Page 48 of Booked for Summer

The corner of his mouth tilted upwards. ‘Good enough.’

Sparks she’d been at pains to dampen fired dangerously into life. Suddenly all she could see was the shimmering silver of his eyes, the small scar that bisected his eyebrow. The curve of his sensuous lips. ‘Just because I don’t hate you doesn’t mean we’re heading for the bed,’ she qualified hastily. ‘I’m on a mission to feel better about myself, and being the boss’s fuck buddy won’t help me with that.’

He visibly winced. ‘That’s not how I see it.’

‘But it is how it will look and how I will feel.’ She swallowed, her nipples hardening as his gaze continued to press hers. ‘You need to stop staring at me like that.’

‘Like what?’

‘You know what. Like you want to devour me in one easy bite.’

His hand touched her cheek, thumb rubbing gently over her skin. ‘I want to devour you, but not in one bite. In lots of small, carefully placed, slowly savoured, bites.’

Her breath caught in her throat and despite what her head was telling her, she leant into his touch. Just one more time. She could kid herself it was possible. One more night and then she’d focus back on the shop, on saving it from being knocked down.

The doorbell chimed.

‘Oh God.’ She leapt back, pulse hammering. A quick glance at her watch and she swore.

‘Expecting a visitor?’

‘Well, not a visitor, as such. It’s a SOB meeting. And I can’t believe I’ve not thought of a better name for that yet.’

‘SOB?’

‘Save Our Bookstore. It’s the group who helped me promote the book week. There’s Adam who you know, Emma from the heritage society. Mary and Philip…’

‘Nantucket’s own grapevine and busybody.’

‘Well, yes, but they’re also sweet when you get to know them. Oh, and there’s also a guy called Henry. We don’t see him very much but Jeremy tells me he’s useful to include as he has wealth and connections.’

‘HenryChase?’

Gone was the sexy, smouldering man she’d been seconds from caving in to. Liam was sitting rigidly, his expression stony.

‘That’s the one. Why? Do you know him?’

* * *

Did he know Henry Chase? ‘These are the people you’re colluding with?’ he asked tightly, ignoring her question.

‘No, these are the people who arehelpingme prove to you the bookstore is worth saving,’ she countered.

‘The same people who, in your words, don’t like me very much?’ She could dress it up however she wanted. She was working with his enemies, against him.

She went to open the window and waved to whoever was down there, telling them she’d be down in a sec, before turning back to him. ‘They don’t know you like I do.’

‘They don’t want to know me.’

‘Maybe you haven’t given them the chance.’

He let out a snort of disbelief. Adam, Henry, others whose names and faces still remained fresh in his mind… they were the ones who’d never given him a chance. ‘You’re taking their side?’

‘There are no sides.’ She went to dig a jacket out of the wardrobe and shrugged it on before turning to face him. ‘Look, I know you have history with Adam, but did you ever stop to wonder if you’re turning into the very people who tormented you as a child?’

Anger flooded him and he surged to his feet. ‘You’re saying I’m a bully?’

She flinched at his tone. ‘No, of course not.’ Her expression softened. ‘Bullies are mean and nasty, and you’re neither of those things. But can’t you see the similarity? By preventing Adam and others from using the wharf, and by turning the shops on the waterfront into cottages for your resort, you’re stopping the people who live here from enjoying places they used to think were theirs.’

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