More confused than ever, Ariel stared after him. What had that been about? Why was he thanking her? She shrugged and resolved to put him out of her mind. At least until he’d returned from his trip.
* * *
Jarrett fastened his seat belt and nodded at the pilot.
Instantly the jet engines roared as the small plane rolled forward down the runway. The flight would take less than twenty minutes, barely enough time for him to glance at a magazine. But instead of reading, he turned toward the window. As they rosé gently into the sky and banked northeast, he caught a glimpse of the beach by his house. He wondered if Ariel and his niece had already left for their horseback-riding trip.
If Ariel’s plan had been to seduce him, he’d given her the perfect opportunity. But she hadn’t taken the bait. Instead she’d kept her promise to a nine-year-old child, insisting that was more important than a night of passion. If he hadn’t felt her trembling response the previous evening, he might have been insulted. But he knew Ariel had wanted him as much as he’d wanted her.
So now he could make his decision about trusting her. He was finally willing to believe she was who she claimed—a woman with no memory of her past. He should be pleased. And he was. Except for the fact that what had started out as a simple test had instead become a genuine request. He wanted Ariel to be with him now. He wanted to have her join him for dinner and to spend the night with her. He wanted to be with her and he wanted to make love to her.
Which made the guilt difficult to ignore. He’d been wrong to mention the possibility of her recognizing something on the island. Now that he believed her story, his taunt had been cruel and unnecessary.
The view changed to vivid blue sea. He straightened in his leather seat and closed his eyes. He would make it up to her, he decided. For as long as she wanted to stay, he would give her a place in which to recover from her memory loss. She would spend Christmas with Anna Jane and himself so she wouldn’t have to be by herself. She would be a part of the family. A temporary member so she wouldn’t feel so alone.
* * *
Anna Jane glanced around the dining room. “I miss Uncle Jarrett,” she said.
“Me, too,” Ariel agreed, then realized she was telling the truth. She did miss Jarrett. While he didn’t always talk a lot at the table, his presence had power and even in silence he dominated the room. Tonight, despite the lights overhead, the room felt dark and empty. As if the heart of it was gone.
You are in more trouble than you know, Ariel told herself. Lord help her, she was falling for him. It was an intolerable situation. She refused to be attracted to a man who wouldn’t let himself trust her. But did she have a choice in the matter? Was it too late for her to turn back? Unfortunately, she didn’t have an answer to that one.
“Is he coming back tomorrow?” Anna Jane asked.
“That’s what he said. Did he come talk to you and explain about the trip?”
Anna Jane nodded. “He said he would just be gone overnight, but I wanted to check for sure. Sometimes grown-ups go away and never come back.”
Ariel stretched her hand across the table and squeezed the girl’s fingers. “Uncle Jarrett isn’t like most people,” she said. “He cares about you. Don’t worry, he’ll be back.” Too late she remembered that the people in Anna Jane’s life hadn’t left because they’d wanted to. Her nanny had been unable to return because of an ill family member and her mother had gone away by dying.
But the child seemed to accept the explanation. She finished the last couple of bites of her rice, then pushed her empty plate away. “I have to get Uncle Jarrett something for Christmas. Leona said to look through some catalogs and order it, but is it too late for that?”
“With overnight mail, anything is possible. Do you have anything special in mind?”
Anna Jane scrunched up her nose. “I want to get him a nice pen. The one he uses at his desk is all scratched. Plus, they can put writing on it and then he’d always know it’s his.”
“What a great idea.”
Anna Jane chatted on about another couple of ideas. As Ariel listened, she realized she’d grown accustomed to spending time with the little girl and would miss her terribly when she had to leave. Somehow, in a very few days, she’d made a life for herself on St. Alicia. But it wasn’t the real world. Her life—wherever and whatever that was—waited for her. It was just a matter of time until she began remembering more or something triggered her memory to return.
