Title: When Hearts Catch Fire

The storm hit just as Isla Reyes missed the turn. “s**t, s**t, s**t!” she hissed, wipers thumping against her windshield as the rental car skidded slightly on the wet curve of the coastal highway. Her GPS was dead. Her signal was dead. And now her nerves were dead too. She was supposed to be checking into her hotel an hour ago, preparing for tomorrow’s big pitch to the owner of Marlowe Cove Resort. Instead, she was lost, damp from a coffee spill, and her phone was now just a glorified flashlight. She rounded the bend—and slammed the brakes. Too late. The car hit something solid. Or someone. Her heart stopped. She threw the door open and stumbled into the rain. And then—he stood. A tall man, soaking wet, staring at her like she just interrupted his whole damn life. “You okay?” she called, breathless. He stepped forward, rubbing his shoulder. “I’m fine. You nearly turned me into roadkill, but sure—totally fine.” Isla winced. “You walked into the road!” “You drove like a city girl in a rush.” She blinked. “Excuse me?” He just smirked. Smirked. Like he wasn’t almost pancaked by a Tesla. Then she noticed the toolbox by his boot and the sawdust on his shirt. Great. Local laborer. Perfect way to start. “I’m Isla Reyes,” she said tightly. “I’m here on business. Resort meeting.” He raised a brow. “You’re the corporate shark from the city?” Her jaw tensed. “I’m not a shark.” He stepped closer, his voice lowering. “Sure you’re not, Miss City.” She opened her mouth to snap back—then noticed how close he was. How his eyes were the exact green-blue of stormy waves. How he smelled like cedar and rain. Her heart betrayed her with a skip. She hated how attractive he was. “I didn’t catch your name,” she said. He gave a lazy smile. “Aiden. Aiden Vale.” And that was the moment Isla knew this trip was going to be a problem.