Harlequin Presents December 2013 – Bundle 1 Of 2 by Sharon Kendrick Carole Mortimer Kate Hewitt & Maya Blake

Author:Sharon Kendrick, Carole Mortimer, Kate Hewitt & Maya Blake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOUR

ALYSE FOLLOWED LEO out onto the beach, a violet twilight settling all around them as the sun started to slip beneath the sea.

The staff who had set up their table had all melted away, so they were alone with the flickering candlelight, a bucket on the sand with champagne chilling, the first course of crab salad already laid out on exquisite porcelain plates. It was the most romantic dinner Alyse ever could have imagined...and it felt like a minefield.

She had no idea how to act with Leo, especially after that kiss. Already she’d spent far too long reliving it—surely the most wonderful kiss she’d ever known—and thrilling to the undeniable realisation that Leo desired her.

How do you make something that’s been false, true? His words had buoyed her soul at that moment, because in all her naïve hope she’d thought he meant their relationship. Their marriage.

This is real.

Watching Leo stride along the shore away from her, Alyse had known then what he’d really meant: the only real thing between them was sexual attraction.

Still, it’s something, she told herself as she followed Leo out onto the twilit beach. It might grow into more. But only if given a chance...a chance Leo seemed determined not to take.

With a little bow, he pulled out her chair and Alyse sat down. ‘Wine?’ he asked, and she nodded.

He poured them both glasses and then sat across from her, sipping his wine as he gazed out at the sea, its surface now the inky violet of twilight.

He might not be willing to take that chance, she acknowledged, but she had to be. Taking a deep breath, Alyse gave him as bright a smile as she could manage. ‘So, what should we do tomorrow? Snorkel? Scuba? Hike?’

His eyebrows rose, his expression freezing for a second, so she almost laughed. ‘Don’t look so terrified,’ she said dryly, parroting his words from last night back at him. ‘I might have suggested macramé.’

‘Macramé? I’m not even sure what that is.’

‘Weaving with knots,’ Alyse explained. ‘It’s one of my passions. I was hoping you might share it.’ Leo looked so nonplussed that this time she did laugh, and the release felt good. Even better was his answering rasp of a chuckle.

‘You’re having me on.’ He shook his head, taking a sip of wine. ‘Six years and I had no idea you had a sense of humour.’

Because he’d never had the chance to find out, or the desire. ‘Well, we’ve never had a proper conversation before, not really,’ Alyse said. She was trying for light but her voice came out quiet, almost forlorn. She’d have to do better. ‘Not one about macramé, at any rate.’

‘I must admit, I’m relieved it isn’t one of your passions,’ Leo answered. He arched an eyebrow, and she was gratified by the lightness of his expression. ‘It isn’t, is it?’

‘No.’ A smile twitched at her mouth. ‘Definitely not one of them.’ Leo just nodded, and despite the obvious opening Alyse knew he wasn’t going to press.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.