As the urgent rhythm of their loving slowed and they fell, exhausted, they wound together even tighter, holding each other as though neither dared let go.
“Stay, Heather,” he whispered in her ear. “Stay with me. You can see how much I need you, how much we need each other.”
Why not? A tiny voice was tempting her seductively. Why not stay for a few weeks and see how it went? Would there ever be anything in life that could make her happier than being with this man? Would she ever find greater fulfillment?
She turned in his embrace, running a finger along his arm to smooth the wiry hair. Wasn’t it worth the risk? Whatever else, she would have him again. And that was all she really wanted, wasn’t it?
A noise came from the clinic, just beyond the wall. Mitch froze against her, his head up and alert.
“Mitch?” It was a woman’s voice.
The green door that led from the clinic burst open, and a small dark woman stepped into the room.
“Mitch, are you here?”
Holding Heather against his chest, he swore under his breath just as the newcomer found him with her searching gaze. “Oh, there you are. I just.. .Oh!”
Mitch managed to pull the quilt over the two of them quickly, but Heather had recognized the voice and she turned to look out into the room. “Dede?” she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.
“My God, it’s Heather!”
Dede Sablan sounded almost glad to see her, but the feeling was hardly mutual. Of course, she should have known. Why hadn’t she asked what had happened to Dede? Because she’d been afraid of the answer. She’d hoped that by ignoring the name she could somehow erase the presence. The world that had so recently seemed full of promise was once again darkly hopeless.
“Heather, what are you doing on Ragonai?”
The woman was actually walking toward the bed. Heather stared up at Mitch’s bemused face and told him through gritted teeth, “Get her out of here!”
He didn’t respond for a second, just long enough for Heather to begin to unwind from their embrace, then he stopped her with a hard hand behind her head and turned to face Dede. “You want to wait in the clinic while we get dressed for company?” he asked lightly.
“Oh!” She seemed to be surprised. “Oh, sure.” But as she turned to go, she was still talking. “We just got in. Did you hear the boat?” She chuckled. “I guess not. You weren’t exactly expecting me, were you? Tapa radioed in that they seem to have several cases of scarlet fever and strep, so we’ll be going out again first thing in the morning.”
She stopped at the door to the clinic, turned back with a friendly smile, and said, “We ran out of penicillin. Hope you have a good supply because I’m going to be raiding it.” Then she was gone.
Heather felt cold all over. The warm and pliant bond that had linked her and Mitch for the last hour was gone, hardened by the reappearance of reality. She’d been floating on that cloud again, and, as always, it had evaporated beneath her.
She avoided Mitch’s eyes as she tried to struggle out of his embrace. “You might as well let me go,” she said bitterly. “You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”
His arms tightened around her. “It was what you wanted, too, and you know it.”
He was right of course, in a way. But that hardly made up for what she had allowed to happen. Determinedly she peeled his fingers from her arm, one by one.
“A little sex never hurt anyone, I guess,” she lied to cover the pain. “But I don’t want you, not now, not ever. I thought we’d straightened all that out ages ago.”
Suddenly he was letting her go. She slid from the bed and began to put on her clothes with methodical movements, hardly seeing the colors, hardly feeling the cloth. When she glanced back at the bed, she found Mitch watching her, his eyes darkly enigmatic.
“Thanks for the lovely evening,” she said sweetly, “but I’d better be going. I hadn’t been ravished by a pirate for so long I’d forgotten the aftertaste was so bitter.”
“Heather...” He was pulling back the covers, preparing to come after her, but she hurried to the door.
“Oh, don’t bother to get up,” she protested. “Don’t bother to dress. We wouldn’t want to disappoint Dede, would we?”
She was out the door and slamming it shut before she remembered that she still didn’t have the signed papers in her possession. They would have to wait until morning. There was no way she was going back in that house tonight.
Chapter Four
Sleep didn’t come easily to Heather that night. When it finally did envelope her, it came tangled in dreams of tropic storms that slashed at her shelter and jungle cats who stalked her through the moonlight.
