Seduction Under the Southern Stars by Serenity Woods

I’ve never been good at doing what I’m told…

When Joel, an old friend of mine, asks me to stay in New Zealand after my father’s funeral to help his kid sister, Elora, hunt down a family heirloom, I’m not too thrilled. Visiting my home country has dragged up unwelcome memories of the poor, angry young man I used to be, and I’m itching to get back to my European excavations and affluent lifestyle.
Also, I haven’t forgotten that when Elora’s father, Atticus, caught me kissing his beloved teenage daughter nine years ago, he was so furious he sent me to the other side of the world. But only I know the location of the ring that Elora’s looking for, and, despite our falling out, Atticus and his family saved my life when I was a troubled teen, so, reluctantly, I agree.
I remember the deacon’s daughter as being small, cute, and with the biggest blue eyes that used to follow me wherever I went. Innocent and naive, she was easy to tempt into a forbidden kiss that I’ve never forgotten. However, I assume she’s long since rebelled against her strict upbringing and become a woman of the world.
She has changed. She’s grown—a little—and she’s now beautiful rather than cute. She’s the smartest person I’ve ever met, and she’s a lot feistier and less gullible than she used to be. But it turns out that, shockingly, for reasons I haven’t yet discovered, she’s never been kissed by anyone but me.
Joel and Atticus make it quite clear she remains out of bounds. But I’ve never been good at doing what I’m told.
Now I have ten days to help her track down the family taonga or treasure. That’s ten days alone with her under the southern stars to see whether I can seduce her into kissing me again. Or maybe even more…

Well, I never said I was one of the good guys.