More Than Neighbors Read Online Free Page A

capsizing, she managed to relax and enjoy feeling the cool air caress her face and tangle her hair. Before long, the city’s tall buildings grew more infrequent and eventually made way for the picturesque English countryside.
    “Do you want to try steering the boat?”
    Cat looked at him in alarm. “I’m not sure I dare,” she admitted.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
    Catalina cautiously took the tiller, and he placed his hand, large and warm, over hers.
    “See? Move it gently in the opposite direction from where you want to go. If you move the tiller portside—to the left—the bow will turn right, and vice versa.”
    “What a muddle.” Without knowing why, Catalina was discomfited by his nearness; he was so close that she could smell the subtle, pleasant scent of his aftershave.
    Eventually, Leopold let go of her hand and allowed her to take the tiller by herself. Feeling the small vessel respond to the slightest movement, she was hit with a sense of power and freedom that made her cackle with joy. “It’s amazing!”
    Leopold watched her face, rosy from the breeze and her enthusiasm, her hair windswept and her eyes ablaze. Once again, he couldn’t remember meeting anyone as full of life as her. Cat exuded passion through her very pores—a phenomenon as unsettling as it was captivating. In fact, he still couldn’t decide whether he liked the young lady.
    After sailing for a couple of hours, Leopold decided to drop anchor on an idyllic stretch of river with views of an old stone church surrounded by green meadows dotted with cows grazing peacefully, totally oblivious to the vast metropolis just a few miles away.
    They had been very lucky with the weather. The sky was overcast, full of threatening black clouds, but every so often the sun would appear, and the rain seemed to be keeping away, at least for the time being. While Cat unpacked the provisions she’d brought, Leopold made a bottle of wine and two glasses appear as if out of thin air. “I hope you like wine, Catalina. I brought a Spanish wine in your honor—a Ribera del Duero,” he announced, skillfully uncorking the bottle.
    “I love it, but be warned: I mustn’t drink more than one glass,” she said seriously.
    “Just one? Do you have some kind of allergy?” he asked, surprised.
    “It’s more like a minor illness . . .”
    “You’re starting to worry me!”
    She shrugged. “It’s nothing serious. I just have no tolerance to alcohol. If I have one drink too many, I completely lose it.”
    “Sounds interesting,” said Leopold, handing her one of the glasses.
    “Believe me, it’s not.” She sighed, then took a sip of wine. “This is really good.”
    “If it’s not too forward, may I ask what you mean by ‘lose it,’ exactly? Does it make you climb into bed with strangers? Strip off and do handstands?” Leopold pressed her teasingly.
    “Don’t laugh. It’s not in the least bit funny. Though from what I’m told, I haven’t gone to those extremes yet,” she said earnestly, handing him a sandwich.
    Leopold took a big bite. “Mmm, delicious!” he exclaimed.
    “Really?” Her pretty face lit up again. “Sandwiches are my specialty. My only specialty, to be honest. I’m useless in the kitchen.”
    “I’ve never tasted such a good sandwich. But going back to what we were talking about, how does alcohol affect you?”
    Catalina noticed that her neighbor’s gray eyes no longer seemed so cold; it was the first time she’d seen him smile. She realized that he was a very attractive man. Okay , she thought, Catalina took another sip of wine and continued. “Well, the day after I drink, I never remember anything I said or did. I’ve been told that I get extremely touchy-feely.”
    “That’s good.” He raised an eyebrow.
    “It certainly is not . I’ve only done it twice in my life. It first happened when I was sixteen. A classmate invited me to a party, and I drank quite a lot. Until then, I’d only had a sip or