She wondered what she would find when she remembered. Had this experience changed her? Would she like that other person, the real woman who lived in this body? When she returned to herself would she still feel the same about Jarrett, or would her emotions be tempered by different life experiences?
What would happen if she didn’t remember? Where would she go? How did one go about finding a lost life, and if she had nowhere else to be, however would she find it in herself to leave Jarrett?
Chapter Eight
Anna Jane leaned back against the tree base and stared up at the sky. If she squinted hard, she thought she could make out the tiny dot that was her uncle’s plane. But in a couple of seconds she realized it was just a bird. She giggled, wondering what Uncle Jarrett would think if she told him she thought he was a bird. He would probably smile. He might even laugh. Ever since Ariel had arrived, her uncle had been smiling and laughing more. That made her happy.
She looked around at all the brush and trees. The island was very beautiful. Sometimes she missed New York. All the people and the noises and the smells. But most of the time she liked the island better. She could think here. Sometimes she thought about Nana B. and how much she missed her. Her chest hurt then, and she wanted to cry. When she gave in to the tears, she felt sad, but relieved. Here on the island it was easier to cry. In the city she’d worried about doing the right thing a lot.
A hum caught her attention. She glanced up and saw a tiny, glinting object in the sky. It moved toward her, growing larger and larger. She stood and began to wave. She didn’t know if Uncle Jarrett could see her yet, but she knew he was looking for her. She knew when he saw her he would wave back.
She knew he loved her. Oh, he couldn’t say the words, but when she told him she loved him, his face got all tight and he swallowed. She’d seen him. When she’d first arrived, she hadn’t been sure he wanted her here. She knew he wasn’t used to children. Her mother had told her that many times when she’d explained why Uncle Jarrett had never come to visit. But he was getting used to having her around.
Just as he was getting used to having Ariel around. Anna Jane clasped her hands together to hold in her excitement. When she thought about the two of them, she was happy inside. They looked at each other differently than they looked at other people.
“Oh, please, Lord, let Ariel and my uncle fall in love,” she whispered, praying as she did several times each day. She hoped God was listening. She didn’t care about getting presents for Christmas…well, maybe she cared a little, but more than anything she wanted her uncle and Ariel to be together. She liked having Ariel around. She made Uncle Jarrett laugh. She made Anna Jane feel better about missing Nana B. Ariel was the best part of her mother and Nana B. all in one. She could be happy on this island with her uncle and Ariel. They could all be happy.
The plane swooped down out of the sky. She waved harder and at last could see her uncle in the window waving back. She grinned and ran toward the edge of the runway.
* * *
Ariel paced restlessly in the library. The quiet of the house was oppressive. Although she loved the place and thought it was stunningly beautiful, with Jarrett away it was just an empty house.
The worst of it was he’d been gone less than twenty-four hours. If she was moping this much now, what would it be like when she had to leave? How would she survive missing him?
As she scanned the titles of books in his library, hoping to find something to read, her mind wandered. She thought about the possibility of staying. She could be
happy here—with Jarrett. At least, that’s what her body had told her last night when she couldn’t sleep. The restlessness had sent her pacing back and forth in her bedroom until nearly dawn. She’d thought about Jarrett’s invitation and had wondered what it had meant. She hadn’t regretted spending time with Anna Jane. She’d enjoyed both their afternoon riding and their quiet evening together. But a part of her had longed to be with Jarrett.
She strolled around the library, picking up a book only to flip through the pages, then put it back. Nothing caught her eye. Nothing could distract her from the physical need to see him again. Maybe she should have gone with Anna Jane to wait for the plane. She shook her head. It would be more special for the little girl to meet her uncle and have private time with him. The two of them needed to keep bonding. They needed to form a family unit.
Wouldn’t it be nice if she were a part of that? Could she really be happy here, on the island? Ariel knew there was no way to answer that question until she knew who she was. All her feelings for Jarrett were based on the fact that she didn’t have a past.
