Read The Aristocrat and the Single Mom for Free Online

Simon too.
    ‘I think there’s just enough of you in Felice for her to really get sick of your attempts to control her. Pushed too far, she’d up stumps and take off. Cut her losses.’
    The colour leached from Simon’s face and Kate suddenly wanted to hug him. ‘But she’s a nice girl at heart,’ she continued, pretending not to notice his pallor. Pretending not to have noticed anything at all. ‘If my hypothetical situation ever occurred, I think a heartfelt apology would go a long way towards mending fences. An apology and a promise to butt out and let her make her own decisions.’ She lifted her face to the sun, welcoming its warmth. ‘After all, Felice is a competent young woman, more than capable of taking care of herself.’
    The colour slowly returned to Simon’s face. They resumed their walk. The tension didn’t leave him, but she could sense that it had subtly shifted—seemed to be directed outwards rather than inwards now.
    ‘So,’ he finally said, ‘Felice has been enjoying her stay here?’
    She sent him a deliberately droll look, then flung her arms wide to indicate the bay and its surrounds. ‘What do you think?’
    He glanced around and a reluctant grin tugged at his lips. ‘I think she’s probably had a ball.’
    ‘Bingo.’
    Sauntering along the water’s edge like this with Simon was strangely companionable. Kate pulled in a breath, filled her lungs with air, and beneath the salt tang lay the cool, crisp scent that was Simon—wood shavings, a hint of pine and something that was purely male.
    ‘Does your brother—Danny—live in Nelson’s Bay too?’
    ‘He does. We run the dolphin tour business together.’ She glanced up at him and smiled; she couldn’t seem to help it. ‘My father started the business over twenty years ago.’
    ‘And you enjoy it?’
    ‘I love it. Most of the time.’ She frowned. ‘Except on those days when staff call in sick—like this morning—and I have to run around like the proverbial headless chicken to get a replacement.’
    His lips twitched. ‘Was that before or after the goldfish burial?’
    ‘During.’
    He was silent for a moment. ‘And what do you and Danny do to have fun together?’
    She tripped and almost fell flat on her face. But she righted herself almost at once and hoped her surprise didn’t show. ‘We share a passion for surfing and B-grade horror films. What about you and Felice?’
    When he didn’t say anything she nudged his arm. ‘C’mon, there has to be at least one thing you guys like to do together. You have to have at least one good memory of hanging out with her.’
    For heaven’s sake, he was a lord. Which probably made Felice a lady. They must’ve had the best toys, the best holidays…the best of everything.
    He straightened and glared down his nose at her. ‘There are many.’
    Boy, could he do haughty when he wanted to? ‘Then pick a stand out,’ she ordered. ‘When was the last time you made her laugh? Really laugh.’
    He considered her words, then a slow smile spread across his face. ‘The time I taught her to walk on her hands.’
    No toys. ‘Where?’
    ‘On the lawn at the Holm estate.’
    No exotic location. ‘When?’
    His grin broadened. Kate didn’t want to ask why it gladdened her heart so much.
    ‘It would’ve only been five years ago.’
    ‘Five years!’ She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. ‘You can walk on your hands? Show me,’ she demanded. ‘All my life I have been trying to walk on my hands.’
    So he did. He turned himself upside down and walked on his hands. His biceps bulged, the muscles in his forearms flexed, his T-shirt fell down to cover his face, and Kate’s mouth watered as she took in an impeccable six-pack. He took five or six steps on his hands—Kate wasn’t sure how many, she’d lost the ability to count—then he righted himself with a flourish. ‘Ta da!’ And then he bowed.
    She stood there and gaped at him, then realised perhaps that wasn’t very