Page 81 of Worth the Risk

He breached the gap between us, bringing his body heat and his intoxicating scent to my starving senses. ‘Within a handful of weeks you’ve helped me repair broken relationships, and given me a glimpse of the sort of husband and father I can be. Please tell me I haven’t thrown away the chance to find out?’

My sob caught us both unawares.

Gideon caught me to him when I let go of the surfboard. Gentle fingers stroked my cheek. ‘When the time is right, I want a chance to have a family with you. Nothing would please me more than to see you pregnant with my child.’

Tears prickled my eyes. He brushed them away with his thumb.

‘I love you, Leonora. These past couple of weeks have been hell. Put me out of my misery.’

‘Gideon?’

‘Yeah?’

‘I love you, too.’

His breath fizzled out of him, his gaze growing stormy as it feverishly searched mine and then raked down my orange surf suit.

‘Any chance I can convince you to ditch your imaginary boyfriend and come back with me and let me demonstrate just how much I’ve missed you?’

I laughed, growing breathless as joy burst through me. ‘I should make you work for it.’

Finally, that cocky smile I craved made an appearance. ‘I’m sure you’ll come up with something.’

He yanked my surfboard out of the ground and held out his free hand. I took it and we raced across the sand. I thought we were returning to my hotel, but he surprised me by steering me to an open-top Jeep. ‘Where are we going?’

‘I have a surprise for you but first I intend to make you scream long and hard for the next few hours. I don’t want to be disturbed by hotel security.’

At my giddy laughter, he spun me around, dragged me close and sealed his lips to mine in a hot, carnal kiss that tunnelled deep into my heart and began to heal the broken pieces. After endless minutes, he lifted his head.

‘Damn, I’ve missed that so much. I never want to be without you again, Leonora.’

‘I don’t want to be without you either. Can you take me wherever we’re going to, Gideon?’

He fired up the ignition. Ten minutes later we pulled up next to a sleek helicopter.

With a nod to the pilot, he shut us in the private compartment and dragged me into his lap. We spent the short flight with Gideon’s adoring hands and sexy mouth reacquainting themselves with my body. I whimpered when he reluctantly pulled away. ‘We’re about to land,’ he murmured against my lips.

I looked out of the window and gasped at a familiar vessel sparkling against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. ‘You’re the anonymous buyer who bought La Sirène?’

He nodded. ‘I didn’t want to risk losing it to anyone else. Without that yacht you wouldn’t be in my life. It’ll always be special to me.’

Blinking back tears, I let Gideon carry me out of the chopper. At the first view of where we were, my jaw dropped.

‘We’re on a private island?’

He nodded.

‘Whose?’ The view was breathtaking, the house even more so.

Gideon grinned. ‘It’s ours. I needed somewhere far away from my annoying family.’

‘It’s a hell of a way to commute to work.’

‘Then it’s a good thing I won’t be working for a while.’

‘What?’

‘I’m officially on a sabbatical. I reserve the right to make that permanent. Or take up a new challenge. Come here.’

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