He instructed her to hold a villa aside for herself from Saturday to the following Friday as the new manager would be taking over the apartment and she would probably need a week to ensure he was on top of the job. His name was David Markey and he was only twenty-eight, but he’d had experience as assistant manager at a resort on Kangaroo Island, which was down below Adelaide off the coast of South Australia. According to his résumé, he was keen to take up a position in a more tropical climate. Elizabeth had thought him a good possibility and she was glad he had interviewed well, leading Harry to choose him.
They were to arrive by helicopter on Saturday morning and the moment Elizabeth heard the distinctive noise of the rotors, her pulse started racing. She’d barely slept the night before, thinking of Harry and how it might be with him this time. It was difficult to contain the nervous excitement buzzing through her but somehow she had to keep it in check while she handled the business side of this visit.
Professionalism insisted that she couldn’t run down to the back beach, waving madly like a child as the helicopter landed and flinging herself at Harry the moment he stepped out of it. Waiting in the office for the men to enter it was the right and sensible thing to do—the Elizabeth thing, she thought wryly, not the Lucy thing. But Harry was counting on her to be sensible and helpful. This was not butterfly time.
She’d asked Jack to meet the helicopter, introducing himself to David Markey as well as giving any help needed with luggage. While she waited, she forced herself to check through items laid out on her desk in preparation for making the job transition as easy as possible for David—a list of the current guests and the villas they occupied with a notation of activities some of them had booked today, contact numbers for the chef and the Pickards, a list of staff names under headings of housekeeping, maintenance and restaurant. It was all there waiting...waiting....
Harry led the others into the office. His vivid blue eyes connected with hers with such riveting intensity, Elizabeth was pinned to her chair while her heart rocketed around her chest. She stared back, feeling as though he was wrapping a magnetic field around her entire being, claiming her as his, tugging her towards him.
She stood. Her thighs were quivering, but her legs moved as though drawn by strings, drawn by the power of an attraction that had become totally irresistible. His smile bathed her in tingling pleasure. She was so consumed by sheer awe at the strength of feelings shooting through her, the man moving in beside Harry didn’t register on her radar until her attention was directed to him.
Harry lifted his hand in an introductory wave, inclining his head towards the slightly shorter man. ‘David Markey, Elizabeth.’
‘Good to meet you,’ the newcomer promptly said, stepping forward and extending his hand.
Elizabeth met it with her own hand, belatedly smiling a welcome. ‘Likewise, David. I hope you’ll be very happy working here on Finn Island.’
He was a clean-cut, good-looking young man—short brown hair, bright brown eyes with a ready smile to charm, a typical front man in the hospitality industry. ‘I’m very glad to have the chance,’ he said enthusiastically.
Jack had manoeuvred around the two men, wheeling two suitcases towards the door into the manager’s apartment. Harry gestured towards him as he spoke to David. ‘If you’ll just follow Jack, he’ll show you your living quarters and answer any questions you might have about them. I want a private word with Elizabeth.’
‘Of course. Thank you,’ was the ready reply, and taking the privacy hint, he closed the apartment door after himself.
The brief business with David had given Elizabeth enough distraction to recover from the initial impact of Harry’s presence. Having regained some control of herself, she turned to him with a sympathetic smile. ‘Tough week?’
‘Mmm...’ His eyes twinkled teasingly as he spread his arms in appeal. ‘I think I need a hug.’
Her heart started racing again as she laughed and moved straight into his embrace, eager for the physical contact she had craved all week.
He hugged her tightly to him, rubbing his cheek against her hair, breathing in deeply and releasing a long, shuddering sigh before murmuring, ‘There is nothing like a warm living body to make you feel better. I have so much wanted you with me this week, Ellie.’
‘I wished I could have been there for you, too, Harry.’
‘Can’t be in two places at once,’ he said wryly, tugging her head back so they were face to face. ‘I’ll stay here overnight if that’s okay with you.’
‘I was hoping you would,’ she answered, openly showing that she welcomed every intimacy with him.
Desire blazed into his eyes. He lifted a hand and ran a feather-light finger over her lips. ‘If I start kissing you I won’t want to stop and there’s no time for it now. When Jack comes out I’ll leave you with David. Sarah wants me to lunch with them, hear all the news about Mickey firsthand. You should lunch with David in the restaurant, introduce him to the guests. I’ll catch up with the two of you afterwards, find out how he’s doing and hopefully get you to myself for a while.’
Assured they would be together later in the afternoon, Elizabeth didn’t mind seeing Harry go off with Jack, happy with the plan of action he’d laid out. She knew how fond Sarah was of both the Finn brothers, and it was nice of Harry to answer the housekeeper’s concern about Michael. It was also appropriate for her to introduce David to the guests since she was known to them, having been the resident manager all week.
Over lunch, David proved to have a very pleasant manner with the guests and the restaurant staff. Elizabeth quite enjoyed his company herself. He readily answered her questions about his experience on Kangaroo Island and was keen to question her experience at this resort, garnering as much knowledge as he could as quickly as he could.
