Page 30 of The Puck Stops Here

‘Like I said, he’s not a happy boy…’

‘Maybe that’s not a bad thing, if it gives you more time alone with Aiden. He’d do anything to help his brother and if that means wining and dining you then so be it.’

‘Are you saying he only wants me for my article, Sissi?’ she teased.

The door opened, sending another waft of ice-cold air her way.

‘Ha, no way. You’re hot!’ Sissi declared, sounding much more resolute now. ‘Go knock him dead, hun!’

She grinned, Sissi’s turnaround giving Astrid the oomph she needed to go back to the table and do exactly that.

‘I will, Sissi, and don’t?—’

‘Hey Foxy.’

She jolted at the voice behind her, heat shooting through her rigid spine – the oh God, cocky burr, the scent on the draught. All spicy, earthy, male.Oh no.She spun to find Blake filling the doorway. Dressed in top to toe black, even his eyes looked black in the gold light of the entryway.

‘If you’re gonna hang out here talking, you ought to dress for it.’

And before she could say another word, he was shrugging off his fur-lined aviator jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders, his warmth and scent making her nostrils flare and her body melt.

‘Astrid?’ Sissi’s voice came down the line, muffled by the whirring in her ears. ‘What’s going on? Who’s there?’

What had Blake heard? What had she said this side of the convo? What the hell did she do now?

Slowly she lowered the phone and blindly cut the call, her heart in her mouth as she tried to read his face. The intensity of his gaze. But then he always looked intense.

Did he lookintenselysuspicious though?

‘You didn’t need to give me your coat.’

What was it with the Carter boys and their dashing gestures?

‘Your lips say otherwise.’

‘My lips?’

He nodded, his hooded gaze settling on her mouth. ‘Or are they supposed to look blue?’

‘They are?’ She lifted her fingers to the flesh now tingling with his attention, his look as tangible as any caress.Dammit, he might as well have kissed her!

‘Not any more.’

He gave a satisfied smile but didn’t move away, didn’t lift his gaze either. As his coat warmed her from the outside, his gaze burned her up from the inside.

‘You’re very hot.’

Andoh my God, where had that come from? She squeaked and swallowed in one.

‘I mean temperature hot! This!’ She gripped the lapels of his jacket together, squeezing her eyes shut and opening them again. ‘What I mean is, I’m now hot, thanks to you.’

He gave a deep, panty-melting rumble. ‘I think your hotness has nothing to do with me and everything to do with you. But we can debate that later. Back at my place, if you’re game.’

Notwhat she was expecting after her totally uncool behaviour.

Andnotsomething she could ever say yes to in a million years. Because the offer wouldn’t help her get payback, or get her article written, it would land her in a whole heap of hot trouble. And hell, she shouldn’t be getting high on it.

It was an absolute no. Never gonna happen. No.

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