‘You’ll burn. I’ll put some cream on you,’ Hunter declared drily from somewhere above her, and she looked up.
That wasn’t what she had in mind at all, and she shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine. You’re steering the boat,’ she refused. Having him touch her would be the closest thing to torture she could imagine.
Predictably, he didn’t listen. ‘Sibyl’s doing OK on her own.’ Squatting down beside her, he picked up the tube of cream, holding her wary gaze with his own mocking one. ‘You’re not scared, are you, Reba?’
It was just spur enough to make her lie down again. When he chuckled, her hands balled into fists, and she waited in a state of acute tension for the first touch of his hand. She was right, it was torture—but of the very sweetest kind. He made no pretence of doing a simple task, as she had known he wouldn’t. He used the cream to relearn the soft curves of her body, unfastening the catch of her top to allow himself free rein down to the minuscule briefs.
Reba bit back a moan with her teeth clamped to her lip, but it was virtually impossible to stop herself from moving beneath his expert touch. She gasped when his long fingers brushed the sides of her breasts, and jerked as if she had been stung when he began the same ministering technique on her legs. Yet, in a moment of lucidity, she knew his hands were clinging to her, as if he couldn’t bring himself to let her go, and her heightened senses caught the laboured sound of his breathing. He was not immune, responding to the way he was making her respond. They had always been explosive together, and nothing had changed.
Then it was over, his hands were gone, and her aching, aroused body felt bereft. Sanity said she should be glad, but it was hard to be sane when he was so unbearably close to her.
‘Don’t stay out too long,’ Hunter warned gruffly, and the tension in his voice was the only thing which made her look up. She could only see the back of him, but the rigidity was telling. Then he turned, eyes burning hot, the evidence of his own arousal there for her to see. Reba gasped, feeling her stomach clench. He saw, and there was an ironic curve to his mouth as he turned away.
Reba buried her head in her arms and willed her body to stop trembling, and her heart to cease its wild pounding. He had done it on purpose. It didn’t matter that he had been aroused too. He had wanted to underline his claim, and had done so. She had even forgotten that they were not alone. Anyone could have seen, and though they hadn’t been making love, there had been very little room for doubt that that was where they had been headed.
How long she lay like that she didn’t know, but when she finally stirred it was to discover that Eliot had decided to brave it topside. Hunter was at the wheel again, while Sibyl sat beside him. Scrambling to her feet, Reba went to join Eliot, giving him a sympathetic look.
‘Hi, you’re looking better,’ she greeted. ‘Where are we headed?’
‘For one of those islands,’ Eliot returned, pointing ahead to where a group of three or four was slowly getting nearer. Sure enough, a quarter of an hour later, the yacht sat at anchor in the sheltered bay of a tropical island paradise. They ferried the picnic things ashore and set them up in the shade of some palms.
Eliot, restored by the return to land, shed his shirt and slipped on sunglasses. ‘OK, Hunter, that’s everything. You can return for us in an hour or so,’ he pronounced offensively.
Sibyl gasped, and Reba automatically held her breath, knowing the statement would not go down well. From where she stood, she saw Hunter’s eyes narrow dangerously, and waited for fireworks.
‘I’m not your servant, cousin. I was doing you a favour. As far as I’m aware, you don’t own this beach, and I have a perfect right to sit on it. Of course, it’s your privilege to try throwing me off it.’
It was Sibyl who stepped into the breach. ‘Stop being such a boor, Eliot. There’s plenty of food and drink, and at least he’s earned his share of it.’
‘Has he earned his share of you, too?’ Eliot asked nastily, making Reba gasp in distaste at his indelicacy. Hunter wasn’t pleased either, and he growled as he stepped forward.
‘Take that back, cousin, before I ram my fist down your miserable throat!’ he threatened.
Eliot backed off hastily, not doubting that Hunter was fully capable of carrying out his threat. ‘All right, all right, I apologise!’ he said quickly, carefully staying out of reach.
Hunter’s teeth flashed as he smiled contemptuously at his cousin. ‘Very wise. Now I’m going for a swim-anyone care to join me?’
