Nora Kane stood barefoot on the warm sand of Marina Cove, the ocean’s rhythm soothing her restless heart. At twenty-nine, she’d fled a suffocating relationship with her ex, Victor, whose control had dimmed her spark. Her new beachside café, Ember’s Glow, was her fresh start, its opening tomorrow a promise of freedom. The sunset painted the sky in fiery pinks, and she breathed in the salty air, her sundress fluttering against her thighs.

“Need a hand with that?” a deep voice called, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to see a man striding toward her, holding a crate of lemons she’d dropped. He was tall, with sun-kissed skin, dark hair tousled by the wind, and eyes like stormy seas. His linen shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a chiseled chest that made her pulse skip.

“Thanks,” she said, brushing a strand of chestnut hair from her face. “I’m Nora.”

“Damon,” he replied, his smile slow and dangerous, his gaze lingering on her lips. “You’re the new chef, right? Ember’s Glow?”

She nodded, heat blooming under his stare. “Opening tomorrow. You local?”

“Born and raised,” he said, stepping closer, the crate still in his hands. “I design yachts down the marina. If you need a tour of the cove, I’m your guy.”

Her laugh was light, but her body hummed with awareness. “I’m more of a cook-than-sail type.”

“Pity,” he murmured, his voice low, eyes tracing her curves. “You look like you’d handle the waves just fine.”

The air crackled, and Nora’s breath caught. She should’ve stepped back, but her skin tingled, craving his nearness. “Maybe I’ll surprise you,” she teased, her voice bolder than she felt.

“I’m counting on it,” he said, his gaze dropping to her lips. For a moment, she thought he’d kiss her right there, but he set the crate down and stepped back, leaving her aching. “See you around, Nora.”

That night, as she prepped her café, her mind replayed his smile, his voice. She didn’t know why her hands trembled as she chopped herbs, only that Damon Wolfe had already stirred something wild in her. As she locked up, a black car idled across the street, its driver watching her. Her heart skipped. Was it Victor, or just her paranoia?

Chapter 1: Sparks in the Sand

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