The Plan (Capitol Love Series Book 1) Read online

  “Oh, that. I need that,” Savannah said, turning on her stool to watch as the tray moved across the room and came to rest on the men’s table. While she was debating how weird it would be if she went over and asked for a taste, she heard a voice that was becoming very familiar say, “Hello, ladies. What can I get for you?”

  Savannah turned back to the bar to see her gorgeous stranger.

  “Hey!” she said and immediately blushed at her eloquence.

  “Hey yourself!” he said with a smile as he set down cocktail napkins, seemingly unfazed at running into her yet again.

  “Do you guys know each other?” Rayne asked.

  “No!” Savannah said just as he said, “Yeah.”

  “I mean, yes...I guess. Sort of…” Savannah felt her face growing hot again. So much for the “new” Savannah. She was just as bumbling and nervous around this man as she’d been around every attractive boy she’d ever talked to in high school or college.

  Rayne looked from the bartender to Savannah, waiting for one of them to fill her in. But he just smiled at Savannah for a moment before pulling out two menus and setting them on the bar.

  “Why don’t I give you two a second to look over the menu?” he said and moved to the far end of the bar.

  Rayne looked at Savannah. “You’re going to explain that, but first, can I just say how not surprised I am that you have been here less than 24 hours and you already have a story that involves one of the hottest men I’ve ever seen in real life?”

  “Oh my god, right? So I’m not imagining it! It’s like he walked right out of a magazine.”

  “Definitely not imagining it,” Rayne said as she eyed the view of his backside that he was providing from his post at the far end of the bar. “So?”

  Lowering her voice, Savannah told Rayne about her two encounters with him that day.

  “And you didn’t get his name?” Rayne asked.

  “No. I’ve taken to calling him Mr. Sexy in my head.”

  “Clever.”

  From the other end of the bar, they heard, “Mr. Sexy is so formal. Why don’t you just call me Colin?”

  Savannah felt her body temperature skyrocket and the heat move from her face down her chest and arms. Despite applying all her mental powers to making Colin stay where he was, he sauntered back to them. Leaning his forearms on the bar and focusing his magnetic blue eyes on her, he said, “Don’t you think? Nanna?”

  “Oh god!” Savannah said and dropped her forehead to the bar so that she was staring at the floor. “This can’t possibly get any more embarrassing.”

  “Ohhhhh, I’m the only non-family member allowed to call her that!” Rayne said. “See, her head is down like that because she’s searching her purse for her switch blade. She’ll cut you, man.”

  “Well, since she hasn’t told me her real name, I have to work with what I’ve got.”

  Savannah waited for Rayne to tell him her name. Or say something to make him go away. Anything. But as the silence stretched, her curiosity got the better of her, and she slowly lifted her head to find herself staring into those hypnotizing blue eyes.

  After a beat, Colin’s mouth twitched up into a crooked smile. “No? Still not going to tell me your name? Well, that’s cool. I’ll wait. In the meantime, I’ll get started on your drinks.”

  As soon as his eyes let go of hers, Savannah’s voice—and brain—returned. “We didn’t order anything!” she called after him.

  “No worries, Red,” he said, turning to look at her down the length of the bar. “I can tell what people need to be drinking. It’s one of my superpowers.”

  Savannah tried to ignore the heat that was spreading from her belly and out through her veins. “Red? My hair is brown.”

  “I wasn’t talking about your hair,” he said.

  Rayne burst out laughing, and Savannah narrowed her eyes at her. “I will definitely cut you.”

  Later that evening, as Rayne and Savannah walked home in the cool night air, stomachs full of comfort food and heads slightly buzzed from comfort drinks, Rayne said, “So. Colin,” with a smile and a nudge.

  “So? Colin?” Savannah said, trying to sound nonchalant.

  “Heeee liiikes youuuu!” Rayne sang and threw her arm around Savannah.

