“Whoops. My lady is not pleased.” He grinned as he bounced gently on the bed. Then as he thought about the expression on her face as she had rushed out of the door, his grin faded. Enough was enough. He’d had his little joke and it hadn’t worked too well. She was still acting the high and mighty but underneath she was scared, and that wasn’t his scene, to scare young women.
He looked around the bedroom and getting up, walked into the living area studying it analytically in the dim light.
Yeah
. Who could blame a lovely girl like Lara for being cranky? The place was a dump. He mentally calculated the last time he was here and realized it was over a year ago—a wonderful hot summer, like now, when he had managed to escape from his busy life to come here to his special, lovely place. His island, where he could fish and swim and generally laze around, a world away from his usual frantic work life. And that was all Lara had wanted to do, for whatever reasons she might have, except she had chosen the popular tourist resort of Seagull Island with its up-market holiday homes and expensive souvenir shops.
He had to admit he was physically attracted to Lara with her perfect features and beautiful body. Her demanding attitude had annoyed him at first, but now he found he was enjoying the challenge she presented with her sharp, rapier-like tongue arguing with him at every turn. It was a while since he’d met such a woman. Except, he was here alone and she had decided to give him the cold shoulder completely and sleep on the beach, for Chrisssake.
Still, he could make it up to her and if she insisted on sleeping there, he would make sure she was warm and well fed. That was the least he could do. Tomorrow, he would coax Jezebel into life and take Lara to Seagull Island, which was only thirty minutes away. He would never see her again
—
no harm done.
He reached for the heavy duty flashlight he always carried in his knapsack and made his way to the rear of the house to start up the generator.
~ * ~
The sunset was the most beautiful Lara had ever seen. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the glorious, changing colors as the sun’s red orb gradually slipped behind the horizon. She rested her chin on her knees as she sat on the soft, warm sand. This is what she craved, the beauty and isolation with no one in the world knowing where she was. Well, except
him.
She knew he had been quietly making fun of her since she first insisted he take her on board. She, like a stuck up snob, had fallen hook, line and sinker for every teasing situation he’d set up. She smiled at her own turn of phrase. Very apt considering the tall, dark fisherman.
It had been quite a day. This reminded her that she hadn’t written in her journal today and soon it would be too dark to see. Hastily opening her case, she pulled out her precious diary hugging it closely to her for a few moments. Her secret world lay between these pages, her private thoughts that she couldn’t, and wouldn’t, share with anyone. It had become an obsession to write her innermost thoughts in her journal. She believed it kept her sane in this mad world, particularly when faced with what lay ahead when she returned to her own country.
Unfastening the gold pen from its holder, she turned to the next blank page and began writing in the half-light.
You wouldn’t believe where I am. On an island, a beautiful island, but it isn’t what I’d planned. Don’t know what to think of fisherman Jack. I was so dumb to insist he take me to the resort. His boat is called Jezebel and she’s an old junket but I can see he loves her. He’ll get her going tomorrow and my little adventure will be over.
Lara hesitated, her pen poised over the paper as she experienced a lurch of excitement writing about Jack. She continued, gripping the pen hard.
I’m not really afraid being here with him. I don’t think he would hurt me. He’s bossy but funny too. Younger than I first thought, perhaps in his early thirties, and handsome in a swarthy, dirty, fishy sort of way. His eyes are so blue. Hope he showers occasionally. Probably not.
There’s a dreadful shower here with a big bucket that pours water over you when you pull on a piece of rope. There’s no cubicle or shower curtain. It’s open for everyone to see. If Jack thinks I’m going to shower with him perving at me, he’s mistaken. The seawater looks great so I’m going for a swim and get clean that way.
I’m hungry. My stomach just rumbled but I don’t know whether he will give me supper after my tantrums. No matter, I’m not cleaning his dirty house and that’s final.
She tucked her journal carefully away in its secret compartment in her case. Then, after pulling out some of her clothes, arranged them so they formed a blanket to lie on for her bed that night.
Glancing through the trees, she noticed lights reflecting from the funny, fairy tale cottage. Jack must have got the generator going. But if he thinks I’m going to sleep in that messy, filthy place with him, then he can forget it. She rubbed her hands over her legs feeling the grime and very much wishing she could luxuriate in a scented bath. Pulling out her bright green, but modest bikini, she quickly changed and made her way to the water’s edge.
The sun had disappeared and the sea birds were settling for the night. She could see the outlines of hundreds of cormorants and hear their raucous calls as they nestled into the rocky outcrop, which helped to create the sheltered bay. As a full moon rose, a gentle breeze blew in from the sea, ruffling and teased the water into small waves that rushed to break on the shore.
