The House on the Shore

by Victoria Howard

  Anna raised an eyebrow. “And you really think that will work?”

  “Sure. She’ll be powerless to resist,” he replied with a grin.

  “You don’t know Morag. She can be as stubborn as a goat.”

  Luke laughed. “Somehow I doubt that. Besides, I’ve charmed my fair share of goats. You go and get ready. We’ll stop in the village on our way back from the hotel, and pick up some stuff from the shop. We’ll have lunch on the yacht. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds a lovely, but I still feel guilty about letting Morag down.”

  “Relax. I’m sure she’ll understand. You had an ugly experience. Give yourself another day. Better yet, take the weekend, please?” He flashed a comic grim that showed way too many teeth.

  Anna didn’t have it in her to argue further. She gave his shoulder a gentle push. “You are a very naughty boy encouraging me to play hooky. You win. I’ll take the day off. I’ll speak to Morag. I know how her mind works. I only hope I don’t lose my job.”

  “That’s better. You’re much prettier when you smile. And if Morag and whoever owns the hotel gives you a hard time, you can blame the damned foreigner.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I will.” Anna started clearing the breakfast table. “Ewan has been known to reduce the most fearsome of chefs to tears, and I for one, have no desire to feel the lash of his tongue.”

  “Ewan? Would he be the short tubby guy, with the beard and the big smile, I saw the day I used the phone?”

  “That sounds like him. Don’t be deceived. He might look jolly, but believe me, if you get on the wrong side of him, he’ll slice your face open with his tongue.”

  Luke started. He rubbed his cheek. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

  A short time later, having made her apologies to the hotel staff, Anna waited outside the shop while Luke made his purchases. She knew from experience the village store stocked little in the way of luxuries, so there would be no pâté or champagne. Just sliced ham, cheese, pickles, fresh rolls, and, if they were lucky, a bottle of wine.

  Luke had been right. Despite his reassuring presence in the spare bedroom, she’d slept badly. Every time she started to drift off her body jerked awake at some imaginary noise. As a consequence, she felt tired and lethargic. A weekend of making beds, dusting and polishing, and Morag’s endless questions were more than she wanted to face. Besides, what woman could resist a day in the sun, sailing on a beautiful yacht in the company of a good-looking man?

  Across the road the shop bell tinkled. Anna watched in admiration as Luke emerged carrying two bags. With a quick look left and right, he crossed the narrow street, his movements’ swift, and full of grace and virility. His broad shoulders filled every inch of the denim shirt he wore, and his long legs, ensconced in faded jeans, looked firm and muscular.

  Anna let out a sigh, and wondered why he had chosen to remain single after his fiancée’s death. From what she’d read, every American woman dreamed of meeting a rich, successful, attractive man, and Luke was the very embodiment of one. Everything about him screamed ‘marriage material.’ Yet he remained unattached.

  Before she could think of a reason why, the object of her thoughts opened the tailgate. She turned around, and studied his face as he deposited the carrier bags in the cargo space. There was an inherent strength that said, ‘trust me, I won’t let you down.’

  “What? Have I got egg on my shirt from breakfast?” He examined the blue denim. When Anna didn’t reply, he closed the tailgate, walked round to the driver’s side, and slipped behind the wheel.

  He put his hand on her shoulder. “Hellooooo. You hiding in there someplace?”

  “Sorry, I was miles away,” she replied, swivelling in her seat to face him.

  “Is my driving so bad that you have to put yourself into a Zen-like state?”

  “What? No, it’s quite good, considering you probably own an automatic, and aren’t used to driving on the left.”

  “I go off-road a lot when I’m looking for new landscapes to paint, so I have an SUV. Granted, these roads are much narrower than those back home, but just give me another day or so, and I’ll get accustomed to them, and to driving on the wrong side. In fact, you’ll start thinking I’m one of the locals.”

  “God forbid. There are a number of ‘locals’ who shouldn’t be in charge of a pram, let alone a car.”

  “Does that include you?”

  “Why you—?” Anna replied, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. “I’ll have you know I passed my driving test first time round.”

