Wipe Away The Tears
Patricia Lake
Although she quite liked her old friend Rene Moreau, Jassy hadn't the slightest wish or intention of marrying him, as her stepfather was so forcefully trying to persuade her to do—especially once she had met Max Bellmer, and "fallen in love with him. After all, what possible objection could her stepfather have to anyone as eligible as Max?
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the Author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the
Author, and all the incidents are pure invention. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the
written permission of the publisher. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
First published ig82 Australian copyright ig82 Philippine copyright ig82 This edition ig82
© Patricia Lake 1982
ISBN o 263 73815 9
CHAPTER ONE
THE sun was hot, a dazzling colourless disc burning in the incredibly bright blue sky. The faint lulling whisper of the sea somehow calmed Jassy's uneasy mind and the warm stroke of the sunlight relaxed her pale slender limbs as she closed her eyes and languorously stretched out on the smooth warm rocks, giving herself up to the sun and to the blank orange glare behind her eyelids.
She felt tired. It had taken her a good fifteen minutes to swim out to this secluded outcrop of rocks, but she had felt the need to be alone, even though the beach had been almost deserted, and the mechanical, soothing rhythm of all that swimming and the cool sea, sensuously pleasant against her hot skin, had at least taken her mind off her row with Morgan for a while.
A sweet drowsiness crept over her as she sunbathed, her briefly-clad body still cool, as the salt water dried on her skin. A faint scented breeze counteracted the burning heat deceptively and lifted strands of her pale gold hair as she drifted into a light sleep, a slight smile of contentment curving her softly vulnerable mouth, an unconscious grace curving her relaxed young body.
She woke with a start, not knowing how long she had been asleep, but knowing for certain that something had alerted her. She opened her wide brown eyes, blinking in the glare, to find herself looking up into a pair of cool and amused green eyes.
Jassy struggled into a sitting position immediately, her heart thudding at something in those fierce, mocking eyes, and glanced covertly at the man in front of her wondering how long he had been watching her, embarrassed colour washing over her face at the implications of that thought.
The man had not spoken and Jassy lowered her head, thankful for the heavy curtain of silky golden hair that swung around her face as she did so, hiding her shy embarrassment.
'I'm sorry I had to wake you, beautiful, but you were burning up,' the stranger drawled softly.
Jassy heard the amusement in his cool, low voice and the slight American drawl that gave a deceptive laziness to his words, with confusion and a slight stirring of annoyance and dislike. This man knew he had caught her unawares and he knew that she was embarrassed. He had been watching her sleep for goodness knows how long and she felt invaded, unsettled, that a stranger had been watching her de-fencelessly sleeping.
He obviously expected some reply, so she lifted her glance to his smooth wide shoulders, finding herself unable to meet those green eyes, and licked her lips nervously.
'I suppose I ought to thank you, then,' she said lightly, managing to inject just the right amount of coolness into her low, clear voice, as she touched the tender red skin on her shoulders that told the truth of his words.
The man smiled, a flash of white teeth in his tanned face, a smile that drew Jassy's breath sharply and involuntarily.
'Go ahead—I won't stop you,' he drawled, mocking her, totally aware of her confusion.
Jassy turned her head -away, not bothering to answer him, biting her lip nervously, and wishing he would go away and leave her alone, her wary eyes scanning the hazy blue horizon and resting absently on a tanker that was creeping along the line where the sky met the sea. She felt acutely, deeply aware of the man sitting next to her, disturbed by his presence and the silence seemed to stretch ominously between them until she looked at him again, her wide eyes meeting his with a shock that reverberated throughout her whole body.
'Are . . . are you on holiday he"re?' she asked in a" small nervous voice, needing to talk, and break that silence.
He shook his head, salt water gleaming on his dark hair.
'Business,' he replied shortly, staring at her, his all-seeing gaze sliding down over her soft, rounded, almost naked body in slow appraisal.
Jassy's skin felt hot beneath that hooded gaze and she cursed the impulse that had made her wear the brief violet-coloured bikini that morning. It was far too revealing, as the stranger's dark glance told her, and she longed to cover herself from him.
'Beautiful,' he murmured, smiling faintly as his eyes returned to her very flushed face. 'Quite beautiful.' His voice was a caress and Jassy swallowed convulsively. Without thinking, only knowing that she could not cope with the strange tension that was sparking between them, she slid off the rock into the cool water and began striking out strongly for the beach.
The splash behind her told her that he was following and made her swim faster, her stomach turning over with what she realised was ^lmost fear, coupled with another deeper, trembling emotion that she could not recognise.
It only took him a moment to catch her up and he streaked past her, his brown body cutting through the water with speed and power. Jassy swam on steadily, irritated, for some reason, with his obvious show of superiority in the water. So he could swim better and faster than she could—she had known that, one look at his powerful, muscular physique had told her.
It seemed to take forever to reach the shore, and as she swam with increasingly tired limbs, the dark man stayed near her, swimming, floating, his strength making him tireless, his nearness conveying protection.
