Free The Holiday by Kate Perry

quickly wrapped up the call, assuring the artist his painting would be
placed in the exhibit with great care.
    After she hung up, Mel said, "Peter
Sherman may be a brilliant artist, but Lord is he a trial to deal with. Better
you than me, love."
    "He wasn't so bad."
Leilani smiled as she ticked that item off her checklist.
    " Someone woke up on the right side of the bed." With a sly raise
of her eyebrow, Mel added, "Or was it simply the right bed?"
    "I woke up in my own bed."
At least the second time she had. She ducked her head to hide her blush,
pretending to go over one of her lists.
    "I didn't hear you come in
last night."
    "It was late." They'd
gone to Colin's house after their interlude at the Tate Modern. He'd delivered
on the main course, just like he'd promised. Much later, he'd fed her for real,
they'd walked MacLeod, and then they'd gone back to bed.
    The sex was amazing. But then
holiday flings were supposed to be, right?
    Mel leaned her hip against the
desk and folded her arms. "Colin was a good choice, wasn't he?"
    Leilani felt her face burn
hotter. "I'd say yes."
    "I hear he's quite
accomplished in bed."
    "I plead the fifth."
    "There is no fifth here,
love. You're in London."
    But Mel didn't press her, for
which she was grateful. Sam always accused her of having her father's Japanese
reserve. That was true—she kept her cards close to her chest. She wasn't
ready to talk about Colin to anyone—she wanted to savor it all for
herself just a while longer.
    Mel shook her head. "Whatever
Colin did to you, and I gather it was good, I appreciate it. I wouldn't have
handled Peter with nearly as much aplomb. But then I wasn't shagged all day by
the most eligible bachelor in Britain."
    "Colin?" she asked,
startled.
    "Do you doubt it?"
    She shook her head. "I just
didn't think—"
    Mel counted on her manicured fingers.
"He's rich, successful, from one of the oldest most distinguished
families, in line for a title, and attractive on top of all that."
    "Colin's in line for a
title?"
    "He's George's heir. If
George doesn't have a son, Colin inherits."
    " George has a title?" She tried to picture the man as nobility,
but she only saw him in a frilly apron over tighty-whities.
    "George is the Earl of
Dorset."
    "I'd never have guessed."
    "He's the black sheep of the
family, but then aren't we all." She waved her hand dismissively. "Everyone
would have been happier if Colin had inherited the title, including George. Except
Colin. Colin already felt the burden of his duties. A title would only have added
to that."
    "He told me you and George
showed him how stuck he was in his rut."
    "He's a dear, but once he
gets set on a course he's impossible to deter. Fortunately, we were able to get
him to see he wasn't happy. If anyone deserves utter happiness, it's Colin."
Mel arched her brow. "This is the part where I should threaten you with
horrible things if you break his heart."
    "But you aren't?"
    "Not at all." Mel
smiled with an edge of cunning.
    It made Leilani nervous. But then
the door chimed open, and when she turned to see who'd walked in she blinked in
surprise. "Colin."
    He walked straight to her and
kissed her like it'd been forever since he'd tasted her instead of less than
ten hours. "Hello, Leilani," he said in his molten British voice.
    "How quickly I blend into
the background," Mel drawled, but she looked pleased.
    Without taking his eyes off
Leilani, he said, "Mel, I'm taking your partner sightseeing."
    Leilani shook her head. "I
can't—"
    "Go." Mel pulled out
her phone. "We're on schedule. There's no point in working
twenty-four/seven when we don't have to."
    "But—"
    "Where are you taking
her?" Mel asked Colin.
    "The Kyoto Gardens."
    "Excellent. Have fun,"
she said as she took an incoming call. "I'm only accepting good news
today, John."
    Leilani watched her new friend
walk away. "I feel guilty. I came here to help her with the show, she's
housing me, and so far all I've done is play with you."
    "I don't believe