  “Whatever. He does not. He’s just...one of those guys. A player. A charmer. It’s a survival skill for a bartender.” Savannah tried to ignore the butterflies that took flight in her stomach at the thought of him.

  “Hmmmmm, maybe. Maybe not.” Rayne giggled and hip-butted Savannah, who then had to steady Rayne back on her feet.

  “It doesn’t matter. I mean, yeah, he’s super hot—”

  “Insanely hot!”

  “But, I mean, he has tattoos—”

  “Sexy tattoos.”

  “And he’s a bartender—”

  “A sexy bartender.”

  “Rayne! This isn’t a call-and-response rap. I’m saying he’s not my type. He doesn’t fit The Plan.”

  “Oh right! THE PLAN!” Rayne said in a deep voice while raising a fist in the air.

  Savannah put her arm around Rayne to help her up the steps of their porch and onto the swing by the front door.

  “The plan is good,” Savannah said as Rayne leaned her head on her shoulder. “And it’s already in motion.” She raised her hand and started ticking items off on her fingers. “I’ve got the place in the city. I start my job as a program manager at the Capitol Foundation next week, which gives me plenty of time and opportunity to advance and build my path toward being an executive director of a major foundation by the time I’m forty. All I need is the guy—professional, driven, responsible. Maybe a lawyer or a policy analyst, and we’ll renovate a row house by Eastern Market and—”

  The sound of snoring coming from Rayne interrupted Savannah’s fantasy.

  “Shut up!” she said as she shoved her friend.

  “Oh, did I nod off during your fascinating recitation of The Plan? Did you get to the part about the wainscoting in the breakfast nook yet? Because I love that part.”

  Savannah pinched Rayne’s arm playfully, but Rayne pulled away and stood up.

  “Look, all I’m saying is The Plan is...the plan. I’m sure you’ll follow it and live happily ever after, but isn’t there room for a little fun with the sexy bartender before your appointment with the realtor?”

  Every part of Savannah screamed Yes! but she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Rayne. “No. The Plan exists for a reason. We both know what that reason is.”

  Rayne did know. That had been a hard year for both of them. With a sigh, she bent down and wrapped her arms around Savannah in a clumsy hug. “Welcome home, babe!” she said. Then she turned toward the door. “Does the plan allow for going to bed at 8:30 on a Saturday night when you worked all day? Because, you know, if it’s going to threaten The Plan, I can totally—”

  “Go to bed, Rayne!” Savannah said, laughing and adding an affectionate “dork” just before the door closed.

  She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs, watched as night settled over her new neighborhood and tried not to think about those magnetic blue eyes or those tattoos that she really wanted to see the rest of—and find out if any more were lurking in less visible places. The thought of Colin’s less visible places sent a slight shiver through her body. Instead of letting her mind wander down that path any further, she decided to go inside and eat the rest of the cupcakes Rayne had brought her.

  Colin wiped down the bar for the third time and readied the already organized back bar for the next morning—and finally admitted to himself that he was stalling until he could come up with an excuse to walk past Red’s house on his way home, even though it was three blocks in the wrong direction. He knew she felt the same spark he did when they were near each other. He’d felt it as soon as she’d turned those amazing green eyes on him that morning. But she kept pulling back. He’d never had to work very hard to get the attention—or affection—of
women. But he could already sense that she was different. And it made him want to get to know her even more.

  Chapter 5

  After closing the bar the night before, 4 a.m. came much too quickly for Colin, but he had work to do. Two hours later, tired and in need of a shower, he turned the corner onto Savannah’s street. He told himself it was highly unlikely she’d be awake or out on the porch again. He told himself he was only walking past her house because it was the fastest route home if he wanted to stop at Sweet Happens, not because he was acting like a lovesick teenager trying to get a look at his crush. Except that when he turned the corner and saw her, his heart sped up and his mouth went a little dry.

  She’d traded those cute pajamas for gray sweat pants and a pink tank top, and she was struggling down the porch steps backward tugging a large, awkward-looking box full of flattened boxes and packing paper.

