More Than a Fling? by Joss Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

frustration. ‘But I thought I
would give it a go.’
    Ross removed the bottle from her grasp, cracked the lid for her
and handed it back. ‘I opened my mouth and spoke without thinking—not something
I often do. I wanted to take the words back as soon as I said them.’
    Ally cocked her head.
    Bloody Nora, the woman had a stare that had all the power of an
industrial laser. And why did that turn him on?
    ‘Then why did you follow me up to my room?’ she asked.
    What? Was she kidding? Judging by
her puzzled look, obviously not.
    ‘Have you looked at yourself lately? You are seriously hot !’ He sighed and lifted one arrogant eyebrow
slowly. ‘Men are simple creatures, Jones. When they hear “let’s have sex”
everything else goes out the window. I thought I’d hit the mother lode. Yeah, I
messed up, but you were prepared to ignore that and nail me anyway. I wasn’t
going to turn you down. A saint couldn’t—and I’m no saint.’
    ‘I just bet you aren’t,’ Ally muttered, sitting up and reaching
for her bag.
    Pulling out a pair of sunglasses—Bellechier, slick and sexy—she
pushed them onto her face and leaned back on her elbows again, bending her knees
and digging her toes into the sand. Drops of water still lay on her skin,
gathered in her belly button, and Ross wished he could sip the salty water from
that little receptacle, slide his mouth over her flat stomach, explore the skin
that covered her hipbones.
    Frick , the woman could rock a
bikini.
    ‘Gorgeous day,’ he mumbled, staring hard at the ships on the
horizon, waiting to dock in the harbour further down the beach.
    ‘Very.’
    ‘So...sorry.’ He thought he needed to say it again—hopefully
for the final time.
    Ally tipped her head back and her wet hair, curly with salt
water, almost touched the sand behind her shoulderblades. ‘Your apologies could
use some work, Bennett.’
    True. ‘So I’m forgiven?’
    Ally shrugged. ‘Does it matter?’
    It did, actually. Ross lifted one shoulder. ‘I’m a straight
shooter, Ally. Normally. Despite last night’s mix-up, I don’t play games and I
don’t confuse sex with business.’
    Ally looked at him and he couldn’t believe how relieved he felt
when he caught her mouth twitching with amusement. Leaning over, he pushed her
glasses down her nose and saw that her eyes were lighter, almost dancing with
mischief. He felt stupidly relieved.
    ‘What?’ he asked, not entirely sure if he really wanted to know
why she was smiling.
    ‘So how long did you spend in the lift facing the wall?’
    ‘Far too long,’ he growled. ‘Those wrinklies thought I was
sick. They kept asking if I was all right.’
    Ally grinned. She lifted the water in a toast. ‘Are you
expecting me to apologise?’
    ‘For the kiss or for leaving me high and dry for the rest of
the night?’ Ross asked sourly. Ally gurgled and he couldn’t help smiling at her
infectious laughter. ‘I loved the kiss and I deserved the frustration. I’m a big
boy. I coped. Are we done with this now?’
    Ally hiccupped a laugh. ‘Oh, no, you’re not getting off that
easily.’ She dropped her knees and sat up, pushing her glasses into her hair.
‘ You , mister—’ she rammed a finger into his
bicep ‘—are going to sit through my entire presentation and you are going to
seriously consider my offer.’
    Ross flopped back into the sand and groaned loudly. Gorgeous
and pushy...why was life punishing him like this?
    * * *
    She’d arrived in Cape Town yesterday and so far she’d
kissed a hot man, had a swim in the Indian Ocean and spent some time in the sun,
Ally thought, walking from her hotel room to the lift. That was more excitement
than she’d had all year.
    Catching a glimpse of her reflection in the lift doors, she
nodded her head at her professional look. She felt a great deal more confident
in a short flared skirt and ruffled white top; talking to Ross in that tiny
bikini—the only one in her size in the hotel shop—had made