her room? Continued on where the kiss left off? Oh, yeah. Brilliant. Then you’d really make a dog’s breakfast of this tricky situation .
If only he could stop thinking about her. Memories of their brief kiss had haunted him all night, reappearing and expanding out of all proportion in a string of X-rated dreams.
He wasn’t sure that he could survive too many nights with Amy in his house, sleeping in her flimsy white nightdress just across the hallway. He’d be a pile of cinders before the time was up.
Problem was, the wanting wasn’t only about physical desire.
He’d found himself enjoying simply being with Amy…hanging out…talking with her and listening to the warmth in her voice…watching the changing moods in her lovely brown eyes…admiring the sweet and tender way she cared for Bella.
For years, Seth had avoided this level of interest in any one woman, but Amy Ross had slipped quietly under his radar. She was so easy to be with and there was something delightfully refreshing about her. He liked her and he desired her, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Damn it …He had to stop.
He knew he and Amy had no future. Hadn’t he learned anything from Jennifer?
His gaze flickered again to the nightstand and he saw the fancy wristwatch that had been Jennifer’s last gift, the precious farewell gift she given him before she went back to New York.
She’d been so excited about finding the watch in a jewellery shop in Cairns.
‘It tells two different time zones simultaneously, so you’ll always know what time it is in New York. Isn’t that neat, Seth? You’ll know the right time to call, and you’ll be able to picture what I’m doing. I won’t be so far away.’
‘But it can’t change the facts, Jen,’ he’d warned her. ‘You’ll still be on the other side of the world.’
‘I’ll come back. Soon. I promise.’
With that promise calming his fears, they’d made love for the last time, and if Seth closed his eyes he could still see the morning sunlight rimming Jennifer’s auburn hair with fire…could still see the rainbow flashes from the diamond he’d put on her finger.
He’d let her go home.
To America.
She’d been so sure she would simply wind things up in New York and come hurrying back to marry him.
‘I love you, Seth. I promise, darling. I don’t need the city, when I’m with you.’
I promise …
She’d been sincere at the time—he’d give her that. Jennifer had never dreamed she would find the pull of her hometown impossible to resist. In all innocence, he’d let her go back and, inevitably, she’d been seduced by the exciting bustle and buzz of the Big Apple. She’d found herself clinging once more to the security of familiar faces, to the reassurance of well-loved sights and sounds, to the comfort of crowds.
It had only taken six weeks before she’d come to her senses. She’d cried so hard when she’d telephoned Seth that he’d barely been able to make out a word she was saying, but eventually he’d understood that she wasn’t coming back, and, no, he shouldn’t fly over there to be with her.
It couldn’t work, she told him. Their worlds were too different.
For Seth, the lesson was clear.
Love, alone, was not enough.
The softest breath fanned Seth’s cheek. Startled, he turned to find Bella’s blue eyes half an inch from his.
‘What are you doing here, little one?’
‘Up!’ the little girl demanded, and before he realised quite what was happening she gripped his bed sheets, slung one leg high and hauled herself, like a tiny commando, up into the bed beside him.
‘Should you be here?’ he asked as he flung one hand out to prevent her from tumbling back to the floor. ‘Where’s Amy?’
Bella didn’t answer.
Somewhat alarmed, he scooted over to make room for her in his king-sized bed. She merely giggled and began to bounce on the mattress, sending her dark curls flying.
She was a cutie—no doubt about that—this tiny human
If only he could stop thinking about her. Memories of their brief kiss had haunted him all night, reappearing and expanding out of all proportion in a string of X-rated dreams.
He wasn’t sure that he could survive too many nights with Amy in his house, sleeping in her flimsy white nightdress just across the hallway. He’d be a pile of cinders before the time was up.
Problem was, the wanting wasn’t only about physical desire.
He’d found himself enjoying simply being with Amy…hanging out…talking with her and listening to the warmth in her voice…watching the changing moods in her lovely brown eyes…admiring the sweet and tender way she cared for Bella.
For years, Seth had avoided this level of interest in any one woman, but Amy Ross had slipped quietly under his radar. She was so easy to be with and there was something delightfully refreshing about her. He liked her and he desired her, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Damn it …He had to stop.
He knew he and Amy had no future. Hadn’t he learned anything from Jennifer?
His gaze flickered again to the nightstand and he saw the fancy wristwatch that had been Jennifer’s last gift, the precious farewell gift she given him before she went back to New York.
She’d been so excited about finding the watch in a jewellery shop in Cairns.
‘It tells two different time zones simultaneously, so you’ll always know what time it is in New York. Isn’t that neat, Seth? You’ll know the right time to call, and you’ll be able to picture what I’m doing. I won’t be so far away.’
‘But it can’t change the facts, Jen,’ he’d warned her. ‘You’ll still be on the other side of the world.’
‘I’ll come back. Soon. I promise.’
With that promise calming his fears, they’d made love for the last time, and if Seth closed his eyes he could still see the morning sunlight rimming Jennifer’s auburn hair with fire…could still see the rainbow flashes from the diamond he’d put on her finger.
He’d let her go home.
To America.
She’d been so sure she would simply wind things up in New York and come hurrying back to marry him.
‘I love you, Seth. I promise, darling. I don’t need the city, when I’m with you.’
I promise …
She’d been sincere at the time—he’d give her that. Jennifer had never dreamed she would find the pull of her hometown impossible to resist. In all innocence, he’d let her go back and, inevitably, she’d been seduced by the exciting bustle and buzz of the Big Apple. She’d found herself clinging once more to the security of familiar faces, to the reassurance of well-loved sights and sounds, to the comfort of crowds.
It had only taken six weeks before she’d come to her senses. She’d cried so hard when she’d telephoned Seth that he’d barely been able to make out a word she was saying, but eventually he’d understood that she wasn’t coming back, and, no, he shouldn’t fly over there to be with her.
It couldn’t work, she told him. Their worlds were too different.
For Seth, the lesson was clear.
Love, alone, was not enough.
The softest breath fanned Seth’s cheek. Startled, he turned to find Bella’s blue eyes half an inch from his.
‘What are you doing here, little one?’
‘Up!’ the little girl demanded, and before he realised quite what was happening she gripped his bed sheets, slung one leg high and hauled herself, like a tiny commando, up into the bed beside him.
‘Should you be here?’ he asked as he flung one hand out to prevent her from tumbling back to the floor. ‘Where’s Amy?’
Bella didn’t answer.
Somewhat alarmed, he scooted over to make room for her in his king-sized bed. She merely giggled and began to bounce on the mattress, sending her dark curls flying.
She was a cutie—no doubt about that—this tiny human
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