her.
‘Should we walk?’ She pasted on a smile. Fletchers was on the boardwalk above the marina.
Simon glanced down at her shoes and one corner of his mouth lifted. ‘They look more like dancing shoes, Kate. Not walking shoes.’
‘I could change them for my trainers, but they might spoil the effect.’
‘I’ll drive.’
The heat dissipated a little. Relief pounded through her in equal measure with regret. Gritting her teeth, she did her best to ignore the regret. She did not need the strain or temptation of a fifteen-minute walk home in the moonlight with Simon. He’d take her arm because he was that kind of man—thoughtful, heedful of the niceties—and his scent would drench her senses. She’d lean into him to test his strength and balance; she wouldn’t be able to help herself. They’d stop, turn to each other in the moonlight and…
No! No! No!
Taking the car was far more sensible. She bit back a sigh and led the way through the house and outside to the car.
Kate couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a meal more. The food was heavenly, of course. This was Fletchers, after all. The prawns were moist, the poached salmon succulent, the lemon-myrtle tart refreshing, the champagne French and the view to-die-for. They sat in an intimate alcove at a table for two—all candlelit white linen and crystal—with the fairy tale lights of the bay spread out before them. As a setting, it was perfect.
As a dinner companion, so was Simon.
He went out of his way to make her laugh and relax—paying her compliments so extravagant that nobody in their right mind could take them seriously. And somehow that seemed to shrink the attraction between them to a manageable level. Everything became easy and free between them again. Like it had at the beach on Friday.
Only this time there was no self-deception.
And, because things were so easy and relaxed, when Simon suggested a walk along the boardwalk after dinner, she readily agreed. ‘I need to after stuffing myself silly with all of that divine food,’ she confessed.
He glanced down at her shoes and his mouth kinked upwards. ‘We’ll make it a short walk.’
She smiled because he was right. These shoes were killers. He might do his best to hide it, or maybe she’d done her best not to see it, but he had an innate sense of protectiveness several kilometres wide. And it warmed her.
They walked along in silence for a bit, the only sound the swishing of the tiny waves as they curled up onto the sand and back again. The kind of sound that Kate thought could lull a person into a false sense of security…if they let it.
Finally, she stopped. If they went much further they’d be right above the spot where they’d kissed. She didn’t want Simon recognising it…remembering it. She did her best to eradicate her own recollections.
She spread her arms out in a futile attempt to embrace the view and distract him. ‘Heavenly, isn’t it?’
‘Yes.’
But his eyes were on her face and not on the view. He already had recognised their location. She could tell from the way his eyes travelled over the park, the beach, and the flare in their depths told her he remembered that kiss.
Heaven help her but her womb tugged and throbbed in instant response.
‘I’ve had a wonderful night, Simon.’ She swallowed. She wanted to tell him not to spoil it now, but the words wouldn’t come.
‘I have too.’
He reached out, pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. His touch lingered on her cheek and it took all of her strength not to lean into it.
‘There was something I didn’t tell you down there in the park on Friday.’
She shouldn’t ask. Instinct warned her not to ask. ‘Oh?’
‘That wasn’t just about the best kiss I’d ever experienced. It was far and away the best. What’s that saying—the best by a baker’s dozen or something?’
‘A country mile,’ she murmured automatically. She had a feeling he’d got it deliberately wrong to
‘Should we walk?’ She pasted on a smile. Fletchers was on the boardwalk above the marina.
Simon glanced down at her shoes and one corner of his mouth lifted. ‘They look more like dancing shoes, Kate. Not walking shoes.’
‘I could change them for my trainers, but they might spoil the effect.’
‘I’ll drive.’
The heat dissipated a little. Relief pounded through her in equal measure with regret. Gritting her teeth, she did her best to ignore the regret. She did not need the strain or temptation of a fifteen-minute walk home in the moonlight with Simon. He’d take her arm because he was that kind of man—thoughtful, heedful of the niceties—and his scent would drench her senses. She’d lean into him to test his strength and balance; she wouldn’t be able to help herself. They’d stop, turn to each other in the moonlight and…
No! No! No!
Taking the car was far more sensible. She bit back a sigh and led the way through the house and outside to the car.
Kate couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a meal more. The food was heavenly, of course. This was Fletchers, after all. The prawns were moist, the poached salmon succulent, the lemon-myrtle tart refreshing, the champagne French and the view to-die-for. They sat in an intimate alcove at a table for two—all candlelit white linen and crystal—with the fairy tale lights of the bay spread out before them. As a setting, it was perfect.
As a dinner companion, so was Simon.
He went out of his way to make her laugh and relax—paying her compliments so extravagant that nobody in their right mind could take them seriously. And somehow that seemed to shrink the attraction between them to a manageable level. Everything became easy and free between them again. Like it had at the beach on Friday.
Only this time there was no self-deception.
And, because things were so easy and relaxed, when Simon suggested a walk along the boardwalk after dinner, she readily agreed. ‘I need to after stuffing myself silly with all of that divine food,’ she confessed.
He glanced down at her shoes and his mouth kinked upwards. ‘We’ll make it a short walk.’
She smiled because he was right. These shoes were killers. He might do his best to hide it, or maybe she’d done her best not to see it, but he had an innate sense of protectiveness several kilometres wide. And it warmed her.
They walked along in silence for a bit, the only sound the swishing of the tiny waves as they curled up onto the sand and back again. The kind of sound that Kate thought could lull a person into a false sense of security…if they let it.
Finally, she stopped. If they went much further they’d be right above the spot where they’d kissed. She didn’t want Simon recognising it…remembering it. She did her best to eradicate her own recollections.
She spread her arms out in a futile attempt to embrace the view and distract him. ‘Heavenly, isn’t it?’
‘Yes.’
But his eyes were on her face and not on the view. He already had recognised their location. She could tell from the way his eyes travelled over the park, the beach, and the flare in their depths told her he remembered that kiss.
Heaven help her but her womb tugged and throbbed in instant response.
‘I’ve had a wonderful night, Simon.’ She swallowed. She wanted to tell him not to spoil it now, but the words wouldn’t come.
‘I have too.’
He reached out, pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. His touch lingered on her cheek and it took all of her strength not to lean into it.
‘There was something I didn’t tell you down there in the park on Friday.’
She shouldn’t ask. Instinct warned her not to ask. ‘Oh?’
‘That wasn’t just about the best kiss I’d ever experienced. It was far and away the best. What’s that saying—the best by a baker’s dozen or something?’
‘A country mile,’ she murmured automatically. She had a feeling he’d got it deliberately wrong to
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