Read Online Persuading Spring: A Sexy New Zealand Romance (The Four Seasons Book 4) by Serenity Woods - Free Book Online Page B

consider myself a gentleman. If I were giving myself advice,
I’d tell myself to pick up the phone, book you another room, and get you out of
here as soon as was humanly possible.”
    “I’d understand if you did. That would be
the sensible, practical thing to do.”
    They studied each other for another long
moment. Bridget was sick of being sensible and practical. She wanted to throw
her arms around him and kiss him, and be comforted by the fact that he
obviously found her attractive.
    He must have seen the hunger in her eyes
because he cupped her face with his large, strong hands, his skin warm on hers.
He moved closer. Then he leaned forward and touched his lips to her forehead
and rested them there for a moment.
    She sighed. “A whole city full of guys who
might have taken advantage of me, and I pick one with principles.”
    He chuckled. “Sorry about that.” He moved
back, took her hand, and led her back to the table. “Sit down for a moment. I
have an idea.”
    She sat back at the table, and he shuffled
his chair forward. To her surprise, he took her hands in his.
    “It seems to me that maybe you need a
little break,” he said. “Some time away from your normal life, to heal and
recover from the trauma. So I was thinking… I live up in Russell, do you know
it?”
    “You said it was in the Bay of Islands?”
    “Yes. It’s actually at the end of a long
peninsula, but for all intents and purposes it’s like an island, and most
people get to it by boat. It’s small and beautiful, nice and quiet, with lovely
beaches. It would be the perfect place to get away.”
    She surveyed him blankly, not quite certain
what he was suggesting.
    “My surgery’s in the center of the town,”
he said. “And I live just up the hill, in walking distance. You could stay in
one of the hotels, or there are lots of bed and breakfasts. During the day, you
could have a look around the town, and maybe hire a car and go across to Paihia
and Kerikeri, and then after work we could meet up and have dinner, if you
wanted, or I could show you around… whatever you felt like.”
    Her lips started to curve up. “It sounds
like a lovely idea.”
    He hesitated. “I don’t want you to think…
I’m not suggesting it because I assume…”
    “I know.”
    “I like you,” he said simply. “And I’ll be
honest—I’m attracted to you. You’ve been through an awful time, and it wouldn’t
be right to act on it now. But if you came up and stayed, we could spend some
time together and see how things go. Maybe we’ll just stay friends. Maybe it
will develop into something more. Who knows? I don’t want to get in the way of
anything—if you think you might get back with Mal and make a go of it—”
    “I won’t.”
    He gave a short laugh. “Okay.” He glanced
at the beds. “Look, of course it’s entirely up to you. But I can sleep with Mateo,
there’s a spare bed over there, and it’s getting late. Why don’t you stay here
and make your decision in the morning? I’m catching the two p.m. flight out of
Wellington tomorrow. If you like the idea of getting away, you can follow me up
tomorrow or Monday, whatever you wanted. If not, and you’d rather go somewhere
else, or just go back to work, that’s fine. Maybe in the morning we’ll wonder
why on earth we felt like this and realize it’s all a stupid mistake.”
    Why on earth we felt like this… He felt the same way as her, that there was something between them
that wasn’t only due to the rebound effect. But he was right—she was tired and
emotional, and it was possible that in the morning she’d wake up and think how
close she’d come to making a fool of herself.
    Should she stay in his room tonight? She
had no money, and it seemed silly to get on her high horse now and demand
another room when she was wearing his track pants and had told him she wanted
to kiss him. She’d stay the night, and tomorrow morning, hopefully everything
would become clear.
    “Okay.” She