Summer Fling Read Online Free Page B

veins. He wanted to press his lips
against hers and see if he could taste chocolate.
    He wanted her, period.
    The lust that swept through him shocked him
with its intensity. How long had it been since he’d desired a woman this much?
His groin throbbed with an unaccustomed ache. Just lately, he’d caught himself
thinking he might stay celibate until he died. The idea of touching another
woman had carved him up inside. But the urge to crush Chloe’s lips beneath his,
to make love to her until she welcomed him inside her, burned in his blood.
    At that moment, the terminal doors opened
and the familiar form of Mat Repia walked in. Relief swept over Garth. He
wasn’t ready for this. He shook with desire, burned with lust. He needed to
distance himself from Chloe before he dragged her off to a sheltered spot and
ravaged her.
    Mat spotted him and walked over with a
smile. His full name was Matiu, Māori for Matthew. He had dark brown eyes and
skin the color of the latte in Garth’s cup. “Hey, Huia said you were over here.
Your four o’clock’s arrived.” He glanced at the girl sitting across from Garth,
and to Garth’s surprise, his eyebrows rose in recognition. “Chloe, what are you
doing here?”
    She stood to give him a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey Mat. I’ve just jumped out of a plane!”
    “You went through with it?”
    “Yep. Well, poor Garth had to...talk me
into it.” She didn’t look over at him, but a smile hovered on her lips again. She
gestured at Mat’s coveralls. “Do you work here?”
    “Yeah, I work for him.” He gestured at Garth.
“At Sky High.”
    Chloe stared at Garth. “Sky High is your company?”
    “Yep. Didn’t I tell you?”
    “I guess it slipped your mind.”
    “Yeah. Well, like I said, you might want me
only for my money.” Actually his desire for privacy had stopped him confiding
in her, but now he wished he had because some of the light in her eyes died, as
if she thought he’d tried to keep a secret from her.
    He glanced at Mat. “How do you two know
each other?”
    She finished off her coffee. “Mat’s
girlfriend Abby is Stella’s sister—we share a house.”
    “Oh.” He was surprised he’d never bumped
into Chloe before. He spent a lot of time with Mat, but he couldn’t remember
him mentioning her.
    “Are you going to the party at the Hokianga
at the weekend?” Mat asked her.
    “I’m not sure. You know I don’t do
parties.”
    “You two are a pair—you’re as bad as each
other.” Mat nodded at Garth. “He’s just as bad. I can never get him to do
anything socially. Spends all his time at home with his dog, reading. So dull.”
    “I jump out of planes for a living,” Garth
said. “I don’t need to be exciting in my spare time.”
    “Yadda yadda.” Mat smiled at Chloe. “Think
about coming. It’ll be fun. Anyway, I’m off to prepare the next customer.” He
nodded at Garth. “See you in a minute.” He walked out.
    Garth exchanged a look with her. “Will you
go to the party?”
    “Probably not.” Her eyes now looked cool as
a winter sky.
    Disappointment threaded through him. If
she’d been interested in him, she’d have said yes. But if she’d made up her
mind, he couldn’t do much about it.
    She finished her coffee and pushed herself
to her feet. “So you’re off to throw yourself out of a plane again? What are
you going to do if this one refuses to jump?”
    “I’m not going to kiss him.” Garth gestured
to the man outside talking to Mat. Surprise registered on her face, along with
something else… He decided to give it one last stab and teased, “Were you
jealous?”
    “Garth, I’m not a thrill seeker. And I
could never date a guy who was. I want stability and security in my life. I
made a pledge to myself years ago that I wouldn’t turn into my mother, and I
haven’t changed my mind.”
    His heart sank, but he nodded. “Fair
enough. I’m glad you jumped, though.”
    “Yeah, me too. Thank you for helping me.”
    “You’re