A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series) Read Online Free Page B

opening them, looked up into those sparkly blue eyes as he waited patiently for her to take his hand. “Thank you,” she mumbled, her heels not gripping enough to let her stand up.
    Luke bent down. “Put your arms around my neck,” he said, barely hiding a smile.
    Unable to see any other way she’d manage to stand without taking off the damn shoes, Bea reached up and as he took hold of her, their faces millimetres apart, she breathed in the heady scent of his citrusy aftershave. Tingles shot to various parts of her anatomy she didn’t want to think about right now, and as Luke placed her carefully back onto her feet, he stood upright and smiled. “I hope you’re not too sore.”
    She could barely breathe as she looked up at him, so different now with his haircut slightly shorter and his beard trimmed. Bea rubbed her bottom to sooth the bruising pain. There was something very appealing about him, despite his enjoyment of her humiliation and she knew without a doubt that the self-assured Adonis in front of her was the very last man on Earth she should allow herself to fall for.

THREE
    Scorching Hot
    Luke had to try hard not to let Bea see how amused he'd been by her confusion. Her eyes were the deepest jade he’d ever seen. They were so pretty, despite being narrowed in irritation, as she appeared to be stuck for words.
    “ My name’s Beatrice.” She stepped forward waving away the palm frond.
    “ Beatrix Potter,” he mused slowly, unable to help teasing her for a little longer.
    The green eyes narrowed even further. “No, it’s Beatrice with a ‘c’ and Porter with an ‘r’ and I’ll be changing my surname back to Philips first thing next week,” she said, straightening her short skirt and pulling her shoulders back so that she reached her full height, of, he estimated about five feet four without those heels.
    “ It’s not such a bad name, it could be worse,” said Luke, feeling a little guilty for annoying her so much.
    “ That’s easy for you to say. The worst thing is everyone who makes up some joke about my name always assumes they're the first person to think of it.”
    He tried to look a little serious. “Annoying, to say the least, I should imagine.” He watched in silence as she studied his face, and wondered if he should explain that the bump in his nose was down to a particularly nasty rugby tackle several years earlier. If she wasn't so defensive, he would find it hard to resist kissing those pouting lips right now.
    “ When Mel gave me your business details,” she said, bringing him back to the present, “she explained you were a friend of Grant’s, though I’ve never heard him mention you before.”
    Luke shrugged. “School pals.” He didn't add that Grant was the one to break his nose so painfully. “I only recently met up with him again and he invited me tonight.” He wished her eyes weren't quite so hypnotising. She was managing to stir up feelings he hadn’t experienced since, well, since he'd decided that trusting people was a mug’s game. “I was going to make my excuses, I’m not sure this really is my thing,” he admitted, pleased to note she gave a momentary look of, what was it? Surprise? Disappointment? Stop it, he told himself, don't let her get under your skin. Pretty, she may be, and there's something a little too intriguing about her. “I’m glad I came now though,” he admitted, immediately wondering why he'd said it out loud, when he hadn't intended doing so.
    She flushed slightly, the colour enhancing her prettiness. He’d bet she had no idea how lovely she looked. “They’re getting married on Liberation Day too. That must have taken some arranging, don’t you think?”
    “ Probably,” she said eventually. Luke frowned, had he somehow managed to say the wrong thing? “That’ll be something of an ordeal to arrange,” Bea added. “Although my stepmother will no doubt be delighted at the prospect. She’s been dying for the excuse to arrange