Reba didn’t so much want to go with him, as to wash away the taint of that unpleasant scene. Ignoring the others, she ran swiftly down the golden sand, diving into the first convenient wave.
When she surfaced some time later, it was to discover a fair head bobbing along beside her. ‘Eliot shouldn’t have said that,’ she said, and Hunter laughed wryly.
‘Eliot shouldn’t say or do a lot of things.’
Sweeping her hair back from her face, Reba frowned. ‘I’m glad you came to Sibyl’s defence,’ she said stiltedly, and his smile widened.
‘There’s no need for you to be jealous, tiger-eyes. I’ve always looked on her as a sister. You’re in a different league. A woman like you can give a man sleepless nights,’ he drawled silkily, and even in the beautifully cool water she felt her blood heat. ‘But there’s an age-old cure for them which we’d both enjoy. As soon as you make your decision.’
‘You’re so sure I will agree to anything you say, aren’t you?’ she snapped, kicking herself away from him.
‘Aren’t you?’ he taunted.
‘There are times when I really hate you, Hunter Jamieson!’ she cried, and swam away, heading for the shore as fast as she could go.
Unfortunately, Hunter kept pace with her easily. ‘It’s the other times I’m interested in.’
‘The other times I just despise you!’ she gibed, and spurred herself on to greater efforts, all to no avail because he passed her easily and was waiting on the beach when she finally waded ashore. She slapped away the hand which he held out to her and jogged up to where Eliot sat.
‘The water’s lovely, you should have come in,’ she told him, accepting the towel he held out to her and rubbing vigorously at her hair.
‘You didn’t seem to miss my company,’ he sneered, nodding to where Hunter had joined Sibyl and now sat propped against a palm a short way away.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to stop being so childish, but she was glad she had resisted when she found Hunter was watching them. On impulse she put her hand on Eliot’s thigh, and could almost feel Hunter’s eyes narrow. ‘Of course I missed you, darling,’ she cajoled, leaning across to kiss him. His response took her by surprise. She had been expecting a brief caress, but Eliot jerked her into his arms, swinging her down so that he rested over her, and kissed her with a depth which should have stirred her, but instead left her chilled.
He didn’t seem to notice. When he lifted his head to look down at her, his eyes glittered with satisfaction. ‘That should show them!’ he muttered thickly. ‘But just for good measure…’ His head lowered and he kissed her again, but this time Reba felt her gorge rise at being so used, and she gathered all her energy to push him away.
‘Stop it! I won’t be used to score points, Eliot!’ she warned, letting him see how angry she was.
At once he became apologetic. ‘Sorry, darling, but those two made me so mad! Forgive me?’ he wheedled cajolingly, and she stared at him coldly. He seemed to think he only had to apologise and everything was all right again.
‘No, I don’t think I will,’ she stated flatly, and the look of surprise he gave her might have made her laugh had she not seen the anger which followed it.
‘What do you mean?’ he demanded through clenched teeth, and she smiled thinly.
‘I mean, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous that Sibyl seems to prefer Hunter to you!’ she accused.
Eliot stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard, then, with a fa
ce like thunder, he scrambled to his feet. ‘You’ll regret that!’ he snapped, before spinning on his heel and striding away.
Reba didn’t watch him go. As she rested her head on her arms she was aware of a sense of relief. There was a side of Eliot she hadn’t seen before, and she didn’t like it. He had had no right to try and use her that way.
‘Lunch is ready,’ Sibyl called out, but Reba had lost her appetite.
She pretended to be asleep, and the combined effect of virtually sleepless nights plus the warmth and peace soon turned pretence into reality. When she awoke some time later, everything was so quiet that she thought she was alone, but when she lifted her head and looked around her, she discovered Hunter still apparently asleep beneath the palm-tree. It was Eliot and Sibyl who were missing, and a quick scan of the tiny bay showed no sign of them. She frowned, and jumped when Hunter spoke.
‘Sibyl swam back to the boat some time ago, and Eliot still hasn’t returned.’
