page25 (1/1)

But even when he’d happened to catch soracious s words at his side had helped him to brush it off and they had proceeded to their table unhindered

Pleased that his confidence in walking with the aids was definitely i, Hal relaxed His spirits rose even more when he saw that it was his beautiful Titian-haired colances that ca so an attractive companion

The interest in Kit had started with the charone into Gallic ecstasy at the sight of her rippling burnished hair She wore it loose at Hal’s request, because he’d wanted to see it unbound again And it hadn’t been hard to detect the curiousat their entrance into the restaurant Theytwo and two together and undoubtedlyfive

But whatever people were i about his association with Kit Hal couldn’t deny that his idea ofstronger the ed to make it a reality

‘Can I tempt you with soravely studied her copy of the leather-bound menu

‘Wine?’ She blinked up at hiet?’

Unbelievably, he had He was so lost in his conte features that it seeht Eh his bloodstream and he knew it must have invaded his face The atypical reaction made him feel like an inexperienced schoolboy instead of a thirty-two-year-old man who had always been supre he welcomed

‘I confess I did It’s a sha his own copy of the menu, he attempted to peruse it

Taking hiantly slim hand round his

‘It doesn’t h I’d advise you not to overdo it since you’re taking medication at the moment’

Hal hardly registered her words because the touch of her skin against his was like receiving an electric shock that left hi Now he didn’t just like her touch, he realisedhe had begun avidly to crave it But as his heartbeat slowly started to return to its normal rhyth him of his current despised condition

‘I el would remind me of that fact How fortunate that you always seem to be here when I need you, Kit’

She instantly withdrew her hand He ht have slapped her face

‘That’s what you’re paying me for, isn’t it? To be a help to you while you recuperate?’ She aze returned almost im my job perhaps you’d be happier with someone else?’

‘Don’t do this Not here’ Lowering his voice, Hal glanced briefly across the packed restaurant Then, leaning towards her with a frown, he said, ‘Ita personal relationship and it’s not going very well I don’t want anyone getting the wrong impression and for a story to find its way into the tabloids so they can belittle me like they usually do’

Her alabaster complexion flushed cerise and he realised he could have chosen his words a lot more carefully

‘What do youimpression? I’m nobody,’ Kit deirlfriend Who cares what anyone else thinks?’

‘I do’ He sed hard It was iaze away because he was mortified to think that he’d insulted herhurt her, even If he had, then he had a profound desire to ain ‘And I didn’t mean to imply that it bothers me if people think our relationship is personal Did you think it would? You sell yourself short if you do You’re a very beautiful wo if I was attracted to you’

‘Now it’s my turn to ask you not to do this I’d prefer it if we both reht of that in some pointless, ridiculous fantasy’