Marriage Prey

by Annette Broadrick

  Robin unbuttoned her shirt and unfastened her shorts, tossing the items aside. She had her swimsuit beneath, the one she was using for underwear, but it was still swimming attire.

  The water felt silky smooth against her feet and ankles and unbelievably warm. She ran through the shallows and launched herself into swimming mode when the water reached her waist.

  She'd forgotten about her hair. She dived under the water and came up face first, then gathered her hair into three sections and quickly braided it, tying it off with a part of her hair, then tossing it over her shoulder and swimming once more.

  She made no attempt to go out as far as Steve, but was content to swim at a leisurely pace, making certain she didn't drift too far away from shore. The sun kissed her face and shoulders as she moved steadily through the water, a smile on her face. This was quite a nice way to start the day, she had to admit.

  When Steve first spotted her, he had to look again to make sure he wasn't seeing a mermaid. So she had managed to wake up early enough to enjoy an early-morning swim, after all.

  He swam to the shallows, then stood, wading the rest of the way until he left the water behind and reached his towel. Shaking the sand from the towel, he rubbed it over his head and face before quickly swiping it across his body. Then he sat down and waited for his houseguest to finish her swim.

  He leaned back on his elbows and watched as she moved lazily along in the water as though savoring the feel of it against her skin. A ripple of awareness slid over him. He would guess that she was sexually inexperienced, because she seemed to be so unaware of her own sexuality,' but he realized that she was a very sensuous person. He wondered how she could have reached this age and not be more aware of her effect on the male of the species.

  When she became tired, she stopped swimming and stood, waist-deep, looking out at the ocean, her back to him. She'd braided her hair, and it now hung in a long rope down the middle of her back.

  He stared for a moment in shock, wondering if she was wearing anything. Then he saw the flesh-toned strap that went around her back. Wow. For a minute there he had actually wondered if she had chosen to swim nude.

  Then she turned and started toward him, and he had to take a deep breath because not only was the suit flesh-colored but there wasn't much of it. A triangle covered the area at the apex of her thighs, and two other triangles covered her chest.

  Hell, she could have started a riot on a public beach. Didn't she know better than to— He lost his train of thought as he took in the picture she made coming out of the water.

  She walked with an unconscious grace, her hips swinging slightly in an undulating rhythm that had his heart racing. Her long legs seemed to go on forever.

  Steve closed his eyes and recited all the many reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea to stare at his visitor with obvious hunger in his eyes.

  "Hi!" she said. "I forgot to bring a towel. May I use yours?"

  He nodded, then squinted up at her, hoping she thought it was the sun that kept his eyes nearly closed as he handed her the towel. Backlit as she was, she glowed. There was no other word for it.

  "Thanks." After a long moment he heard the rustle of clothes and opened one eye. She was stepping into a pair of shorts he hadn't noticed lying nearby, then she pulled on her shirt. He sat up.

  "Refreshing, isn't it?" he said, his voice still sounding as if he'd swallowed a frog.

  "Oh, yes. I don't remember ever enjoying the beach more than this morning. There's something magical about this place," she said. He nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing.

  I've been up every morning I've been here to see the sun rise and to start my day with a swim. Nothing like it."

  "You're very fortunate to have a place like this to come to."

  "Yes, that's true. I don't know about you," he said, glancing at the sun, "but I'm ready for some breakfast."

  "Sounds good." She held out her hand to him and he grasped it, then allowed her to pull him to his feet. His hand tingled, and as soon as he was upright, he casually let go of her hand.

  "I have some suggestions on how we can spend the day," he said, motioning her ahead of him on the trail back to the house.

  "Please don't feel that you have to entertain me. I noticed that the owners have several novels in their bookcases that I haven't had a chance to read."

  “You can read anytime, but how many chances do you get to explore your very own island?'' He reached around and pushed the door open, then allowed her to step inside the house.

  She turned and laughed up at him. Oh, those dimples were something else. More than a little distracting, to be sure. ' 'Well, when you put it that way, how can I resist? Whatever you want to do is fine with me," she said.

  She looked unbelievably young standing in the early-morning sunlight, without a hint of makeup to mar her natural beauty. Steve had a sudden presentiment that he might be the one way over his head here. He was reacting to this woman in a way he'd never reacted to a woman before.

  It scared him. But he refused to back off Nothing that they started here could go anywhere, anyway. They lived half a country apart, and long-distance relationships never worked.

  So why shouldn't he explore this attraction between them? If she was willing, maybe there was a chance they could have a wonderful few days together. Once they established the ground rules, maybe understood each other better, there was a chance they could enjoy a romantic holiday for them both to remember.

  Five

  Steve stared out at the night from his bedroom window.

  Three days had passed since Robin had shown up, and she had managed to turn his life into a spinning top. She had just spent the evening soundly beating him at poker. And why not? Granted she was a hell of a poker player, but his brain refused to focus on anything so mundane as red and black marks on random cards.

  Being around her was rapidly turning him into a raving lunatic.

