'Linc—'
'I was ‑' He spoke at the same moment as Allie, and they both halted abruptly. A space of several seconds passed, before Linc said, 'Sorry I interrupted you. What were you about to say?'
'I ... er ...' Allie stammered awkwardly, feeling her face grow warm for no good reason. 'It wasn't important. Please, what were you about to say?'
He laughed softly and she read his thoughts. They were acting like a couple of adolescent teenagers on their first date—awkward, overly polite to one another. While it might not be too far off the mark as far as she was concerned, she bet it was a unique experience for Linc. He didn't strike her as the type of man who was normally ill at ease in the company of a woman.
Somehow, knowing that he shared her tension helped to dissipate it, and she was able to answer easily when he asked, 'I was just going to ask how you think you'll like living out here in Cedar? We haven't many amenities out here, and it's a fair drive into Nanaimo.'
'I think I'm going to like it,' Allie told him. 'I've never lived in the country before, but I'm not much of a city person either. The last place I lived was just a small town.' She hesitated. It was a perfect opportunity to tell him about herself. Henning was just a small town: so small that its only claim to fame was that the Institute was located there. Once he knew that was where she had lived, it would be only natural for him to ask her about the Institute. She could tell him that that was where she'd worked, talk about her job there.
Yet something held her back and she felt almost relieved when Linc moved on with the conversation, talking about Cedar and the people who were her new neighbours. She watched him as he spoke, her thoughts jumbled. Why hadn't she seized the opportunity to set him straight? She'd hated her reputation as an 'egghead', but being treated like the village idiot wasn't any better. Why hadn't she told him?
'They say he had a fatal attraction for women.'
His words startled Allie out of her inattention to what he was saying. 'Who?' Unconsciously she'd been studying him, noting the way his dark hair curled at the nape of his neck, the tiny scar that marred the clean line of his jaw. That phrase—fatal attraction for women—it suited him to a T. Now she knew why she hadn't told him about the Institute, why she'd hedged earlier when he'd made the remark about the science magazine boring her.
His was a fatal attraction, and she had succumbed to it. Somewhere along the line she'd fallen in love with him. She couldn't tell him about herself now; she couldn't risk it. It would be fatal if he rejected her.
'I was telling you about Brother XII—the guy who named this area Cedar-by-the-Sea. Weren't you listening?'
She moistened her lips. 'Yes, of course I was. You just lost me there for a minute, that's all. Now, who was Brother XII again?'
He gave Allie a long look of exasperation, then with patient resignation went back over the ground he'd already covered. It seemed that Brother XII was a conman-cum-religious leader in the late nineteen-twenties who came to Vancouver Island to set up a commune with his followers. Later, the commune was moved to one of the offshore islands. Setting aside his coffee-cup and motioning for Allie to follow him, Linc moved to the railing of the veranda so he could point it out to her.
'You can see the island from here ... no, not there, that one over to the right.' Linc slipped his arm around her waist to position her so that she could better follow his directioning. It was a singularly unhelpful gesture of assistance. With that hard, muscular arm about her, Allie couldn't take in anything but Linc's nearness. The faint scent of his aftershave filled her nostrils, the beating of her own pulse filled her ears.
'Unfortunately for the members of his cult, he was more interested in their money than their salvation. He milked them out of thousands of dollars and, when he'd milked them dry, tried to turn them off his settlement. In the end, they turned on him and he was forced to flee. He dynamited most of the buildings in the commune before sailing away. He hasn't been heard from since, although it's reputed that he left his wealth in gold buried either here in Cedar or on his island. Nobody's ever found it, although a lot have looked.'
For several moments, they looked out across the water to the mysterious Brother XII's island. Linc's arm was still around her, and Allie could feel its warmth burning through the thin material of her dress. Slowly his other arm came up and he linked them about her waist, drawing her back against his chest. She could feel his breath stir her hair and steeled herself to remain rigid in his hold. With her newly realised love, she feared her response if she were to allow it. She would betray herself.