It occurred to her that it might not take a week to fill him in on everything and make sure he understood the whole working process of the island. He wasn’t coming in cold to the job as she had. He was already a professional in this field. It might only take a few days and then she could get back to Cairns.
To Lucy...
To Harry...
To real life again...
Although the island getaway hadn’t really been a getaway for her. She’d been well and truly faced with real life here—forced to accept the reality of Michael’s connection with Lucy, having her misconceptions about Harry ripped apart, learning that an attraction based on sexual chemistry could gather many more levels, given the chance.
Her time here had been one of intense emotional turmoil, yet coming now to the end of it, she was ready to move forward, wanting to move forward, hopefully with Harry, who had become a very vital part of her world. No denying that. Though she was not going to spin rosy dreams about him, as she had with Michael. She would do the realistic thing and live in the moment with Harry.
The moment could not come fast enough today.
She accompanied David back to the office after lunch and they settled in front of the computer workstation to go through the booking system. It took an act of will for Elizabeth to concentrate on it. Anticipation was like a fever in her blood. She kept glancing at the wall clock, wondering how long Harry would stay with Jack and Sarah, aching for him to leave them and come for her.
It had just turned two o’clock when he entered the office, filling it with an electric energy that zapped through every nerve in Elizabeth’s body.
‘How’s it going?’ he asked.
‘Fine!’ Elizabeth managed to clip out.
‘Fine!’ echoed David.
‘Well, I need to have a meeting with Elizabeth now,’ Harry said, exuding the alpha male authority that had so surprised her when he’d sacked Sean Cassidy. ‘After we leave, you can close the office, David. It doesn’t need to be reopened until five o’clock. Take the time to settle in or stroll around, familiarising
yourself with the island’s attractions. We’ll have dinner together this evening.’ His arm beckoned commandingly. ‘Elizabeth...’
‘See you later, David,’ she threw at him as she rose from her chair, her heart pounding with excitement at the prospect of spending at least three hours with Harry.
That gave her a lot of moments to live in...to the full.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AS SOON as they left the office, Harry caught her hand, his long fingers intertwining with hers, gripping possessively, shooting an instant wave of tingling heat up her arm. ‘Which villa is yours?’ he asked.
‘Number one. It’s the closest to the office in case I’m needed.’
He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling admiration and approval. ‘Standing by,’ he said warmly.
‘I don’t think I’ll have to stand by for long, Harry. David’s very quick on the uptake.’
He nodded. ‘A case of been there, done that. Do you like him?’
‘Yes. I think he’ll manage very well. He’s at ease with the guests, too, eager to please.’
‘Good!’
‘I doubt he’ll need me for more than a few days. When I’m satisfied he’s on top of everything I’ll come back to Cairns and help you in the office.’ She threw him an anxious look, suddenly thinking she might have assumed too much. ‘If you want me to.’
He grinned happily. ‘I was going to ask if you would. Just to tide us over until Mickey can take control again. Andrew—the guy you suggested could fill in for you—is floundering like a fish out of water under the pressure of too much responsibility. Not his bag at all. Mickey had already directed an agency to find a better replacement for you, but had yet to set up interviews.’
‘I’ll stay until that can be sorted out,’ she promised.
‘You wouldn’t walk out on anyone at a bad time, would you, Ellie?’
His eyes caressed her as though she was someone very special and her heart fluttered with happiness. ‘Not if I could help,’ she answered, knowing intuitively that Harry wouldn’t, either. He was a caring man who had looked after the people who could have been hurt by Franklyn Finn’s sudden death. He hadn’t walked away. Not like her father, she thought.
She didn’t mind him calling her Ellie anymore. Every time he used that name she heard affection in it, and Harry’s affection had become very addictive.
They mounted the steps to the villa’s deck. He paused by the railing, his gaze sweeping around the bay below. ‘I don’t know how Mickey can stand being closed up in an office day after day.’
‘He likes running the franchises,’ Elizabeth pointed out. ‘And since you say he has tunnel vision, I guess that’s all he sees when he’s there.’
‘Mmm...lucky for me! I don’t think I could have handled it. I’ll be glad when he’s back in the driving seat.’ His gaze swung to target hers, the blue eyes gathering the intensity that always made her feel he was digging into her mind. ‘What about you, Ellie? Have you thought of what you want to do when everything’s on course again?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m just taking one day at a time.’
‘May I make a suggestion?’
‘I’m not going to work full-time for you, Harry,’ she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t try to persuade her to take up that option again. She had fallen in love with him, and while working together might be great for a while, if he lost his desire for her...
‘I wasn’t about to ask you to,’ he said, drawing her into his embrace.
‘What then?’ she asked, relieved by this assurance and sliding her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and around his neck, inviting a kiss, wanting him to make love to her, craving intimate contact.
His mouth quirked teasingly. He lifted a hand and gently stroked her cheek, looking deeply into her eyes. ‘I don’t want you working for me, Ellie. I want you living with me. I’m suggesting that you think about marrying me. We could start a family, make a home together and hopefully live happily ever after. How does that sound?’
