Read Online Bachelor at Her Bidding (Bachelor Auction Book 2) by Kate Hardy - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Hardy
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notice. Besides, it’s dark and it’s snowing again.”
“Sharla Dickinson’s sitting with your grandmother, though, and she’ll notice.” Rachel knew how sharp-eyed the high school principal was.
He smiled. “Principal Dickinson’s seen enough in her time to know when not to ask questions.”
Her skin heated with embarrassment. “Or I could press your tunic for you now, before you go home.” It would make him a little less rumpled. Even though it meant he’d be bare-chested and tempting while she was actually pressing his tunic.
“It’s fine, Rachel. Stop worrying,” he said softly. “Let’s take the coffee through to the kitchen.”
“Good idea.” Because her tangled sheets made her remember what he’d done to her, the way he’d made her feel, and she wasn’t sure she could resist the temptation to do it all over again – even though they’d just agreed to be friends and no more than that. Saying it hadn’t quite damped down the attraction enough.
Back in her kitchen, he insisted on doing the washing up. “Apart from the fact that I’d never take my equipment home dirty, it’s your birthday and the rule is that you don’t do the washing up on your birthday. Sit down.”
“Yes, Chef,” she said meekly.
He gave her a look that told her he was thinking about her bedroom again, too. But then he turned away and produced a box of chocolates from one of the two big plastic boxes.
“These were originally meant to go with coffee,” he said.
Except they’d gone to bed instead. And the words, unsaid, sat awkwardly between them.
“Thank you. Sage’s chocolates are the best in the county,” she said, recognizing the packaging instantly.
“Sage’s dark caramels with sea salt are better than anything in Bozeman,” he said.
“Better than anything in Paris?” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“I’d say they’re on a par,” he said.
“Would you like one?” she asked.
He indicated his wet hands. “I don’t want to put soap bubbles all over them.”
On impulse, she took a chocolate from the box and fed it to him. His lips touched her fingers, making her shiver; and he closed his eyes momentarily. In bliss because of the chocolate? she wondered. Or in embarrassment because of what she’d just done?
He opened his eyes again. “In other circumstances, Rachel, I’d like to get to know you better. I’d really like to see where this thing between us could go. But I can’t offer anyone anything right now,” he said, his voice husky. “And, just to be clear, the problem isn’t you, it’s me .”
“Same here,” she said. “I need time to get over…” She quite couldn’t bring herself to say Nick’s name.
He misunderstood. “You’re still in love with your ex?”
She shook her head. “I stopped loving him when I caught him cheating on me. Though I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pass that particular bit of information on.”
“Of course I won’t. But he cheated on you? Nasty.” He grimaced. “It’s understandable that you need time to get over being hurt.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, as I said, I can always use a friend.”
Time to be adult about this. “Me, too.” She paused. “If you’re free tomorrow night, you could come out with us all to Rocco’s Italian. We’re going for dinner.” Well, duh. It wouldn’t be breakfast in the evening, would it? What a stupid thing to say.
“You want me to come out with your posse of girls?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“That’d be my older sister, her two best friends and my two best friends,” she confirmed.
“Thanks, but going out for dinner with six women is just a bit on the scary side. Can I take a rain check?”
The smile in his eyes was just enough to give her the confidence to say, “You could always be an honorary girl for the night, Ry.”
He laughed, then. “Rach, I think we both know I’m not a girl.”
Yeah. And how.
He leaned over and stole a kiss. “You’re
“Sharla Dickinson’s sitting with your grandmother, though, and she’ll notice.” Rachel knew how sharp-eyed the high school principal was.
He smiled. “Principal Dickinson’s seen enough in her time to know when not to ask questions.”
Her skin heated with embarrassment. “Or I could press your tunic for you now, before you go home.” It would make him a little less rumpled. Even though it meant he’d be bare-chested and tempting while she was actually pressing his tunic.
“It’s fine, Rachel. Stop worrying,” he said softly. “Let’s take the coffee through to the kitchen.”
“Good idea.” Because her tangled sheets made her remember what he’d done to her, the way he’d made her feel, and she wasn’t sure she could resist the temptation to do it all over again – even though they’d just agreed to be friends and no more than that. Saying it hadn’t quite damped down the attraction enough.
Back in her kitchen, he insisted on doing the washing up. “Apart from the fact that I’d never take my equipment home dirty, it’s your birthday and the rule is that you don’t do the washing up on your birthday. Sit down.”
“Yes, Chef,” she said meekly.
He gave her a look that told her he was thinking about her bedroom again, too. But then he turned away and produced a box of chocolates from one of the two big plastic boxes.
“These were originally meant to go with coffee,” he said.
Except they’d gone to bed instead. And the words, unsaid, sat awkwardly between them.
“Thank you. Sage’s chocolates are the best in the county,” she said, recognizing the packaging instantly.
“Sage’s dark caramels with sea salt are better than anything in Bozeman,” he said.
“Better than anything in Paris?” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“I’d say they’re on a par,” he said.
“Would you like one?” she asked.
He indicated his wet hands. “I don’t want to put soap bubbles all over them.”
On impulse, she took a chocolate from the box and fed it to him. His lips touched her fingers, making her shiver; and he closed his eyes momentarily. In bliss because of the chocolate? she wondered. Or in embarrassment because of what she’d just done?
He opened his eyes again. “In other circumstances, Rachel, I’d like to get to know you better. I’d really like to see where this thing between us could go. But I can’t offer anyone anything right now,” he said, his voice husky. “And, just to be clear, the problem isn’t you, it’s me .”
“Same here,” she said. “I need time to get over…” She quite couldn’t bring herself to say Nick’s name.
He misunderstood. “You’re still in love with your ex?”
She shook her head. “I stopped loving him when I caught him cheating on me. Though I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pass that particular bit of information on.”
“Of course I won’t. But he cheated on you? Nasty.” He grimaced. “It’s understandable that you need time to get over being hurt.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, as I said, I can always use a friend.”
Time to be adult about this. “Me, too.” She paused. “If you’re free tomorrow night, you could come out with us all to Rocco’s Italian. We’re going for dinner.” Well, duh. It wouldn’t be breakfast in the evening, would it? What a stupid thing to say.
“You want me to come out with your posse of girls?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“That’d be my older sister, her two best friends and my two best friends,” she confirmed.
“Thanks, but going out for dinner with six women is just a bit on the scary side. Can I take a rain check?”
The smile in his eyes was just enough to give her the confidence to say, “You could always be an honorary girl for the night, Ry.”
He laughed, then. “Rach, I think we both know I’m not a girl.”
Yeah. And how.
He leaned over and stole a kiss. “You’re
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