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She shook her head, pushed her damp hair from her face, watching the rain for several moments. It was still coming down in buckets, but standing there thinking about it wouldn’t get her home. She pulled in a deep breath, ducked her head and dashed into the downpour. And was met by a brick wall.

She landed on the wet sidewalk. When she looked up she had to blink through the rain to see what she’d run into. A man with broad shoulders, dark hair and wire-rimmed glasses. She would have called him clean cut—he had those square, defined features—but his dark, too-long hair looked as though he’d run his hands through it. When he pulled his glasses off his face to reveal a pair of startling blue eyes she had a quick flash of Superman.

Lord, his eyes were blue, the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Mesmerizing. Several moments passed before she realized he was apologizing and offering his hand to help her up.

She blinked as he grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her to her feet and back beneath the awning. My God, he was beautiful. Beautiful in the way men could be sometimes, but rarely, as though his features had been carved from fine marble. And those remarkable eyes…

She could smell the lilacs again, sharp and clear in the air.

She swayed, and he slid an arm around her waist to steady her. His touch hummed like the soft echo of an electric current running through her body, lighting her up with need.

“Are you okay?”

She heard a faint hint of an accent there. Irish, maybe?

Nice. Nice face. Nice, broad shoulders. Shoulders to lean on.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she managed to say while pushing her curls out of her face.

Had the fall shaken her up, or was it him?

“Lord, I’m sorry.” Yes, definitely Irish. “I was trying to get out of this rain and you ran out right in front of me…not that I’m saying it’s your fault.”

“No, of course not.”

“You sure you’re all right then?”

“I think I am. Yes.”

The truth was, she was feeling a little light headed. The whole world seemed blurry, as though she were seeing everything through the rain. Everything except his face.

Did she know him from somewhere? But no, she’d never seen him before, she was sure of it.

Wasn’t she?

The lilacs were dissipating, just that faint whiff at the edge of her senses.

“You do seem a bit shaken up.” He paused, looked around. “The least I can do is buy you a coffee. There’s a café across the street. Unless you’d rather get home? I promise not to knock you over again.”

“No, I don’t want to go home.” She shook her head, tried again. “I mean, I’d love some coffee.”

Actually, she would love to go home with him, but she wasn’t about to say so. When was the last time a man had made her feel like this? This exquisite sense of anticipation simply standing next to him. This buzz of desire running sharp and hot through her body.

He took her arm, an old-fashioned gesture she loved immediately. She felt steadier with her arm in his. Steadier, and yet that current was still there, lighting her up inside.

“Shall we make a run for it, then?” He smiled, a dazzling flash of perfect white teeth.

Destiny nodded, smiled back.

They ran through the rain. By the time they reached the other side of the street she was wet through her light cotton wrap sweater and even her jeans. She was surprised to feel a surge of disappointment when he let go of her arm to open the door of the café for her, letting her pass through before him.

The café was done in a cozy ’50s diner style, with red vinyl booths, black-and-white tiled floors and shining chrome accents. It was blissfully warm inside. An aproned waitress led them to a booth and immediately brought them coffee.

Her polite stranger stirred some cream into his cup. “I just realized I don’t even know your name.”

“It’s Destiny. Destiny Walker.”

“I like that, your name.”

“Thank you.”

Her cheeks heated, her pulse fluttering. She felt like a schoolgirl with her first crush, but she couldn’t help her response to him. He was too good-looking. Still, that didn’t explain why his approval pleased her the way it did. Glancing away, she concentrated for a moment on straightening her silverware until it lined up evenly on her white paper napkin, trying to ignore the pulse of need between her thighs.

Beautiful man. Beautiful, wide shoulders. What would he look like under his dark gray shirt?

“I’m Reece Kellan.”

He pulled her hand into his, gave it a small shake, and again she felt that strangely familiar rush of warmth along with the sting of pleasure. And something else…what was it? She could swear she saw herself mirrored in his eyes. Must be a trick of the light, the rain.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Destiny. Very nice. Although…have we met before? I don’t mean that as a line. But I have this odd feeling.” He shook his head. “Never mind. You’re going to think I’m crazy. I’m not, I promise you.”

When he smiled she felt it in the pit of her stomach before it spread lower. She’d been so distracted by his blue eyes earlier she’d failed to notice his lush mouth. A man shouldn’t have lips that full, that kissable. And the tiny scar at one corner…that small imperfection in his otherwise perfect face only made him sexier.

She curled her hands around her cup to warm them, and maybe to keep herself from reaching out and running her fingers over that plush lower lip. She could imagine the silken feel of his mouth beneath her fingertips, the wet tip of his tongue…

Stop it. Talk to him like a normal person.