At last they reached the beach, with Jassy breathing heavily, hardly able to move her arms and legs at all, she felt so exhausted. Perhaps it had been a mistake to swim out so far, and she had not really considered getting back. Typically me, she thought wryly as she waded through the shallow water, only wanting to fling herself on to the hot sand, carefully not looking at the tall stranger beside her. An instant later, because she was not paying attention to what she was doing, her foot caught something sharp embedded in the sand and she fell, embarrassed and undignified, splashing into the shallow water with a small cry of alarm.
The man was beside her immediately, and she felt the heavy muscles of his arms tightening as they coiled around her wet body, pulling her to her feet, then swinging her up against his body.
She pushed at his broad shoulders, her hands curling in shock against his smooth bare skin as she found herself pressed to his damp chest a second later.
'Let me down,' she muttered forcefully, still not daring to meet his dark and undoubtedly amused eyes.
He did not answer, but carried her effortlessly up the deserted beach and deposited her gently on the soft sand.
Jassy sat perfectly still for a moment, breathing deeply and trying to quell the disturbing confusion that being so near him had ar
oused, then she pushed back the heavy soaking weight of her hair and looked up at him.
He was standing in front of her, his strong legs planted firmly apart, watching her with lazy green eyes.
'Thank you,' she said quietly, her glance skittering over his hard, lean body. He was very tanned, strong and physically fit, his skin like oiled teak over powerful muscles and sinews. Brief black swimming trunks revealed his hard flat stomach and strong thighs.
Meeting his suddenly intent eyes, Jassy had the strong impression of self-confidence, self-awareness and a certain wildness in him. A free spirit, she thought. Too free.
'Is your foot hurt?' He was still staring, and Jassy felt strangely uneasy as she examined her foot. It was sore, but luckily the skin was not broken.
She shook her golden head. 'No, it will be fine.'
The man smiled. 'Why did you swim out so far?' he asked curiously.
Jassy shrugged, bringing her thoughts back to Morgan. 'I suppose I was running away,' she replied honestly, her voice a little breathless. She got to her feet, feeling out of her depth, still disturbed by his compelling gaze as he watched the graceful movement of her body with veiled eyes.
'At least you're honest, child,' he teased softly.
Jassy's gaze jerked to his face, her brown eyes wide. He had called her 'child', and that rankled, although she probably did look like a schoolgirl, she thought ruefully, with her hair in such disorder and her pale face bare of make-up.
She looked around for her towel and beach-wrap.
She really ought to be getting back to the hotel. Morgan would be wondering where she was.
'I have to go,' she murmured, realising with a shock that her reasons had nothing to do with Morgan, but more with the fact that she did not want this tall stranger thinking of her as a child. 'And thank you again. . . .'
The man frowned slightly. 'I did nothing,' he said firmly. 'But you could do something for me.'
Jassy had lifted her arms and begun wringing out her thick hair, totally unware that such graceful actions drew the man's deep unwavering gaze to her full breasts. She stopped as he spoke, her arms dropping like stones to her sides, a flash of heat searing through her as she caught his expression. Then he smiled again, his lean dark face fiercely attractive, his green eyes warm and persuasive.
'Have dinner with me tonight,' he said softly.
Jassy swallowed, her face flushing. Dinner with this American stranger appealed to her, far too much.
'I'm sorry, I ... I already have a dinner date,' she stammered, truthfully. She had already promised Morgan and she was disappointed.
The stranger shrugged, his wide shoulders lifting gracefully. 'Some other time, perhaps?' he said gently, as if aware of her fear and nervousness, as if aware that he could frighten her away very easily.
'Yes.' Jassy nodded vaguely, 'I really have to go now. Goodbye.' She turned away from him, not waiting for his reply, and walked over to where she had left her things, aware that he was watching her, every inch of the way.
She glanced round once more as she hurriedly made her way towards the hotel. He had not moved, but was still standing watching her, his powerful body gleaming in the bright light, his dark head turned towards her, and she did not feel safe until she was out of his view, inside the cool dark reception area of the hotel.
The way he had looked at her had disturbed her more than she realised, awakening a deep unknown response inside her. He had made her aware of him as a devastatingly attractive man, but more than that he had forced her to acknowledge an awareness of herself as a woman, which was a new and strangely exciting experience for her. And she did not' even know his name. Shaking her head wretchedly, she frowned as she went up to her room, relieved to be out of range of those clever green eyes.
She showered hurriedly, gasping beneath the cold water, as soon as she reached her room, then dressed in a buttercup-yellow sundress with thin shoulder straps and a low neckline that left her pale shoulders bare and swung coolly around her slim legs, carefully avoiding the reflection of her slender body in the large mirrors. She brushed out the tousled brightness of her hair and made up her eyes and lips hurriedly, before seeking out Morgan.
She found her stepfather sitting on the balcony of their suite of rooms, reading a Spanish newspaper. He did not hear her barefooted approach, and her eyes lingered affectionately on his long heavy body, somehow incongruously coiled into a delicate-looking cane chair, and shaggy white head bent in concentration, before making her presence known. He could be a monster, but he was the only family Jassy had left, and she loved him.
