Read Online The Best Man's Guarded Heart by Katrina Cudmore - Free Book Online

fingers.
    Disquiet coursed through him. ‘Are you okay? Has something happened?’
    â€˜I’m fine. I just can’t find my sweater. I thought I’d left it in the kitchen this morning.’
    She spoke in a low, breathless whisper, and he stepped even closer to her and lowered his head. This close, he could feel the heat of her body. The darkness enveloped them, heightening his awareness of her, of the heat of her body, her sweet floral scent, the smoothness of her skin beneath his fingers, the delicate curve of her arm. He wanted to pull her towards him, to feel her body crushed against his.
    His voice was ragged when he spoke. ‘Eleni probably moved it...you can borrow one of mine instead.’
    She swayed slightly towards him, as though she too was overwhelmed by the need to get closer. He leaned forward in response, their bodies doing a private dance in which neither of them had any say.
    He heard her inhale, quickly and deeply. ‘No. It’s fine. I should just go to bed. I’m feeling tired.’
    The thought of Grace and bed had him closing his eyes in despair. He should step away. Now. But with her hair still swept up in that ponytail the delicate column of her neck proved too much of a temptation, and his fingers moved up to caress her soft exposed skin.
    She gave a tiny moan and arched her neck. ‘I really should go to bed.’
    â€˜Yes, you should.’
    But neither of them moved.
    This couldn’t go on. If they didn’t say goodnight soon he was going to kiss her.
    Desire clogged his brain, but he managed to force out some words. ‘We need to be careful.’
    â€˜Yes, of course.’ She said the right thing, but her low, breathless whisper spoke of nothing but attraction and yearning.
    Regret seeped into his bones but he forced himself to say, ‘We need to remember that we have years of meeting again because of our ties with Christos and Sofia.’
    There was a pause as she registered what he was saying. ‘Okay.’ She inhaled a shaky breath and took a slight step backwards. ‘All the more reason why we need to learn to get on.’
    â€˜Yes, and not complicate things between us.’
    She cleared her throat and stepped even further back. ‘That’s sensible.’
    He forced himself to be blunt. ‘I’m not interested in a relationship; I can’t offer you anything.’
    She jerked ever so slightly, and for a moment a wounded expression flickered in her eyes, pulled at her mouth. But it was quickly replaced with a proud anger.
    â€˜I don’t want anything from you.’
    He took a step back himself and inhaled a deep breath. ‘ Kalinichta . Goodnight, Grace.’
    For a few seconds she didn’t move, but then she gave a quick nod and turned away.
    He leaned back against the alcove wall with a groan. Yes, it was sensible not to complicate things. But sometimes sensible hadn’t a hope in hell of stopping things getting out of control.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T HE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON , alone in the workshop, Grace’s back ached and her stomach constantly rumbled in protest at not having been fed since dawn. But at least now she was working in the silence of siesta time, which was a welcome reprieve after the frantic pace of the morning.
    She plucked up some more rosemary and bay stems and wrapped florist’s wire around their base to form a neat and fragrant bundle.
    Footsteps approached, at first faint, but then she heard that distinctive stride, with its quick double heel tap on every second step. For a moment they faltered outside, but then quickly climbed the stone steps up to the workshop.
    She ducked her head and busied herself with another bundle of herbs, cross with the giddy anticipation that exploded in every cell of her body. She was not going to blush. She was not going to remember how close they had come to kissing last night and how she had later tossed and turned, tormented with images of