Free Sacred Surrender by Ava Riley

up to you.  If you would do me the honor of meeting me for lunch, I would appreciate it.  Meet me at Joe’s Crab Shack on the boardwalk at noon, it’s a hole in the wall, but they have the best seafood in town. 
     
    Rowan
     
    Son of a bitch, the man was going to do her in.  She didn’t want to see him she tried to convince herself.  That’s why she stayed holed up in her house all week, wasn’t it?  As a matter of fact, she didn’t want to have anything to do with him at all; at least that’s what she kept telling herself throughout the week.  Hell, maybe she should just meet him for lunch, what did she have to lose, other than possibly her pride and what little self esteem she had left.  He was right though, they had gotten off to a bad start and it was partly her fault.  He’d only asked her to lunch, nothing more, and they’d be in a restaurant full of people.  What was the harm in that?  She’d meet him, but if she was going to meet him in time she needed to get a move on it.  She put her earplugs in, cranked the music, and headed up the beach at a steady jog. 
     
    The morning breeze drifted across Madison’s face while the wet sand gave way to every step she took.  As she ran, it reminded her of the movie Chariots of Fire making her feel like she could conquer the world, at least the world that was Rowan.  She’d meet him and she’d stop acting as if she knew nothing about the opposite sex. 
     
    Madison made it back to her house just in time to jump in the shower so she could make herself decent.  She pulled her long dark hair into a ponytail, after pulling on a pair of faded denim jeans and a navy blue polo shirt that tapered at the waist.  Slipping on her pink flip flops that found their place by the front door, she snatched up her keys, heading out as quickly as she could to the boardwalk.  She knew where she was going, she just wasn’t sure of where Joe’s Crab Shack sat.  It took her longer to find a parking space than it did to find Joe’s.  She hadn’t expected it to be so busy during the week, but she figured tourists made their way here year round, so that must have contributed to the full parking lot.  Rowan was right, it did look like a hole in the wall and it sat smack dab in the middle of the boardwalk. 
     
    Madison pressed her hands against her jeans, trying to wipe away the nervousness that coated her palms.  As soon as she caught sight of Rowan, everything and everyone around her blurred out of focus while her breath caught in her throat.  Standing tall, he sported a pair of khakis with a black button up shirt that stretched tight against his muscled chest.  His blonde hair stood on end making him look like he could grace the front cover of a GQ magazine.  Suddenly, she felt underdressed.  Apparently, hole in the wall in California meant something completely different than in Kansas.  In Kansas, it meant  hurry the hell up and throw something on, but in California it meant look as damn hot as you possibly can, standing around while every woman that glances your way fucks you with their eyes. 
     
    What the hell was she getting herself into?  This man was too much for her.  If she knew what was best for her, she’d turn around before he noticed her and forget about him all together.  She never was one to know what was good for her though.  So, there she stood staring at him with the same fuck me eyes as all the other women on the boardwalk.  She wasn’t certain how long she’d been standing there before she realized he was looking right at her, smiling and walking towards her.  The smile on his face melted her heart, making her want to do nothing other than to fall at his feet and worship him for it. 
     
    “You made it.  Thank you for coming.” 
     
    “I did, but I wish you would have let me know the dress code, I’m a little underdressed, apparently.” 
     
    Rowan looked down at himself and realized what it must look like.  Normally,