  Therefore, he'd chosen to retreat to his bedroom on the pretext that he was worn out from their strenuous day. So here he was trying to figure out what to do about his fascination with the woman.

  When he'd awakened early that morning, he'd decided that a day of strenuous exercise would help him ignore his increasing attraction to her. With that in mind, he'd suggested a hike to the center of the island, where he'd previously found a pool with a waterfall, thinking that she would enjoy seeing it. By the time he realized how seductive the place was, it was too late to change his plans.

  No matter how he'd fought the memories since their return, they continued to flood over him....

  Perspiration trickled down his cheek, and Steve paused to wipe it away with his forearm. When he'd started out to find the fall and pool a few hours ago, he'd forgotten about the steep climb into the interior of the island as well as the increased heat, once a person moved away from the breeze coming off the ocean.

  He held out his hand to Robin. "I'd forgotten how hot it is at this time of day."

  She took his hand and allowed him to help her the rest of the way up the path to where he stood. "You promised the climb would be worth it," she reminded him. She took off her wide-brimmed hat and waved it in front of her like a fan. They were both breathing hard from the exertion of the climb.

  "I stick with that promise. In fact, I think we're almost there. At least the rest of the way is on fairly level ground."

  She looked through the fronds toward the ocean. "I still haven't grown used to the different colors of the ocean. It's constantly changing, have you noticed? I had no idea a body of water could be so fascinating."

  "I know what you mean," he replied. "I live near the Pacific and since coming here I've realized that I don't spend enough of my time just enjoying it. I've already made several promises to myself about how I'm going to change my routine once I'm home. A trip to the beach is going to be part of my weekly agenda from now on."

  He was pleased that his voice sounded casual and even, and since she faced away from him, he did
n't have to hide the expression on his face as he enjoyed the sight of her standing there unaware of anything but the view. She wore her shorts and shirt over a swimsuit, with the shirt unbuttoned and hanging open. He enjoyed watching the way she moved—with an unconscious grace that stirred his heart. She was as graceful as a gazelle. He couldn't believe he was waxing poetic over this woman, but she had certainly managed to infiltrate all his defenses during these past few days.

  She was a good sport, willing to try new things without fear of looking foolish. He liked to tease her just to see her blush. Her eyes mesmerized him, with their shadows and light. There were times when the sea was the exact shade of green as her eyes.

  He forced himself to turn away and continued following the route he'd marked the first time he came up this way. He heard the falls before he saw them and looked around at her. "I hear them. We're almost there."

  "Not too soon for me, that's for sure. I think I could just stand under the water for the next several hours without complaining," Robin replied.

  They stepped through the fronds that surrounded the inviting pool. The mist from the waterfall wafted over them.

  "Oh, this is too perfect," Robin exclaimed with a laugh, throwing her arms wide as though to embrace the scene. She reached down and pulled off her shoes, then removed her shirt and shorts. "It looks like something from a movie set."

  Steve stripped down to his swimsuit and stepped out of his shoes while he watched Robin slip into the water.

  She gave a sigh of pleasure and swam toward the waterfall.

  ' 'How much exploring did you do when you were here before?" she asked, rolling over onto her back and floating. The clear water gave him a full view of her delectable body.

  "I checked to make sure there wasn't anything in the water that could be considered harmful, if that's what you're asking," he replied, amused by the question.

  "Oops. Maybe I should have asked before I got in. I was wondering if you'd actually gotten into the water before."

  He grinned. "Don't worry. I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought you could get injured."

  She groaned. ' 'Now you sound like one of my brothers. Believe me, I have enough brothers, Steve. You don't need to join the crowd."

  He lowered himself into the water and swam to her. When he stood, the water was to his neck. "You don't have to worry, Robin," he said, "I certainly don't think of you as my sister."

  She lowered her feet, but continued to swim in place. They were facing each other with about a foot of water between them. She looked relaxed and happy, her skin glowing, her hair in its usual braid. "I'm almost afraid to ask how you think of me," she said, with a definite hint of shyness in her voice.

  He reached out and encircled her waist and slowly brought her closer to him. "Do you really want to know?" he asked quietly, his hands resting lightly at her waist to keep her afloat. Otherwise, she would be fighting to keep her nose above the water.

  Instead of pulling away from him, she placed her hands on his shoulders, and stared deeply into his eyes. "Uh-huh."

  "I think of you as beautiful, intelligent, sensitive, caring, and so sexy I can hardly keep my hands off you," he muttered.

  Her gaze held his, although a delicious blush reddened her cheeks. "You think I'm sexy? Really?" She sounded astonished.

  "You'd better believe it. And if I wasn't such a gentleman, I would have kissed you that very first night when you beat me so soundly at pool."

  She pulled herself closer to him, until her breasts touched his chest and let her legs brush against his. "Are you feeling gentlemanly at the moment?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

  "No, ma'am, I'm not."

  "Good," she said with a smile. She pressed her lips lightly against his, as though daring him to respond. Or perhaps she was daring him not to respond, but he was flesh and blood, and no healthy male would have been able to resist her provocative invitation.

