Quickly, he lifted his gaze. Nicole opened her eyes.
“Look, I’m really sorry Ryan, but I can’t come away with you. It’s impossible.”
Ryan blinked. Had she just turned him down?
“Why not?” he asked, surprised.
Most girls would jump at the chance to go away with him. In fact, he was never short of female company wherever he went. These last three months excluded, but that was only because he’d practically gone to ground.
“Look around you,” she said, waving her arms around. “I have animals. I have a child. I can’t just get up and leave for a week.”
A child?
A cold shiver ran down Ryan’s spine. Nicole had a child. He looked around the room, searching for clues. There was a plastic kiddie cup and plate on the bar counter that separated the kitchen from the lounge. The cupboard underneath the TV cabinet had a safety lock on it. There was a National Geographic Kids in the magazine rack.
“Sorry, I didn’t notice,” he said, feeling silly. Except that only made his problem worse. Vincent was expecting Nicole to show up with him. He couldn’t go alone; he wouldn’t get the contract.
“She’s with her father in Johannesburg this weekend, which is why the house is so tidy,” explained Nicole with a wry grin. “I miss her like crazy, though.”
Ryan was silent. He couldn’t relate. Children had never come into his orbit. The women he dated were usually too obsessed with themselves or their figures to think about kids.
Now what was he going to do? He couldn’t ask her and her kid along. Vincent would know it was a set-up. Although it would up the sympathy factor.
No! He banished the thought. He wasn’t going to even go there. Using a kid to further his own ambitions was beyond even him.
“Where are you going, anyway?” asked Nicole, sipping her tea.
“Mozambique,” replied Ryan, thinking hard. “Vincent owns a couple of villas on Medjumbe Island. It’s part of the Quirimbas Archipelago.”
“I know it,” said Nicole longingly. “It’s a private island resort. I went to Bazaruto once with my ex-husband.”
So she had been married before, too. Wow. Dave had certainly left a lot out in his description of her. He scratched his chin.
“Then you know how beautiful it is,” he said slowly. “We’d have our own beach house, metres from the water, a private plunge pool, a restaurant serving delicious local cuisine—”
“Stop!” laughed Nicole holding up her hand. “You make it sound irresistible.”
“That’s the idea,” admitted Ryan, warming to the topic. He could see the light shining in her eyes; the same light he’d noticed when she was dancing.
Nicole’s smile faded. “I know you need me to go with you, Ryan, but I honestly can’t. I’m sorry. You’ll have to tell Vincent I couldn’t get time off work or something.”
“I doubt he’ll believe me,” said Ryan, chewing on his lower lip. Then he made a decision and looked up.
“What would it take to persuade you to go with me? Anything you want, just name it? If it’s in my power to get, you can have it.”
Nicole stared at him. Now he was trying to buy her?
Her voice hardened. “I don’t want anything from you. Now I’ve said I can’t go, so please let’s leave it at that.”
She glanced at her watch. Olivia would be home in a couple of hours and she still had to vacuum the bedrooms and mow the lawn. Unlike him, she lived in the real world. Vacuuming and mowing were the two things she couldn’t do while her daughter was around. “If you don’t mind, I’ve got a lot to do today before my daughter gets home.”
Ryan put his tea cup down on the coffee table. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. Please, will you hear me out?”
Nicole sighed. “I really don’t have time. I have to mow the lawn and—”
“Come on, one minute?” He ran a hand through his hair. It was lovely and thick, with loose curls that flopped on top giving him a roguish appearance. “Then I’ll mow the entire lawn. I promise.” His eyes crinkled appealingly.
Cute. Definitely cute.
Nicole relented. “Okay, you have one minute.”
“When I started the company five years ago I developed cost-effective products that would help countries make the shift towards renewable energy sources. It worked. Southern Spain now generates much of its power from offshore wind turbines. Brazil is the world’s largest user of solar powered heating and Germany generates large portions of its electricity from wind and solar sources. My company helped this happen.”