She awoke to a soft pearly pink morning that was already becoming uncomfortably warm and humid. The scratchy feeling beneath her eyelids, the heaviness in her arms and legs, told her she hadn’t slept well enough to refresh herself for the new day. She stretched and groaned before rolling out of bed, trying to avoid memories of what had happened last night, fighting them back while she rinsed her eyes and reached for a towel. But her face in the mirror revealed the truth, and she couldn’t look away. She’d made love with Mitch. And she’d wished it could go on forever.
She walked back into her bedroom and noticed a red hibiscus blossom on her pillow, the flower Mitch had pushed into her hair the night before. Now it lay as crushed and broken as her foolish hopes.
She picked it up and slowly clenched her fist around it. How easy it would be to love Mitch again. He was still as compellingly attractive as he’d ever been. She could close her eyes and conjure up the spell of his presence with no trouble at all—how his arms felt about her, the warmth of his body.
She bit her lip, fighting back the enchantment. Yes, he was just the same. But she had changed. She was older now, wiser she hoped. She knew the price of succumbing to his charms. She refused to pay it again.
He wasn’t serious. Mitch did what came naturally, and when it came easily to pack up and leave his wife behind, he’d done it. She couldn’t trust him for a moment. She must keep that in mind at all times.
Pressing her lips together, she tossed the faded blossom into the metal trash container, and turned to dress. Carefully, she put on her underclothes, dressing as she might for any Flagstaff summer. Pulling on a light blue cotton sundress, she was thankful that she would soon be leaving this island. She’d just about gone through the entire wardrobe she’d brought along. She ran a comb through her hair and left the room, making her way slowly through the silent hallway to the stairs.
There was a strange waiting quality to the atmosphere, as if something unusual were about to happen. Then Heather realized what it was: silence. She was already becoming used to the ubiquitous western music, and its absence in the early morning made a tremendous difference.
“Good morning.” Kevin was sitting alone at a table, a picture of radiant good health. “Join me for breakfast, won’t you? I hate to eat alone.”
A glance at the large clock on the wall told Heather it was as early as she’d supposed. A few people were scattered around the sunlit room, but she didn’t recognize anyone else.
“I hate to eat alone, too,” she admitted, sinking into a chair across from Kevin, “but I don’t know if I can eat much in this heat.”
“Heat?” He looked around him as though trying to find what she was referring to. ‘This warm spell? You call this heat?” His grin was full of devilish delight. “Just you wait, lady from the frigid lands. You’ll soon see what heat really is.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No, I’ll be leaving as soon as I can get a plane out. Or a boat. Anything.” She couldn’t resist throwing a quick smile at her companion. “Let me know if you get a line on a fast canoe. I’m desperate.”
Before Kevin could respond, Mele came shuffling by to deliver hot coffee and take Heather’s order. “I’ve got whatever you want as long as it’s papaya muffins, guava juice, and scrambled eggs.”
&nbs
p; Heather frowned apprehensively. “I’m not really hungry…,” she began.
But Kevin was shaking his head. “Bring her a super deluxe island breakfast on me. She can at least savor the fragrance, even if she can’t bring herself to swallow a bite.”
Mele walked off chuckling while Heather stared at Kevin, not sure whether to resent his highhanded manner or let it pass. Why did everyone think she needed to be thrown into new experiences? She was perfectly satisfied with herself as she was. What right did they have to decide she should be different?
“Don’t worry,” he told her soothingly. “I’ll eat it if you don’t.” Then his smile faded. “But tell me, why are you so desperate to get out of here?”
She looked over her shoulder, suddenly sure Mitch was coming into the room. The doorway was empty, but Kevin’s glance told her he knew exactly what she was doing.
“I... I only came to get Mitch to sign papers releasing our house so I could sell it. I never meant to stay even this long.”
He nodded slowly. “Still crazy about the guy, aren’t you?”
