Mistletoe Not Required by Anne Oliver Read Free Book Online

messages of concern, then annoyance. Which he probably should have answered but simply hadn’t got around to.
    Who the hell ever checked up on Jett Davies?
    He caught Olivia glancing at him from beneath auburn lashes. She turned a pretty shade of watermelon pink when she saw him admiring her physical assets, then looked away and became preoccupied with counting the vehicles crossing the Harbour Bridge.
    ‘You sure about that?’ he said to her profile, his smile widening when he saw the increasing tension in her shoulders. ‘My sleeping habits could be a good conversation starter. Why don’t you sit down and we can discuss them?’
    He’d half expected her to decline but she took a chair opposite him. ‘As I was saying...it’s your typical irresponsible male behaviour.’
    ‘I am male,’ he pointed out. ‘I thought you’d have noticed last night. And yes, I’m pretty sure it was typical male behaviour when in the company of a sexy woman who wants the same thing he does. What I’m not sure about is the word irresponsible. I have heard of safe sex.’
    She inhaled sharply, poured herself a glass of water from the table beside her. ‘You really have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?’
    ‘But you’re going to tell me.’
    ‘Last night...’
    ‘Last night...’ He trailed off suggestively and the sultry images hung heavy in the air between them. He had an erection most men would be jealous of and nowhere to use it—damned if he was going to make it easy for her.
    She cleared her throat, downed half the contents of her glass. ‘It never occurred to you that Brie would be waiting to hear if you were okay, did it.’ It wasn’t a question. ‘You never bothered to ring and let her know where you were.’
    He flipped a hand. ‘See, that’s exactly why I don’t keep women around long-term.’ But he had to admit he saw her point.
    ‘Brie’s not just any woman, she’s your sister. And I don’t care what you do with your groupies, but you told Brie you were on your way to the party and that’s the last she heard. While you were getting it on with some random woman she was worried about what might have happened to you.’
    His brows rose. ‘That woman was you.’
    ‘ And she felt let down because she’d been looking forward to sharing the evening with her brother. The fact it was me is irrelevant, Jett. Just because you’re a famous chef-slash-food-writer-slash-critic—yes, Brie filled me in moments ago, and no, I didn’t recognise you, which must be a blow to your over-inflated ego—doesn’t mean you treat people who care about you that way. Accountability’s obviously not a word you’re familiar with and—’
    ‘You sure have a lot to say.’ Crikey, she was red hot when she was mad. Fiery. Filled with a vibrant energy to rival his own. It matched her hair and made him want to reach up, wind it around his fingers and pull her down so he could put that tongue to better use.
    ‘When necessary, yes.’
    ‘I get it.’ He clicked his fingers. ‘You’re feeling bitchy because I got inside your panties and you loved every delicious second of it and now it’s all over because you’ve decided that somehow it’s not politically correct to mess around with your best friend’s brother.’
    Olivia blinked, her cheeks on fire. Because he had it so right. And she’d let her tongue run away from her. ‘I’m not going to respond to that.’
    ‘What, nothing to say now?’ His voice held both humour and frustration. ‘Or maybe it’s because you know what I said is true.’
    Her chin lifted. ‘Plenty to say, but I’m resisting.’
    ‘Like you did last night?’ His expression was pained. ‘Do you have any idea how I feel?’
    Hot as molten steel and hard as concrete? She kept her gaze well away from his shorts. ‘I said I was sorry.’
    He nodded slowly, stared out at the harbour view. ‘I’ll apologise to Breanna.’
    She nodded. ‘Good.’ She started to move to the balcony’s