He leant forward as he spoke, his forearms resting on his knees, hands loosely linked together. Nicole’s gaze dropped to his fingers. Long, capable fingers.
“Now I’ve got the opportunity to change things on a bigger scale. My latest product will enable countries to double their energy output using the same amount of wind turbines. It will make renewable energy so much more feasible than it currently is now.” He paused. “But only if I can get the funding to test it.”
Nicole thought for a minute. “So what you’re saying is the global sustainability of the environment depends on me going with you to Mozambique next week.”
“Exactly,” Ryan exhaled sharply, his eyes twinkling. “You could help change the way countries look at energy production.”
“Mm....” Nicole chewed on her lower lip. “I’m afraid I’m still not sold. Why don’t you finance your own product development? You have millions in the bank, don’t you?”
“My money is tied up in the company,” he told her. “I can’t write a cheque for twenty mill. Very few people can.”
“But Vincent Mahler can,” she pointed out.
“Yes, Vincent Mahler can.” Ryan stood up. “Please Nicole, come to Mozambique with me. It’s only for a week and it’s for a very good cause.”
He had a point there. But could she pretend to be his girlfriend for a whole week? They’d be living in the same beach house, spending almost every minute of their day together and she’d have to continue the façade in the evenings too, for the benefit of Vincent and his wife.
“I don’t know if I can live a lie for a whole week,” she said, wondering why she was even having this discussion with him. It couldn’t be she was considering going, could it?
“You wouldn’t have to.” His face lit up once he sensed the tables were turning in his favour. “It would only be in front of the Mahlers.”
“But won’t we be with them all the time?”
“No, not all the time,” he explained. “We’ll see them mainly in the evenings and for the occasionally lunch. The mornings and most of the day we’ll have free to do our own thing. There’s diving, water sports, swimming, kayaking – anything you like. Obviously I’ll be spending a lot of time talking to Vincent about the project, but you’ll be free to relax and do anything you want.”
It did sound appealing. Mozambique wasn’t that far away and she was long overdue a vacation.
“I’ll have to see if I can get my mom up here to look after Olivia and Rupert,” she said. “I can’t make any promises at the moment.”
“Yes!” Ryan wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. “Thank you. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
Nicole went very still. This was the most contact she’d had with a male in three years and she didn’t know how to respond. His scent was very masculine, and definitely spicy. She could feel the body heat emanating from his torso through his T-shirt. His chest was rock solid against her breasts.
Ryan didn’t appear to notice. He released her, a big smile on his face. “I owe you huge.”
“I haven’t agreed yet,” she mumbled, but Ryan’s relief was unquenchable.
“Show me where the lawn mower is,” he demanded. “At least I can start paying you back by cutting the grass.” Nicole had to smile at his sudden burst of energy. He was like an exuberant kid, having got his way.
“It’s in the shed, follow me.” At least she could tick one of the more arduous
chores off her list. She led Ryan to the shed outside, squinting against the sun. It was turning into a scorching day.
“Sorry, it’s a big garden,” she said, holding open the shed door while he pulled out the ancient mower. The overgrown grass stretched at least twenty metres in each direction.
“This is a decent-sized plot,” he remarked, eyeing it up and down. “It does need cutting, though. Especially with some of the creepy crawlies you get out here.”
Nicole couldn’t agree more. She’d already pulled two ticks off Rupert in the last week, and Olivia liked to play outside in the paddling pool when it was hot like this. An activity she, herself, rather wanted to indulge in this afternoon.
“I’ll leave you to it then,” she said, wandering back into the house. A few minutes later the loud whirring of the rotors made her glance out of the window. Ryan was pushing the ancient machine up and down the length of the garden – with his T-shirt off!
Nicole stared at his glistening torso, mouth hanging open. Pulling herself together she shut her mouth with a snap. Now there’s a sight you don’t see every day, she murmured. Particularly in her own back yard. Suddenly a week on a luxury island with that didn’t seem such a hardship after all. Perhaps she’d ring her mother once Ryan had left and see if she could babysit for the week.