She was totally stunned. No way had she anticipated a marriage proposal! Her heart slammed around her chest. She stared at Harry, utterly speechless, barely able to believe what he’d just said.
* * *
The shock dilating her eyes told Harry he’d jumped the gun again. This time he didn’t care. He wanted her thinking about it, wanted her knowing that he was serious about sharing his future with her. She was the one he’d been looking for, the one who would complement his life in all the ways that mattered to him. He couldn’t bear her having any doubts about where she stood with him.
He had no doubts. This past week had clinched it for him. His brother was no longer a gut-tearing factor in their relationship. That had become clear in all the conversations they’d had. Caring for Mickey had not been at the heart of them. Her focus had been on him—his thoughts, his concerns, his feelings.
He wanted to banish her sense of being adrift, wanted to become her anchor, just as she had become his. She might not yet be ready to commit herself to marriage but he saw no harm in laying it on the line. Her mind was clearly rocked at the moment but he didn’t sense any negative vibrations coming from her.
‘Think about it, Ellie,’ he softly commanded, then kissed her.
* * *
Elizabeth didn’t want to think. She wanted to feel all that Harry made her feel. She threw herself into the kiss, hungry for the wild rush of passion between them—the passion that swept away everything else but the fierce need for each other. It surged through her bloodstream. Her body ached for him, yearned for him, silently but intensely communicating more than she could say.
Harry didn’t push for any verbal answer from her. He swept her into the villa and they tore off their clothes, reaching for each other, desire at fever pitch, falling onto the bed, moving urgently to come together. She grasped him with her hands, her legs. He kissed her as the strong shaft of his flesh slid into the pulsating passage that exultantly welcomed their joining. The sheer bliss of it spread through her entire body.
Her mind sang his name...Harry, Harry, Harry....
They rode the waves of pleasure together, driving up the intensity of feeling, instinctively intent on making it more sensational than it had ever been because it was more than physical this time. Much more. Her heart was beating with love for this man, bursting with it as they both climaxed, tipping them over into a world that was uniquely theirs, an intimate sharing that Elizabeth now knew with absolute certainty she would never find with any other man.
It was only a few weeks since she had dreamed of having this with Michael. It seemed weird that in such a short time Harry had so completely supplanted his brother in every sense, but he had. And this was real, not a fantasy. She hugged him to her, wanting this reality to go on forever.
She thought of Lucy.
Did her sister feel as deeply as this with Michael?
She heaved a sigh, knowing that whatever happened in that relationship was beyond her control.
Harry planted a warm kiss on her forehead. ‘Is that a sigh of satisfaction?’ he murmured.
‘I do love you, Harry,’ she said, opening up to him. ‘It may seem like an incredible turnaround, but it’s true.’
He eased away enough to prop himself up on his elbow and look into her eyes. A smile slowly curved his mouth. ‘I love you, too. We’re right for each other, Ellie. I know you’ll stand by me in all the years to come and I hope you know I’ll stand by you.’
‘Yes...yes, I do,’ she said with certainty.
‘So...will you marry me?’
She wanted to.
Lucy would want her to, regardless of what happened with her and Michael. She’d told her so, saying quite vehemently that she didn’t want to be the reason for Elizabeth not to have a future with Harry.
Her long hesitation prompted him to ask, ‘What reservation do you have in your mind?’
‘Will you be kind to Lucy if she and Michael break up?’
It was important to her. She couldn’t brush that possibility aside as though it wouldn’t count in the future.
He frowned, obviously puzzled that she should be concerned about this. ‘Of course I will, Ellie. She’s your sister.’
‘And Michael’s your brother,’ she reminded him. ‘We could have divided loyalties, Harry.’
‘We’ll work it out,’ he said without hesitation. ‘I know Mickey would never interfere with what makes me happy and I bet Lucy would hate feeling she was any kind of block to your having a happy life with me. Am I right about that?’
‘Yes,’ she conceded, remembering how accurately Harry could read people.
‘Then we don’t have a problem,’ he argued. ‘They might not end up together but that won’t break our family ties, Ellie. They will both wish us well.’
Yes, she could believe that. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
‘Ellie, we only have one life to live,’ Harry pressed on, the intensity back in his eyes. ‘We’ve found each other. Let’s not waste time we could have together. You never know when it will be taken away from us.’
Like it had been with his parents.
Like what had almost happened to Michael.
‘You’re right,’ she said, all doubts blown away. ‘We should get married. Start having a family. I’m thirty, you know.’
His face broke into a wide grin. ‘Yes, I know. And it was the best birthday of all because it brought you to me.’
She laughed, her eyes happily teasing. ‘Not very willingly.’
‘It was only a matter of time,’ he said with arrogant smugness.
She heaved a contented sigh before challenging him one last time, her eyes dancing flirtatiously. ‘Well, you’re not going to waste any of it, are you? I have to be back at the office...’
Harlequin Presents January 2013 - Bundle 2 of 2: The Ruthless Caleb WildeBeholden to the ThroneThe Incorrigible Playboy Page 48