a
lot, even if things seemed hard. I hire a fair number of young people, and I
can tell you, a lot of them don’t seem to know that. They don’t get that they
can put their minds to a problem and solve it. That they can shape their
futures. They get carried along by the tide, like somebody else is in charge of
their life. I know I’m in charge of my life. So I’m lucky,” she said again.
Privately, Drew thought that she had been anything but
lucky. But he admired her determinedly positive attitude and her obvious work
ethic. He turned the conversation himself then, and they chatted more lightly
as they packed up the remains of their lunch and prepared to depart. She disappeared
into the cabin to put on her coverup for the ride home, and though he was disappointed
at the loss of the picture she made in that orange costume—tangerine, he
reminded himself with a grin—he liked the look of her in anything. Or in
nothing, he thought again. Especially in nothing.
“I have a commitment in Auckland tomorrow,” he told her when
he had docked at the marina and they were back in the ute again. “But I’ll be
here the next day. Can I take you to dinner?”
“Sure. I’ll be here four more days, and I’d like that.”
He frowned. “Where are you off to next?”
“Rotorua. Not sure I’m pronouncing it right. That seems to
be someplace I need to visit. Where they have the geothermal area. But I wanted
a week here first. My beach vacation.”
“Yeh,” he smiled. “I know Rotorua, a bit. I’ll pick you up
at seven-thirty, then, day after tomorrow.”
“What should I wear?”
“Noplace too posh on the Coromandel. What you had on
yesterday was good.”
“Good to know. I’ll look forward to it. And thank you for
today. I loved it. That was one of the best adventures I’ve ever had.”
“Led an exciting life, have you?” he asked dryly.
“Not so much,” she admitted. “Making up for it a bit now, I
guess. Almost drowning yesterday, and going for my first snorkel today.”
“Glad to help with your adventures,” he assured her as he
pulled up to her motel.
By the time he came around to help her out of the tall
vehicle, she had already opened the door and hopped down.
“You’re disappointing my mum again,” he sighed. “Here I was,
ready to show you my manners, and you didn’t give me the chance.”
“Tell your mother I’m very impressed, so far. And thanks
again,” she said as she turned at her motel door.
And that’s as far as you’re getting today, boy, he told
himself. Never mind, he had a fair bit of determination. And every intention of
using it.
“I’ll see you day after tomorrow, then.” He took her by the
shoulders and kissed her gently, his mouth moving over hers, keeping it soft. And
felt the zing of the contact straight down to his groin. Oh, yes. There was
chemistry there, no worries.
He stepped back and saw her smiling up at him, pulled her
closer, and kissed her again with a bit more heat, giving into temptation and
letting his tongue briefly touch the deep bow of her upper lip. He’d been
staring at that bow all day, and he was only human, after all. He let her go at
last, and watched as she unlocked her door and stepped inside.
Four more days. Good as gold.
Chapter 5
Despite two perfectly enjoyable days on her own, Hannah found
to her annoyance that she was looking forward with eager anticipation to her
date, and taking far more care than usual in getting ready. Choosing the dress
was simple enough—the only other one she had brought with her. She thought
ruefully that after tonight, Drew would have seen pretty much her entire
wardrobe.
Well, this would be their second date. No, third, if you
counted the charity breakfast after he had rescued her. And given her recent
track record, the third time was likely to be not the charm, but the end. Because
no matter how tempted she was, she wasn’t going to bed with someone she had met
three days ago. If he were
lot, even if things seemed hard. I hire a fair number of young people, and I
can tell you, a lot of them don’t seem to know that. They don’t get that they
can put their minds to a problem and solve it. That they can shape their
futures. They get carried along by the tide, like somebody else is in charge of
their life. I know I’m in charge of my life. So I’m lucky,” she said again.
Privately, Drew thought that she had been anything but
lucky. But he admired her determinedly positive attitude and her obvious work
ethic. He turned the conversation himself then, and they chatted more lightly
as they packed up the remains of their lunch and prepared to depart. She disappeared
into the cabin to put on her coverup for the ride home, and though he was disappointed
at the loss of the picture she made in that orange costume—tangerine, he
reminded himself with a grin—he liked the look of her in anything. Or in
nothing, he thought again. Especially in nothing.
“I have a commitment in Auckland tomorrow,” he told her when
he had docked at the marina and they were back in the ute again. “But I’ll be
here the next day. Can I take you to dinner?”
“Sure. I’ll be here four more days, and I’d like that.”
He frowned. “Where are you off to next?”
“Rotorua. Not sure I’m pronouncing it right. That seems to
be someplace I need to visit. Where they have the geothermal area. But I wanted
a week here first. My beach vacation.”
“Yeh,” he smiled. “I know Rotorua, a bit. I’ll pick you up
at seven-thirty, then, day after tomorrow.”
“What should I wear?”
“Noplace too posh on the Coromandel. What you had on
yesterday was good.”
“Good to know. I’ll look forward to it. And thank you for
today. I loved it. That was one of the best adventures I’ve ever had.”
“Led an exciting life, have you?” he asked dryly.
“Not so much,” she admitted. “Making up for it a bit now, I
guess. Almost drowning yesterday, and going for my first snorkel today.”
“Glad to help with your adventures,” he assured her as he
pulled up to her motel.
By the time he came around to help her out of the tall
vehicle, she had already opened the door and hopped down.
“You’re disappointing my mum again,” he sighed. “Here I was,
ready to show you my manners, and you didn’t give me the chance.”
“Tell your mother I’m very impressed, so far. And thanks
again,” she said as she turned at her motel door.
And that’s as far as you’re getting today, boy, he told
himself. Never mind, he had a fair bit of determination. And every intention of
using it.
“I’ll see you day after tomorrow, then.” He took her by the
shoulders and kissed her gently, his mouth moving over hers, keeping it soft. And
felt the zing of the contact straight down to his groin. Oh, yes. There was
chemistry there, no worries.
He stepped back and saw her smiling up at him, pulled her
closer, and kissed her again with a bit more heat, giving into temptation and
letting his tongue briefly touch the deep bow of her upper lip. He’d been
staring at that bow all day, and he was only human, after all. He let her go at
last, and watched as she unlocked her door and stepped inside.
Four more days. Good as gold.
Chapter 5
Despite two perfectly enjoyable days on her own, Hannah found
to her annoyance that she was looking forward with eager anticipation to her
date, and taking far more care than usual in getting ready. Choosing the dress
was simple enough—the only other one she had brought with her. She thought
ruefully that after tonight, Drew would have seen pretty much her entire
wardrobe.
Well, this would be their second date. No, third, if you
counted the charity breakfast after he had rescued her. And given her recent
track record, the third time was likely to be not the charm, but the end. Because
no matter how tempted she was, she wasn’t going to bed with someone she had met
three days ago. If he were
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