CHAPTER THREE
The light aircraft skidded to a halt on the asphalt. It was a short runway, only about two hundred metres in length and dusted with a light covering of wispy, white sand.
“Wow,” whispered Nicole, stepping off the plane and looking around her. The aquamarine Indian Ocean surrounded them for as far as the eye could see. The endless expanse of blue was only interrupted by a few, white-crested, lapping waves about half a kilometre out.
“That’s the reef off the northern part of the island,” Ryan told her. “The waves don’t get much higher than your knee, but beyond the reef the sea bed falls away dramatically.”
“I take it you’ve been here before?” queried Nicole, pulling her beach bag up over her shoulder.
He gave a brief nod. “Once or twice. It’s great for diving and deep sea fishing.”
Nicole found herself wondering who he’d come here with on his previous visits. Who had he deemed worthy of sharing such pristine beauty with? Then she shook her head to toss out the thought. It was none of her business.
They followed the pilot up a sandy path that led to a thatched reception area consisting of three co-joined huts, partly hidden amongst lush island vegetation.
“We’ll check in and then go and see if the Mahlers are here,” said Ryan, carrying both their suitcases with ease. Nicole had packed carefully knowing the week-long holiday would consist of frequent dining with their hosts as well as sauntering on the beach and messing around in the water. Plus, she’d remembered to bring her Chanel sunglasses as the rays were relentless. She slipped her hand into her beach bag to put them on.
“Good afternoon,” greeted the man behind the desk. He flashed a brilliant smile which made his teeth appear very white against the dark colour of his skin. “Welcome to Medjumbe Island Resort.”
Ryan checked them in and the receptionist piled their luggage onto a golf cart, then signalled for them to get in. “Your room is on the west side of the island,” he informed them.
Nicole and Ryan climbed on and they set off. As the cart bounced along the sandy path, Nicole marvelled at the quaint thatched beach huts dotted over the island. Each was secluded between lush palms and other natural habitat. Staying here would be like living in your own island paradise.
Less than two minutes later the driver stopped outside the back entrance to a beautiful wooden beach cabin.
Nicole looked around her. “We really could have walked,” she said. “That was hardly worth the drive.”
“The entire island is only a kilometre long,” Ryan informed her, smiling at her incredulous expression.
Nicole gasped as she followed the receptionist into the cabin. The first thing she noticed was the polished wooden floors which were covered with African-style carpets, probably woven on the mainland by local women. The rich patterns included intricate colours and magnificent detail.
Nicole loved the rustic, beachy feel of the cabin, which was split into a fair-sized bedroom , with attached bathroom, and a spacious lounge area. Ryan deposited the suitcases on the king-sized, four-poster bed.
“This is incredible,” mused Nicole, running her hand over the cool white sheets. Mosquito nets, tied back against the four posters, offered night-time protection against the potentially deadly buzzing insects. Nicole had had her shots before she left Johannesburg, so she wasn’t worried about that.
Glass sliding doors, that had been pushed wide open, created a lovely unrestricted flow of air and sunlight through the room. Outside, a wooden deck led to a plunge pool and two reclining deck chairs. Beyond the deck was the beach.
“This is amazing. I don’t know what to do first,” Nicole remarked, running from the bedroom to the deck to the beach and back again.
“Well, I’ll go and check if the Mahlers are here while you have a dip in the pool,” suggested Ryan, tipping their escort and walking him to the door. “I believe they arrived this morning.”
“If you’re sure,” called Nicole, already opening her luggage to retrieve a bikini. “The water looks so inviting. I can’t wait to get in.”
While Ryan was out, Nicole slipped into her bikini, grateful Janine had suggested she have that bikini-wax the day before she left home. After three long years of not having to bother, her bikini-line had needed a drastic trim! So now svelte, waxed and self-tanned, Nicole felt ready to face the world.
