Page 9 of Booked for Summer

‘True.’ She glanced down at her drink.

‘I’m happy just to sit here and have a drink with you.’ She let out what could only be described as a dismissive snort and he felt a flare of annoyance. ‘If you think I came out here searching for someone to have sex with, you’re very much mistaken.’

Her eyes turned impossibly wider. ‘That’s not, oh God, I didn’t think that at all. I just…’ She glanced away, looking out to the now ink-black sea. ‘Men look at me and see sex, not someone to chat to.’

‘You’re implying we’re all the same.’

‘You’ve just explained, in great detail, how you want to fuck me.’

‘Can’t I see both? A woman I want to engage with physically and verbally?’

A smile played around her mouth. ‘I guess both works.’ She took a long sip of her drink, her throat moving in a way that made him want to kiss the pulse there. ‘So.’

Sex with this intriguing blonde might have slipped away, but he felt no great desire to shift from the sofa. What did he have waiting for him? Another night where he tried to sleep, but spent a good deal of time lying awake and staring at the ceiling? ‘Top of your list, should be the whale museum.’

‘Whale museum.’ She looked at him blankly.

‘You asked what you should do while you’re here.’

‘Ah, yes, before we got sidetracked by all that sex.’ She sipped again at her drink, then eased back into the sofa in a way that made him think she was more relaxed now. ‘I read about that. What about seeing actual whales. Do they do tours from here?’

‘Whale watching is more popular from Cade Cod. But I could take you out, if you like.’ Where had that come from? He didn’t have time to take tourists out on joy rides, no matter how attractive he might find them.

Laughter burst out of her. ‘Last time I tried to cadge a lift with you, you weren’t very happy.’

It was rare he was teased. ‘I don’t like people invading my space.’ Her pretty eyes blinked and he realised he’d sounded too harsh. ‘This time I would be inviting you.’

She seemed to study him, perhaps working out if she wanted to be taken out into the middle of the ocean by a stranger. ‘Then sure, that sounds amazing. But will we really see whales?’ Immediately she groaned and put her head in her hands. ‘That sounds like I’m accusing you of luring me onto your boat to ravish me, but what I meant was what are the chances of actually seeing a whale? Because when I went to Spain we were talked into taking a boat trip to see dolphins but it was a real con because we didn’t see any.’

‘Either I’m conning you, or planning to have my wicked way with you? Are there any other options?’

She gave a shake of her head, blonde hair tumbling around her shoulders as she rolled her eyes. ‘One day I’ll think before I open my mouth.’

Automatically, his eyes were drawn to the mouth in question. As he imagined her lush pink lips parting for him, his groin tightened. ‘I can’t guarantee whales, but I’m pretty sure we could find some, yes.’ His voice sounded rough, as raw as the sex he couldn’t stop imagining. ‘Humpbacks, finbacks, Minke, pilot whales,’ he added, trying to focus back on the conversation. ‘Probably some dolphins and seals, though the best place to see them is Muskeget Island. There are also three lighthouses to visit, plenty of opportunities to go fishing?—’

She put up her hand. ‘Whoa, hang on a second, let me make a note.’ He waited as she picked up her phone from the coffee table, then promptly dropped it onto the sand. ‘Oh, buggeration.’ As she bent to pick it up, he cursed his bad luck that he wasn’t sitting opposite, because if he had been, he’d have had a perfect view of the round swell of her breasts. ‘Okey dokey.’

Christ, who said that these days? And why did he want to smile as he watched the diligent way she took notes, her tongue peeking out between her lips.

‘Seals, lighthouses, fishing, whaling museum,’ she repeated. ‘I read that whales are a big thing on Nantucket.’

‘I think you’ll find whales are big wherever you are,’ he responded dryly. ‘But yes, for about a hundred years, Nantucket was the headquarters for the global whale-oil business. The whalers here were renowned as being the best in the world at hunting the sperm whale.’

She grinned. ‘Maybe I don’t need to go to the museum, I just need to listen to you.’

‘The museum has visual aids to help the story.’

‘I’m kind of a fan of the visual aid I’ve got now.’ Her gaze slid over his face and he heard his heart thump against his ribs. ‘In case you missed it, that was me flirting with you again.’

‘I didn’t miss it.’ He did his own inventory, ending again on the mouth he was becoming obsessed with. It was no good reminding himself that he didn’t need distractions right now, not with so much on his plate. Or that a few hours ago he’d been complaining he was beat. The tiredness had been drowned out by raw need, his body raging with arousal. In a bid to calm himself, he took a sip of his drink. ‘Beaches.’ He glanced towards her phone. ‘That’s another must.’ She stared back at him and he gave her a wry smile. ‘That was me trying to stick to my promise of talking.’

Soft laughter followed his admission. She was all big blue eyes and pretty dimples, approachable in a way that beautiful women weren’t. Beauty drew the eye, but having been the recipient of the harsh side of it, he now found it easy to ignore. Sexy, though, with a side of funny and a slice of cute. Why was he finding it so hard to ignore that?

‘Okay, hit me with the best places to sunbathe.’

Immediately he pictured her in a bikini. Something fun, like polka dots, but skimpy, those big breasts barely contained… Cursing inwardly, he gulped at his whisky. And rejoiced in the distraction of the burn as he rattled off a couple of his favourite beaches. ‘How do you feel about sharks?’

‘Er, like I only want to see them in 2D?’

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