Page 34 of The Rules of Their Red-Hot Reunion

‘Yeah.’

‘Wow, don’t go overboard with your response, Kildare.’

Pasco wiped his hands, bundled up their packets, and tossed them into a nearby rubbish bin. Instead of retaking his seat, he walked around the table and sat behind Aisha, his legs on either side of the bench and her hips. He wound his arm across her torso and pulled her back so her back rested on his chest.

She gripped his arm in her hand and sighed. ‘It’s such a perfect day. I could sit here for the rest of the day, drinking beers and watching the waves, hoping to see a whale.’

‘Better chance of that in June,’ he told her, burying his nose in her sweet-smelling hair. He looked over her shoulder at his watch and saw that it was past three. He had a conference call scheduled at five with the same investor who helped him set up Pasco’s, Manhattan seven years ago. Hank wasn’t the type for out-of-the-blue chats and Pasco suspected he’d found an interesting space or stumbled on a new concept for a restaurant.

The restaurant would be in New York because Hank was Brooklyn born and bred and Manhattan was his playground. Hank still hadn’t forgiven Pasco for bailing on the Big Apple—in his eyes, it was the only place to be—and he’d made it his life mission to pull Pasco back to the city. Maybe it was time to consider doing that; his local restaurants were now exceptionally well run and he didn’t need to be here any more.

He’d see what Hank had to say...

The only thing that made him hesitate was this woman in his arms.

He tensed up, immediately dismissing that thought.Do not overthink this, and don’t get sucked into the romance of this, Kildare, it was one night, one great day. A step out of time.He wasn’t young and idealistic any more and knew that one night in her arms didn’t mean anything. It was great sex—they’d always been compatible physically—and some laughs. It was a way to get each other out of their system. They’d had their chance and there was no going back.

She’d get St Urban and the pop-up restaurant up and running and then she’d go back to...where?

‘When you are done with St Urban and get your promotion, where do you intend living?’

He felt her small shrug. ‘After my not-so-fun reunion with my family last night, I think it’s best if I stay as far away from them as possible, so probably London.’

If he went to New York, it was only a six-hour flight between the cities. It took half a day to fly from London to Cape Town. God, was he really thinking that far ahead? He hadn’t even spoken to Hank yet...

But if he wanted to keep on seeing her after her time ended at St Urban, provided they hadn’t crashed and burned by then, London and New York were more doable. At least the cities were in the same hemisphere.

One date, one night together and he was already making plans, just as he had ten years ago. He’d seen her in that pub, decided she was going to be his, and set out to make it happen. With other women, he made a move, mostly got what he wanted—a hook-up or a fling—and moved on, not letting her affect his life in any material way.

He was like his dad that way and the thought pissed him off. Going for what he wanted without considering how his actions affected others. The thought made him feel a little sick.

He wouldn’t be like that with Aisha; he refused to repeat his past mistakes. He’d be better than his dad, better than he’d been before. She made him feel more, want to be more...

Yeah, she heated his blood, but she also calmed his mind and inspired him to be a better man. But God, walking around with a heart high on emotionterrifiedhim.

So he’d tread slowly, slow the hell down, take a breath, try to be goddamn sensible around her.

Talking about sensible...

‘We should think about getting back, Aish.’

She sighed, kissed his wrist, and dropped her knees. ‘I know. I still need to get my car from Priya and get back to St Urban.’

‘And I have a conference call and I need to inspect management accounts.’

Aisha stood up, Pasco followed her to her feet, and they walked towards his matt black Ducati. He handed her her helmet and pulled his sunglasses off the top of her head. ‘We need to talk about the restaurant.’

Aisha cocked her head to look at him.

‘I realised that if I give you some solid time, we could just get it done. I’ll rearrange my schedule so I can give it a few full days next week.’

Aisha nodded. ‘That would be great. If we could work over the weekends, then I could work on St Urban during the week.’

He shook his head. ‘Weekends are normally busy for me, and we’re catering the Tempest-Vane ball in a few weekends. Are you going?’ Aisha shook her head. ‘Uh...no. What ball?’

‘It’s their annual ball to raise funds for their foundation.’

‘You’re confusing me with your A-list friends, and I’m far too busy to socialise.’

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