‘What?’ The word jerked out of her, because his eyes were still shut. The lids lifted indolently then, and she was speared on the end of his blue gaze.
‘You heard.’
‘Eliot hasn’t come back? How long has he been gone?’ she queried, concerned because she had been responsible for his going off, and anything could have happened to him.
‘A couple of hours. Don’t worry, he’s probably just sulking somewhere. What did you say to him, anyway?’
She scowled at his amusement. ‘None of your business.’
Hunter moved, making himself comfortable on his elbow, the better to watch her. ‘I can probably guess,’ he said with a grin, and allowed his gaze to rove over her. ‘This is like old times. I’ve always enjoyed watching you sleep.’
Reba caught her breath, remembering times when the intensity of his gaze had managed to draw her from sleep. ‘I wish you’d stop saying things like that!’
He sighed and, much to her dismay, rose nimbly to his feet, only to drop down beside her, so close that their breath mingled. ‘What would you have me say?’
She sat up at once, hugging her arms around her legs. ‘Nothing. I’d rather you said nothing!’ she claimed through a tight throat.
‘Liar!’ he countered, and in the next instant his hands came out and grasped her shoulders, pulling her backwards until she overbalanced and tumbled flailing on to the sand. Before she could rally, his thigh came over hers, pinning her down, and he loomed over her, balancing on his elbow. The other hand framed her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his.
‘Do you love him, Reba? Is it going to break your heart to let him go?’ he taunted mockingly.
Hurt spiralled inside her, because that was what she had felt when she had had to spurn him. ‘You bastard!’
His jaw tensed and his eyes flashed warningly. ‘I am what you made me, sweets, and whatever that is, you want it.’ His hand gentled, releasing her to run a tantalising finger across her lips. ‘Has it been a long hard winter without me?’
Her eyes closed in pain. It had been endless winter. ‘Don’t flatter yourself!’
His voice dropped an octave. ‘I wouldn’t, if I thought you were going to fight me. Are you, Reba?’ he whispered.
She opened her eyes at that, and stared at him, trying to probe beneath the surface. Once she had seemed to see so much in his eyes, but now there was only the reflection of herself. ‘I should.’
‘But you aren’t?’
Her hands came up, touching the skin of his back and sending a frisson of pleasure skittering through her system. Everything seemed so simple in his arms. If she stayed there, nothing could hurt her. ‘Dear God, I wish I knew how to!’ she groaned, uncaring of what she might give away.
Hunter went perfectly still as triumph gleamed from his eyes. ‘Capitulation, Reba?’
She didn’t altogether know what it was, she only knew she was where she ought to be, and she was too weak to fight him. ‘Damn you, Hunter!’ she cursed thickly, and his eyes darkened a moment before his head lowered.
She received his kiss with a sigh of satisfaction, opening her lips to welcome him in, joining with him in a sensual exploration which rapidly descended into a battle. Neither could seem to get enough of the other, either with lips or hands. She didn’t know when her top disappeared, only gloried in the wonderful feel of his powerful chest pressed to hers as he came down over her. Her back arched as he slid down her, open mouth finding the frantic pulse in her throat before travelling on to claim the aching peaks of her breasts.
Reba moaned, her nails digging into Hunter’s shoulders as he laved her breasts with lips and tongue, her growing excitement bringing a groan to his own lips as she writhed beneath him. Needs held too long in check broke the bounds placed upon them, and they both
plunged wilfully into the stormy seas of unleashed passion. She ached, so ready for him that she thought she would die if he didn’t soon take her, and the thrust of his arousal was proof enough of just how much he wanted her.
Then, as if someone had turned on a jet of cold water, they both heard a cough. It shocked them into stillness, only the sound of their pounding hearts and laboured breathing echoing around them. Hunter raised his head, staring into her agonised eyes with a look of anger, frustration, and something more which was instantly hidden.
‘Eliot always did have a rotten sense of timing,’ he growled, then, pushing himself to his feet, he sent her one last scalding look before running down the sand and diving into the crystal waters. By the time Eliot erupted on to the beach, Hunter was yards from shore and Reba had struggled into her top, flinging herself down on to her front and burying her face in her arms to pretend to sleep.
