and seen the Viaduct was the place to be on the waterfront, and as they reached the harbor, he could see why. Restaurants, cafés, and bars lined the wooden boardwalks, overlooking the boats moored in a sheltered harbor.
The smell of sizzling onions, fresh sushi, and spicy Mexican mingled with a tempting aroma of coffee beans.
“This place is great,” Harper said, picking up the pace and tugging on his hand like an excited child. “Shall we walk a little farther before having a coffee?”
He’d do anything she asked if it brought that excitement to her face, the kind that made her eyes glow and her cheeks flush.
“Sure.” He pointed to a large wooden building at the end of a pier. “Pity the New Zealand Maritime Museum isn’t open. I’m such a geek for places like that.”
“Me too,” she said, staring at him with wonder in her eyes.
“Careful there, Miss Ryland. It almost sounded like you admitted to having something in common with me.”
She rolled her eyes, but she hadn’t stopped grinning. “Pity I won’t have time to check it out. I have to leave for Lake Taupo tomorrow.”
Her grin faded and the light in her eyes dimmed. “I’m hoping the new hotel up there has lined up another assistant for me, considering Kylie has pulled out of this job completely.”
Manny had never been prone to brain fades. He couldn’t afford them in his line of work. Being in charge of a bustling ER meant having his wits about him at all times. So he had no idea what prompted him to say, “I could help you out there too?”
The moment the offer fell from his lips, he waited for regret to set in. He needed a few days’ R&R desperately. What he didn’t need was more time hefting platters and being told what to do and how to place hoki on a plate.
But the regret didn’t come, and he knew why. The longer Harper stared at him with shock in her wide blue eyes, he knew he’d give anything to spend more time with her, even as her lackey.
“Why would you want to do that?” She gave a little shake of her head as if trying to clear it. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you really helped me out of a jam these last two days, but why would you want to traipse to Taupo and do more of the same when you could be chilling here?”
“Chilling’s overrated.” He shrugged, before tugging on her hand and bringing her closer. “Besides, having you order me around for another day or two won’t be so bad if I get to spend time with you like this afterward.”
That worried frown was back as she gnawed on her bottom lip. He could see indecision warring with hope in her expressive eyes, and damned if he didn’t want to nibble on that lip too.
“I really don’t see what you get out of this—”
“It’s a genuine offer. Take it or leave it.”
To his surprise, she flung herself at him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face against his chest, murmuring, “Thank you.”
As his arms tightened around her waist, he should make light of her response. He should tease her about it, make her laugh.
But it was difficult to formulate any kind of answer with shock ricocheting through him that having her in his arms like this felt so right.
He liked helping people. He’d always been a rescuer. Valid qualities for someone in his profession.
But the feelings rioting through him had nothing to do with being a doctor and everything to do with falling for a woman for the first time.
19
Harper had dated extensively before her yearlong relationship with Colin. In that time, she’d been lucky enough to be taken on some pretty romantic dates. One guy had taken her to the ballet at the Victorian Arts Center, another had squired her to dinner at Vue de Monde on the fiftieth floor of the Rialto building. Even Colin had spent a small fortune on tickets for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage play because he knew she’d read the entire series three times.
So how could sitting on a wrought iron bench overlooking Viaduct Harbor, holding a takeout coffee cup, trading quips with Manny, top all those in the romance stakes?
It wasn’t like they were alone either. People strolled along the boardwalk regularly, stopping to admire the moon’s reflection shimmering on the water. Muted jazz spilled from a nearby Japanese fusion restaurant. And