Dating the Rebel Tycoon - By Ally Blake Page 0,37

back to the floor. ‘The thing is it’s kind of gone beyond nice dreams. We’ve been out the past two nights. And he’s picking me up here to take me to dinner again tonight.’

‘So why don’t you sound as over the moon about that fact as I feel you should?’

‘He’s just not the kind of guy I usually go for.’

‘Um, he’s gorgeous and sexy. And you usually go for gorgeous and sexy. Think about the blond who hung around here every morning last summer, making the place smell like sunscreen.’

‘Jay was following the waves down the east coast. His job was over at nine in the morning.’

‘Right, well, he was gorgeous and sexy. And last winter…?’

Rosie thought back. ‘Marcus.’

‘Right! The American professor playing job-swap for three months. Super-duper cute in a leather elbow-patch, reading-Emily-Dickinson-to-you-in-bed kind of way. So what makes this one so different?’

Rosie shrugged.

‘Is there something wrong with the guy you’re not telling me? Some physical flaw hidden beneath the designer duds? Some personality deviation one would never expect? It’s okay; I can take it. I have fantasy guys in reserve.’

‘Well…no. Okay, it’s like this—he has that inviolable, lone-wolf aura that makes some men always get chosen captain of every team they join, which I really like. He’s resilient, self-reliant, and far too focussed on the intricacies of his own life to even think about searching for the girl of his dreams.’

‘He sounds just like you.’ Adele nodded along. ‘Except the liking girls part.’

‘In that respect, I guess, yeah. But then in the spirit of full disclosure he’s shared with me intimate details of his private life. And he’s the kind of man who opens your car door without being asked. I didn’t know they even existed any more. Is a nice streak a personality flaw? No, I’m clutching at straws there. Because the way he kisses…’

Rosalind’s voice petered away as she became lost in memories of his sultry, liquefying, unnerving, transporting kiss. There had not been one moment of that kiss that could be blandly described as ‘nice’.

‘Hey!’ Adele called out. ‘You seem to have drifted off there at the best part.’

‘Use your imagination,’ Rosie said.

‘Oh, I shall.’

Rosie hunched inside her poncho and wondered about Cameron’s best parts. Somehow she knew she hadn’t even scratched the surface. And that was fine; he could hardly help it if he was naturally fascinating. It was the ferocity with which she found herself longing to know those parts, and to let him get a glimpse of hers, that had her in a twist.

She began nervously flicking at a crack in the end of one short fingernail. ‘So, do I see him tonight or quit while I’m ahead?’

‘I’m sorry, was Miss Independent looking for my humble opinion?’

Rosie glanced up. ‘I ask your opinion all the time.’

‘Sure you do, when you want to know which science journals might suit whatever new paper you’ve whipped up.’

‘I’m not that bad.’

‘Ah, yeah, y’are. Hon, you’re a rock.’

Rosie stared at her friend, who stared right back. She bit the inside of her lip as she said, ‘Yeah. I am. I’m just used to looking out for myself, is all.’

Adele reached out with her foot and gave her a nudge on the leg. ‘I know, hon. It’s cool. Now, do you really want my opinion?’

‘I really do.’

‘You said this was your third date?’

Rosie nodded.

‘Well, then, yeah you’re seeing him tonight!’

The friction between Rosie’s jiggling knees suddenly had nothing on the warmth invading her cheeks and her palms, and the searing coil deep and low in her belly.

‘Adele, the third-date rule is rubbish. Nothing ever happens in life that you don’t allow to happen.’

‘So you don’t want to sleep with him?’

‘I didn’t say that, I—’

‘Then let it happen, for Pete’s sake! Jeez. To think if only I’d been at work ten minutes earlier that day it might have been me having this conversation. Actually, no; it wouldn’t. I don’t believe in the third-date rule either. The second date is fine with me.’

‘Adele!’

Adele held up a hand. ‘Can I just say one last thing before I zip my lips for good on the matter?’

‘Please,’ Rosie said.

Adele bit her lip for a moment, just a moment, but just long enough so that Rosie knew she wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

‘You like the guy, right?’

Rosie nodded, and Adele patted her on the hand.

‘Then consider this,’ Adele said. ‘He may be an island, but his family is an institution in this town. Unlike your professor or your surf pro,