White-Hot Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

hadn’t spoken for a while. The younger girl looked over, shading her eyes with her arm.
    “Have you thought any more about taking me up on my bet?”
    “Are you still going on about that?”
    “I saw the way you looked at him.” Bree’s eyes sparkled. “Am I in danger of losing my first fifty bucks?”
    Merle sighed. “I doubt it. Do you really think I’m brave enough to suggest a one-night stand to someone like Neon?”
    Bree smile turned into a curious frown. “What do you mean?”
    “Well, look at him, and look at me. Mr. Surf Dude and Miss Prim and Proper? How likely would he be to say yes? Being turned down would be a horrific embarrassment.”
    “Turned down?” Bree started laughing again. “Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
    “What’s your point?”
    “Merle, I wouldn’t have suggested him if I didn’t think he’d jump you at the first opportunity. I guarantee you, there’s no way he’d turn you down.”
    Merle rolled her eyes. “Of course not, I’m breathing.”
    Bree smiled. “Actually he doesn’t sleep with everything going. He can afford to be picky. And I’m telling you—you’re gorgeous enough to catch his eye. I’ve seen the way he looks at you too, and you’ve only been here half a day.”
    Merle grew hot, or was it the unrelenting sun on her cheeks? “He told Jake I was puritanical.”
    “Well, you are.” Bree grinned. “But even so, I’ve seen him staring at you. There’s no way he’s not interested in getting you into bed.” She shrugged. “Anyway, he’s a nice guy. He wouldn’t hurt your feelings, even if he didn’t fancy you. But I’m telling you, he does.” She winked at Merle. “So, are we on?”
    Merle glanced across at where the guys were now throwing a rugby ball to one another, seemingly unable to sit still for more than five minutes. She watched as Neon play-tackled one of the other guys to the ground. He was like essence of man. How on earth could Bree think she would have the courage to tell him she was up for a one-night stand? She couldn’t think how she’d even broach the topic, let alone go through with the act itself.
    And yet… She felt a strange stirring in her stomach at the thought of walking up to this guy—this stranger, when she didn’t even know his second name—and kissing him, letting him touch her in places she hadn’t been touched for what seemed like an eternity.
    It wasn’t something English Merle would ever consider doing. But wasn’t that the point? Here, thirteen thousand nautical miles away, she could be anyone she wanted. Kiwi Merle could have a completely different personality from what she normally had. Wasn’t that an exciting thought?
    She wasn’t usually impetuous. But maybe Kiwi Merle was. Her heart thumped. “All right, it’s a deal.”
    Bree stared at the hand Merle held out. She reached out and shook it, a smile creeping onto her face. “I didn’t think you’d accept. Mind you, saying it’s one thing—doing it’s another.”
    “If it happens, I swear, you’ll be the first to know.”
    The group of men came over, their rugby game finished. Shirtless again, wearing only swimming shorts, Neon grabbed a bottle of water and drank two-thirds of it in one go, then poured the remainder over his head, scattering them with drops as he shook it like a dog. Merle sighed.
    “Sorry,” he said. Beads of water trailed down his broad chest, and as he ran a hand through his hair, it sprang back up, scattering further droplets over her. She hadn’t been complaining, but she didn’t know how to explain that.
    “No worries,” she said, echoing his earlier words, trying to put on the Kiwi accent.
    Neon laughed. “That was more Australian.”
    “Same thing, isn’t it?”
     
    He grinned at her mischievous smile. She was looking at him like she wanted to do a re-enactment of her ice lolly performance on him, and he remembered the way she’d stared at him when Jake first introduced them, her eyes like