  “Let me guess. You drove away so fast the examiner didn’t get a chance to jump into the car. You passed by default.” He caught her hand before it could strike him again.

  Anna leaned back against the worn leather seat and laughed.

  “Do you always have a ready comeback?”

  “Hey, I’m an American. It’s my job.” He said, driving off. “I learned to stand up for myself early on—Jack’s doing. Do you want to take the dogs with us?”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll leave them at home. I’ve taken them on a boat before, but it was a large inter-island ferry where there was room for them to walk. I’m not sure how they would react on such a small vessel.”

  Luke brought the Land Rover to a halt outside the croft. He opened the passenger door, helped her out and led her toward the small dinghy. He pushed off, slipped the oars into the rowlocks, and rowed steadily across the loch to his yacht.

  Close up, it was stunning. Fully sixty feet in length and painted white, with two blue lines just above the waterline, it stood tall and proud against the rugged mountains.

  Luke extended his hand to her. “Watch your step. The rungs of the ladder can be slippery.” He showed her to one of the padded leather seats behind the helm. “I’ll just stow our lunch in the galley, and then I’ll give you the guided tour.”

  Anna leaned back and examined her surroundings while Luke busied himself below. She was amazed by what she saw. Morag’s comment about the yacht being a ‘wee boat’ was so far wide of the mark that she laughed out loud. It was the height of luxury.

  The deck was teak, and the fittings stainless steel. If she craned her neck she could just make out the top of the mast fully eighty feet above her. In front of that stood the rigging for the spinnakers, and furled up against the boom was the mainsail. One thing was certain—Sandpiper was no poor man’s toy.

  Moments later Luke reappeared. He’d swapped his shirt and jeans for a T-shirt and a pair of cut-off blue denim shorts.

  “Watch your head as you come down the companion way. The steps are quite steep.”

  Anna stepped inside and lost the ability to speak. The galley, and saloon beyond, were both sumptuously fitted out in teak and cream leather. There were two tables, a wine rack and cupboards for storage. Even a VCR, DVD and a TV.

  “I was lucky. Sandpiper was a custom build. Her previous owner, a Greek businessman, went bankrupt. She’d been laid up for six months when I found her in a boatyard in Turkey. She was designed for world cruising, although not for single-handed sailing. I had the boatyard install the latest navigational aids and electric winches, before a friend and I sailed her back home.”

  “A female friend?”

  “No, a big, burly Canadian fisherman named Ike. He’d have looked damned ugly in a dress. And you sure are nosy about the women in my life.”

  Anna turned away. “I’m sorry I asked. It was a stupid question. I always imagined the accommodation on yachts would be a bit Spartan. I had no idea it could be like this.”

  “Come and have a look at the master suite. Sandpiper sleeps six comfortably in three double staterooms. There’s also room for a crew.”

  Luke led her aft. The master suite, fitted in teak like the rest of the yacht, contained a double bed, a small bathroom with shower stall, and cabinets for storage. The bed was covered in a rich, red and green Thai silk throw.

  A small oil painting hung over the head of the bed. Anna
leaned closer to examine it. The brushwork was exceptionally fine. The painting depicted a Highland loch, with the figure of a woman carrying a basket walking towards a croft on the shore. Smoke curled from the chimney into the surrounding trees. Painted in shades of greens and browns, it looked very similar to the ones Anna had seen in Edinburgh.

  “Is this the painting you found in Bar Harbor?”

  “Yep. Do you like it?”

  “It’s stunning. The frame looks original, too. I think it could be a Breanski or a Jamieson. Jamieson was famous for painting Highland scenes. You might want to check that out when you get home.”

  “Thanks for the tip. I’ll be sure to do that.” Luke closed the door of his cabin, and they climbed back on deck. “What do you think of the yacht? Isn’t she something?”

  “If she were mine, I would travel the world. I don’t think I’d ever want to set foot on dry land.”

  “Yeah, well, you might feel different after a few weeks at sea.” He took his place at the wheel. “Once I’ve turned her around, I’ll set the sails. There should be enough wind. If not, we can use the engine.”

