One Hot Winter's Night Read Online Free Page B

her hands into his hair, smiling as she stroked it, admiring the colour before lowering her lips once again.
    He opened his mouth and stroked his tongue across her lips, and she gasped and inhaled as if he’d shocked her. Her own tongue crept out, surprisingly tentative at first, but soon she was kissing him back deeply, giving little murmurs of appreciation that sent shivers up his spine.
    He placed both hands on her back, although he couldn’t feel a thing through her padded suit. Suddenly he wanted to rip her clothes off more than anything in the world and press himself up against her, place kisses along her neck, down to her breasts. Oh yeah, I wonder why, Heath? Nothing to do with the fact that it’s been sixty-two days?
    She lifted her head to look at him, her pupils so dilated her eyes looked black.
    Still conscious they were in a public place, he said, “You move fast.”
    “All this archaeology talk turns me on,” she said.
    “Well, there’s plenty more where that came from.”
    “Like?” She brushed her lips against his.
    “Aurignacian blades. Acheulean handaxes.”
    “Mmm.” She kissed his cheekbone.
    “Anthropomorphism, natural selection…”
    “Oh yeah, keep going.” She kissed his ear, running her tongue around it.
    He sighed. “Radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology…”
    “Oh, now you’re just being dirty.”
    “Well, I was going to make a gag about Homo erectus, but I thought it might ruin the mood.”
    She giggled and lifted her head again, her eyes dancing.
    He took her hand and kissed it. “The bartender keeps shooting us glances.”
    “He’s only jealous.”
    He smiled. “Tell me, are you staying here tonight?”
    “No, I only came here for a drink and a look around. I’m down the road at the hostel.”
    He turned her hand over, kissed her palm. Nothing ventured… “Would you like to stay here tonight?”
    Her eyes met his, shining softly.
    “I meant with me, by the way,” he clarified.
    She pressed her lips together. “I’d love to.”
    “I have no idea how we’re going to get up, though.”
    “I wonder if they have any shoe horns?”
    Laughing, he slid a little to the right, and she wiggled her hips, then he slid again, and before long, he was able to swing her around the edge of the table. Without warning, he stood up, and she squealed and threw her arms around his neck. He held her tightly, letting her legs slide slowly to the floor, heat shooting through him at the weight of her pressed against him, even though he couldn’t feel a thing in the snowsuit. “Come on then.”
    Cat took the hand Heath held out to her. His fingers were surprisingly warm on hers as he led her out of the Ice Bar.
    She didn’t miss the amused look the barman shot them, and her heart hammered. What the hell was she doing? She’d never gone so far down the seduction route.
    They walked along the icy corridor to the end, then turned left, following the numbers pinned into the ice until he came to his room. Reindeer skins covered the arched doorway, and they ducked beneath the furs into the suite.
    She stared around her in delight. The large room had round walls like an igloo, carved with glittering silver skeletal tree motifs. The ceiling was engraved with moons and constellations lit with blue and golden lights. The bed stood against one wall, cut from great blocks of ice, covered with a huge thermal sleeping bag topped with thick reindeer furs.
    “Oh my God,” she said. “Wow!”
    “I second that.” Heath watched her admire the lighting and run her fingers over the carvings, stunned at the design. Then, meeting him back at the foot of the bed, her gaze fell onto his.
    She wasn’t sure what was more amazing—the beautiful room or the way his hair shimmered with silver as if it had captured the starlight.
    Impatience shot through her. Oh good lord, listen to her. The necklace, Cat! Concentrate!
    She glanced at his luggage in the corner—one bag, still unpacked. She could hardly ask