Kiss Me Forever (Bachelors & Bridesmaids #1) by Barbara Freethy Read Free Book Online

of the Golden Gate Bridge. She'd come out on the deck fifteen minutes earlier, desperately needing some air to quell the queasiness, but being outside wasn't really any better. Along with feeling like she might throw up, she was now a little concerned that she might also get tossed off the boat.
    A splash of water hit her in the face as the boat came down at a particularly vicious angle, and she held on to the rail in a death grip. She didn't know how everyone else was doing it, but all she could hear from down below was music and laugher. The rest of the party seemed able to maintain their balance while eating liver pate and munching on sculpted vegetables.
    "Andrea. You look..." Alex paused by her side, studying her face with genuine concern. "You're green. I've heard people described that way, but I've never actually seen it before."
    "Thanks for the update." She pushed her hair out of her face in a futile gesture. A second later, the wind whipped the damp strands that had escaped from her ponytail across her eyes.
    "Maybe you need some food," Alex suggested.
    She groaned. "Don't even mention food to me."
    "Sorry." He put an arm around her shoulders, steadying her as the boat rocked back and forth. "It's rougher than usual today."
    "Is it? The last time I was on a boat I was ten, and it felt very much like this. Only then I threw up all over Johnny Carmichael's tennis shoes." She took a breath as bile rose in her throat. "You might want to back up."
    "I'll take my chances," he said with a small smile. "You should have told me you get seasick. Why didn't you?"
    She sent him an irritated look. "Following you around is my job. I go where the story goes. And I was hoping I'd outgrown it. But I'll be fine. I just need to breathe." She tightened her grip on the rail as the boat took another dive. "How much longer are we going to be out here?"
    "We're heading back now, but it will probably be another twenty minutes before we dock."
    "Okay. Twenty minutes. I can handle that." She silently repeated the words, trying to will the nausea out of her stomach.
    Alex rubbed her shoulder with his hand. "Your muscles are super tight."
    "You're a master of stating the obvious. This doesn't bother you at all, does it?" she asked, casting a quick look into his amused eyes.
    "No, I love the feel of the waves. Maybe you should come downstairs."
    She shook her head. "I'm staying right here. If I do throw up, I won't have any witnesses, especially if you go back to your friends."
    "I'm not going to leave you alone."
    She was both happy and dismayed by his answer. While she appreciated the company, she liked to be professional when she was on the job, and right now she felt anything but professional. And it wasn't just the ocean that was bothering her; it was Alex. He was so close to her she could smell the scent of his aftershave. The scent didn't turn her stomach. In fact, it made her want to curl into his side, rest her head on his chest, which would be completely inappropriate. What the hell was wrong with her?
    "So who at this party are you really close to?" she asked, desperately trying to find something else to think about.
    "I know most everyone, except for a few of the dates."
    "It's obvious everyone likes you, but who knows the man and not the 'King of Games'?"
    "There's no difference."
    "I think there is."
    "Well, you don't know me well enough to make that assumption."
    "I'm trying to get to know you better."
    "Do you ever have doubts about your job?" he asked, changing the subject.
    "What do you mean?"
    "Do you think about the impact your stories might have on someone's life?"
    "I always think about the impact. I want to write articles that encourage people to think, that inspire change, that make a difference. If I didn't want to make an impact, I wouldn't be a very good reporter."
    "Sometimes reporters cross ethical lines."
    "I've never done that."
    "Maybe you've never had to make that choice."
    She thought about that. "I suppose