The Best Of The Year - Modern Romance 2016. Кейт Хьюит

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СКАЧАТЬ about to reach for her bundle of clothing, was frozen to the spot. Background noises faded and all she could hear was the frantic thud of her heartbeat.

      The man was...spectacular.

      Bronzed, muscled, broad-shouldered. Not an ounce of body fat. He was utterly, utterly perfect and she could feel her skin prickle with heat. It was as if something alien and unfamiliar had invaded every nook and cranny of her body.

      ‘I’m going to have a bath now!’ Her voice was high-pitched and she cleared her throat. ‘I’ll meet you downstairs.’

      ‘Oh, I think it would far more fitting if we were to head down together. Hand in hand.’

      Right now his hand was reaching to hook the edge of the towel and she fled, slamming and locking the bathroom door behind her.

      She barely noticed the over-the-top luxury of the marble bathroom suite, or the little touches that had been given to make it welcoming. The fragrant pot-pourri, the fluffy white towels, the dinky soaps and shampoos...

      She couldn’t concentrate on anything but the fact that Theo was in the next room...probably strolling around in his birthday suit while he decided what to wear...

      She took as long a bath as was humanly possible, and then dressed and applied her make-up in the bathroom, peering into the steamed-up mirror and finally abandoning the effort because she could barely make out her reflection. Her hair she left just as it was, long and tangled, and she finally emerged with only her shoes to put on.

      He was sprawled on the bed, half naked, just his trousers on, with a book casually propped on his bare stomach. He peered at her over the top of it as she walked into the room.

      ‘How dare you go into my bag?’

      Theo inspected the book cover and grinned. ‘Shall I tell you how it ends or will that spoil the surprise?’

      ‘I thought you might have got dressed!’

      ‘I was about to put my shirt on but this gaudy book jacket grabbed my attention. Of course I figured out who did it by page four, but I thought I’d check to confirm—and, sure enough, I was right.’

      He chucked the book and it landed neatly back in her bag, which was on the ground, half open.

      ‘Nice outfit.’ Taking his time, he slid his legs over the side of the bed and sauntered towards the wardrobe to extract a shirt. ‘The bed’s very comfortable. Shame you won’t be experiencing it. You’ll be trying to find a comfy position on the chaise longue or on the floor...’

      ‘You’re... You’re...’

      ‘Shall we head down?’

      He waited by the door for her, watching as she stepped into some sandals with little wedge heels. He didn’t think she realised just how damned sexy she looked in that strappy little sundress, with her long hair tumbling all over the place. Even her scowl couldn’t detract from the picture.

      Difficult, feisty, mulish and prickly as hell. Who would have thought that sexy could come in that package?

      He offered his arm and Alexa stormily hooked her hand in the crook as they descended the stairs. He was as cool as the proverbial cucumber, telling her about the history of the house and the antics of the infamous gardener who had landscaped the grounds. Admittedly it was very interesting, and she was big enough to tell him so before Bob and Felicity took over the rest of the evening.

      It was relaxed, and they made charming, inquisitive and interesting hosts. Bob had hundreds of amusing anecdotes about the famous golf players he had met over the years...a golf game was arranged...the barbecue was exquisite and informal and champagne flowed. Alexa was even aware that she was laughing at one point as glasses were raised to toast the couple.

      But could she relax? Not a bit of it.

      Every nerve in her body was stretched to breaking point because all she could think about was that room...that bed...and Theo lying with the duvet half on, half off, possibly clothed but more likely not...

      She was spent by the time the evening was at an end. She liked both their hosts, and she could see that they were thrilled at what they considered a wonderful love match. If only they knew!

      ‘So...’ Theo flung open the bedroom door and stood aside to let her pass, then shut it behind him and lounged against it, arms folded, a slight smile curving his mouth. ‘Did you enjoy the evening?’

      The confines of the bedroom and the daunting prospect of the night ahead, not to mention all the other nights ahead, slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer.

      ‘I...I really did, as a matter of fact,’ Alexa replied nervously. She remained standing by the window on the opposite side of the bedroom, with the yawning space of rug-covered floor between them. ‘I had no idea what to expect of your friends, but they’re incredibly nice and hospitable...’

      And that, by association, said something about the man towering in front of her. She relaxed. She had nothing to fear in sharing a bedroom with him. He’d been nothing but decent in accepting her terms and, frankly, putting up with her moods. She’d sniped and argued and fought him every inch of the way when he hadn’t been the one who had dumped her in this situation. She had used him as a scapegoat for her own frustrations and, arrogant though the man was, he had not retaliated in kind.

      ‘I...er...just want to apologise...’

      Theo looked at her in surprise and pushed himself away from the door to kick off his shoes. He began unbuttoning his shirt and Alexa fought to stay calm and hold on to her relaxed frame of mind.

      ‘Apologise for what?’

      ‘I haven’t been the easiest person to be around...’

      ‘Really?’ Theo said drily. ‘I’m glad you brought that to my attention. I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.’

      ‘Not that you’ve been plain sailing!’

      Theo burst out laughing and Alexa reluctantly smiled.

      ‘Some men might find your fighting spirit a little challenging, but I admit that I’m growing to rather like it. And now that we’ve established a fragile truce I wouldn’t want to ruin it by forcing you to build your nest on the chaise longue, so I’ll take the floor.’

      Alexa nodded.

      Good.

      But it was a super king-sized bed, and the floor was going to be an uncomfortable resting place even for a guy who probably survived on only a couple of hours sleep a night.

      She escaped to the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth and changed into her pyjamas. Feverishly she decided that whilst she could continue ranting and railing and behaving like a child, she could also just...trust that new side of him she had seen. He wasn’t going to make a pass at her just because they happened to be lying on the same mattress, was he? She had been superimposing her own anxieties on to him and it was foolish.

      He took the bathroom after her and she pretended not to notice the fact that he was already half naked...that the button to his trousers was undone...that she could see a sliver of his underwear where СКАЧАТЬ