As Linc eased her around to face him, Allie spoke quickly. 'You didn't finish your story. You never told me about Brother XII's attraction for women. What did you mean?'
Linc's eyes held hers in a steady gaze. He knew she was stalling, trying to distract him from kissing her. Her whole body ached for the touch of his lips on hers, but he'd only kissed her as a joke that morning. She hadn't found it funny, though.
He was probably no more serious about it now than he had been then—and she still wouldn't be able to take it as a light-hearted gesture.
His mouth quirked into a waiting smile, but he indulged her. 'It seems that most of Brother XII's disciples were women. There's a story of one woman he met on a train while travelling across the country. She was a very respectable young matron, married to a New York banker. She fell under Brother XII's spell and deserted her husband to live with him on his island.'
He lowered his head and his breath brushed against her temples. 'How does love on a beautiful island sound to you, Allie?' he asked softly.
The husky timbre of his voice flicked over her raw nerve-ends. Her mouth was dry as she averted her gaze from his. She didn't want him to read the answer in her eyes, to discover that, as long as he was the man, love in the middle of a parched desert would be heaven.
He raised a finger to her chin, turning her face back to his. Allie kept her lashes lowered and felt the warm caress of his mouth as it gently touched her lips. Hopelessly, she knew that she was lost. Her hands crept up his chest and she rested her palms against his shoulders. She didn't, she couldn't push him away, though: Her lips softened in invitation, her mouth parted to receive his kiss.
There was no kiss. Instead his arms dropped from around her and he stepped back. Confused, Allie looked up into his face. He gave her a wry smile, then said, 'I guess I'd better answer that before whoever it is wakes up Jason. Mrs Dorcus must be watching television in her room and can't hear it.'
Hear what? Allie wondered. However, at that moment, she heard the peal of the doorbell coming from inside the house. Leaving her with a nod of apology, Linc left the veranda through the living-room door. Alone, Allie made a face to herself. She supposed she had been literally saved by the bell. The kiss had ended before it had really got started, so she'd been spared making a fool of herself by melting all over Linc like an ice-cream cone in the sun. Somehow, though, she couldn't find it in her heart to feel very grateful to his visitor for interrupting them.
Allie walked to the house, pausing at the door. Although he and his guest were still in the hall, she could hear them talking. 'Well, I'm not exactly busy, but I have a guest,' Linc said. 'Allie Smith came over for dinner.'
'Allie?' came the response in sharp, feminine tones. 'Isn't that Clare's friend, who talked you into renting your cabin to her?'
'Yes, she's renting the cabin.'
'Oh, Linc!' the voice chided, and this time Allie recognised it as belonging to Elaine. 'I thought you went to all that trouble fixing the place up just so she wouldn't have an excuse to be over here bothering you all the time?'
'I never said that exactly,' Linc denied. Allie, nurturing a growing feeling of humiliation, wondered what exactly he had said. After all, he must have said something along those lines for Elaine to make a statement like that. Linc continued, 'I invited her to dinner. She just moved in today and hasn't had a chance to get organised yet.'
The couple entered the living-r
oom. Although Allie was standing in full view of the doorway leading to the veranda, Elaine's attention was on Linc and she didn't notice her. 'You shouldn't let people take advantage of you. Now she'll probably be over here all the time expecting you to wait on her,' the other woman predicted. 'You should have let her fend for herself. You're too soft-hearted for your own good. You really need someone to look out for you!'
And I guess we all know who Elaine thinks that should be! Allie thought angrily, stung by the woman's remarks. At that moment, Elaine caught sight of her. The older woman's face flushed an unbecoming shade of fuchsia before she greeted Allie heartily, 'Why, hello, Allie! Linc and I were just discussing a mutual acquaintance of ours.' There was an awkward little silence as that ludicrous falsehood settled and Elaine regained her composure, her colour returning to normal. Finally she treated Allie to a charming smile, asking kindly, 'How are you tonight? I hear that this was moving day.'
