Last-Minute Bridesmaid by Nina Harrington Read Free Book Online Page A

comfortable in her own skin. And what skin!
    That kind of combination would spell trouble if he stayed around long enough to get to know her better. She was dynamite with a slow-burning fuse. And the last thing he needed was another complication like Olivia to deal with.
    Her right hand was tapping with a pencil on a pad of drawing paper while her left was holding up what looked to Heath like an invoice or delivery note. She was peering at it through pink-tinted spectacles with bright-red frames then scribbling something down on the pad. Then looking back at the printed sheet, and then back to the pad. And scowling.
    ‘Why is this not adding up?’ she asked with a long sigh, then reached out and rummaged through a large cardboard box which was overflowing with paperwork and ring binders and envelopes, pulling out individual sheets and tossing them onto the desk as she went until her fingers froze on what looked like a purple sticky note pushed inside an envelope. ‘There you are,’ she smiled, ‘I knew that I had already paid you last week. Now stop hiding from me or I will never work out how to do these accounts properly.’
    A self-satisfied smile flashed across her lips, which was so natural and unpractised that it made his heart melt just looking at her.
    She looked so vulnerable and naïve.
    And, judging by the accumulation of papers on her table, not the world’s best bookkeeper. Her filing system could certainly use an overhaul and a simple spreadsheet would do all of the adding up she was struggling with. He could probably set it up in less than an hour, but somehow he didn’t think that Kate would welcome another criticism of her working practices.
    Not after yesterday. And certainly not from him.
    Even if some part of him did yearn to dive in and sort out the mess she had clearly got herself into.
    Heath was still working on some way of introducing himself without looking like a complete idiot when a voice behind him whispered, ‘Hello, handsome. You’re a little early for the casting, but if you want to take your clothes off over there, I’ll be happy to take a look at what you can do.’
    Heath spun around to find a tall, dark-skinned man in a slim-fit red-and-green windowpane check suit and narrow Italian shoes scanning his body from head to toe while tapping his chin with a forefinger.
    ‘I have to break the bad news to you, handsome. You don’t look like a dancer from here.’
    Dancer? Remove his clothing?
    A woman’s voice laughed out loud and he glanced over his shoulder to see Kate grinning from ear to ear. She exchanged kisses on both cheeks with the man and wrapped one arm around his waist. ‘Lovely to see you, as always, Leo. And as punctual as ever. As for our guest,’ she said in a semi-serious voice, ‘I can see what you mean. Not really the dancing physique at all. Good thing he’s my client and not looking for stage work.’
    ‘Your client? Oh, I see. Pity. Ciao bella. ’ Leo coughed and strolled away towards the entrance.
    ‘Good morning, Kate,’ Heath replied calmly, trying not to squirm in the suddenly overwhelming heat. ‘I’m sorry to disturb your work but I was hoping that you could spare me a few minutes.’
    She looked up at him wide-eyed, then turned away and rested her hand against the wide table. ‘Why? Are you interested in being measured for a suit?’ She gestured over his shoulder. ‘I specialise in ladies’ wear but, as you can see, I have a wide selection of fabric in an assortment of colours. I’m sure I could find something to match your complexion. A fetching shade of puce embarrassment tweed, perhaps?’
    And then she looked up at him through her eyelashes and their eyes met. And in that instant he knew that she was already two steps ahead of him.
    Kate knew precisely why he was there and had absolutely no intention of letting him get away with anything.
    She ignored the stack of papers on her desk and started pinning pieces of thin tissue paper to a