Page 57 of One Bed

‘So Navy is your best bud, you live in Nashville?—’

He shrugged, then looked away. When his eyes clashed with hers again, she knew he was done talking. He stroked his thumb across her cheek and his half smile kicked her libido up. ‘It’s a gorgeous evening and I’m holding a sexy, sexy woman in my arms. Why the interrogation?’

It was calledconversation, but she wasn’t going to argue with him. Bea knew he was trying to put some emotional distance between them and sighed. Look, sheknewthis wasn’t going anywhere, it was a fling at best, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends.

Before she could speak, he bent down and brushed his lips across hers, his hand sliding down her back, his fingers coming to rest just about her butt. He did that a lot, used their attraction to distract her. And it worked.

Every. Single. Time.

‘Did I tell you that you look sensational?’

‘Not in so many words, but you did bunch my dress up and take me up against the wall shortly before we walked over here, so I figured you liked the way I look.’

His smile was the perfect mixture of sweet and sexy. ‘I did, I do. But as much as I like your dress, I also like your ragged denim shorts, your messy hair when you sit in front of your computer, and your cute sundresses. But you look your best when you’re naked and under me.’

It was the nicest thing any man had ever said to her, and she smiled at him. Judging by the way his eyes widened, her smile was sultrier and more seductive than she’d meant it to be. Maybe she could flirt, just a little. But she was done with words, she needed action. ‘Will you kiss me, Gib? Please?’

He didn’t hesitate and a second later, maybe less, his mouth covered hers and Bea forgot they only had a week left, and that his home was on another continent. All she needed, wanted, was Gib’s mouth on hers, his hands on her body. His attention, for as long as she had it, on her.

Tonight, the future could take care of itself.

ChapterTwelve

Golly wrapped up her too long, but very funny speech by thanking Cass and Nadia, and Bea, for all their effort in arranging her party and then exhorted her guests to visit the psychic, and to enjoy the entertainment. She’d ordered a lot of booze, she told them, and they’d better bloody drink it!

Judging by the approving roar, Bea assumed Golly’s guests were more than happy to obey her order.

‘On that note…’ Gib said, leaving Bea, Jack and Jacqui to head for the bar to get them a round of drinks. The waiters were run off their feet and, as part of the family, Gib could slide behind the bar and pour the drinks himself.

As the applause died away, Bea released a relieved sigh. ‘That wasn’t too bad,’ she said, flicking imaginary sweat from her forehead. ‘Golly was reasonably restrained. I can, sort of, relax.’

Jack rubbed his hand up and down her arm. ‘You look tired, darling. Are you OK?’ he asked, concerned.

OK? She was sharing her bed and her body with Gib, who was also reading her books. He didn’t know she was Parker Kane. He was leaving the island, and her life, in a week or so. She liked him, more than she’d ever expected to. She needed a new agent and even though Gib had mentioned Navy was interested, she wasn’t sure whether he, or anyone else, could be trusted to keep her real identity a secret. She’d also started to wonder if Golly was right, and that it was time to step out from behind her pseudonym. Her mum’s affair with Gerry happened five years ago, would anyone even remember? Care?

‘I’m fine.’

Jack and Jacqui wore identical expressions of disbelief.

‘That was quite a kiss you and Gib shared on the dancefloor earlier,’ Jacqui said, mischief in her eyes.

She couldn’t talk her way out of this one, so Bea decided to act as nonchalantly as possible. ‘He’s quite a man.’

Jack, always protective, frowned. ‘Just be careful, OK? We don’t want to see you hurt again.’

‘He’s just a fling, Jack,’ Bea assured him. But, question of the day, if she was just using him for a good time, as a way to get out of her head, then why was she feeling so off balance, so squirrelly? Whenever he was around, her heart turned into a rocket and zoomed around her body. Her stomach took on the consistency of a jellyfish and her breath hitched, her skin buzzed.

Her reaction to Gib was terribly inconvenient. It could be because she was out of practice, and her reaction to him was just her hormones, excited at the idea of a fun time. Fancying him could be a way of distracting her from her professional dilemmas. It didn’t mean she was falling for him. Not after six days. That wasn’t possible. She was far too cautious.

What could she say to change the subject? Right, she remembered something she’d been meaning to ask Jack. ‘Isn’t it a pity about Golly’s Art Deco couch?’ Seeing his blank expression, Bea frowned. ‘The one that was in the cottage?’

‘What about it?’ he asked, obviously confused.

‘Golly burnt it. She said it was riddled with woodworm.’

He sent her anare-you-insanelook. ‘My dear Bea, what are you talking about? I checked Golly’s furniture six months ago and none of it had woodworm. And the couch is in my warehouse at the moment. She sent it to me a few weeks ago, saying she wanted it recovered. God knows why, I only recovered it two years ago and the material was not only a bitch to find but completely fabulous.’

Bea narrowed her eyes, smelling a rat or two. ‘Have you stripped it of its fabric yet?’

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