Somewhat disconcerted by the other woman's insincere overtures, Allie murmured a response to her greeting, then shot a look at Linc. Unlike Elaine, he was still looking decidedly discomfited. Perhaps it was because he knew she couldn't possibly have swallowed Elaine's feeble explanation of her unflattering remarks, or maybe it was just the situation in general. After all, his girlfriend couldn't be too pleased with him after discovering that he had invited another woman to have dinner with him.
And it wasn't only dinner on the menu, either, Allie thought with a flush of bitterness. Who knew what Elaine would have stumbled in on if she'd delayed her arrival for another half hour? Allie certainly hadn't been thinking about her in the moments Linc had held her in his arms while they were out on the veranda, and apparently neither had he.
Linc was a real louse, now that she thought about it. He hadn't struck her as the philandering type, but then, as Clare was always telling her, Allie didn't know an awful lot about men. She did know that it was common knowledge that Linc was involved with Elaine, though. Wasn't one woman enough for him?
'It was such a lovely evening, I thought I'd drive out and beg a cup of coffee from you,' Elaine went on, ignoring the heavy atmosphere in the room as she slipped her arm confidently through Linc's. 'Have you had yours yet?'
'As a matter of fact, we have, although I'm sure we could go for another cup.' He deftly disengaged his arm from Elaine's possessive hold. 'I'll go fix a fresh pot and bring in some cups.' He looked relieved to have found an excuse to escape.
However, before he could leave the room, Elaine forestalled him. 'Oh, has Mrs Dorcus finished for the day?'
'Yes, she has. I told her I wouldn't be needing her any more tonight.'
'Really, Linc, you spoil that woman,' Elaine admonished, ignoring the fact that it was nearly nine-thirty at night and the housekeeper's day probably started at seven in the morning. She walked over to Linc, recapturing his arm in hers, this time giving it a little squeeze. 'I'll get the coffee.' She turned to look at Allie. 'I have a special way of making it. It comes out quite extraordinarily good, if I do say so myself.'
Allie had no intention of spending what was left of the evening watching Linc's girlfriend drool all over him—no matter how fantastic her coffee was! 'Perhaps I can sample it another time,' she said quickly, snatching her own opportunity to escape. 'I still have tons of stuff to unpack, and I really should be getting on with it.'
'Oh, of course, I understand,' the other woman replied graciously, not that Allie had expected any coaxing from Elaine to get her to stay.
She didn't expect to encounter any protests from Linc either, although in this she was wrong. 'You don't need to rush off. I'll come over in the morning to help you with your unpacking.'
It was hard to say who looked more put out by Linc's offer, Allie or Elaine. However, Elaine recovered first. 'Why, that's a lovely idea. I'll help, too. I haven't got much planned for tomorrow. You know, when I helped Linc with the design of the kitchen, I had in mind where things should go to make it as convenient as possible. If I help you unpack, I can make sure that things are put in the right places.'
'I couldn't put you to all that bother,' Allie protested, appalled by this turn of events. She'd rather live out of boxes for the next three months than have Elaine dictating where she should stow her dishes.
'It wouldn't be any bother. In fact, it'll probably be kind of fun.'
Fun wasn't exactly what Allie would expect out of a morning spent in Elaine's company. How was she going to put her off? She cut Linc a pleading glance, but there was no help in that quarter. In fact, he seemed quite unaware of her dilemma. He probably thought she wanted Elaine's help! Men were so dense at times.
In one last desperate attempt to get herself out of the fix she found herself in, Allie said, 'As a matter of fact, I'll probably have it finished by morning. I'm feeling in the mood to tackle it tonight.' She started quickly across the room to retrieve her bag from the end-table by the couch. Clutching it in her hands, she turned to face the couple. 'You two just stay here and enjoy your coffee. You both must have had full days, and you need a chance to relax.'
'What with moving, your day hasn't been exactly slack. You should be relaxing as well,' Linc protested. 'Besides, it's too late to start unpacking now.'
