Just Breathe
Page 30
‘Then you’d better not do that.’ She turned, slid her hands under his t-shirt. ‘I thought we could have breakfast on the deck.’ She hooked her thumbs into the back of his cotton trousers. ‘Or whatever.’
‘Then we need coffee.’
He found fruit and yogurt, collected plates, cutlery.
‘Will you have to go to New York tonight?’ Dee asked. There hadn’t been a lot of talking since they arrived back at Ethan’s apartment. Plenty of body language, though.
‘No. It can wait.’ He dropped bread into a toaster. ‘You were right about New York. I brought the trip forward to escape. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, knowing you were just down the road and out of reach. Actually, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I saw you toss your shoes off Lucy’s deck.’
‘Really?’ Dee lifted herself onto the counter. ‘Lucy’s party was a weird night. I dressed up in Amanda’s clothes and everything changed.’
‘I don’t remember the dress. I just remember the attitude. And your hair. I wanted to get all tangled up in it.’
She pulled thick tresses over her shoulder. ‘So you were only interested in my unruly mane when you offered to be my mentor?’
‘No. I could see you were going to get eaten alive by the publicity circuit. It would’ve been ugly.’ The toaster popped. He ignored it, letting his eyes follow the trail of her hair, continuing on to her bare legs. ‘And I thought it’d give me some time to figure out why you were pressing my buttons.’
‘You pressed a few of mine too. And I’m pretty sure you’ll need to press them again soon.’
‘It would be my pleasure.’ He kissed her like he’d kissed her all night. Taking his time, getting it just right. When he finished, he took a step back and crossed his arms. ‘First tell me what business is more important than coming to New York with me.’
‘I know you’re my mentor and all but I’ve made a few decisions without you.’
‘Then I’ve taught you well.’
‘I hope so. It’ll be the start of a future I never let myself think about before. Kind of scary, but warriors like me don’t let that stop them.’
‘You’re a warrior?’
‘You didn’t know you’d slept with a warrior last night?’
‘There wasn’t a lot of sleeping.’
‘Good point. But I should’ve warned you. Warriors can be very fierce.’ She wrapped her legs around his hips and held him in a pincer grip. ‘Incredibly strong, too. It could be dangerous.’
‘I can handle dangerous.’
‘That’ll help if I get anxious.’ She pulled him closer. ‘Will you take me to New York?’
‘Whenever you’re ready.’
‘I was thinking your original offer might work. You know, in June.’
‘If that’s not too far away for you?’
‘I think I can handle two months. Probably even three. Mmm, especially if you do that again.’
Epilogue
ROXBURGH WEDS THE YOGA GIRL
SYDNEY, Friday – Millionaire businessman Ethan Roxburgh lost his status as Sydney’s most eligible bachelor yesterday when he married former model Dee Nichols in a secluded wedding at a private tropical island resort.
The pair tied the knot in an unconventional beachside ceremony, just metres from the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. The bride and groom were barefoot for the nuptials and guests were requested to remove their shoes while they stood under a canopy of palm trees to witness the event.
Roxburgh and Nichols both wore white for the ceremony, Nichols in an antique, Indian silk, ankle-length gown with flowers threaded into her long hair. Roxburgh was without his customary suit in loose linen trousers and open-necked shirt.
The wedding was one of Sydney society’s best kept secrets until three days ago, when rumours of the impending event spread. Resort management said the entire island had been booked for the nuptials only two weeks ago.
Guests were helicoptered in from a nearby island in the two days before the wedding, although it’s believed Nichols herself didn’t arrive until late on the afternoon before, flying in from India, where she recently hosted an exclusive tour of yoga ashrams.
It’s believed the short lead-in to the wedding is in keeping with Nichols’ strict yoga beliefs. The 33-year-old is co-owner of a private Sydney ashram and is a devotee of a little known Eastern philosophy that espouses rigorous daily yoga practice, living in the moment and shunning long-term plans.
Roxburgh, who met Nichols two years ago after she appeared as the ‘yoga girl’ in Health Life Insurance’s TV advertising campaign, has denied being a member of the sect but is believed to practise the exacting yoga.
As celebrity weddings go, the Roxburgh event was on the small side, with the island only able to accommodate 30 visitors at one time. The guest list included Roxburgh family members, including Ethan’s mother Lorraine, sister Lucy, her husband John Zertos, their 10-month-old son Wade, and philanthropist aunt Grace Roxburgh. Nichols’ family members arrived on Wednesday, including her mother Valerie, stepfather Kenneth, sister Amanda and her husband Reece. Their children, Amelia, 12, and Ruby, 10, were flower girls, along with Marlee van Helke, 18 months, the daughter of Nichols’ business partners, Arianne van Helke and Howard Smithen.
Only a small number of business identities and celebrities were invited, including Leonard Frost, Chairman of Health Life Insurance, Pamela Finch, the new Health Life ‘yoga girl’, and fitness clothing manufacturer Graeme Paffe, whose latest range was launched by Nichols three months ago.
After a week-long celebration, the Roxburghs will return to their newly renovated Sydney harbourside home.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Random House and my wonderful publisher Bev Cousins for giving Just Breathe a home. Thanks also to my agent Clare Forster for opening more doors.
A huge thank you to my sister Nikki for always believing in this story and me – and for being a fabulous yoga teacher.
To my yoga buddies, Tracy, Cath and Fee, for cheering me on and reading early drafts.
To the Turramurra Women’s Fiction Critique Group for their writing smarts.
And to my family – for every moment of their encouragement, support and love.
About the Author
Janette Paul is a pen-name of bestselling crime writer Jaye Ford, author of Beyond Fear and Scared Yet?. She lives at Lake Macquarie in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Just Breathe
Copyright © Janette Paul 2013
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
A Random Romance book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
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First published by Random Romance in 2013
National Library of Australia
Paul, Janette.
Just breathe [electronic resource]/Janette Paul.
ISBN 9781742759944 (ebook)
A823.4
Cover image by iStockphoto
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