  Colin quickly closed the few hundred yards between them and came up the steps behind her.

  “Hi!” he said.

  Savannah let go of the box with a yelp and spun around with her arms raised in a defensive posture. As soon as she recognized him, she started to relax—and the box started to slide down the stairs behind her. It smacked into the back of her knees, and she pitched forward into Colin, who instinctively wrapped his arms around her, but the momentum pushed him off his feet.

  The next thing he knew he was flat on his back with Savannah pressed solidly on top of him.

  “Omph!” she said as they landed.

  “Did you just say ‘omph’?” Colin asked. It felt nice—way too nice—having her on top of him. He wanted to keep her there as long as possible.

  “It’s what you say when you fall.”

  “No, it’s not,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a sound one could make on impact, but it’s not something you actually say.”

  She propped her forearms on his chest and looked down at him, her chestnut hair falling like a curtain around them. “What are you even doing here? Again. Stalker.”

  “I’m not a stalker. I was on my way home—this is my way home.”

  “Just now getting home, huh? I see,” she said in a teasing tone.

  “What? NO! No, I—”

  “Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” She started to get up, but his arms were around her and he tightened his grip. When she raised a questioning eyebrow, he chose to continue as if this were a totally natural position for a chat between two virtual strangers.

  “I guess I shouldn’t complain,” she said. “You probably saved my ass.”

  “Well, it’s far too nice an ass to let anything happen to it,” he said with a cocky smile, deciding that he didn’t care if his attraction to her started to manifest in a noticeable way.

  Savannah blushed, and knowing the heat was going to spread through her body, she suddenly felt a strong need to put some space between her and Colin. Feeling something very obvious beginning to press against her belly only increased her urgency. Shifting so that her right knee was on the ground, she placed her hands on either side of his head and started to lever herself off him.

  “Whoa, Red. Where do you think you’re going?”

  With lightning speed, he rolled her onto her back and was now hovering above her—hands on either side of her head, knees braced on the outside of her legs but no part of his body touching hers to give himself a much-needed break. The way Savannah affected him, he was starting to worry that he might complete his transformation into lovesick teenager in a most embarrassing way.

  “Wow. That was clearly a practiced move,” she said.

  “Actually, that’s the first time I’ve ever done that.” Colin lowered his head toward hers before adding, “At least while dressed.”

  “You’re very talented,” she said, but it took a lot of effort to form coherent thoughts when her brain kept picturing him lowering himself down, slowly, until their—

  “Whatcha thinking ‘bout there, Red?” Colin whispered, his body now lightly brushing against hers.

  Flushing a deeper red at being called out, she couldn’t think of anything to say and instead raised her hands to his chest in a vague attempt to create some space between them. But feeling the hard muscles of his chest flex under her fingers only made things worse.

  “Are you thinking about all my talents?” he breathed, his mouth barely an inch from hers.

  As she calculated how much she’d have to shift until his lips touched hers, she suddenly realized that she was seriously considering kissing a virtual stranger. She was shocked at herself. And a little impressed. But mostly shocked. This was exactly the kind of behavior that would destroy The Plan.

  She moved her gaze from his full, enticing lips to his eyes—now more of an indigo blue—but that didn’t help. Closing her eyes tight, she cleared her throat and said, “I was thinking about how my garbage is spilled all over the sidewalk and I should really get it picked up.”

  “Liar.” But he knew the mood had shifted. He’d seen a door close behind her eyes.

  “You know, holding me here like this could be considered a felony in most states.”

  “Misdemeanor at best.”

  “Are you ever going to let me get up?”

  “All you had to do was ask, Red.” Colin got to his feet in one fluid motion and held a hand out to help her up.

  Ignoring the stab of disappointment at his eagerness to let her go, Savannah got up without his help. But it was clear to her now that if she wasn’t careful, he would destroy The Plan faster than she could say, “Take me now.” And she couldn’t let that happen.

