Sighing, he said, "Tell me about your husband."
"No." The word was sharp and Christian glanced over to see that her expression was closed. He felt as if a door had just shut in his face, and was more disappointed than surprised when she stopped walking and said, "We should go back. We've walked quite a distance and they'll be wondering where we are."
Carolyn turned back without waiting to see if he would follow, and wasn't very responsive to his comments and questions after that even though he avoided the subject of her marriage. Obviously, it was a subject to stay away from in future if he wished to spend time with her.
Chapter Five
Genie was missing from the table when Carolyn led Christian back. She peered to Marguerite questioningly as she took her shoes from Christian and settled in her seat. "Where's Genie?"
Marguerite smiled. "She said she had to get up early for work, but that she'd talk to you at breakfast."
"Oh." Carolyn concentrated on putting her sandals back on, and then glanced at her margarita. It had melted while she was gone, she noted, and then stiffened when Christian rested his arm along her chair back, his hand cupping her shoulder. His skin was warm on hers, sending out little currents of electricity that made her skin tingle.
It had been hard to handle his closeness before their walk on the beach, but she simply couldn't bear it now.
Carolyn wasn't sure if it had been his nuzzling her on the beach, or all she'd revealed while talking to him... or perhaps she was just too tired to deal with her attraction to him, but she couldn't handle it now.
"I guess I'd better go to bed too if I want to get up to have breakfast with her," Carolyn said, standing abruptly.
She caught the surprise on Christian's face out of the corner of her eye, but he immediately stood too. "I'll see you back to your villa."
"Don't be silly." She scooted out from in front of her chair. "Stay with your family. I'll be fine."
"I'm a bit tired myself," Marguerite said.
"Then I guess we'll join you for the ride back," Julius announced, ushering Marguerite to her feet.
"And us," Gia announced.
Carolyn frowned as the whole table rose. She glanced to the drinks on the table. Marguerite's and Julius's glasses were the only ones that were empty. Everyone else's still looked full, and she said desperately, "But you haven't finished your drinks."
"Neither have you," Gia said with a laugh, and moved around the table to slip her arm through hers. "Come on.
You do look tired. We'll all ride up together."
Carolyn sighed, but didn't argue further. She was just grateful it was Gia ushering her out and not Christian, though she could feel him at her back. He must be nearly on her heels for her to be able to feel his heat, she thought as Gia led her out of the bar and around the pool toward the main building, chattering away.
"I don't think we'll all fit in one van," Carolyn said as they reached the waiting vans. "Why don't you all go ahead in the first one and I'll just grab this other-"
She'd started to move toward a second van, but Gia pulled her back.
"Don't be silly. It might be a little tight, but we'll all fit," she said, urging her toward the first van.
"Santo, you're the biggest. Take the front seat," Julius ordered as he slid the side door open. "It will leave more room for the rest of us in the back."
The moment Santo moved toward the front-passenger door, Julius added, "Zanipolo and Raffaele, you're in the back. We don't want any of the ladies to have to crawl all the way back there in their high heels and dresses."
Neither man even hesitated, but immediately climbed inside to maneuver their way around the two front bench seats to the back one. The moment they were out of the way, Julius ushered Marguerite forward, saying, "We'll take the second seat and you three can take the first one since Carolyn has to get out first. Christian you're on the outside so you can handle the door."
The words made Carolyn sigh, but she obeyed like the rest. Julius was like a drill sergeant, she thought as she followed Gia inside the van. She settled on the bench next to the other woman and squeezed up against her to make room for Christian.
The seats were really made for only two, she decided as Christian closed the door and wedged himself in next to her. It was a very tight fit, and he lifted his arm to rest it along the back of the seat behind her to make more room.
"Out of the pan and into the fire," she muttered. This was worse than just his hand cupping her shoulder. Not only was his arm still around her, but she was now plastered against his side as well, their bodies touching from shoulder to knee.
"What was that?" Gia asked.
"Nothing," Carolyn sighed.