,” Amanda said, slapping a stack of menus on the counter.
“I was really hoping to…”
“C’mon, Symmone. He’s absolutely gorgeous and he’s wearing this really great cologne.”
7
Amanda swept her gaze over Symmone from head to toe and just barely wrinkled her nose. “Why he would ask for you I have no idea.”
Disdain from the snotty hostess was a given, and Symmone could ignore the cattiness; what she couldn’t ignore was the hot, bitter emotion roiling in her stomach. For a second it felt a lot like jealousy. Ten years and she was jealous?
Unbelievable.
With an eye roll, Symmone picked up the glass of water and approached the table where Leo sat. Thankfully he had his back to her and she had time to gather her thoughts. Why was he here? She couldn’t seem to get past that question.
Her footsteps slowed as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the windowpane. She paused long enough to straighten her dark ponytail. With a 8
huff of disgust she dropped her hand from her ebony tresses and shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was primping for her ex. Primping!
She set the glass on the table with a thump.
He looked up with a tentative smile, and she was lost. She opened her mouth to speak and not a single word came out. God, he was even more handsome than the last time she’d seen him. Gone was the youthful softness of his face. Now he had a man’s face, a jaw that spoke of strength and maturity. His brown eyes, while bright and intelligent, seemed to hold a tinge of sadness, but what drew her attention most was his mouth. How many hours had she fantasized about the taste and shape of his mouth, about the firm press of his lips against hers or the butterfly kisses he used to flutter over her skin.
9
His smile widened. “You’re speechless.”
The warm rasp of his rich baritone danced over her, opening wounds she thought long since healed and igniting a desire she’d hoped long dead.
He couldn’t come in here, to her place of employment, and upset everything she’d ever worked for with just two words.
Everything came back in an aching, throbbing
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