‘Are you sure of that?’ muttered Cathryn nervously, as another wild howl of wind rattled the doors and windows. ‘I’m really looking forward to getting back to the mainland!’
‘There may be one or two problems there,’ Nicholas warned.
‘Problems?’ she repeated edgily. ‘What sort of problems?’
‘A wind like this always whips up very heavy seas. I doubt if we’ll be able to make the crossing tomorrow.’
‘You mean we’ll be stuck here another day?’ she said in alarm.
Nicholas didn’t seem particularly concerned by the prospect. ‘We’ve plenty of food, and wood for the fire. We can easily get by for another day or two.’
‘I thought it was going to be just one more day! Now you’re talking about two. Which is it?’ she demanded.
‘I don’t know,’ he said with complete honesty. ‘I don’t have any control over the weather.’
‘No, you don’t,’ she agreed tightly. ‘But it is your fault that we’re going to be stranded here. You should have realised this storm was coming, and got us off in time. In fact, you shouldn’t even have brought us here in the first place. This is a ridiculous time of year to go flitting off to an island. Everyone knows you get storms in the autumn!’
Nicholas studied her thoughtfully. ‘What’s brought on this little outburst? The thought of being stuck here for another day or so? Or is it because you’ll be stranded here with me?’ he finished softly.
Cathryn’s hands fluttered ineffectually. She didn’t know how to answer his question without telling him more than she wanted him to know. While she was still trying to think of the right words, another loud crash from outside made her jump, and by the time her jangled nerves had settled down again she found Nicholas was holding her shaking hands within his own.
‘I can’t do anything about the storm,’ he murmured. ‘But I might be able to make you forget it for a while.’
Cathryn had the feeling that his quiet offer was the most dangerous she had ever had. And it was frightening how tempted she was to accept it.
‘No, thank you,’ she forced herself to say in a polite voice.
‘Any particular reason for your refusal?’
‘I don’t have to give reasons!’ she said indignantly. ‘Even though I’ve got several very good ones.’
‘Such as the fact that you’re still annoyed that I once accused you of chasing after my brother?’ Nicholas suggested calmly.
‘That certainly didn’t make me like you any better!’
‘What if I told you that I don’t think that any more? That I’m willing to accept that you work for my brother, and that’s all?’
Cathryn stared at him suspiciously. ‘What made you change your mind about me?’
‘I don’t really know,’ he said with an odd smile. ‘Except perhaps that you’re just not cold and calculating enough to be a fortune-hunter.’
‘I might be very good at acting,’ she pointed out stiffly.
Nicholas immediately shook his head. ‘No, you’re not good at it at all. It’s usually fairly easy to guess what you’re thinking and feeling.’
And that was a highly disturbing thing to hear him say. To cover her confusion, Cathryn sat up very straight and tried to withdraw her hands from his.
‘The storm seems to be dying down a bit. I—I think I’ll go back to bed now and try to get some sleep.’
Nicholas held on to her chilly fingers very firmly. ‘The storm hasn’t even hit its peak yet. I think you’d feel a lot better if you stayed down here with me.’
‘I’m tired,’ she insisted.
He tossed a couple of cushions towards the end of the sofa, to act as pillows.
‘Then lie down here,’ he invited.
‘It’s—it’s too cold,’ Cathryn said quickly.
‘I’ll get a couple of blankets, and light the fire.’
He was as good as his word. Minutes later, logs were crackling in the grate and he had fished a couple of blankets out of a cupboard. Cathryn wrapped one around her shoulders. She had rushed out of the bedroom in just her nightshirt, and was genuinely freezing now.
‘This house is like a fridge,’ she grumbled. ‘I haven’t been warm since I got here. And I’ve been absolutely frozen at night.’
‘You really need something to keep you warm,’ Nicholas agreed.
‘What do you suggest?’ she asked scathingly. ‘A hot-water bottle? Unfortunately, I didn’t bring one with me. I didn’t know you were bringing me to a place that hasn’t got any proper heating!’
