by Lucy Gordon
There was a cheer from the cluster of teenagers around the helm and she opened her eyes and smiled for a second before reaching for her camera so she could capture this moment—for the boy who had just climbed to the top rigging, for his family and also for the online weblog which was already starting to create a huge internet following. The Kit Chance Sailing Trust was more than just an idea—it had become an international reality. This was her life and her job now.
And it was all down to the vision and passion of the man she was looking at now. The man who had half turned away from the group so that he could look at her. Simply look at her. And the love in those blue eyes the colour of the Greek sky was almost too much for her to take in.
Every day, just when she thought that she could not be more proud of Ethan or could love him more, he proved her wrong. He gave her so much. His love, his warmth and his total belief in her ability and talents. Sometimes it seemed like a happy dream, interrupted by the occasional teenage fight, or tantrums where the teenagers needed their mother on the other end of an internet telephone. The usual sort of thing which went on in any extended family.
And she adored it all.
The sun was starting to go down over the horizon in a blaze of incredible colour creating a miraculous sunset of orange flame, with shades of deep apricots over dark duck-egg-blues and greens. It felt as though the sky itself was celebrating the end of a perfect hot, sunny day in the Aegean.
But it was nothing compared to the warmth in Ethan’s smile as he strolled over to the wooden table and sat down next to her, his arm around her bare shoulder. The feeling of his lips pressed against the side of her neck thrilled her with a delicious shiver of love and excitement, and the connection deep inside her tightened like a piece of taut rigging line, pulling her even closer to the man she had given her heart to.
‘Do we really have to leave? I wish this could go on for ever,’ she whispered and gently swept a loose curl of bleached blond hair back over one ear from his tanned forehead.
‘It could—’ he grinned and tilted his head ‘—but my dad has already booked himself onto the next sailing course around the Caribbean we promised them at the wedding. He can’t wait for us to sail the Princess back to Swanhaven ready for the trip back to Florida. I can see a lot of sailing lessons on the horizon crossing the Atlantic. We have a lot of father-and-son time to catch up on.’
‘It was a stroke of genius suggesting to your parents that they should take over the running of the sailing charity. Your mother is the most amazing fund-raiser and they both love working with the teenagers,’ Mari replied with a chuckle. ‘We’re lucky to have them.’
‘It was the best decision they ever made. Swanhaven or Florida. They love it. Speaking of which, have you heard from Rosa? We need T-shirts, sweaters, shorts—everything.
The kids go through clothing faster than I ever thought possible.’
Mari tapped Ethan once on the end of his nose. ‘Relax—she e-mailed me this morning while you were working on the sails. It’s all in hand. Rosa adores her new job, the new sailing-wear line has taken off and I have a feeling that the wedding dress she made me is not going to be her last. Perhaps you were right? Perhaps we might have two lady entrepreneurs in the family.’ Mari stroked Ethan’s face and watched his eyes flutter half-closed in pleasure and languorous delight. ‘And that family includes you now, Mr Chandler.’
‘Does it really, Mrs Chandler? Well, that could be a problem because the only family I want is right here on the deck wearing a very fetching bikini and a cheeky grin.’ He shot a glance back at the teenage boys who were sniggering, winking at him or giving them a thumbs up. ‘Or do you think that is being too selfish, seeing as we have an audience?’
‘Selfish?’ Mari pretended to consider the question before crossing her arms around Ethan’s neck and pulling him closer. ‘No, my love. Wherever you are is my home and my true family. Even if that home is in the galley of a wooden training ship surrounded by two dozen teenagers for a couple of months at a time. Thank heavens for modern technology and satellite communication systems.’
‘Thank heavens,’ he repeated, his nose nuzzling her throat for a second before getting back to his feet and drawing her up by his side. ‘I did promise the kids that they could choose the music for our last night in the Aegean. And guess what? It looks like we’ll be sailing into harbour to the tune of the latest trance tracks. Do you think the Greek islands are ready for that?’
Ethan moved to pull away but Mari stayed right where she was. ‘Ready? Perhaps not. But this is our family. And families stick together.’
And her loving husband took a firmer grasp of her hand and they turned to face the cheering teenagers, ready for anything that life could throw at them. Together.
ISBN: 978-1-474-00401-5
IN BED WITH HER EX
Miss Prim and the Billionaire © 2012 Lucy Gordon
Mardie and the City Surgeon © 2011 Marion Lennox
The Boy is Back in Town © 2011 Nina Harrington
Published in Great Britain 2015
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
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