the power she had over him was extraordinary. He wouldn’t break his word.
A light wind tousled her hair and he pulled strands from her face, choked with desire, needing to hold her, to protect her. He said, “You really are beautiful.”
“I wish you wouldn’t say those things, Rafael.” Kat laid her cheek against his chest. “I don’t want you saying things you don’t mean.”
“When you were a youngster,” he said carefully. “Your mother… There was a problem?”
Katrina didn’t look up.
He said, “These things you leave unspoken. If you share them you might come to terms.”
She fell silent for a while then said, “I overheard Dad telling some of his friends about her, one night.”
“And?”
She scrubbed tears from her eyes with the back of a hand. “I can’t talk about it.”
Damn! What was he doing, what was he putting her through? He said, “I’m sorry.”
She took out a handkerchief, wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “It’s okay.”
Seeing her so vulnerable made him want to make love. Logic and reason didn’t come into it. Jeez! He was insensitive, but he wanted Kat, more than any woman he’d ever wanted. If solving the problem with her mother would help him get there, that’s what he’d do.
The boat rocked. Kat snuggled to him. Her hair smelled like summer. He said thickly, “I’m sorry if I upset you.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It’s just that I want to learn every little thing about you.”
To the left, within his field of vision, a gull circled, its wingtips trimming occasionally to match air-currents. It swooped quite near, looking for scraps.
Kat put both of her arms around his waist.
Rafael felt crazy. All he could think about was peeling her clothes off. He wanted to see her breasts, to touch them, to caress them. He wanted to taste her.
“I want to hold you,” she whispered. “Talking will have to wait.” She pressed her face against him, her voice muffled. “Rafael, do you promise not to expect too much of me.”
“I’ve already said so.”
“Do you really mean it? Can you tolerate a relationship with no strings?”
“I’ve said so.”
“There can be no future,” she said quickly. “You know, don’t you? I’ll walk away one day without saying why; if I do you mustn’t try to find me.”
Rafael insides turned topsy-turvy. “I can’t pretend to understand why, but if those are the rules…”
“They are.”
She squeezed him tightly, but his heart sank. He could have taken her right then on the open sea, but there would be no lovemaking yet. “Kat!” he sighed wearily. “I guess we have visitors.”
She turned to follow his gaze. Bearing close across their bow was another yacht and it showed every sign of anchoring.
Chapter 7
They couldn’t wait to get back to the villa. Kat spent an astonishing night with him, and there would be more. She had been honest with herself and the admission made her heady. They were an item now, at least while she allowed.
Heavy rained fell during the night. He hadn’t closed his wooden shutters, and because of the noise she slept fitfully. She dreamed of people caught making love under open skies.
She went into her room, dressed then disturbed the bedclothes for the sake of Aliaga. Checking herself in the mirror she dropped her makeup into her handbag, tossed it to the dresser, and went out to the curved marble staircase. On the way to the breakfast room she turned a corner and Señora Aliaga almost bumped into her.
Aliaga’s small fox-like face darkened with irritation, her hooded eyes unflinching. No apology.
Kat followed her into the room, where Rafael already sat. He gave a conspiratorial wink and said loud enough for Aliaga to hear, “Morning! Had a good night I trust?”
She suppressed a grin. “I don’t suppose any worse than yours. The rain kept me awake.”
He stood. “Would you like to make a start once you’ve eaten? I shan’t be able to spend long, I’m afraid. I have a meeting later.”
Kat shook her head. “I think I might go into Moraira. I need a few things.”
“Don’t you want to go over some designs?”
Aliaga gathered the empty dishes and left. Kat waited until she shut the door. “I’d prefer to go into town.”
“Because of last night?” he whispered. “Regrets already?”
She held his hand to her cheek. “Señor Saval, regret is the furthest thing I can think of.” She looked over her shoulder to make sure Aliaga wasn’t around, and ran her hand down his thigh. “I could never have regrets.”
“Are you humouring me.”
“Humouring? I’m too tired to humour