Page 24 of The Wanderer

"Bet you can't."

He leaned in, close enough she could smell his addictively clean crispness mingled with something decidedly earthy. A heady, tantalising scent that imprinted on her receptors and made her hormones go a little crazy.

"One of the benefits of camping is the closeness of snuggling in a sleeping bag."

Her nipples tightened at the thought of being up close and personal with him that way but she still wasn't convinced. Tiger snakes, funnel web spiders, and any number of nasty critters with eight legs could slither and crawl into a sleeping bag.

"A bed can be just as snuggly."

"Granted, it can be.” The pale blue flecks in his eyes glowed as a wicked grin curved his lips. "But you should know, guys love nothing better than a challenge and I'm going to make sure you live a little over the next few weeks."

"Hey, I'm not some hermit. I get out."

To the supermarket, the occasional yoga class, and the Arts Centre for an infrequent recital. Though all that was on a need to know basis. She already sounded like an unadventurous hermit.

"To places like this?" He threw his arm wide, his teasing smile making him even more irresistible.

"Yeah. And I wander through the laneways and dine at the trendiest restaurants and attend dingy dive bars to listen to music.” She sounded too defensive, well aware he’d hit a sore spot. Being a loner had its downside: namely daydreaming about what it would be like to open herself up to a real relationship rather than shunning any connection beyond superficial. “What of it?"

"Whoa." He held up his hands, his smug grin infuriatingly gorgeous. "I just meant that you need to step out of your comfort zone. And if camping is too much too soon, maybe you can start with a footy game?"

He smacked his lips together in an exaggerated parody of hunger. "Nothing like a hot meat pie drenched in ketchup while cheering on the Kangas."

Another thing Hope hadn't paid much attention to since she'd moved here: Aussie Rules football. She knew a few of the teams, including the North Melbourne Kangaroos, but that's about it. She'd never been a soccer fan back in the UK so watching Aussie Rules wasn't high on her agenda.

And what did he mean by suggesting she needed to live a little…damn, she almost slapped herself upside the head.

He wanted to spend time with her.

Outside of the bedroom.

She should protest. Insist that she wanted nothing beyond his dick. Or was she reading too much into this? Was he just a guy who liked to tease her, to have some fun when they weren't screwing?

Or did he like her enough to want to get to know her beyond the sex?

The latter terrified her. She didn’t want to let him get close. But there was something utterly appealing about this man that had her wanting to throw caution aside and just have fun.

Whatever his rationale, in that moment she came to a decision.

She would make the most of their time together.

She wouldn't second-guess her impulsiveness or mull his motivations or sabotage this like she had every fleeting connection that had come before him. She'd enjoy Logan, for more than his body, and wave goodbye at the end.

Simple.

"Okay. Take me to the football.”

His eyes glittered with approval. "Great. They're playing the Sydney Swans in Melbourne this weekend. It's a date."

"You know, if you're taking me out of my comfort zone, maybe I should return the favour."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm taking you on a laneways tour of the city."

He rolled his eyes. "Why would I want to stroll through a bunch of graffiti-covered alleys?"

"You're not averse to all alleys," she said, with a wink, and he laughed.

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