Nothing was further from reality. Sleep had never been further off, and neither had peace of mind. These last few minutes had told her, even if she had been inclined to doubt it, that she could give in to Hunter’s threat and share with him the rainbow hues of passion for as long as it lasted. But what might satisfy her body would leave her heart a desert, and she didn’t think she could survive without love for long.
Only Eliot could save her, and he was no longer quite the man she had thought he was. Would he help her? She had to believe it, for if he didn’t, what hope was there for her?
CHAPTER EIGHT
IT WAS still quite early. Reba stood at the water’s edge, wishing the gentle crashing of the waves were as cooling as it sounded. Having tossed and turned and paced away the hours, she had finally decided enough was enough, and dressed and come down to the beach. Shading her eyes, she squinted off into the distance, noting the expanding banks of clouds to the east. It had to be the storm Hunter had foretold, and she wished it upon them. Anything to break the oppressive heat. She would have sworn that it was getting worse by the hour, and the only cool things about her were her feet as she stood in the shallows.
Sighing, she slowly paddled on with listless steps. It was hardly surprising that she had barely slept. It was decision time. After those moments on the beach, she had expected Hunter to visit her last night. When he hadn’t, she had not known whether she was glad or sorry. If he had come, would she have allowed him to make love to her? Allowed? The ache of frustration which had stayed with her told her she would have been an equal participant.
Well, he hadn’t come, and so she had not given him her decision. She wasn’t even sure what she was going to say. No, that wasn’t true. She knew what she might have to say, but she still clung to one slim hope. If only Eliot would come through for her, then she need not suffer the further heartache of a loveless relationship with Hunter.
Stubbing her toe brought her painfully back to the present, and she looked up. There were rocks running down to the water in several places, virtually dividing the beach into a series of private little coves, and she was just debating whether to wade round into the next one or turn back when the sound of voices reached her, stopping her in her tracks. She recognised them easily and, because they belonged to Eliot and Sibyl, she didn’t retreat tactfully, but
took a few cautious steps closer instead.
‘Oh, it’s you. What do you want, Eliot?’ Sibyl greeted him with every sign of distaste.
Eliot’s laugh was equally unfriendly. ‘Just a private chat.’
‘As far as I’m concerned, we have nothing to say to each other,’ Sibyl retorted frigidly.
‘I want to know why you’re here,’ Eliot demanded angrily, and it was almost possible to see Sibyl smile.
‘I realised what happened wasn’t my fault, and I decided I was no longer going to take the blame. I despise you, Eliot, and I came here to let you know how much. Eleanor is my friend, and I’m not going to allow you to destroy that friendship.’
‘That’s your only reason?’
‘What other reason could I have?’
‘If you have any plans to tell Reba about us, forget them, otherwise I’ll make sure you’re very sorry,’ Eliot threatened.
Sibyl’s laugh revealed that she was not alarmed by his aggressive noises. ‘I’m already sorry I ever met you. Listen, you—you toad, I may have had a blind crush on you once, but you cured me of it when I discovered you were cheating behind my back even as you tried to put your ring on my finger!’
Sand ground underfoot as Eliot moved. ‘I ended the affair months ago, just as I told you I would,’ he retorted through gritted teeth.
‘And as I told you, you don’t know how to be faithful to one woman! It wouldn’t be long before you were up to your old tricks again!’ Sibyl shot back contemptuously. ‘My God, you even tried to deny it until I told you I’d seen you with my own eyes!’
‘You never would have found out if Hunter hadn’t told you!’
‘And I’m eternally grateful that he did. If Hunter hadn’t told me about your on-going affair with that waitress, I might have ended up marrying you!’
Dear God, so that was what it was all about, Reba thought distastefully. Eliot and Sibyl had been virtually engaged, but he had also had a mistress. When Sibyl had found out, the engagement had been broken. It shocked Reba to realise how little she knew about the man she had been going to marry. She had never considered he could be unfaithful, but any doubts were ruled out by Eliot’s next reply.
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