  Acutely conscious of Luke’s athletic physique as he crossed the short distance to the helm, Anna felt a ripple of excitement deep in the pit of her stomach. Had her feelings for him had gone beyond simple attraction? Too busy fighting emotions and the desire to feel his arms around her, she paid scant attention to the conversation.

  “Right. Whatever. I’m sure you know the best way to do things.”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “Are you okay? I know you’ve been through a lot of late. You seem distracted. Can I help?”

  “I’m fine. Just fine.” The look he gave her was so electrifying it took all her strength to stop her fingers from reaching out and touching him. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun. The gentle motion of the boat drew her thoughts away. She’d never experienced anything like it before—perfect harmony between man, boat, wind and water. Seconds later her daydream was broken by the clank of the anchor chain as the electric windlass dragged it up into the chain locker.

  Luke turned his attention back to the helm. He manoeuvred the yacht until it faced seaward, killed the engine, and then hoisted the jib. The wind immediately caught the sail and soon the yacht was gliding across the water towards the mouth of the loch.

  Behind his dark glasses, his eyes were sharp and assessing. The short-sleeved green shirt Anna wore matched the colour of her eyes. The top three buttons were undone, exposing a creamy expanse of neck. The cropped trousers showed off her slim calves and ankles to perfection. Unlike other women of his acquaintance, Anna didn’t flaunt her attributes and was completely oblivious to her own beauty, which was why he found her so attractive.

  She was no longer pale and gaunt, he noted. He saw both delicacy and strength—a strength that did not lessen her femininity. Her long lashes rested on high, freckled-covered cheekbones. When his eyes lingered on her full lips, his body stirred as he remembered the kiss they’d shared.

  The breeze gently fluffed Anna’s red-gold hair and blew tendrils into her face. He tucked them behind her ear, just as he’d done when they were out for their walk.

  “What...?” Anna gasped, as Luke’s fingers brushed her cheek, disturbing her serenity.

  He took off his glasses. “Sorry. I should have known better than to touch you, but your hair…”

  “For a moment…I thought…I’m sorry, I overreacted,” Anna replied, breathing deeply trying to relax, but it wasn’t easy, especially with Luke holding her gaze.

  “No, you didn’t. I should have realized you still feel vulnerable.”

  “I’m not.”

  The look on his face said he didn’t believe her.

  “Honestly, I’m okay,” she said firmly, trying to convince herself as well as him.

  Something intense flared between them. Her erratic heartbeat had nothing to do with her anxious state. The way Luke was watching her sent desire rippling through her. It was as if an invisible, delicate thread pulled them closer and closer together. When Luke caught her hand in his, she didn’t hesitate. His strong arms circled her waist, and his hands caressed the small of her back.

  She tilted her face to his. What she saw in his eyes left her with no doubt of his intention. His mouth covered hers. The kiss was urgent, demanding, and left her lips burning. When he released her, she backed out of his grasp and leaned against the helm, her heart pounding in her breast, her gaze locked with his.

  “Whoops,” he said, softly. “Just me being stupid again.”

  Anna felt so confused it took her a moment to think of a suitable response. “We just shared the most passionate, nerve tingling kiss, and you say ‘whoops’?”

  He rubbed his thumb over her lips. “Don’t be angry, sweetheart. I got as much pleasure from that as you did. I won’t deny that I want you. I want to be so far inside of you that I forget everything but you.”

  Anna was shocked. Even Mark hadn’t said such things to her.

  “However,” Luke continued, “I can’t let my need for you take over my common sense. In case you forgot, we’re on a thirty-three ton yacht in the middle of a sea loch. We could easily run aground or hit another boat.”

  Anna looked over her shoulder. “I don’t believe there’s any danger. There are no other yachts. The loch is deep, there’s plenty of water under the hull.

  “I was still reckless. Besides, the timing is wrong. You’re way too vulnerable right now. When it happens, it’s not going to be on the hard deck of a yacht.”

  “When what happens?”

