Cracking the Dating Code (15 page)

Roger eyed her curiously as she sat down and smoothed damp palms down boring beige trousers. Wordlessly, he offered her his Scotch and Poppy drank it in one long swallow.

‘Roger needs another Scotch,’ she said and Wendy grinned at them and poured for them both.

‘I can’t,’ Seb was saying. ‘I’m heading home.’

‘One drink.’

‘No.’

Then the crowd parted and Seb saw her and his mouth dropped ever so slightly open.

‘What’s your rush?’ she asked quietly.

And Sebastian began to smile.

‘Bull’s-eye,’ said a voice from the crowd and maybe they were talking about the dart-board and maybe not.

Seb started towards her; someone handed him a drink. These people were fun and they were flawed. Above all, they’d forged themselves a family.

‘So,’ he said when he reached her. ‘You here alone?’

‘Sort of. I’ve been waiting for someone to show.’

‘More fool him for leaving you alone,’ he said.

‘Maybe he had things to do,’ she murmured. ‘Others to take care of first.’

‘Still a fool.’

‘I don’t date foolish men. Life’s too short. I prefer my men knowledgeable, extremely beddable and somewhat prone to taking risks.’ Poppy looked him up and she looked him down. ‘You’re very handsome, I noticed it at once. Do you live around here?’

Green eyes and tousled black hair and a smile she fully intended to savour. ‘Maybe.’

‘Know any good places to eat?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Do you play pool?’

‘I do.’ Sebastian smiled. ‘You?’

‘Yes. We have so much in common.’

‘I noticed that,’ he murmured. ‘What are your thoughts on deserted islands?’

‘Love ‘em.’

‘Swimming with sharks?’

‘Puppies of the sea,’ she said. ‘But you’ll be with me, right?’

‘Who wouldn’t? What about men who run oil-well troubleshooting companies?’

‘Heroes,’ she said. ‘I want one.’

‘You can have me,’ offered Roger, and Seb turned around to stare at him.

‘Are you reading lips again?’

‘Only hers,’ said Roger. ‘Who cares what
you’re
saying?’

‘Me,’ said Poppy, and put her hands to Seb’s broad shoulders and positioned him so that he blocked Roger from sight. ‘Where were we?’

‘You were after a hero,’ said Seb. ‘But what would you do with him?’

‘Love him,’ she said simply. ‘A lot. Never
hold him back from being who he is. Support him, should he ever need supporting.’

‘He’ll need it,’ said Seb.

‘And hope that one day he’ll do the same for me. But I wouldn’t want to rush him.’

‘I dare say he wouldn’t want to rush you either,’ said Seb. ‘Especially if you didn’t have much experience when it came to assessing a relationship with a man. He’d try and take it slow. Give you room to move, either towards him or away. If he asked you for commitment
now
, how would you know you’re making the right decision?’

‘Well, there is that,’ she said demurely. ‘How many relationships would you suggest a woman indulge in, in order to be considered knowledgeable enough and experienced enough to make such a swift decision? A dozen? Half a dozen?’

Sebastian scowled.

‘What if she were a fast learner? It might only take three.’ Poppy paused. Favoured him with a melting smile. ‘What if she were a genius? Do it once, do it right. I hear that happens to them a lot.’

‘Really?’

‘Take it from me.’ Poppy decided it was time to slip from the barstool and get up
close and personal with him. One hand laying claim to his heart, the other his shoulder.

Seb’s arms came around her, warm and strong. ‘If she were a genius then she’d always be right,’ he said. ‘There’d be no living with her.’

‘You’d need to factor that in.’

‘I’m doing it now,’ he said, and kissed her. Regardless of their audience, Poppy wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

‘So we’re in a bar,’ he whispered. ‘And I love you.’

‘I think I could grow to like this bar,’ she whispered back. ‘I’m working on it.’

‘I’m glad.’

‘And I need you to know something.’

‘What?’

‘I love you too.’

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

^®
and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with
^®
are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

First published in Great Britain 2012
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Kelly Hunter 2012

ISBN: 978-1-408-97274-8