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.
“Are you okay?” He sounded puzzled and his eyes reflected his concern.
“I’m fine. Thank you for looking after me.” She breathed a sigh of relief as she found her voice at last. “I’ll go down to the beach now.”
“I thought you