  “When I finally make love to you.”

  “Oh,” was all she could say.

  Chapter Seventeen

  It was late afternoon when they dropped anchor in the small bay opposite Tigh na Cladach. The house looked so small, like a tiny white cottage on a train set.

  “Cat got your tongue?” Luke asked.

  “No, you did,” Anna replied, laughing in sheer joy.

  “Mm, and very enjoyable it was too. I might even be tempted to come back for seconds.”

  “Don’t you mean thirds? What’s this might business? Perhaps you need a reminder,” she suggested playfully as she reached to put her arms around his neck.

  “Anna, behave. Otherwise we’ll run aground. Look, there’s a pickup parked outside your door. You expecting anybody?”

  She squinted at the vehicle. “It’s not Morag’s, it’s the wrong colour. I don’t recognize it. There’s lettering on the side, but I can’t make it out. Can you read it?”

  “Not from this distance. Here, try these,” Luke said, handing her a pair of binoculars.

  “P-r-o-t-e-u-s S-u-r-v-e-y-s. What are they doing on my land? And why would they be surveying here?”

  “Maybe they’re from the highway department or whoever is responsible for roads in this part of the world.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. I would have received notification if they were going to send anyone.”

  “Or maybe someone thinks the croft’s for sale.”

  “I don’t know how they could. I don’t understand this, unless it has something to do with the estate. Luke, we need to go ashore now.”

  “Okay. Okay. Just give me a chance to stow everything away and lock up.”

  “There’s no time—”

  “Anna, wait!” It was too late. She had already climbed over the stanchion and dived into the water. By the time Luke followed her in the dinghy, she had waded ashore.

  Dripping wet and shivering with cold, Anna marched up the beach and stopped in front of a middle-aged man loading a theodolite into the bed of a blue pickup.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  The tall, thin surveyor with lank hair pushed his glasses back up nose. He took one look at the soaking wet woman and laughed.

  “What does it look like, love? We’re carrying out a survey. Another half hour, and my mate and I’ll be finished. Nice dive by the way. You would get my vote
in a wet T-shirt competition.” He winked at her.

  Anna folded her arms across her chest. “Surveying? Why? This is private property and it belongs to me. Let me see your authorization.”

  “I don’t have to do that. Besides, it’s restricted information.”

  “Restricted from the person who owns this land? That’s ridiculous!”

  “How do I know you own the land? Nobody was home when I knocked at the door. You could be a tourist for all I know.”

  “I’d gone out for the afternoon. Those are my dogs you hear barking.”

  “So what? Unless can prove you’re the owner, get out of my way.”

  “See that dry stone wall?” Anna said, pointing to her left. “That marks the boundary. All the land between it and the shoreline, including the croft house, belongs to me. Everything on the other side is owned by Killilan Estate. If you’re working for the estate, why are you on my land? And if you’re not, I demand to know who sent you.”

  “I’ve only got your word for any of this. I don’t have to tell you a thing.”

  “I’ll give you the name of my solicitor. He’ll confirm what I say is true. Now stop what you’re doing.”

  “Look, love, I’m only following instructions,” he replied, placing a tripod in the truck.

  “Yes, but whose instructions? The Highland Council? The Forestry Commission? Alistair Grant? Killilan Estate?”

  “Never heard of ‘em.”

  “Then who’s paying you? And stop patronizing me by calling me your love!”

  “I need to pick up my mate. He’s waiting for me further down the track. In the meantime, do yourself a favour and keep out of our way.”

  “You can’t leave until you’ve answered my questions.” Anna followed him round to driver’s door.

  “You’ll have to take those up with the boss. I need to re-check a few measurements before I lose the light. Come on darlin’, move or I’ll run over you.”

  A male voice cut the silence.

  “What’s going on here? Are you threatening her?” Luke’s eyes bored into the surveyor’s.

  Recognizing authority, the surveyor’s tone mellowed. “As I was explaining to the little lady, I’m doing a preliminary survey. I’ve finished for today, but I’ll probably need to come back to check one or two things out.”