She pushed another book back onto the shelf and glanced at the clock, wishing time would move more quickly. She wanted Jarrett home. She wanted to see him and hear his voice. She wanted his gaze to settle on her so her breath would quicken and her chest get tight. She wanted to kiss him and—
Her foot bumped into something and she stumbled. As she caught her balance, she noticed a box sticking out from the bottom shelf, and she bent to look at it. The gray cardboard box was one of those containers designed to hold magazines. She pulled it out and flipped through the contents.
The eclectic collection made no sense. Most of them were business magazines, but not different issues of the same one. There were a few small newspapers tucked in, as well. Ariel sat on the floor and pulled out the first magazine. She leafed through it, wondering why Jarrett had kept it. Then she turned the page and she knew. There was an article about him.
She checked them all, and that was what the publications had in common. Each had featured Jarrett or his company in some way. She returned to the first one and started to read.
He’d given her a thumbnail sketch of his past, so she wasn’t surprised as the journalist outlined Jarrett’s brilliant rescue of the family’s failing hotel business. She’d known he’d completed college in just three years, but she hadn’t guessed it had been Harvard. In fact, she hadn’t actually grasped the fact that Jarrett owned a hotel chain. The man was wealthy, successful and powerful. Why hadn’t she noticed?
Ariel bit her lower lip to hold in a faint moan. Dear God, she’d been living in the home of a reclusive millionaire and she hadn’t given it a moment’s thought. He wasn’t just a guy who had been nice enough to offer her a place to stay. He made deals worth billions; he had an empire. No wonder he hadn’t trusted her.
She continued to read the articles. Most of them went over the same material. A few featured acquisitions and two were about the building of the jewel in the crown of the Wilkenson chain—the resort on St. Alicia. He’d accomplished so much in such a short period of time. He was brilliant and gifted and resourceful and she didn’t need her memory back to know she was definitely out of her league.
She turned a page in the magazine and saw a shaded sidebar. The title of it was Romantic Mystery Haunts Tycoon’s Past. Ariel stiffened, then forced herself to relax as she read. There wasn’t much information, just a brief story about how there were rumors of a romantic entanglement in Jarrett’s past. No details were mentioned, just hints that an explosive love had gone desperately wrong. A woman had mysteriously died in a fire in Jarrett’s home. He hadn’t been there at the time, nor had he made any comment about the woman or the fire that had reduced the structure to ashes. Shortly after the fire, the resort on St. Alicia had been completed and Jarrett had taken up residence on the island. He’d been a recluse ever since.
Ariel closed the magazine and hugged it to her chest. Who was the woman and why hadn’t she been able to escape the fire? What was the secret of Jarrett’s past? She realized with dismay that she was upset by the news that he’d been involved with someone. That another woman had touched his heart and his soul. Even as she told herself she was being crazy, she knew all the words in the world wouldn’t matter. Her feelings for Jarrett were a tangled mess that showed no signs of getting straightened out.
But it didn’t matter. The magazine articles had confirmed what she’d already sensed. She might not remember her past or know who she was, but she didn’t belong in his world, either.
* * *
Anna Jane rolled the dice. When she quickly counted up the squares, she yelped with excitement. “Another railroad. I want to buy it.”
Ariel raised her eyebrows. “She’s a real estate tycoon. It must be in the genes.”
Jarrett pointed to her properties, dotted with green houses and red hotels. “You’re not doing too badly yourself. Although I’d like to talk you out of a couple of addresses.”
“Not a chance.” She grinned and tossed her head. Blond curls went flying.
He chuckled. They’d been playing for the past couple of hours. There were several faxes and E-mail messages waiting for him, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave the living room to take care of business. Maybe for the first time in his life something else was more important.