  Her mouth trembled against his, mutely telling him she wasn't nearly so bold as she might wish him to believe. He didn't want to scare her—that was the very last thing he wanted to happen—so he returned the kiss with a light pressure, allowing her to take the lead.

  She floated closer, entwining her legs with his. It was a good thing he was standing, because if he'd been treading water at that moment, they would both have gone under. Her utter trust in him scared him to death. They both needed to be on guard, here. He couldn't do this alone.

  That's when he realized that her kiss was eager yet untutored, brushing against his mouth as though unsure of what to do next. He coaxed her mouth open and darted his tongue into the opening, lightly teasing, allowing her to guide him as to how far she wanted to go with this.

  When she drew away, he released his hold on her and warily watched her expression as she gazed at him in surprise. Those long lashes fluttered closed and she leaned toward him once again, repeating the kiss, this time imitating his movements, her tongue toying with his, tracing the shape of his mouth before settling against him in a heated kiss that shot his temperature up to broil.

  "Mmm," she said dreamily, slowly moving away from him. "That was even better than I could have hoped." Then she sank into the water until she was underwater and swam toward the waterfall.

  Steve felt his body temperature had gone up enough to cause the water to boil around him. He wanted to pursue her, to indulge in more kisses that would eventually lead to...

  He didn't want to think where it might lead. She hadn't given any indication that she wanted anything more from him than a light flirtation.

  So he watched and waited throughout the afternoon for some sign of what she might want from him.

  The kiss was never mentioned. Instead, they played in the water until he told her they needed to head back to the house. They dried off and pulled on their clothes over their wet suits, and Robin chatted with him on the way back as though nothing had happened.

  There was no way she could not have been aware of his physical reaction to her, but she had ignored it.

  If she was sending any signals, he wasn't reading them. Could she be so innocent as to not understand how badly he'd wanted to make love to her? She's treated the kiss as something casual between friends. Maybe that's the way she saw them, new friends getting better acquainted.

  What startled Steve was the realization that he wanted more than friendship with Robin....

  While they played poker later that night, Steve acknowledged to himself that he was in serious trouble. Never having been in love, he wasn't certain of the symptoms, but he knew something strange was happening to him.

  As she systematically cleaned out his supply of poker chips, all he could do was watch her expressions, study the way wisps of hair framed her shell-like ears, marvel at the length and thickness of her eyelashes—in short, make a complete fool of himself.

  If any of the men with whom he played poker on Tuesday nights learned that he'd been soundly beaten by a slip of a woman—an innocent college student—he'd become the laughing stock of the station. The bewildering part to him was that he didn't care. That's when he knew he had to come to grips with what was happening to him. And more importantly, he had to decide what the hell he was going to do about it.

  Robin was too keyed-up to go to bed. After Steve excused himself for the night, she decided to walk out to the wooden bench located near the rocky point where they sat each evening to watch the sun go down. Now there was little light except for the sliver of moon and a sky full of stars. She sat and looked out at the water, the foam along the top of the waves giving definition to the movement of the sea.

  She couldn't get their kiss out of her head. No doubt he had a great deal of experience with that sort of thing, but the heat they generated had blown Robin away. She had wanted so much more, but didn't have a clue how to let him know.

  He seemed to enjoy the kiss. At least he hadn't pushed her away. Of course most guys wouldn't turn down a kiss if it were offered. But he hadn't really taken her
seriously, she could tell. He had teased her, keeping his hands firmly on her waist. She would have expected him to touch her more, maybe stroke her back or cup her breast, but he had done none of those things.

  He'd said that he found her sexy, but maybe he'd said that to be polite. If he'd found her attractive, wouldn't he have kissed her again, maybe a simple good-night kiss?

  She couldn't figure men out, that was for sure. Tonight he'd been so uninterested in their poker game that he'd paid little attention to the game and had allowed her to win most of the time. Was he bored with her being there? She still had two more days on the island. If he was bored trying to entertain her, that would explain why he'd gone to his room so early in the evening.

  If only she knew how to let him know how attracted she was to him. What woman wouldn't be? He was probably used to women throwing themselves at him. The last thing she wanted to do was to make him uncomfortable by becoming a nuisance to him. He'd spent the past three days showing her the island, taking her swimming, playing cards, shooting pool. Now that she really thought about it, she could see where he might be impatient to get her off the island so he could have his privacy back.

  She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Boy, she was a complete washout when it came to attracting a man who appealed to her. She'd hoped that by kissing him today he would get the message that she was turned on by him. Maybe he'd gotten the message, but just wasn't interested.

  She sighed, wishing she knew what she could do or say to ease the tension between them. It was embarrassing to admit, even to herself, that she didn't have a clue how to woo a man into making love with her.

  There. She'd faced it. That's what she wanted to have happen on this idyllic island vacation of hers. She wanted to be able to experience what her friends were all talking about. She'd never had a steady, so she hadn't been able to experiment in high school as Cindi and a few of Her friends had.