‘A hot-water bottle’s fine, if there’s one around. Failing that, the best thing is to curl up with someone else.’
But Cathryn wasn’t falling for that one. ‘I’m fine with this blanket,’ she said firmly.
‘But I’m not,’ Nicholas pointed out. ‘Under this bathrobe, I’m wearing nothing at all. I’m getting cold.’
‘Then move nearer to the fire.’
‘I’d rather move nearer to you.’
‘There isn’t room!’
‘There’s plenty of room,’ he contradicted her comfortably. Before she could get out another protest, he slid down on to the sofa beside her.
With the back of the sofa behind her and Nicholas sprawled out on her other side, Cathryn found herself trapped.
‘Don’t panic,’ he advised her lazily. ‘You’re not in any danger, you know. If things get too hot, you can always make a bolt for it. You can run a lot faster than I can,’ he reminded her.
Somehow, that didn’t make Cathryn feel any safer. What if she didn’t want to run?
Fresh rain slammed against the windows and the wind was positively screeching its way across the island. Yet the room they were in seemed surprisingly cosy, with the candles providing soft light and the fire crackling warmly. Cathryn should have been feeling very relaxed by now, but she certainly wasn’t. And the man comfortably stretched out beside her was entirely responsible for her unsettled frame of mind.
Nicholas leant over and very gently kissed her mouth. The candlelight reflected on his face, and Cathryn suddenly realised how familiar his features seemed to her. And how very much she liked the warm touch of his lips. For some reason, that made her even more tense, and Nicholas felt the stiffening of her muscles.
‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ he murmured. ‘I’m still obeying doctors’ orders, and being careful not to get overexcited.’
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ Cathryn said edgily.
‘On the other hand,’ he went on thoughtfully, ‘there are quite a lot of things we can do that are very pleasant without being too stimulating.’
‘I don’t think I want to know about them!’
‘Don’t you?’ Nicholas didn’t sound in the least convinced. ‘I get the impression that you’re growing very curious, Cathryn.’
‘Curious about what?’ she couldn’t help asking.
‘About yourself. And the way you’re reacting to me.’
‘Nonsense!’ she retorted crisply. ‘Why on earth should I be curious about a thing like that?’
‘Because that bad experience you had convinced you that you just weren’t interested in sex. Now, you’re beginning to wonder if you were wrong about that. If sex with the right person could be OK. Or even better than OK.’
‘And you think you’re that right person?’ she said, somehow managing to make her tone sound scathing.
‘No, I’m not the right person at all,’ Nicholas replied, to her total astonishment. ‘Our lifestyles don’t fit together in any way. We like different things, want different things. But on a purely physical plane we’re compatible, and I think that’s starting to interest you.’
His rather cold-blooded analysis both fascinated and disturbed her. How devastating it would be to fall in love with a man like this, she thought to herself with a small inner shiver. Someone who could make love with his mind and his body, but not with his heart.
She half turned away from him, but he put out one arm
and stopped her. At the same time, his fingers smoothly undid the top button of her nightshirt and slid inside.
‘Just lie still,’ he instructed as he felt her quiver. ‘I’m not going to do anything very much. Just convince you that you don’t have an real hang-ups.’
‘I don’t think I need convincing of that,’ she managed to get out through teeth that had started to chatter slightly.
‘Yes, you do,’ he replied calmly. ‘I don’t want to see you go through the rest of your life thinking that you can’t enjoy physical closeness with a man.’
The front of her nightshirt flapped open and Nicholas leant over her. Cathryn went to pull the material together again, but her hands didn’t quite make it in time. Nicholas’s mouth reached her first, and he proceeded to leave a trail of very light kisses from the base of her throat right down to the swell of her breast, where he lingered for a moment before, leaving one final soft kiss on the taut dark pink nipple.
His kisses might have been light, but they still seemed to leave tiny scorch marks on her skin. When he looked as if he was going to move closer again, Cathryn suddenly panicked and tried to push him away. Nicholas didn’t say a word. Instead, he caught hold of her hands and held them gently inside his own; then he rhythmically rubbed her palms, pressed his warm fingertips against her own, and finally stroked the back of her hands very lightly.
