Read Online WARM WINTER KISSES a feel good Christmas romance novel by JILL STEEPLES - Free Book Online

a morning, not to mention the constant interruption of Rocco’s throbbing mobile, everything went pretty much as it should have done. I fielded most of Rocco’s telephone calls. Journalists wanting to arrange interviews, clients wanting to see if he could persuade his maître d' in London to magically conjure up a table in the overbooked restaurant (even I knew that was an impossibility) and Pandora checking in at what seemed like ten minute intervals. I lost count of the number of times her name flashed up on the display, but I was under strict instructions.
    ‘I haven’t got time to speak to her. Don’t even bother answering it.’
    ‘But Rocco . . .’ I protested more than once.
    ‘If it’s urgent she can leave a message. I’ll catch up with her later.’
    In a relatively short space of time I’d come to feel sorry for Pandora. As far as Rocco was concerned she was needy and anxious and from what I could see he treated her with utter disregard. Not that I’m an expert or anything, but they didn’t seem to me to be the actions of a man headlong in love.
    At first, remembering how she’d treated me during our first meeting, pushing the reject button every time her name popped up on Rocco’s phone gave me a quiet sense of satisfaction. Ungracious, I know, but a little warm glow filled my stomach. Now though, I was left wondering why he couldn’t just be straight with her. If he didn’t have the time or the desire to behave civilly towards her, then he should say so to her face. I hated all that game playing.
    ‘Fancy a drink?’ Rocco asked me later, when filming had finished for the day and we were tidying up the cabin. I’d been on washing up duty for most of the day, working behind Rocco, clearing what space I could in the tiny galley kitchen. ‘We’re going to pop into The Anchor for a quickie.’ I swear his eyes twinkled suggestively. ‘But if you’d prefer to get back to the house?’
    It was true what I’d heard. The man was an outrageous flirt. As far as he was concerned any woman was fair game. As long as I retained my professional business persona then everything would be fine. Just fine.
    ‘No, a drink sounds great.’ I was parched and the thought of sitting down with a chilled glass of wine was lovely. I folded the damp tea towel neatly over the range and faced Rocco with a smile.
    ‘Let’s go,’ I said.
    Ten minutes later I was clasping a glass of Orvieto in my hand and sitting happily ensconced in the corner of the snug bar with Paul, Dave and Rocco and, most bizarrely of all, I had the eerily familiar face of rock superstar, Zak Stranger opposite me. We’d walked in and there he was, perched on a stool wearing black leather trousers, a black and white striped shirt, velvet waistcoat and his customary fedora, supping on his pint. He greeted Rocco eagerly, standing up and embracing his friend in a bear hug.
    ‘All right, babe?’ he said when Rocco made the introductions.
    ‘Hi!’ I grinned inanely, failing miserably to look as though I was used to meeting living legends on a regular basis. Funny thing was, because his crumpled face, spiky hair and wonky smile were so familiar, it was like sitting down with a favourite uncle for a chat and a catch-up and any butterflies I had quickly disappeared at the sound of his friendly rasping voice.
    ‘So how are you finding it here?’ Zak asked later, when Rocco went up to the bar to get another round in. ‘Working with Rocco?’
    ‘Oh, I’m settling in slowly. It’s a completely new world to me, but I’m enjoying it immensely.’
    Zak nodded sagely, picking up his pint glass, supping on the contents and leaving a frothy white moustache on his top lip. I giggled. He smiled and wiped it away with his shirt arm.
    ‘Rocco, he’s a good bloke.’ Zak leaned back in his seat, looking across at his best friend. ‘Don’t take any notice of all that crap you read in the papers. It’s all a load of bollocks. He’ll see you all right as