Allie could cheerfully have strangled him. When he walked over to her and moved to take the bag from her hands, she tightened her grip, as though confronted by a mugger. 'I'm leaving now, Linc,' Allie said abruptly. She saw a flicker of annoyance cross Linc's face, but there was little she could do about it. Tact hadn't been getting her anywhere. 'Don't worry about my unpacking. I'll handle it. Thank you for dinner, and it was nice seeing you again, Elaine.' She managed a travesty of a smile in the direction of the other woman.
This time Linc didn't try to delay her, although she wasn't exactly pleased by his suggestion that he walk her home. However, when she protested, he gestured towards the windows. 'It's almost dark. You'll need a flashlight on the path, so I'll come with you. Elaine can get the coffee started while I'm gone.'
Linc would never make a success of it in the diplomatic corps, Allie thought, as she accompanied him from the house. Neither she nor Elaine were happy with this latest move of his.
They walked in silence towards the base of the bluff, but before starting up the path through the woods Linc halted. Since he was in charge of the flashlight, and the path was a pitch-black tunnel through the trees, Allie had little choice but to stop as well.
'Look, Allie, why don't you have an early night? I think you're tired,' he said, putting his own explanation on her earlier shortness. 'Elaine and I don't mind helping you unpack tomorrow.' She saw the flash of his teeth in the twilight as he smiled at her.
He was like a dog with a meaty bone! Allie thought in annoyance. Why couldn't he just drop it? 'I can fend for myself,' Allie snapped, throwing Elaine's words at him. 'I don't want to take advantage of your soft heart.'
He stood quietly while she glared up at him. Finally she heard him sigh. 'I'm sorry you heard Elaine's unfortunate remarks. I wish you wouldn't take them seriously. I'm afraid Elaine has always been something of a mother hen where I'm concerned. Years ago she was my secretary, and I guess she's never got out of the habit of guarding my time.'
'How nice for you,' she sneered. And Linc thought she was dumb. Any fool could see that Elaine's feelings for him were neither maternal, nor leftover loyalty from the time he was her boss. She didn't want Linc doing things for Allie for the same reason any woman didn't want her man doing things for another woman.
'Look, Allie, can't you climb down off your high horse and meet Elaine half-way? I know she's embarrassed and regrets that you heard what she said.
I was hoping you and she would hit if off. Elaine has a hard time making friends, partly because she does have a tendency to put her foot in her mouth every once in a while. She really didn't mean to hurt your feelings. By offering to help you tomorrow, she's trying to make amends.'
Amends, my foot! Allie thought. She just wants to keep her ey
e on you!
'Couldn't you try to be friends with her?' Linc coaxed.
'No, I couldn't,' she blurted out, sick to death of the conversation. Her voice crackling with ice, she continued, 'Look, Linc, you yourself told me not to make a nuisance of myself. I don't intend to, and I'd appreciate it if you would stop making a nuisance of yourself.'
'Allie!'
'I'd like to go back to the cabin now,' she stated hardily.
For a moment, Linc didn't reply, although his growing anger was a tangible element in the air about them. Suddenly he pushed the flashlight into her hand. 'Then you can damn well go. Sorry I delayed you.' Turning on his heel, he stalked off into the darkness.
CHAPTER SIX
IN THE week that followed, Allie settled into her new home. The day after her dinner with Linc, which was a Sunday, she finished her unpacking. It seemed like a lonely and tedious job as she did it alone. However, it would have been worse having Elaine there to make sure she was putting everything in the 'right' places!
The rest of the week was dedicated to setting up her office. Although she wasn't currently employed anywhere, she knew she would go mad if she didn't find some project to work on over the summer. Already the thrill of partaking in an active social life was beginning to pale, and she was growing restive. Her whole life had been devoted to work, first at school and later in her job. She couldn't just quit 'cold turkey'.
Consequently, she started looking for some kind of computer program she could develop on a freelance basis. A couple of possibilities presented themselves. There was a need in the forest industry for a program that would 'understand', record and compile vocal signals sent in from hand-held walkie-talkies. It would be used by the scalers who went through the forest counting and measuring the trees to estimate the lumber in them.
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