'Hi, Morgan. Are you going to take me out to lunch?' she asked brightly, dropping a kiss on his white head.
Morgan looked up, his light eyes amused. 'A little early, isn't it?'
Jassy shrugged carelessly, her eyes automatically skimming the beach below them. She could see no sign of the tall dark stranger.
'I'm starving,' she admitted. 'It must be all this unaccustomed exercise,' she added with a smile. '
Morgan folded his newspaper, and got to his feet. 'Perhaps I can persuade Pierre and Rene to lunch with us,' he remarked blandly, glancing at his watch, his mind obviously scheming.
Jassy spun round to face him with suddenly angry eyes. 'Please don't start that again, Morgan! If you want to lunch with Pierre and Rene just say so, and I'll make my own arrangements,' she said irritably. Although the earlier row between them—J assy's reason for escaping to the beach—was forgotten, Morgan had not given up. He made no secret of the fact that he was hoping for Jassy to marry Rene, and ever since they had arrived on the island he had wasted no time in throwing them together at every opportunity, urging, cajoling and bullying Jassy to be nice to him.
Morgan Carrington was totally and utterly ruthless and cold-blooded when it came to business, using anything and everything to get his own way, even his stepdaughter.
Jassy was well aware of his manipulations, but as they had not yet become too serious, she was trying to put them to the back of her mind. It was not easy.
Morgan smiled now, amused at her irritated outburst, wise enough to know that Jassy was as stubborn as her Mother before her.
'Calm down, Jassy,' he said placatingly, taking her arm. 'We'll lunch together, just the two of us. I didn't mean to upset you.'
Jassy smiled, aware of his cunning, but her irritation was forgotten. 'Shall we eat here, or in town?'
'It's up to you, darling, which would you prefer?'
Jassy knew that he was trying to get round her.
'In town,' she decided, after considering for a moment.
They took the lift downstairs and strolled out to. Morgan's car, still arm in arm. The air was still and terribly hot and Jassy could feel the heat of the concrete pavement through her thin sandals. Beautiful weather, she thought happily, lifting her face to the sun.
The roof was down on the expensive sports car that Morgan had hired for their stay here, and as the car picked up speed along the coast road, the blissfully cool breeze whipped Jassy's long hair around her face as she stared dreamily at the sparkling blue sea.
They lunched under rainbow parasols in a street-side cafe picked out by Jassy, both choosing fish, a local speciality, and salad. Morgan was unusually quiet.
'What's worrying you, Morgan?' Jassy finally asked, after chatting to virtually no response for most of the meal. She twirled her wine glass nervously, feeling vaguely uneasy as she stared at him, waiting for his answer. Perhaps he and Pierre had run into difficulties with the land deal—their reason for being on the island—they were currently involved in. Jassy had seen the plans for the huge hotel and pleasure complex, lying around in the suite, but had not paid much attention.
Morgan frowned, his almost colourless eyes meeting hers briefly before veering away.
'Nothing for you to worry about, my darling,' he answered evasively. 'Business.'
Jassy sighed. It was always business. The man she had met on' the beach had come to the island
on business, she remembered. At the thought of him her mind became crowded with his image, his hard brown body, his mocking and intent green eyes, his lazy American voice. He did not have the look of a businessman, the jaded cunning that she had seen so often in Morgan and his associates. He looked free and wild, and it surprised her to realise that she remembered every single second of her brief and embarrassing encounter with him. He was lingering in her mind in a way no other casual acquaintance had before. It was extremely disturbing.
Morgan was still silent and preoccupied as they finished lunch and Jassy decided to leave him to if, knowing from bitter experience that when her stepfather's mind was on business, there was nothing she could do to gain his attention.
'I think I'll do some shopping while we're here in town, care to come with me?' She knew what his answer would be before he shook his head. So promising to take a taxi back to the hotel, and refusing the crisp wad of notes he tried to press into her hands, she picked up her straw shoulder bag and left the cafe.
She calculated that she had a couple of hours before most of the shops closed for the afternoon siesta, and she planned to make the most of them. She strolled slowly down the bright, dusty streets, ignoring the blatant remarks of young, dark-skinned men who did not hide their appreciation of her unusual fair beauty, exploring leisurely the small dark shops that were literally crammed with fine examples of local crafts. Being an only child, she was used to doing things alone, and her cool independence rendered her more than capable offending off ardent admirers, as she made her purchases.
She bought a beautiful terracotta vase for Beth, Morgan's long-suffering housekeeper, cheerfully bargaining with the stout, smiling shopkeeper, and then wandered into the nearby bazaar, fascinated by the noise and the warm mixture of smells that issued from the densely-packed stalls. She bought a silver tie-pin for Morgan and some filigree earrings for her best friend Lavender, and then dithered over a silver bracelet for herself, finally deciding to leave it for the moment.
As she emerged from the bazaar the sunlight hit her forcefully and she began to wish that she had brought a hat with her, unused as she was to such relentless heat. She blinked in the blinding glare for a few seconds, deciding that her throat was so parched it was time for a long cool drink and an opportunity to sit down for a while.
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