Royally Claimed - By Marie Donovan Page 0,23

her waist. One touch on her bare flesh and she would shatter.

Him crying out in pleasure. Calling her name in violent climax—Julia, Julia.

“Julia! Julia!” The call was real this time. She yelped and yanked her hands from her body.

She blindly pulled extra blankets and pillows from the linen closet next to the bathroom. She headed for the stairs and almost knocked both of them down the rest of the way.

“Careful, Julia.” He steadied her and took the pile from her. “Downstairs with these?”

“Yes.” Her face was burning and her breath was as fast as if she had just played a soccer match.

“I saw all the supplies in the kitchen and the water as well. Good thinking. The electrical power still runs through that underwater cable from São Miguel, but the lines on our island are above ground and go down sometimes. If we lose electricity, we’ll have some generator power but not enough to run the water pump very much.”

She shivered, half from desire and half because the temperature had dropped precipitously. He noticed, but she had the feeling he noticed everything about her. “Go upstairs to the master suite where I’m staying. There should be a sweater in the closet. I’ll bring these blankets downstairs.”

Back to her fantasy room. She ducked in and grabbed a yellow fleece pullover that made her look like a hazard sign, even though she was still steaming hot. At least it was on the inside, where he couldn’t see.

Frank had set the blankets on the big leather couch in front of the fireplace and was eyeing the iron firewood rack. “We don’t have much wood inside. I’ll go to the shed in back to bring more in.”

“Do you need me to help?”

He laughed. “You’re asking a Portuguese man if he wants a woman to help him with heavy lifting? Remember where you are.”

“Hmmph.” As if she could forget. “Would you like me to cook or clean something while you do all the manly work around here?”

He gave her a long look up and down her body. “You make me wish I could do even more manly work for you.” Then he disappeared out the kitchen door.

Wow. She stood for several long seconds staring after him and then shook herself and got to work. She did a quick inventory of the fridge and pantry, noting the leftovers from lunch, some eggs, sausage, bread and milk. If the power went out, she could cook the eggs over the fireplace in one of the well-seasoned cast iron skillets, maybe make some French toast or an omelet. The sausage was smoked, so no need to keep it cold. Everything would keep until breakfast tomorrow.

Julia slowly closed the refrigerator door, making sure it was snug. How long since she had shared breakfast with a man? And no, quick runs to the hospital cafeteria for leaden pancakes or stale Danishes after a hellacious night of work didn’t count.

She thought. And thought. And thought. And decided to stop thinking after she had traveled well back into the previous decade.

But before breakfast came the night together. The pile of bedding drew her gaze.

Frank thumped through the door balancing an armful of firewood. He set the logs in the wrought-iron holder and then winced and shook his hand.

“What is it?”

“Splinter.” He picked at his palm with and then winced again. “Ah, I only got part of it.”

“Let me see.” She took his hand in hers. “Look, you broke it off inside and drove it even deeper.”

“Good thing I have a trained nursing professional to treat me,” he teased her.

“I don’t know how good of a thing it is. I’m pretty rusty since I’ve been off work for several weeks,” she joked back. His hand was warm and heavy in hers, his fingertips thickened from hard work but smooth, as if he took the effort to care for them.

They would be just the right combination of rough and smooth over her skin. Her fingers tightened on his briefly and she forced herself to relax.

“Hey, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be able to manage.”

So he thought she was nervous about taking out his splinter instead of holding his hand. “Where do you keep your first aid supplies?”

“What first aid supplies?” He looked around in confusion. “I don’t think we have any. We just usually use soap and adhesive bandages. We are hearty people and don’t need much.”

“Frank!” she scolded him. “You live on an island forty minutes by boat from the nearest hospital. You don’t