One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns Page A

Intelligent. Crazy for life. A whirlwind.”
    As he spoke about his dead wife, Peppa could see the genuine love in his eyes, hear it in his slightly choked voice. A lone tear trickled over her cheek as overwhelming sadness flooded Peppa’s senses. Sadness for Cameron, sadness for his wife, sadness for true love cut short. Such emotion should have lessened this rampant desire for him, should have made her wary and want to back off, but it didn’t.
    From the moment he’d appeared at her doorway again—hell, from the moment he’d spoken through the intercom—she’d been a weak-at-the-knees lost cause. But it seemed the fluttering of her heart and libido was exactly that. A lost cause. Because, sitting across her kitchen table was a big, gorgeous hunk of a man still hopelessly in love with his dead wife.
    Life could be so horrifically cruel.
    “What about you?” His question broke through her silent pondering. “Any serious relationships?”
    She recognized his question as a tactic to take her attention away from his personal life. And she couldn’t blame him—she had no desire to talk about her tragedies either.
    She shrugged as she poured syrup on another pancake. “Kind of. I’ve been put through the ringer by my fair share of jerks. Last relationship ended suddenly six months ago. My ex is now married and his new wife is having a baby.”
    “Ouch!”
    He didn’t know the half of it. “It was painful at the time, of course, but distance brought wisdom. He wasn’t the right man for me.” It had taken time but she now firmly believed this.
    He shifted in his chair and reached for more juice. “So, are you on the hunt again? For Mr. Right?”
    Yes. No. “No.” Her firm answer was as much for her own benefit as his. “Not yet. Our breakup was messy. I’m gonna need a while.”
    They drank and ate in silence for what seemed like quite some time. He finished his last mouthful of pancake and wiped his mouth on a napkin. “That was delicious, but totally undeserved. It should be me buying you breakfast since you’re the one doing me the favor.”
    She tried to smile. “Yes, but I’m the one who wanted the chat and you’re buying me dinner, remember?”
    “I do.” He peered intently at her and she couldn’t tell from his tone or the slight lift of his lips, whether he was looking forward to or dreading the date.
    She didn’t know herself. Either way, there was an intense mood hanging in the air between them and she had to break it. She glanced at her watch. “Right, we have five minutes before we have to leave. Tell me everything there is to know about the birthday girl.”
    He raised a brow. “I can tell you that in five seconds. She’s turning five. She likes pink, some band called Hi-5 and playing with dolls. As far as I can tell that’s pretty much it.”
    “You don’t have much to do with your nieces, do you?”
    He shrugged. “I’m busy and, technically, they’re not actually my nieces. They’ve got enough real aunts and uncles that they don’t need me hanging around.”
    “I’m sure that’s not true.”
    “That’s the way it is. Besides, kids aren’t really my thing.” He pushed to a stand and began to clear the table.
    “It’s okay,” she rushed, feeling a little off-kilter at his mention of children. “I can do it later.”
    “Why? When we still have four minutes left.” His tone was flirty and she couldn’t argue with his logic.
    “Suit yourself.”
    It had been so long since she’d washed up alongside a handsome man. Scrap that, she’d never shared such mundane chores with anyone like Cameron. The knowledge was strangely arousing. In three years with Tim, she’d never seen him near the kitchen sink and she’d bet money on the fact he wouldn’t know a tea towel if she whacked him over the head with one. Which six months ago she would have happily done.
    She didn’t glance up as the water sloshed into the sink and Cameron squeezed liquid from the nozzle. But she