interesting, intimate things that aroused her mind as thoroughly as his presence and touch had aroused her body.
Her simple desire to see him up close had taken an impulsive and unexpected turn. She’d attempted a feeble escape, by swimming across the lagoon. But he’d followed her, and in so doing he’d erased any reservations she might have had. The most stunning man she’d ever laid eyes on had followed her to her favorite spot on Darwin, and the combination had worked a spell that forced surrender to her hungriest carnal instinct.
In the end, as she’d watched him sleep, she’d been glad that he’d shown a bit of crucial restraint. God knew that she hadn’t been able to.
One of the island’s treasured black robins glided to an easy landing beside the lost muffin. “Two nights, then,” Lina said, directing the words at the bird as though seeking its counsel. The robin eagerly pecked at the muffin as Lina carefully scooped up her basket and started down the road.
CHAPTER 4
Jack paced the bedroom, his loafers making no sound on the polished, bamboo flooring as he clicked off the floor and desk lamps and the ceiling fixture. Then he opened the drapes and sheers as far as they would go, flooding the room with moonlight. He had already opened the glass doors so he could easily hear outside noises.
So he could hear Lina.
He peeked at his watch even as he told himself that he wouldn’t check the time again: 11:37.
He wrung his hands together. It was a myth that toilets swirled backwards in this part of the world, but time sure seemed to. This had been the longest day of Jack’s life, despite how busy he’d been.
Once Lina had left, he’d had muffins and coffee at Levora’s, at her insistence, and he’d listened as Levora told him about her baking business, which specialized in softball-sized muffins that shipped daily as far as Sydney and Canberra. The coconut-lime muffins Levora had served were unbelievably good, but Jack was more interested in learning more about J.T. Marchand than muffins. But every question he had asked about Marchand had been answered with some inane observation about Lina, who appeared to be Levora’s favorite topic.
As if he needed her help in keeping Lina on his mind. He had another reason for being so determined to find Marchand. The faster he clinched the deal for the tea, the sooner he’d be free to devote a little time to Lina.
He’d once secured the rights to an herbal antihistamine produced by a tiny company in Seattle. Pharmaceutical reps from hundreds of companies had descended upon Seattle, each vying to get the drug. After three days of bargaining, negotiating and competing, Jack had gotten the deal done despite heavy competition from Carol Crowley. Jack had put millions in Coyle-Wexler’s coffers and earned himself a hefty six-figure bonus. His winning record had withstood its fiercest challenge, and the victory had given Jack a feeling of self-assurance and joy that he’d never known.
Until last night.
Until he’d spent a night on a hunk of black glass with a woman who had appealed to his every sense.
Until Lina, Jack had never known the thrill of complete surrender, and instantly he’d become addicted. He’d moved through the minutes of the day, thankful that each tick of the clock brought him closer to midnight, yet snappish over the slowness with which each minute arrived. He’d almost wished that he could have just gone to bed and slept until midnight.
The idea of climbing into bed only made his thoughts circle more tightly around Lina, so Jack forced himself to review his day instead.
Hoping to learn more of what his newly arrived competitors knew, he had accepted Carol’s invitation to join her and a group of lawyers for a late lunch at The Crab and Nickel, one of the island’s two restaurants, and to Jack’s surprise, a three-star Michelin rated establishment.
Jack had sat down to his second meal on Darwin, and it was exquisite. Yet it
Her simple desire to see him up close had taken an impulsive and unexpected turn. She’d attempted a feeble escape, by swimming across the lagoon. But he’d followed her, and in so doing he’d erased any reservations she might have had. The most stunning man she’d ever laid eyes on had followed her to her favorite spot on Darwin, and the combination had worked a spell that forced surrender to her hungriest carnal instinct.
In the end, as she’d watched him sleep, she’d been glad that he’d shown a bit of crucial restraint. God knew that she hadn’t been able to.
One of the island’s treasured black robins glided to an easy landing beside the lost muffin. “Two nights, then,” Lina said, directing the words at the bird as though seeking its counsel. The robin eagerly pecked at the muffin as Lina carefully scooped up her basket and started down the road.
CHAPTER 4
Jack paced the bedroom, his loafers making no sound on the polished, bamboo flooring as he clicked off the floor and desk lamps and the ceiling fixture. Then he opened the drapes and sheers as far as they would go, flooding the room with moonlight. He had already opened the glass doors so he could easily hear outside noises.
So he could hear Lina.
He peeked at his watch even as he told himself that he wouldn’t check the time again: 11:37.
He wrung his hands together. It was a myth that toilets swirled backwards in this part of the world, but time sure seemed to. This had been the longest day of Jack’s life, despite how busy he’d been.
Once Lina had left, he’d had muffins and coffee at Levora’s, at her insistence, and he’d listened as Levora told him about her baking business, which specialized in softball-sized muffins that shipped daily as far as Sydney and Canberra. The coconut-lime muffins Levora had served were unbelievably good, but Jack was more interested in learning more about J.T. Marchand than muffins. But every question he had asked about Marchand had been answered with some inane observation about Lina, who appeared to be Levora’s favorite topic.
As if he needed her help in keeping Lina on his mind. He had another reason for being so determined to find Marchand. The faster he clinched the deal for the tea, the sooner he’d be free to devote a little time to Lina.
He’d once secured the rights to an herbal antihistamine produced by a tiny company in Seattle. Pharmaceutical reps from hundreds of companies had descended upon Seattle, each vying to get the drug. After three days of bargaining, negotiating and competing, Jack had gotten the deal done despite heavy competition from Carol Crowley. Jack had put millions in Coyle-Wexler’s coffers and earned himself a hefty six-figure bonus. His winning record had withstood its fiercest challenge, and the victory had given Jack a feeling of self-assurance and joy that he’d never known.
Until last night.
Until he’d spent a night on a hunk of black glass with a woman who had appealed to his every sense.
Until Lina, Jack had never known the thrill of complete surrender, and instantly he’d become addicted. He’d moved through the minutes of the day, thankful that each tick of the clock brought him closer to midnight, yet snappish over the slowness with which each minute arrived. He’d almost wished that he could have just gone to bed and slept until midnight.
The idea of climbing into bed only made his thoughts circle more tightly around Lina, so Jack forced himself to review his day instead.
Hoping to learn more of what his newly arrived competitors knew, he had accepted Carol’s invitation to join her and a group of lawyers for a late lunch at The Crab and Nickel, one of the island’s two restaurants, and to Jack’s surprise, a three-star Michelin rated establishment.
Jack had sat down to his second meal on Darwin, and it was exquisite. Yet it
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