Page 25 of One Night with the Doctor

‘Now, wait for a second.’

His breath was warm on her neck and goose bumps prickled along her scalp and beaded her nipples as the lock clicked and whirred and the green light flashed.

‘And then slide it slowly out.’

He pushed down on the handle and the door gave a little but neither of them noticed, caught up in their sexual maelstrom. Callie felt as if she was sinking in quicksand and couldn’t break away.

This was crazy. She had to do something. Push open the door. Move. Say something.

Establish some boundaries.

She swallowed. ‘I’m not going to sleep with you while we’re here.’

He chuckled and it was low and hot, ruffling the hair near her ear. ‘I was under no illusion that you would.’

Good. But it worth repeating. Even if just for herself!

She turned so he could see her face, see how serious she was and man… was that a mistake. She didn’t realise how close they were. Her pulse tripped as her gaze drifted from the base of his throat to his mouth lingering for much longer than it should have before she remembered why she’d turned in the first place and what she needed to say.

‘Just because I’m across the hall from you does not mean I’m… available.’

He didn’t say anything for long moments, his gaze searching hers before dropping to her mouth and back again. ‘You’re doing it again, Callie,’ Sebastian murmured. ‘Telling me one thing with your mouth—’ He lifted a hand and rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip. ‘And another thing with your eyes.’

Callie clamped down on the whimper that rose in her throat and closed her eyelids, shuttering the heat she couldn’t disguise. Her eyeballs felt like they were burning two holes in her head.

He dropped his hand and her eyes fluttered open in time to see him dragging his gaze from her mouth. ‘I’m not going to play games with you, Callie. We’re both adults here. I’m just over there.’ He inclined his head at his door. ‘If you change your mind about your… availability, just knock.’

Callie was damned if she was going to sit around in her hotel room all afternoon until the black-tie fundraiser this evening, replaying Sebastian’s scintillating challenge over and over. She was in Melbourne, for goodness’ sake.

She loved Melbourne!

The Langham was situated along the renowned Southbank Promenade overlooking the tranquil Yarra River. Right outside the hotel’s doors waited a fabulous world of shopping, boutiques and alfresco cafés. She could walk and shop and drink coffee and just enjoy being anonymous in a big vibrant city.

Unfortunately, Sebastian must have had the same idea, practically bumping into her a couple of hours later as she was standing outside an expensive looking boutique.

‘Oh… hey,’ he said as he pulled up short.

Maybe he was faking his surprise at seeing her and had actually been following her but he was very convincing. Or maybe it was just the universe determined to keep throwing them together.

‘Hey,’ she said. ‘You out doing a spot of shopping?’

‘Ah, no. I met an old colleague of mine for lunch.’

Callie instantly wondered whether it was a male or a female colleague and then, just as instantly, castigated herself for her train of thought. She didn’t care.

Or so she told herself, anyway.

‘What are you doing standing in the middle of the footpath?’

Callie was pleased for another topic of conversation, turning quickly to face the shop window again and the most gorgeous dress she’d ever seen. It was so beautiful it had stopped her in her tracks.

‘The dress,’ she murmured.

He turned also until they were standing side by side, their arms almost touching. ‘Well… I don’t pretend to know much about women’s dresses but…’ He let out a long, low whistle.

Callie smiled. ‘Exactly.’

‘So, are you going to get it?’