  Moving past him without making eye contact, she began picking up the things that had fallen out of the box and were strewn across the sidewalk and lawn.

  Colin started to help her.

  “I’ve got this,” she said. “I’m sure you want to get home after your long night out.” She heard the edge in her voice and told herself it wouldn’t hurt for Colin to think she was bipolar.

  “OK, sure. Whatever you want.” Colin dropped the flattened cardboard box he’d picked up and headed for the street, irritation replacing arousal. He didn’t need this kind of drama. He was just looking for some fun, not a girl who played games.

  “See you around, Red,” he said when he was a few feet away.

  “Do you even know my name?” Savannah called after him.

  Colin stopped walking and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You mean it’s not Red?”

  Savannah rolled her eyes and said, “It’s Savannah.”

  “Great to meet you, Savannah. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

  Then he darted diagonally across the intersection, aiming for Sweet Happens and hoping some sugar and caffeine would clear his head.

  Savannah watched as Colin jogged away, noticing how the muscles in his shoulders and upper arms moved under his closely fitted T-shirt. He wasn’t built like someone who spent a lot of time at the gym lifting weights, but his body was surprisingly tight and compact—like a soccer player or a swimmer maybe? Savannah flashed back to lying on top of him and remembered how solid his abs felt against her belly. Her body temperature started to climb again, and she turned her attention to getting her garbage to the curb so she could go back to unpacking her room.

  As Colin hustled toward Sweet Happens, he kept replaying the last few minutes in his head, trying to figure out what had happened. One minute she was so clearly on the same overwhelming chemistry page as him, and then bam, she totally shut down. He told himself again that he didn’t need to get involved with a crazy chick.

  “Screw that,” he said out loud.

  “Talking to yourself now?”

  Colin jumped. Then he turned and saw his brother grinning at him.

  “Dude. You scared the crap out of me!” he said as he shook Chase’s hand and pulled him in for a man hug.

  “I was sure you saw me. I’ve been standing right here watching you since before you turned the corner. But I guess you were too busy daydreaming like
a schoolgirl,” Chase teased as he put Colin’s head in a playful chokehold.

  “Get off me,” Colin said, but he was laughing as he ducked away from his brother. “I heard you were back in town. Where’ve you been hiding out?”

  “Eh, you know, here and there,” Chase said with a wink.

  Chase was the one member of their family who was not pursuing a career in the hospitality industry. Instead, much to their father’s and grandfather’s consternation, he had become a freelance photojournalist, specializing in extreme landscapes and exotic animals. Which meant he traveled frequently, and that suited him just fine. For the brief periods when he was in town, he shared an apartment with Colin.

  “But I must have missed you this morning,” Chase said with a waggle of his eyebrows that Colin chose to ignore. He continued on his walk to the bakery, and Chase fell into step beside him.

  “That was some serious daydream,” Chase said with a grin. “Only two things make you go inside your head like that.” He held up two fingers and ticked them off: “work and women.” Watching Colin for a reaction, he said, “So how’s work?”

  Smiling and continuing on his walk to the bakery, Colin said, “Work is fine.”

  “OK, so what’s her damage? A clinger? A cuddler? An over-talker?” When Colin didn’t answer, Chase said, “Well, it couldn’t have been too bad since you’re just now getting home,” and slapped him on the back.

  “Hey, I’ve been up since 4. I’ve been to the waterfront fish market and to work, after working until 2 a.m. last night. Not that you’d know about hard work, Mr. Fancy Photographer Man,” Colin teased.

  “Yeah, yeah. So fine, then what’s this chick done to get you twisted up?”

  “Eh. It’s nothing. It’s not even worth talking about. Just some mixed signals.”

  “I hear you. Bitches be crazy, right?” Chase said with a laugh.

  Colin loved his brother, but he was the very definition of a player. He knew it came from a kind of attention-deficit disorder rather than malevolence or lack of respect. But he wasn’t sure the distinction mattered much to the string of broken-hearted women Chase left in his wake.