It was extraordinarily soothing. When he at last released her hands, Cathryn almost murmured in protest. He hadn’t finished with her, though. His fingers moved lightly down to her ankles, circling and caressing the small, delicate bones. Then he gently tickled the soles of her feet, which sent an acute sensation of pleasure curling through her nerve-ends.
‘Tiny hands and feet,’ he commented softly. ‘It’s almost like making love to a doll.’
‘Is that what you’re doing?’ she whispered in a dazed voice. ‘Making love to me?’
‘No, I’m not.’
At that, her eyes flew open. ‘You’re not?’
His mouth curled into one of his rare genuine smiles. ‘I suppose I ought to be pretty pleased by the disappointment in your voice.’
‘I’m not disappointed,’ she denied hurriedly. ‘I’m just—‘ She stopped right there, deciding that she didn’t want to go into this any further. ‘Well, what are you doing, then?’
‘I think I’m getting very frustrated,’ he said drily. ‘But it’s not an altogether unpleasant feeling.’
‘If you moved away from me, things would no doubt improve,’ she pointed out.
‘Somehow, I don’t think so. Anyway, I can live with it. I’ve managed for three months. I can go a little while longer.’ He slid down beside her again. ‘Turn on to your right side,’ he instructed.
‘Why?’ she asked warily.
Nicholas sighed. ‘Don’t you ever do anything without an argument?’
Against her better judgement, Cathryn did as he had ordered. She heard him give a grunt of satisfaction, and then he curled up comfortably against her back.
‘This way, we’ll both keep warm,’ he murmured. ‘And one of us might get some sleep.’
Cathryn didn’t know which one of them he meant, and she certainly had no intention of asking! She had to admit that it felt good, though, his relaxed body radiating warmth and an unexpected sense of security. The storm howled on through the night, but it didn’t disturb her. After just a few minutes, she was no longer awake to hear it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When Cathryn woke up in the morning, it took her a few moments to figure out where she was. And when she did finally figure it out, she gave a small gulp and sat up very quickly.
The first thing she discovered was that Nicholas was no longer lying on the sofa beside her. She was highly relieved at that. This man was getting rather hard to handle!
She pulled the blanket around her shoulders and padded over to the window. One glance outside confirmed her worst fears, The brunt of the storm was over, but the wind was still moaning softly over the island and the sea was heaving in a way that made her stomach lurch just to look at it.
‘Great!’ she muttered. ‘We could be stuck here all winter!’
The fire had gone out, and the house was very cold again. With the generator on the blink, it meant there would be no hot water, no hot food—she couldn’t even make herself a cup of coffee. Cathryn stared gloomily out of the window and fervently wished she were in a five-star hotel.
Just then, she saw Nicholas coming up the path. Her heart gave an odd little lurch and then settled down to a rhythm that was appreciably faster than usual, and she discovered that she felt sort of fluttery inside, which rather annoyed her. There was no need to get twitchy just because they had slept on the same sofa! After all, nothing had happened—almost nothing had happened, she corrected herself edgily. All the same, she wished she didn’t have to face Nicholas in just a nightshirt and with a blanket wrapped round her. It made her feel at a distinct disadvantage. She would have felt more like the old composed and controlled Cathryn if she had been fully dressed.
Nicholas came through the front door, tossed his stick to one side, and then sat down in a nearby chair. Exercise still tired him, but he was moving about a lot easier now. He still used the stick most of the time, but Cathryn guessed he would be able to do without it fairly soon—she also guessed he was itching for that day to arrive. He wasn’t the sort of man who would want to use props of any kind.
‘Sleep well?’ he enquired with a wolfish grin.
‘Yes, thank you,’ she said politely. ‘And you?’
‘Like a log,’ he admitted. ‘Although it was about the last thing I’d expected.’
‘I suppose you took a couple of your sleeping pills?’
That would be rather difficult,’ replied Nicholas. ‘I left them in London.’
