Free The Best Man's Guarded Heart by Katrina Cudmore Page A

development. The delay in planning was costing them dearly. He would have to bang some heads together to get the outstanding issues resolved. A conference call was scheduled for tonight, with all the key stakeholders. The call would not end until he was satisfied that every single issue was ironed out.
    He’d need to have his wits about him for the meeting; the local contractor they were partnering with had a habit of promising the world but delivering very little substantive progress. But this damn wedding was sucking away all his usual focus. For the past few hours he’d had the distraction of the wedding planner and her team outside his window, arguing about the positioning of the reception tables. Then Grace had arrived and she and the planner had locked horns over where the flower displays would be positioned.
    Grace. He had to stop thinking about her. Why was she getting under his skin so much? Earlier, she had spoken with such searing honesty he had wanted to take her in his arms and hold her. He was losing his mind.
    He propped his elbows on the desk and with his eyes closed massaged his temples. His neck felt like a steel rod.
    He made a low groan at the base of his throat when memories of last night returned. Her light floral scent...her skin soft and inviting when he had cradled her neck... What would it be like to trail his hand down further, unbutton her blouse, touch the enticing swell of her high and rounded breasts?
    â€˜Are you meditating or asleep?’
    He leapt in his seat and let out a curse.
    Grace gave a much too sexy giggle in response to his shock.
    His disorientation became even more intense when he realised she was freshly showered, her hair still damp, tied up into a messy knot. She had changed into a short-sleeved denim dress that stopped a few inches above her knee and had enticing buttons running the length of it. The top three buttons were undone to reveal the cleavage he had just been fantasising about.
    He had allowed physical attraction to override his common sense once before; he wouldn’t let it happen again. He would need to keep this conversation short and snappy.
    He leaned back in his chair. ‘Neither. I was cursing whoever decided that speeches at weddings were a good idea.’
    â€˜Have you finished it?’
    To that he gave a light laugh, but inside his stomach recoiled. He gestured to the paperwork piled on his desk. ‘I need to deal with this first.’ He didn’t bother to mention his many failed attempts at writing a speech over the past few weeks.
    â€˜The wedding is in two days’ time—shouldn’t you start?’
    â€˜I’ll get around to it at some point. If I have to, I’ll just wing it on the day.’
    â€˜You can’t wing it !’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜Are you kidding me? With your views on love and marriage, you might well say something totally inappropriate.’ She paused and shook her head frantically, her hands flying upwards in disbelief. ‘Like offering your condolences rather than congratulations. The best man’s speech is too important—you can’t just wing it .’
    â€˜Grace, I’ve presented to thousands at industry conferences worldwide, in a multitude of languages. I think I can handle a wedding speech.’
    â€˜Have you given one before?’
    â€˜Several times.’
    She eyed him for a few seconds. ‘Were they before your divorce?’
    â€˜What if they were?’
    â€˜Well, I’m guessing that your views might be very different now.’
    He knew only too well that they were. ‘Look, I’m busy now, but I’ll pull something together later tonight or tomorrow.’
    At that, Grace walked over to his desk and from behind her back brought forward a book, which she dropped onto a set of architectural drawings for a new office block in Melbourne.
    He picked it up. She had to be joking. ‘Are you being serious? The Best