Her mouth opened, but she didn’t seem able to get any sounds out. Finally she managed to squeak out, “I can’t stand him!”
“Right,” he answered blandly. “So what’s the problem?”
Kevin of all people should understand that! “This island. It’s too hot, too dirty, too...”
“Too different from what you’re used to?”
“Yes.” Well, it was true. Where was it written that you had to love the tropics? Not in any code to which she subscribed.
“Too bad.” He admired a golden piece of papaya on his fork before popping it into his mouth. “Mitch would like you to stay.”
So they’d already discussed what had happened last night. Heather’s cheeks burned and she stared into her coffee. “Why he would want me around is more than I can fathom,” she said shortly. “He has so much else to keep him occupied.” Not the least of which was Dede Sablan. Heather was on the verge of mentioning that to Kevin when Mitch entered the room.
Every muscle in her tensed at the sight of him. He stopped in the doorway, his dark gaze taking her in and holding her as though he had reached out and plucked her from the scene. When he walked toward their table, her heart began to pound so loudly she was sure everyone in the room could hear it.
“Good morning.” Had he said it aloud? She felt his voice rather than heard it, and she watched, lips parted in stunned expectation, as he bent to kiss her firmly on the mouth. It was as though he’d put a brand on her and she was powerless to stop him.
His large hand curled around her neck, just below her ear, holding her still while his lips touched hers in another brief sensuous salute. She felt her eyes closing as a slow, incredibly warm thrill surged through her. For just a moment she was afraid she’d moaned aloud.
Somewhere deep inside her a voice was calling insistently, forcing her to part the misty cloud that had come swirling around her with Mitch’s entrance, forcing her to regain her balance and come to her senses.
How could this happen so easily? What kind of magic did he have that could knock her out of kilter with just a touch of his lips? She had to work on it. This was ridiculous. She had to stiffen her resolve.
She looked up at him, searching his eyes, trying to read what lay behind that emotionless mask he wore. He was watching her, waiting to see what she would do next. She detected no warmth in his eyes, only cold calculation. Her own glance veered away, as though stung by something menacing.
Gathering every ounce of courage she possessed, she rose from her seat and stepped behind Kevin. She curled her fingers into fists around the back of his metal chair, trying to still the trembling that washed over her as the thrill receded. She managed a credible glare in Mitch’s direction, though she didn’t dare look him fully in the eye.
“Where are the papers?” Her voice was cool and crisp, a contrast to the atmosphere around them. “Have you signed them yet?”
“No.” He stood easily, tall and broad-shouldered in a yellow shirt and blue jeans. She had a clear sense of his powerful body. “Not yet.”
She risked a quick glance at his face. His expression was strangely veiled, as though he was awaiting her reaction. She couldn’t read his true feelings. Was he baiting her? Was he carelessly unconcerned? No, something told her anger was boiling beneath the surface. He wasn’t going to let it show, but he was angry. Her breath came a little faster.
“Get them right now,” she ordered, hoping her voice didn’t betray her anxiety. “Right now, Mitch.”
A mocking, humorless smile softened his dark face. “Sorry, Heather, I don’t have time,” he said easily. “I just stopped by to tell you I’m off for a morning of house calls. I’m late as it is.”
Heather tightened her hold on the chair, using Kevin like a shield. “Please get them before you go,” she insisted. “It shouldn’t take that long.”
He shook his head, his smile fading. “No, Heather. I’m not going to sign them until I’ve had a chance to read them over very carefully. And I don’t have time this morning.”
Was she going to be stuck on this island for another day? There was an obvious answer to that question and panic rose in her at the thought. Mitch was playing games with her sanity. He was doing this on purpose—but why? And what was she going to do about it?
“Mitch, this isn’t fair,” she said as calmly as she could. “You know how much I want you to sign those papers so I can get out of here.”
Mitch glanced down at Kevin, who was steadfastly munching on his breakfast, trying to pretend he wasn’t listening to every word.
