Escape To Sunset - Sharon Hamilton Page 0,6

bother me if you walked away thinking I meant you any ill will or harm.”

He didn’t sound like a monster or like someone who wanted to take her life. He began to sound like someone she might be able to trust.

That’s a ridiculous thought! But before she could fully adjust, she was speaking again to the stranger.

“I’ve just moved back here. It’s been a very difficult few months for me. I…”

What am I saying?

In spite of everything else, her chest tightened. Her breathing became staccato and dangerous. She knew what it was. It was a full-on five-alarm panic attack. At a very inconvenient time.

“I don’t feel…”

Just before she lost consciousness, she had expected to hit the hard scratchy sand as her body collapsed, but powerful arms cradled her gently, breaking the fall.

And then everything went black.

Chapter 3

Jason had no problem catching the young woman, being especially careful to make sure her head and shoulders didn’t come close to hitting the sand. Completely unconscious, her body rolled into his upper torso, which made it easier for him to scoop her up, his right arm placed beneath the backs of her knees. She was light and supple. He judged she was about twenty-five years old.

The blanket he had so carefully folded for her was discarded, lying in a heap at his feet. He didn’t want to risk losing his balance and hold her too tight so he didn’t retrieve it. He swung her back and forth as if holding a child, rocking and whispering reassurances that she was going to be fine. He caught himself speaking to her in his grandfather’s native tongue.

Just as he suspected, within seconds, she began to gain consciousness.

Of course she was confused. It was a lot to take in. She’d been afraid of him after all, had been fleeing for her life, and now he was holding her, trying to be as tender as he could. He kept his arms out in front, so that as she came to, she wouldn’t know how close to his upper body she had been.

“You’re going to be okay, miss. You’ll be just fine.”

“What? Where am I?” she mumbled, stirring in his arms.

“Just take a deep breath in. Keep breathing. That’s it. You’re gonna feel fine in just a couple of minutes.”

At last she realized that he’d been holding her, which caused her to clamor to get to her feet, nearly pushing him aside.

“I told you to leave me alone!” she said as she straightened her clothes.

He couldn’t see her face but he was sure she was glaring at him from the sharpness in her voice.

“Okay, okay, take it easy.” He stooped, picking up the blanket and shoving it in her direction until her hands could locate it. “Here you go. Take your blanket. Wrap it around yourself so you don’t get cold. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course I am!” she retorted in a huff.

In the blackness between them, he shook his head and allowed a grin to separate his lips, since she probably couldn’t see him anyhow. She was one stubborn and bitter woman, who, unfortunately, still thought he was the enemy. If she only knew.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded.

Okay, so much for not being seen.

He allowed himself a chuckle and really didn’t care whether she believed him or not. The whole situation was beginning to annoy him. “I’ve tried just about every way I know how to convince you I mean you absolutely no harm. But if you want to be that way, fine. I don’t know what fox got in your hen house but, lady, there’s no problem on this end. Now if you don’t mind I’m going to get as far away from you, your hat, your blanket, and this beach as possible.”

“You have no idea what I’ve been through,” she spat. It stopped his intention to run away.

“How could I? You won’t listen to a damn thing I have to say.” He let his shoulders fall as he sighed, trying to relax the muscles at the base of his neck. “Look. Let’s just call a truce and go our separate ways. Does that meet with your approval, or is there something you don’t like about that comment?”

His night vision must have kicked in, because he saw her hand flash through the air a millisecond before her open palm slapped him across the cheek. Memories flooded his brain of growing up on the island. Two nasty Samoan sisters in his school who outweighed him by at