Lara placed a tentative foot in the water. It was cold in contrast to her warm body. She waded to where the water reached her hips and stumbled as sharp rocks beneath the waves cut into her feet. Holding her breath she dived beneath a sudden larger wave and swam for several feet under the water before breaking the surface with a gasp. Exhilarated, she dived again and swam further, stroke after stroke, until she had to stop to catch her breath. Now the water temperature was like a tepid bath, and she lay on her back floating contentedly with the movement of the waves. Gazing at the night sky where trillions of stars had begun to twinkle, she could almost believe she was the last person on earth.
The surprise of two strong arms grabbing her by the waist was such a shock she splashed furiously as she tried to get free. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let go.”
“Not until you promise to go to the shore with me.” Jack still had his arms around her, holding her as he trod water.
Her breasts in their bikini top were crushed against his naked chest and as she struggled, her legs became intertwined with his and his lean hips pressed into her.
“How dare you,” she gasped. “You said I could trust you.”
“And you can, which is why I’m here. Now, stop fighting me and return to the beach or I swear I will tow you back.”
“I am not going anywhere because you say so,” she shouted, trying to push him away and ignoring the angry expression on his face.
“Right. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The next moment, Jack flipped her onto her back and with a strong hand around her throat, swam to the shore, pulling Lara behind him. As his feet hit the rocky bottom, he hoisted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift and strolled confidently to the shore paying no attention to her yells of protest.
On the beach, he lowered her to her feet and they faced each other. She panted with anger and fright as she stood her ground.
“Okay. If you want to assault me, then you had better get on with it,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “But I’ll fight you with every last breath in my body.” She placed her hands on her hips in an act of defiance, although she was shivering with fear and cold.
Jack bent over and picked up his large beach towel at his feet and placed it around her shoulders, briskly rubbing her arms.
“Lara, you are such a drama queen. I have no intention of hurting you,” he said, the angry expression replaced by one of concern. “You placed yourself in danger out there. First, you should never swim alone. If you were subject to cramp or something, no one would hear your cries for help and you would drown. Second, you are swimming in the wrong area. On the other side of that rock formation is a sheltered cove with a shallow, sandy bottom. Here, there are jagged rocks. It’s a wonder you didn’t cut your feet to shreds.”
She bit her lip. She could already feel the stinging sensation of several cuts on the balls of her feet.
“Finally, and you can scoff if you like, but we are in shark infested waters. You had swum far enough to be grabbed by one and then wham, no Lara.”
He stopped rubbing her arms and picked up his sneakers. He then turned away and began to walk up the beach toward the house.
“Jack?”
He stopped at the sound of her voice.
“I did cut my feet.”
Spinning around, he crossed the few yards back to her.
“I can’t see in this light. I’ll take you to the house and have a look,” was all he said in his calm, deep voice and then lifted her in his arms.
She tentatively held onto his neck marveling at the silky texture of his skin beneath her hands. The movement of his chest against her body caused the strangest sensations making her skin tingle. Her breasts swelled against him and a burning heat pooled between her thighs. She wriggled with embarrassment but Jack tightened his grip, not even glancing at her as he kicked open the front door.
“Let’s have a look.” He placed her in the old armchair by the fireplace and kneeling in front of her, lifted each foot and gently probed the soles.
She studied him in the brightness of the overhead light. He was exquisitely formed with his upper body tanned and muscular and a smattering of dark hair on his chest disappearing into the belted shorts he wore. His waist was lean with not an ounce of surplus flesh while his legs were long and also tanned.
She stared at his thick, dark lashes lowered over those oh-so-blue eyes and then at his sensual mouth as he examined her feet. What would he look like without his swarthy beard? He really was beautiful just the way he was. Beautiful.
“There’s nothing too serious but you have got a few cuts. I’ll get the first aid kit.”
Jack looked up, and she blushed wondering if he had interpreted her look.
“I’m sorry, Jack. I mean, I’m sorry I accused you of…of those things but a girl can’t be too careful.”
He grinned and she caught her breath, her heart racing as the heat once again rose in her body.
“I don’t blame you. You are in a vulnerable position.” He opened a drawer in the dresser and pulled out a large first aid tin. “But, I said you can trust me and I meant it.” He deftly wiped her feet with disinfectant then applied a soothing cream.
“Are you still going to sleep on the beach?” He moved away but only to reach for a pair of his socks from his duffle bag and roll them on to both her feet.
Lara nodded. She watched as one lean hand gripped her calf, the rough calluses on his palm brushing her tender skin as he maneuvered the second sock into place.
He stood up, flexing his legs as he did so. “There. That should protect your feet for now. Tomorrow, bathe them in the shallows and the salt water will heal those little cuts. And then keep your shoes on.”
She tucked her legs beneath her and wrapped the towel more closely around her shoulders. She couldn’t begin to describe the hot embarrassment of the past few minutes from when Jack had carried her unceremoniously from the beach until he had knelt in front of her, his hands caressing her feet.