that captured her attention, her eyes riveted on his clean-shaven chiseled jaw and firm chin with a small cleft adding character to his handsome face.
“You look so different,” she breathed.
“I’m normally clean-shaven. Seeing we’re returning to civilization tomorrow, I thought I better shave off my beard.”
“But, you’re a fisherman.”
He grinned. “Not all fishermen have beards,” he remarked, and moved past her to his bedroom. She caught the scent of soap and shampoo and took a shaky, controlling breath. Suddenly, even standing there half-naked, he had acquired a polished veneer and her vulnerability to him intensified.
~ * ~
“You never finished telling me from whom you were escaping.”
They were seated on the patio after dinner in two old rocking chairs watching the sun sink low in the sky. Earlier, with much hilarity, Jack had made a grand performance of preparing his wine sauce to go with the fish, which she had declared the best she’d ever tasted. She had stacked the dishes while he had made the coffee. He sat opposite her now gently rocking in his chair and it seemed, determined to have a heart-to-heart discussion.
She watched a stray coffee grain swirl around in her cup as she measured her reply and how much she would say. She would explain just a little, she decided.
“It was a friend.”
“Male?”
“Yes. I left because I wanted some time alone.”
“Why? Are you in a relationship? Is he annoying you?” The questions came thick and fast and although Jack’s tone was casual, she sensed he was more than just a little inquisitive.
“No. He was a friend only.” She smiled as she thought of her burly detective and what he would make of this conversation. “As I explained, I had attended the race meeting, which was the last…last thing I’d planned to do before returning home to my parents in Europe.” She hesitated as she almost blurted out that she had been on an official engagement to present the cup to the winning racehorse owner. She was surprised Jack didn’t know about her visit. The small town of Port Margaret had buzzed with the news that a real princess was the special guest at their annual race day.
“While I was in Port Margaret, I booked the rental home on Seagull Island so I could get a few days to myself. I’ve just finished my studies at university and wanted some time out.”
Jack frowned, his eyes narrowing as he watched the sun disappear behind the horizon. Something didn’t make sense. It sounded odd that this lovely girl should want to be alone. Real Greta Garbo stuff. “What did you study,” he asked.
“Fine arts.”
“Hmm. Handy subject.”
She laughed. “Don’t be cynical, Jack. It will be very useful.”
“Yeah, if you’re going to work in a museum.”
“I also majored in political science,” she added.
“In that case I guess you could get a job in a museum run by the government.”
She laughed again and he watched the pure line of her profile as she leaned her head back against the chair. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to smooth his fingers over her white skin and place his lips to the tiny hollow at the base of her throat. He wanted to lift her against him, her body on his.
“Why did you have so much luggage?” Inane question, he thought but he had to take control of his lustful imagination.
“I will return directly to Europe from Port Margaret after changing planes in Adelaide. I’ve shared an apartment with my two best friends while we were studying. Now we’ve gone our separate ways.”
A fleeting sadness reflected in her eyes and Jack wondered if one of her friends had been the man she’d been running from. A shaft of jealousy gave him a hefty punch in the stomach.
She leaned forward and lifted a foot to examine the sole. One of the cuts hadn’t healed and looked red and sore.
“Problem?”
“It throbs a little. It will be okay.”
Jack stood. “Stay there. I’ll get the first aid tin.” He returned with the tin, plus a bowl of water and towel. “Rest your foot on my thigh,” he demanded and she obediently lifted her leg to rest on his. He cleaned the wound and placed a Band-aid across the small cut.
“Your skin is very tender from walking around without shoes. You should have taken more care.” He examined the fine bones of her foot. “I’ll massage them for you.”
He squeezed a sweet smelling cream from the first aid tin into his hands and rubbed her foot with long