Page 25 of Escape to the Sun

“Okay,” she admitted. “I was avoiding you. But only because I was busy getting things organized and learning the ropes around here and I really don’t have—”

He put his hand on her arm, stopping her words. The touch was gentle but at the same time, Heather couldn’t help but feel the heat. She turned to him so they were only inches apart. He looked down at her with an intensity and fire that lit her from deep inside.

She’d done her best to silence her internal voice, but it was currently screaming at her because her body was reacting so incredibly hard to his presence and there was no way that could be a bad thing. She’d given up way too much in the last few years, including her sexuality; maybe it was time to get that back. And if it wasn’t, then why was everything inside her telling her to kiss the man in front of her and throw all of her reasons and excuses into the ocean?

“Heather?” His voice broke the spell she was under and she stepped back out of his grasp. It was a good thing, too, because the ring of laughter from the dock reminded her that her guests weren’t far away.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded quickly, took a deep breath and smiled widely. “I’m absolutely fine. I think maybe drinking that mojito out in the sun was a bad idea. It went right to my head.”

He nodded, but there was no way he looked convinced. “You should have some water. It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea for those two either.” He pointed to the friends, who were now tugging their T-shirts over their heads to reveal their bikini-clad bodies. “Getting sunstroke on the first day of a holiday is never a good idea.”

“True.” Heather moved around the counter to prepare a jug. “And I absolutely don’t want to be responsible for that.” She forced a lightness into her voice.

“I’ll tell you what.” Ash was around the counter and so close to her that she didn’t trust herself to turn around. “I’ll take the water out to them.”

She nodded and felt the weight of the jug leave her hands.

Heather closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing to slow her beating heart. She knew when he moved away, because the air felt thinner, less charged.

She opened her eyes and looked straight into his eyes.

Before he turned away to walk out to the dock, he said, “You can’t avoid me forever.”

His words felt like a promise. A promise she realized she desperately wanted him to keep.

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