“Ah....” Nicole moaned in sheer ecstasy as she submerged her hot, sweaty body into the cool water. The plunge pool was the perfect size. Not too big so it didn’t retain the natural warmth of the sun, but not too small that you couldn’t float aimlessly on your back and stare at the clouds, either.
After ten minutes of rolling over and frolicking like a seal, Nicole sat on the top step, hip-deep in water, and leant back on her elbows. The sky was impossibly blue, like only African skies could be, and she dreamily wondered what the next week would bring.
Ryan returned from locating the Mahlers to find Nicole languishing in the tiniest bikini on the steps of the plunge pool. Her eyes closed, her face tilted back to the sun. The expression on her face was one of pure relaxation.
He cleared his throat, not wanting to startle her. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled lazily at him. For some inexplicable reason his pulse rate quickened.
“You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Oh, yes. The water’s amazing. You should get in.” She waved her arms around in the water, creating little ripples that spread out invitingly.
“I think I will,” Ryan decided. He was hot and bothered and the water looked cool and refreshing. He disappeared inside to put on his board shorts.
When he returned, Nicole still sat on the steps like a mermaid, with her long hair spread out over one shoulder and her legs submerged below the water line.
Ryan sat on the side and dangled his legs into the water. Nicole was right. It was cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to submerge yourself without a shiver. He immersed his body into the watery depths and sighed in relief. “I needed this.”
“I know. Great, isn’t it?”
Now that his eyes were at water level, Ryan was hard pressed not to notice Nicole’s bobbing breasts floating on top of the water. Voluptuous, soft and pale, they looked enticingly attractive, especially her nipples which were responding perkily to the gentle caress of the water. He wouldn’t normally have noticed had the material not been so wet and revealing.
Hastily, Ryan averted his eyes.
“Did you manage to find the Mahlers?” Nicole asked, distracting him from the direction of his current thoughts.
“Yes, we’re meeting them for cocktails at six in the main bar,” he confirmed. She had su
ch a sensual, womanly figure, flaring in all the right places, but slim at the waist and thighs – and she looked amazing in that barely there bikini.
Nicole nodded, oblivious to his less-than-chivalrous thoughts. “So, while we’re here are there any ground rules?” she enquired, innocently.
She had a point. After all, she was pretending to be his girlfriend. They should probably put some ground rules in place so they both knew where they stood.
“Good idea,” Ryan agreed, making small circles with his hands in the water. “Obviously I want to show them that I’m not the philanderer they think I am, so we must make an effort to look like a couple.”
“Aren’t you?” Nicole asked, pushing herself into a standing position and exiting the water. She took a seat on the nearest lounger and looked at him, one neat eyebrow raised.
“A philanderer? No, that’s not a name I’d call myself.”
The eyebrow stretched higher. “Really?”
Damn. He didn’t want to get into this now. And the way she was sitting with her legs slightly apart, with water dripping from every part of her body was making him feel like a hypocrite. He blinked hard.
“Yes, it’s a long story but I’m really not the womanising type. I’ve just had bad luck with girls lately.” That was close enough to the truth.
“Ah-huh.” It was clear she didn’t believe him.
“Anyway, that doesn’t matter. The point is I need to create a good impression so we need to pretend we’re in love. Do you think you can do that?”
“I think so.” She flashed a cheeky grin. “It’s been a while, but I’m fairly convinced I remember what to do.”
Ryan didn’t immediately reply. Nicole had been in love before... well, of course she had. She’d already been married and had a child, things he knew nothing of. For some reason that disturbed him, but he shrugged it off. If she had to draw on her past experience to pretend to be in love with him, then so be it. So long as it was authentic.
“Vincent won’t be easily fooled,” Ryan pointed out.
“We’ll have to make sure we’re convincing then,” Nicole reassured him, lying back on the lounger.
The New Year Resolution Page 3