before Bethany could stop him, found the burning heart of her.
She cried out and tried to break free. But the hands that held her were implacable, the lips that caressed her immovable.
The rain was falling harder now, but still Tiger held her, held her and kissed her in that secret place until her fingers tightened in his rain-wet hair. Until her legs trembled and threatened to give way and she cried his name into the wind, shattered and weeping with an ecstasy she'd never known before.
When finally he held her in his arms he said, "There has never been anyone like you, Bethany. There will never be anyone like you." He tilted her chin and looked directly into her wide gray eyes. "I am not a promiscuous man, but there have been other women in my life. But there have been none with whom I have felt what I feel for you." He smoothed her hair back from her face once more. "We'll talk about this later; now we really must leave." Then he took her hand and led her into the water.
The sea was rough, even here in the lee of the island. Bethany was a strong swimmer, but Tiger cursed himself for having endangered her this way. They shouldn't have lingered on the island when the rain began, but when he had touched her, when he had kissed her, the heat of his desire had driven every sensible thought from his head. He looked at her, so close beside him, white arms cutting through the waves, the golden hair streaming out behind her. What am I doing? he thought. Why does this woman make the blood sing in my veins and make me forget that I am a sensible man who does not take unnecessary risks? This was foolhardy; I've put her in danger. If anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself.
Then through the roll of the waves Bethany flashed him a smile, and it seemed to Tiger as though his heart stood still.
Chang was waiting for them. As soon as he spotted them he lowered the ladder and reaching a hand down to Bethany, helped her aboard.
"I've been watching for you," he said to Tiger. "In another five minutes I would have lowered the raft and come out looking for you."
"We were waiting for the rain to stop," Tiger lied. He took one of the robes Chang offered and wrapped it around Bethany. "Take a warm shower," he said. "We'll stay here until the storm passes."
"No, we can't wait." Chang's face was serious. "I looked for you through the binoculars a short while ago and I saw a boat heading in our direction. After what you told me..." He glanced at Bethany and hesitated.
"It's all right, you may speak in front of Bethany." Tiger put an arm around her shoulders. "Go below," he said. And to Chang he said, "Raise the anchor, we're heading out."
Bethany stared at Tiger, lower lip caught between her teeth, feeling a chill through her body that had nothing to do with the wind or the rain. As she started toward the stairs Tiger ran forward to the wheel-house.
By the time Bethany had showered and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved pullover, the sky had darkened to a sullen gray. Rain slashed against the porthole, the wind was stronger and thunder rumbled in the distance. She bent to pull on her sneakers, hanging on to the headboard to stop herself from falling. Like a drunkard she staggered across the cabin to the door, lurching with the roll of the ship. Out in the companionway she grasped the railing to keep herself steady, then headed for the ladder leading to the deck.
The wind hit Bethany hard, almost knocking her off her feet. She clutched a rail for support, trying to see through the driving rain. Tiger was in the wheel-house, bare feet braced against the terrible swaying of the ship as giant gray waves splashed over the Dragon's sides threatening to swamp her.
Bethany bent her head against the force of the wind and started toward the wheelhouse just as Chang reached her. "Go back," he said. "Stay in your stateroom until this is over."
"I want to help." Bethany raised her voice, trying to be heard above the roar of the
She cried out and tried to break free. But the hands that held her were implacable, the lips that caressed her immovable.
The rain was falling harder now, but still Tiger held her, held her and kissed her in that secret place until her fingers tightened in his rain-wet hair. Until her legs trembled and threatened to give way and she cried his name into the wind, shattered and weeping with an ecstasy she'd never known before.
When finally he held her in his arms he said, "There has never been anyone like you, Bethany. There will never be anyone like you." He tilted her chin and looked directly into her wide gray eyes. "I am not a promiscuous man, but there have been other women in my life. But there have been none with whom I have felt what I feel for you." He smoothed her hair back from her face once more. "We'll talk about this later; now we really must leave." Then he took her hand and led her into the water.
The sea was rough, even here in the lee of the island. Bethany was a strong swimmer, but Tiger cursed himself for having endangered her this way. They shouldn't have lingered on the island when the rain began, but when he had touched her, when he had kissed her, the heat of his desire had driven every sensible thought from his head. He looked at her, so close beside him, white arms cutting through the waves, the golden hair streaming out behind her. What am I doing? he thought. Why does this woman make the blood sing in my veins and make me forget that I am a sensible man who does not take unnecessary risks? This was foolhardy; I've put her in danger. If anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself.
Then through the roll of the waves Bethany flashed him a smile, and it seemed to Tiger as though his heart stood still.
Chang was waiting for them. As soon as he spotted them he lowered the ladder and reaching a hand down to Bethany, helped her aboard.
"I've been watching for you," he said to Tiger. "In another five minutes I would have lowered the raft and come out looking for you."
"We were waiting for the rain to stop," Tiger lied. He took one of the robes Chang offered and wrapped it around Bethany. "Take a warm shower," he said. "We'll stay here until the storm passes."
"No, we can't wait." Chang's face was serious. "I looked for you through the binoculars a short while ago and I saw a boat heading in our direction. After what you told me..." He glanced at Bethany and hesitated.
"It's all right, you may speak in front of Bethany." Tiger put an arm around her shoulders. "Go below," he said. And to Chang he said, "Raise the anchor, we're heading out."
Bethany stared at Tiger, lower lip caught between her teeth, feeling a chill through her body that had nothing to do with the wind or the rain. As she started toward the stairs Tiger ran forward to the wheel-house.
By the time Bethany had showered and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved pullover, the sky had darkened to a sullen gray. Rain slashed against the porthole, the wind was stronger and thunder rumbled in the distance. She bent to pull on her sneakers, hanging on to the headboard to stop herself from falling. Like a drunkard she staggered across the cabin to the door, lurching with the roll of the ship. Out in the companionway she grasped the railing to keep herself steady, then headed for the ladder leading to the deck.
The wind hit Bethany hard, almost knocking her off her feet. She clutched a rail for support, trying to see through the driving rain. Tiger was in the wheel-house, bare feet braced against the terrible swaying of the ship as giant gray waves splashed over the Dragon's sides threatening to swamp her.
Bethany bent her head against the force of the wind and started toward the wheelhouse just as Chang reached her. "Go back," he said. "Stay in your stateroom until this is over."
"I want to help." Bethany raised her voice, trying to be heard above the roar of the
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