A Dozen Dates by Missy Mitchell Read Free Book Online Page A

strong feelings for him when he was already giving her palpitations? She could get really hurt, here...
    Then again, if she was to date him eight more times, he could possibly grow to like her too... Perhaps he could forget the fact that she was inexperienced and somewhat lost! She could try hard and learn quickly and she could be the sex kitten that he originally mistook her for. Oh, how she wished she could impress him with the sophisticated sexual self-assuredness that comes from experience. But who was she kidding – she could barely talk to him without blushing and stuttering like a tentative fool... Every time she kissed him she became light-headed – her brain mutating into a pitiable handful of child’s “Slime” or “Goo”.
    Thoughts; pros and cons of dating Michael jostled around her mind. He was so nice, and funny and so gorgeous, and she so wanted to keep dating him. But she also considered how hurt she could get... Most of all however, she just thought about his soft sweet lips and his musky scent, his soul-stirring pale blue gaze and his warm, strong hands.
     

Chapter Three
    The next day was Tuesday, a college-free day, and Gemma went around the house as promised. She dressed appropriately in denim shorts which respectfully covered about a third of her thighs, a tidy and tucked in lemon coloured t-shirt, sensible, tough work boots and a broad brimmed Akubra hat shading platted hair and a sun screened nose. She carried with her, her knapsack containing her tape measure, notepad and pencil, sunscreen and a bottle of water tucked in the side pocket; and her gardener’s apron with pockets for her spade, a small fork, some shears, gardening gloves and a few other handy tools. Finally, she had her laptop!
    She approached the brothers who were working removing a huge section of wall between the dining area and back patio with the intension of installing bi-fold doors. “Wow! This is going to be really great...” she stated. He would be shirtless, wouldn’t he..? But then, this is Australia and it does get hot in summer. There is just something particularly attractive about a man who wears work boots and socks with shorts, but no shirt... You can almost see their masculine perfume...
    “You like it..?” Michael said.
    “Huh?” Gemma responded, trying to remember what they were talking about, before finally answering, “ Yeah ...”
    “I need to know the budget...” Gemma informed them after they had all said their greetings, and the boys gave her an approximate estimate.
    “We are new at this, but we want to make a fat-cat profit...” Michael said and he grinned, “So we trust you will let us know if that is ridiculously low or high.”
    “It sounds good, but I will save you where I can...” Gemma offered, understanding this was a business venture for them and not their own private indulgence.
    “Good girl!” said Michael.
    “Do you have any particular preferences regarding style?” she asked them
    “Well, it’s an upper middle class area, so I don’t know... Whatever you think upper middle class people would like...” Nathan stated.
    “Michael, is there anything you want?” Gemma asked and Michael grinned, and realising how he was interpreting her request, she quickly tried to correct herself, “In the garden...”
    That suggestion made Michael grin even harder, and he chuckled slightly and turned to Nathan and mentioned, “I quite like the great outdoors...”
    “ For the garden...” Her urgency to resurrect her humiliating predicament was amusing to the brothers and the two of them laughed at her affectionately.
    Gemma swung her knapsack into Michael’s stomach, and declared, “I’m going to go measure your yard now...” She placed her laptop on the table and hurriedly put on her apron, placing her notepad and pen, tape measure and bottle of water into the spare pockets, and then lastly put on her gloves.
    “Hey! Now I know why you became a Landscaper...” Michael called