He glanced around the room. Despite the fact that it was still afternoon and plenty warm, a fire glowed brightly in the fireplace. Anna Jane had mentioned how nice it would be. Real log fires were a part of her holiday celebration and he hadn’t wanted to disappoint her. The large Christmas tree twinkled in the corner. There were boughs of pine all around the room and decorations on tables, walls and over door frames. He tried to remember the last time he’d been in a home that had been decorated for the holidays, and couldn’t. He was grateful to Ariel for suggesting he do this. Not only for Anna Jane, who deserved some care in her life, but also for himself. He needed a little cheer, too.
Ariel rolled the dice and rounded the board, collecting her money with a triumphant wave. “Time for more real estate. I’m having trouble keeping up with you tycoon types.”
Anna Jane laughed. The high, pure sound caused his heart to ache with emotion. Maybe Tracy hadn’t been wrong to name him guardian of her daughter. He still wasn’t sure of his way, but he’d come to care for the child more than he’d thought possible.
A voice in the back of his mind mocked him. Was he thinking of a family at this late date in his life? He silenced the voice with the reminder that he was thirty-two. Hardly an old man. A family was a real possibility. Except for one thing—he knew the danger of getting involved. No one had to teach him that lesson twice. Early on he’d resolved never to love anyone, and his past had only reinforced that decision. He wasn’t going to change his mind now. Caring about Anna Jane was safe because she was a relative and a child. He would be a second father to her—that he could handle. Loving a woman was something else entirely. Love and trust weren’t in his vocabulary.
And yet… He watched Ariel absently brush her hair off her shoulders. Her shorts and T-shirt weren’t stylish or expensive, yet they enticed him more than any seductive gown could have. She sat cross-legged, her honey-colored thighs within touching distance. His fingers itched to feel her smooth skin. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and—
“Uncle Jarrett, it’s your turn,” Anna Jane announced, holding out the dice. “You’re not paying attention.”
“Sorry.”
He rolled and landed on one of Ariel’s hotels, then winced when she announced the rent. “I could give you a break,” she said. “After all, you’ve been a gracious host.”
He gazed into her green eyes. “Maybe we could work out a trade.”
It took a couple of seconds for his suggestion to sink in, then her mouth parted in surprise as color climbed up her cheeks to her hairline.
“You have to pay, Uncle Jarrett,” Anna Jane said. “You can’t weasel out of it.”
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He raised his eyebrows. “Are you calling me a weasel?”
The girl smiled. “No. But you’re acting like one.”
He pounced on her, pulling her close and tickling her. She squealed. “Let me go, let me go,” she gasped between giggles.
She pushed at his chest.
With a last tickle along her ribs, he released her. Instead of moving away, the girl snuggled close and rested her head on his chest. “We missed you while you were gone.”
He touched Anna Jane’s smooth hair. “I missed you, too.”
She glanced up at him. “Both of us?”
His gaze flicked to Ariel, who was watching them. “Both of you.”
His words were for the child, but the meaning belonged to the woman. He had missed her. More than he should have…more than he’d wanted to. Usually he lost himself in business, but not yesterday or this morning. Again and again his attention had strayed as he’d thought about what Anna Jane and Ariel were up to on the island. He’d wanted to be with them, watching them, laughing with them.
A knock on the open door made them all look up. Leona put her hands on her hips. “I don’t want to interrupt the game, but you, little one, insisted you were going to help me with my next batch of cookies. I’m going to start them now. You can help or you can continue to play your game. It’s up to you.”
Anna Jane scrambled to her feet. “I’ll help with the cookies,” she said as she dashed to the door. Then she glanced back at him. “Is that all right, Uncle Jarrett? Can we finish the game later?”
“No problem.”
“Thanks.” She ran ahead of Leona and clattered toward the kitchen.
Ariel moved the board game across the floor until it was under the coffee table, then leaned back against the sofa. She stretched her long legs out on the hardwood floor. “She has so much energy. Sometimes I get tired just watching her.”
“She is amazing.”
Ariel looked at him. “You seem to be more comfortable with her.”
The Mysterious Stranger (Triple Trouble) Page 10