“Why don’t you come with me on my rounds?” Mitch suggested, artificially casual. “You can fill me in on the finer points of real estate jargon while we drive.”
She glared at him, indignation fueling her anger. “Be serious,” she scoffed. “Do you think I’m going to set myself up for another...” She hesitated, glancing down at Kevin. “The answer is no,” she amended shortly.
“What are you afraid of, Heather?” Mitch taunted, his voice as rough as sandpaper. “I’ve got patients waiting, people depending on me. I’ve got more calls stacked up than I can possibly handle in one morning. Not much time to ravish you again, even if I’m quick about it.”
She flushed, hating him for saying that in front of an audience. “I’m not afraid of you,” she lied stoutly. “You wouldn’t dare...” She couldn’t quite put the thought into words, not with Kevin sitting there, absorbing every bit of the conversation.
“I wouldn’t dare seduce you in a velvet green jungle with flowers falling in a silken shower all around us?” he asked softly, his eyes gleaming wickedly. “I wouldn’t dare make love to you beside a silver waterfall, or on a beach of golden sand?” His laugh was low and suggestive. “I would dare all right, Heather, and so would you. But I tell you what: I’ll give you my solemn promise I won’t do it on this trip. Not unless you ask me to. Is it a deal?”
She wanted to throw something at his arrogant face.
He thought he had such total control of her sensuality, that he could make fun of it at will. She had no doubt he meant to break his promise, but she couldn’t back down. Not now. And she’d show him she could resist his advances if she chose to.
Defiantly, she tossed her hair back with a twist of her head. “All right,” she said. “Let’s go.”
“Hey!” Mele arrived with a tray full of food. “Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Kevin reassured her with a toothy grin. “I have plans for this meal myself.”
Heather walked beside Mitch along the coral road, jerking away when he tried to place a hand at the small of her back. He glanced down at her nylon-covered legs and insubstantial shoes, but he didn’t chide her for sticking to unsuitable clothes. In fact, he didn’t say a word as they walked together under the blue tropic sky.
He led her to a rusty Jeep that hardly looked capable of limping out of the little v
illage, much less taking them all over the island, as Mitch had implied he planned to go.
“This is it?” Heather asked as she struggled up onto the torn and broken seat.
“Sorry,” Mitch answered, vaulting behind the wheel. “Just pretend it’s your cousin’s Lamborghini. You’ll feel right at home.”
She swung around to stare at him, surprised by the bitterness in his voice. “Trevor sold his Lamborghini,” she said quietly. “He’s got an Astin Martin now.”
Mitch had been about to start the engine, but when she spoke, he stopped for a moment, hands resting on the wheel, eyes staring out at the horizon. She noticed a slight twitch along his jaw line, as though something were bothering him so strongly that he had to fight to keep control. She stared, unable to imagine what could be annoying him, but intrigued.
“Good old Trevor,” he said lightly at last, reaching down to insert the key and kick the engine over with a grumbling roar. “How is the old boy?”
Heather frowned. Mitch had always made fun of Trevor in the past. Now something about her cousin had angered him. What could it be?
“Trevor’s just the same,” she said slowly. “The job in his father’s company didn’t work out, so now he’s in charge of the breeding farm for his father’s race horses.”
Mitch nodded, steering the Jeep down the bumpy road. “Sounds like a good place for him,” he said above the engine’s noise. “I’ll bet he feels right at home.”
Heather ran her tongue tentatively across her lips, wondering whether to pursue Mitch’s animosity further. She tried to think back to the days of their marriage, when Mitch and Trevor had always treated each other with wary scorn. No open warfare had existed at the time, at least none that she’d been aware of. What made Mitch so bitter now?”
Just then the Jeep hit a rough portion of road that almost knocked her from her seat, and she spent the next few minutes scrambling for a more secure handhold.
Charmed By You ((Destiny Bay Romances-The Islanders 5)) Page 6
