Tangled Vines: An Australian Rural Romance by Nicole Flockton Read Free Book Online Page B

seen that as a sign things weren’t going to work out. Her father told her numerous times a gentleman will always pay for his date.
    “Look, I’m sorry, Kyle. It’s just something I’m used to doing.”
    “What do you mean? Are you saying that you split the bill with every single date you’ve had?”
    “Well,” she dragged the word out. “When my ex-fiancé and I first started dating we would split most of the costs wherever we went.”
    “Are you kidding me? What sort of guy does that? And you were engaged?”
    Not wanting to get into her disaster of a relationship, she shrugged. “I didn’t mind. Yes, I was engaged. I broke it off before I moved here. I haven’t heard from him since, and that makes me happy.”
    Kyle stepped closer to her, his warm, hard chest brushing up against hers. “Well, let me tell you something, sweetheart. I’m a firm believer of the principle ‘I ask, I pay.’ And if your fiancé expected differently, you’re better off without him.”
    The endearment slipped off his lips naturally. Seeing the fierceness in his eyes, her heart beat double time. Her eyes flicked back down to his lips. They were so close and the touch they’d shared earlier so fleeting. It made no sense to her, particularly as they had just been discussing Don, but she wanted to taste him again.
    Her lips parted of their own accord as she leaned a little closer. He must have had the same idea because in the next instant their lips were fused together. Her hands clutched his chest, scrunching up his shirt between her fingers. Kyle’s arms slipped around her, bringing her lower half flush with his. He was rock hard from the chest her fingers were touching, to where her softness met another solid part of his anatomy. They aligned together in a perfect match.
    His lips roved over hers, encouraging her to open beneath the onslaught. And she did. His tongue delved in, dueling with hers. Wanting to feel more of him, she rose up on her tiptoes and moved her hands from where they were clutching his shirt to slipping around his back and up until she was able to sink her fingers into his hair, ensuring the kiss would continue.
    Time stood still as they tasted each other. Her body heated as his hands moved to cup her bottom, the thin material of her trousers no barrier against his heat.
    A car door slamming, followed quickly by some loud laughter, broke the spell. Kyle pulled his lips from hers and Jordan fully expected him to step away. Instead he rested his forehead against hers and ran his hands up from her bottom until he found her waist.
    “I’m not sure that was a good idea.” The words whispered out of her.
    “Why?”
    “Because.” Jordan dropped her arms from where they were still entwined in his hair and maneuvered out of his embrace, taking a couple of deep breaths to get her equilibrium under control. Why the hell had she thought her relationship with Don would be life sustaining? One kiss from Kyle and she’d experienced more heat than she ever had with Don.
    Angry at herself and at Kyle for reinforcing just how shitty her previous taste in men was, she stepped off the curb and headed in the general direction of where they’d parked the car.
    She’d not taken two steps when a hand landed on her shoulder, the fingers digging briefly into her.
    “Because is not a suitable answer.”
    Anger at herself, for once again kissing someone who had control over her employment, flowed to life within her. “You’re my boss, Kyle. Kissing the boss is never a good idea.” She closed her eyes briefly in attempt to get her wayward emotions under control. “It’s never the boss who gets fired, is it? Besides, only a few hours ago you wanted me out of your house.”
    Under the bright light illuminating the car park, Kyle looked like the formidable stockbroker she’d read about—tall, strong, unyielding. And moments ago she had held him.
    He opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but then snapped it shut. Good.