Free More Than Just One Night (The Selwood Sisters Novellas) by Claire Baxter Page B

looking for solutions to the
obstacles keeping them apart.
    But if that was the case, why was he here?
Why go to so much trouble to be with her. It didn’t make sense. “I’m sorry,”
she said, “I seem to have misunderstood.”
    He shook his head. “I don’t think you have,
but you might be making it more complicated than it has to be. We have
something special here, do you agree?”
    After a pause, she nodded. “Yes.”
    “So, let’s take it slowly.”
    “Slowly. Does that mean non-exclusive?”
    “Hell, no.” He laughed. “I have no intention
of sharing you.”
    “Does that go both ways? You won’t see anyone
else?”
    “No, I won’t. I’m not going to do anything to
wreck this.”
    She nodded. “Okay.”
    “Slowly means spending time together when we
can, and not trying to live together full-time until it happens naturally.”
    “You think it will happen naturally?”
    “Well, you said your son wants to take over Selwoods
one day, didn’t you?”
    “Yes.”
    “So, when that happens it might be a good
time for you to think about moving to Sydney. We do have the rest of our lives
after all. We don’t have to rush into making plans.” He reached for her hand
and squeezed it with his.
    “You’re not looking for a stepmother to
Sophie?”
    His eyes widened. “Is that what you thought? I
want you to like her, and heck, I hope you’ll grow to love her, but you don’t
have to be more involved with her upbringing than you want to be. I’m not
looking for someone to make my life easier, if that’s what you were worried
about.”
    She released a long breath, tension leaving
her along with it. “Maybe I was. You’re right, I have been over-thinking. It’s
in my nature, I’m afraid. I’m a control freak, and I’ve been used to managing
by myself since Paul died.” She turned her hand over, gripping his. “My sisters
tell me I’m bossy. I’m not going to be the easiest woman to have a relationship
with. Do you think you’ll be able to put up with me?”
    He smiled. “I have plenty of character flaws
of my own, you know.”
    Flaws? Yeah, right. From where she sat, he
was perfect. His face, his body, everything about him. A surge of physical
memories took her breath away, and it was followed by a wave of unfamiliar emotions.
    “I think your need to be in control of
everything including our relationship might have something to do with fear.
Since you lost your husband, it’s natural that you’d be afraid of losing anyone
you got close to. It’s easier to put up roadblocks to getting close in the
first place, isn’t it?”
    “I thought you were a lawyer, not a
psychologist.”
    He grimaced. “Sorry. You can tell I’ve been
giving this plenty of thought while we’ve been apart.”
    “And you’ve had plenty of time to do so.”
    “You said it.”
    She sighed. “How long are you in town for?”
    “I’ve booked a room at the Clarendon for
tonight. I’m flying back to Sydney tomorrow evening.”
    “Cancel the room. Stay here.”
    “What about your daughter?”
    “She won’t be home tonight, but it wouldn’t
make any difference — we’ve come to an understanding.”
    He nodded. “I’m very pleased to hear it, and I’d
love to stay here, but only if you agree that we’re in this for the long-haul,
and we’ll work out any logistical issues as they arise.”
    She took a deep breath. “I agree. No matter
what happens from now on, we’ll work it out. Together.”
    He broke into a broad smile. “Finally.”
    “Yes.” She smiled back at him. “Finally.”

About the Author
     
    Claire Baxter writes contemporary romantic
fiction of all lengths. Her short stories have been published in commercial
women’s magazines around the world, while her novels have been translated into
20 languages, and have finalled in the Romance Writers of Australia's Romantic
Book of the Year Award, the Booksellers’ Best Awards, the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and the Cataromance