The Man Ban - Nicola Marsh Page 0,47

his heart thudding beneath her palm. “Someone recently said she’d had the best sex of her life, and I’m taking some of the credit for that.”

“So that’s all you took out of our discussion?” She rolled her eyes and wriggled her hand out from under his. “You’re such a guy.”

“I’m all man, babe, and don’t you forget it.”

They grinned at each other, and Harper could’ve leaped for joy that they’d reverted to their old sparring. He really was special. No holding grudges, no delving into her mini freak-out yesterday. Resuming their jaunty familiarity made her like him all the more.

“So getting back to your original question, how are we going to spend the next few hours before dinner?”

He clutched his chest like she’d wounded him. “As much as my ego is smarting that you don’t want to spend the afternoon in bed with me, I was actually thinking of checking out Mount Eden if you’re up for it?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Meet you back here in fifteen?”

“See you then.”

But before she could walk away, he grabbed her hand. “I meant it when I said let’s go with the flow last night. I enjoy spending time with you. That’s it.”

His sincerity made her want to fling her arms around him. She settled for reaching up and cupping his cheek. “You’re a special guy, Manish Gomes, and I like spending time with you too.”

She didn’t understand the intent in his eyes, and suddenly, the seriousness of the situation hit her like a frying pan to the back of the head.

Here was a guy who’d been witness to her flightiness, her fear, and he hadn’t run. In fact, he’d gone to some lengths to set her at ease.

Harper hadn’t been looking for a keeper, but maybe she’d found one regardless.

36

“You like hiking, don’t you?” Harper flopped onto a bench at the top of Mount Eden and fanned her face. “Which is fine, because you’re a doctor and you’d be into that ‘exercise is good for your health’ crap, but for the record, I’m a couch potato kind of girl.”

“Noted.” He sat next to her, pulled a bottle of water from his backpack, and handed it to her. “Now drink up. Fatigue makes you grouchy.”

“Not grouchy. Thirsty,” she said, uncapping the bottle and drinking deeply, drawing his attention to the elegant length of her neck and the pounding of her carotid pulse.

Before he could second-guess the urge, he leaned across and placed his lips over the pulse, giving a little nip that had her half gasping, half choking as she doused him with water.

“Are you trying to kill me? I almost choked,” she said, elbowing him away, but there was no malice in her tone, and she pressed her fingertip to the pulse, a coy smile playing about her mouth.

“It’s okay, I’d revive you with CPR.” He puckered up and made smooching sounds. “A little mouth-to-mouth, combined with my hands all over your chest, you’d be just fine.”

She aimed an elbow jab his way again and he laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You’re gorgeous, even when you’re sweaty.”

“I am not sweaty. I’m perspiring.” She dabbed at her top lip and grimaced. “Okay, I’m sweating like a pig, but whose fault is that?”

“If you ever quit complaining, you might thank me for the view,” he said, surprised he could do this all day. Swap banter with her, tease her, make her laugh. It had become their thing.

Other women he’d dated hadn’t sparked this level of interaction. They’d smile politely at his jokes or look at him with confusion, like they couldn’t figure him out. But with Harper, there was none of that. She gave as good as she got, jibing like a champ. He loved it.

“I’m enjoying the view just fine.” Her gaze started at his chest and swept downward, and damned if he didn’t feel it like a physical caress.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’m wearing shorts.”

She deliberately focused on his groin. “Oooh, that could be fun, seeing you sporting a boner—”

“Look at the view out there, now,” he gritted out, already at half-mast.

“Spoilsport,” she murmured, but did as he said, averting her eyes from him and looking out at the highest volcano in Auckland. “So what am I looking at?”

Playing tour guide would guarantee he’d take his mind off the situation in his pants, so he pointed at the harbor. “That’s the Auckland Harbor Bridge, and Rangitoto Island. And in case you were wondering, the volcano last erupted fifteen thousand years ago and