“I guess I am.” But that was all for the future to take care of. Right now, he was sitting opposite a whip-smart, sophisticated, strong woman who oozed a quiet, understated sexuality that made his whole body ache. “So we’ve established you won’t be marrying me.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “That still leaves plenty of other options on the table.”
She held his gaze, cool as you like, while his heart had begun to pound so hard she could probably see it through his shirt. “It does.”
“Jesus.” He ran a hand down his face. “I’m hanging on by a thread here, Livvy. Unless you want to see a grown man get down on his knees and beg, now would be a good time to put me out of my misery and tell me what you’re thinking.”
She smiled and looked over to the pink sky. “I think we should have another drink and something to eat.” Her gaze settled on his. “And then you should come back to my room.”
He couldn’t contain the heartfelt groan. “I can’t convince you to get room service?”
She gave him a level look. “You probably could.”
Fuck. Shuffling back on the chair, he patted the space between his legs. “Come and watch the sunset with me.” He smiled when she narrowed her eyes. “I’d go to you but standing up is an issue right now.”
Her eyes tracked down to the visible bulge at his crotch and she smirked. “On this occasion I’ll do as you ask, but don’t make a habit of ordering me around.”
She slid easily between his legs, leaning back against his chest, and he slipped his arms around her, resting his chin lightly on her head. He missed looking at her face, but for what he was about to say, this was easier.
“That drink and food you mentioned.” He swallowed his pride. “I’d love to say let’s have it here, but my budget doesn’t run that far.”
She turned to look at him. “Mine does.”
“Yeah, thought it might.” Christ, this was embarrassing. “Thing is, I’m not caveman enough to insist on always paying, but I am caveman enough not to scrounge off my date. Especially when I chose the venue.”
Her gaze raked his. “You brought me here to try and impress me even though you couldn’t afford it?”
“That’s about the size of it, yeah.” Not one of his finest moments, but that was him. He could see his dad shaking his head at him.That’s the trouble with you, Connor, you’re rash, impulsive. You don’t think things through.Giving the images a hard shove, he bent to kiss the nape of her neck. Silky wisps of hair, soft skin, delicate floral scent. “How about you come back to my digs and I make us something?”
Olivia wasn’t interested in dating him; she was interested in having sex with him.
And beingthatguy, the good-time guy, was something he could manage.
Chapter 12
It had been a long time—she’d have to go back to her student days—since Olivia had sat in a guy’s kitchen while his flatmates wandered in and out in various stages of undress.
“Christ, Luca, put a shirt on.” Connor waved a spatula at the man who’d just pinched a handful of grated cheese neatly laid out on the table. “I’m trying to impress a lady here.”
Luca grinned, a flash of white teeth against an olive complexion. “By making her an omelet? Seriously, man, have you learned nothing from Chef Felix?”
Connor gave him the middle finger before turning back to focus on the sizzling pan. “I’d have fried some sea bass, but someone raided the fridge and didn’t replace it.”
“Ah.” Luca gave her a sheepish look. “How was I supposed to know you were planning on bringing a beautiful woman back here?”
Connor turned and leveled a hard stare at Luca. “You’d better not be coming on to my date.”
Olivia couldn’t help it—she started to laugh. Sitting here in this cramped kitchen with two guys in their twenties arguing over her. It was utterly ridiculous.
“Hey.” Connor caught her eye. “There’s nothing amusing about this. Tell Luca to sling his hook because he won’t take it from me.”
It was said with humor, but there was a possessive edge to his voice that sent an unexpected frisson of arousal through her.
Luca must have heard the silent warning because he dipped his head. “No worries, I’m going out.” As Connor turned back to the stove, Luca winked at her. “Me and the lads will be out late. Very late. So you can be as noisy as you like.”
Oh God. This was about as far from how she’d imagined her solo week going as it could get. She’d been planning on strategizing for the promotion battle with Stuart, reviewing finance reports, and working out what she needed to do on her first week back. In between eating out in the best restaurants Nantucket had to offer.
Yet here she was, preparing to eat an omelet and then have sex with a hot young chef who was her polar opposite. And who had the best bum she’d ever had the good fortune to stare at, she thought appreciatively as she watched Connor shift between the stove, the table, and the fridge with the grace of a dancer, his movements easy, unhurried.Sensual.
“Ready to eat?”
