Page 16 of Just One Look

His coffee was going to be cold by now. A glance told him that his breakfast had arrived just in time to get cold, too. And still, he waited. Marko said nothing, just stood there looking big, dark, and amused.

Why? Luka knew why. Because the girl—woman—was still breathing hard, and she was wearing a tight T-shirt, not quite enough bra for somebody whose hair was damp, which meant that hershirtwas damp, and shorts that showed off some very shapely legs.

She wasn’t thin. What she was—was tall. Andbuilt.Also, she had eyes as dark-bright as sapphires, pale skin, and dark hair that fell in messy waves to her shoulders. Her eyebrows slanted down, her cheekbones were sharply cut, her jawline was, too, her mouth was wide, and her nose was long, aquiline, and jutting right out there to see.

It was a face that would never compromise.She looked like an Icelandic warrior queen. He had no idea if such a thing existed. If it did, though, she was it.

She said, “Well, clearly, to treat them.”

“To treat them,” Luka repeated. What had they been talking about, again?

“And to give them my … my insurance information,” she said. “Or whatever you do when your dog causes an accident.”

“Ah,” he said. “American, eh. We don’t do that here. We just care for people when they’re injured. Seems easier.”

Her chin went up, and he got full-on warrior queen. “I’ll do that, then.”

“What, care for them?” His glance swept over her. “Doesn’t look like you brought your first-aid kit. Why did you take the dog off the lead?”

“I didn’t,” she said. “I opened the door, and he ran out.”

“Take care next time, I reckon,” he said. “If he’s going to run off like that.”

“Thankyou.” The blue eyes were flashing now, and the chest was heaving some more. Which was all a very good look, as far as he was concerned. “I’d never have thought of that.” Yeh, that had been said too sweetly. She couldn’t keep it up, though, because next, she said, “I didn’t know he would run out! How could I have known?”

“Because he’s your dog? If you’re going to let him off his lead and he’s going to bolt like that, you’d better get into better nick so you can run faster.”

She gasped. On the one hand, gasping suited her. On the other hand, his neck hurt like not-playing-next-Saturday. She said, “Why? Because I’m so fat?”

“What? No. Why would I say that?”

Marko sighed in a put-upon way and said, “Mate …”

She turned on him. “What, you have an opinion too?” She threw out an arm. She had extremely erect posture. That was why he’d thought the warrior-queen thing, probably. She should definitely be wearing armor. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s have it. What else is wrong with me and my actions? I told you, I’m sorry. I’m extremely sorry.”

“Nah,” Marko said. “No worries. It happens.”

“I didn’t know the dog would run,” she said, “but hedidrun, so I know now. Thank you for catching him. I just got here—to New Zealand, I mean—and I wasn’t expecting the, ah, running. I’ve never had a dog before.” She took a breath, got a little taller, and said, her voice brisker, “Now, I’m going to walk back the way I came and check whether anybody is injured. If they are, I’ll assess accordingly, and if possible, I’ll treat them.”

She had some kind of accent, Luka realized, that was warring with the I’m-in-charge words. A soft drawl. Southern U.S., maybe? Sounded like something on TV. Sounded bloody sexy, in fact.

“Hang on,” he said. “Stay for a coffee, anyway. A bit of drama, that’s all. We’re all good.” Because, yeh, his neck hurt, but it wasn’t going to hurt any more from having coffee with a woman who could give as good as she got, even under duress.

And if she brought all that passion and take-charge attitude to bed with her? Along with that body? That’d be pretty interesting. There was nothing like a little competition to get the blood pumping, and he’d always enjoyed wrestling.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” she said. “I have to get back and train my new dog, because I’mclearlyclueless. And get—what was it? In better nick, so I can run. Thanks for that.Exactlywhat I needed this morning. Just wonderful.”