Cathryn’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You forgot them?’
‘No, I didn’t forget them. I decided not to bring them with me.’
‘But—you might have needed them!’
‘I’m sick of taking pills,’ Nicholas said calmly. ‘So I’ve dumped them.’
She stared at him in alarm. ‘All of them?’ she squeaked.
‘Every last one,’ he agreed cheerfully.
‘But—what would your doctors say?’
‘The doctors did a great job in patching me up. I don’t need them to help put my head together, though,’ Nicholas said firmly. ‘I can do that for myself.’
‘You were taking the pills in London,’ she reminded him.
‘Yes, I was. Pills to make me sleep, pills to keep me calm, pills to stop me thinking and feeling. But I need to think and feel. And I can handle it, even if some of the memories aren’t too good. Haven’t I been better company these last couple of days?’ he challenged her.
Cathryn had to admit that there had certainly been a change in him. ‘Well, I suppose you know what you’re doing,’ she said with a resigned shrug.
‘I do,’ Nicholas said with complete conviction. ‘And now we’ve dealt with that, let’s get down to more practical matters. The storm last night did quite a lot of damage. We’re going to have to rough it for the next day or two.’
Cathryn wrinkled her nose. ‘You can’t fix the generator?’
‘I can’t even get to the generator,’ he replied drily. ‘It’s housed in an old outbuilding round the back, and the whole thing’s collapsed. Roof, walls—they’re just a pile of rubble, and the generator’s underneath it.’
‘So, we’ll be washing in cold water and eating cold food,’ she said philosophically. ‘Have you got any more bad news?’
Nicholas looked at her in surprise. ‘You’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would.’
‘What did you expect,’ she asked wryly. ‘Hysterics? Temper? Neither of those will do a lot of good.’
‘No, they won’t,’ he agreed. ‘I didn’t expect you to see it in quite that light, though.’
‘Why not? Didn’t your brother tell you that I’v
e got a reputation for being calm and capable?’
‘I seem to remember one or two occasions when you haven’t been either of those things,’ Nicholas murmured, his words bringing a warm flush to her face. ‘But I’d better not get side-tracked—much as I’d like to be,’ he added, with a gleam in his eyes. ‘Anyway, there’s something else that I haven’t yet told you.’
‘Not good news?’ she guessed, looking at his face.
‘Not good news,’ Nicholas agreed. The boat’s gone.’
‘Gone?’ she yelped. ‘Gone where?’
‘I’ve no idea. It must have broken away from its moorings during the height of the storm. By now, it’ll either have sunk or have been smashed to matchwood.’
Cathryn swallowed hard. ‘What—what are we going to do?’ Her voice began to sound a little panicky. ‘We’re marooned!’
‘It won’t be for long. As soon as the weather begins to calm down, we’ll send a signal to the mainland. Someone will see it, and come and get us.’
‘What kind of signal?’
‘Have you seen the flagpole behind the house?’ She had, and remembered wondering what it was for. ‘We run up a red flag if there’s an emergency, and a yellow flag if we’re in need of assistance,’ Nicholas went on.
Then I think you ought to go and run up a red flag right now!’ Cathryn said nervously.
‘Why? This isn’t an emergency situation. I’ll wait until the sea’s calmed down enough for them to put out a boat, and then run up the yellow flag to let them know we need some help.’
Cathryn supposed she would have to be satisfied with that. Yet she couldn’t stop feeling edgy. She was stranded on this island with Nicholas—she couldn’t even get away if she wanted to. For some reason, that made her very jumpy.
Rather to her surprise, though, the rest of the day passed without any problems. Nicholas rigged a tripod over the fire so they could warm up some food, and the burning logs gave an illusion of warmth and brightness, even though they only threw out a fairly small circle of heat.
During the evening, the wind at last began to ease off. Cathryn was very relieved, since its mournful howling had begun to get on her nerves. She went over to the window, but it was too dark to see if the heaving waves had begun to subside into a gentler swell.
A Kiss by Candlelight Page 12
