She had slipped, almost revealing that mostpainful part of her past. Oh, to have childrento sing, to laugh, tolove. That dream was beyond her grasp.
Images of that fateful day taunted her, achildhood accident… The doctor confirming she’d never be able tobear children. She swiped at a tear.
Nicholas passed her, tearing off his shirtand diving in the ocean. He swam in swift relaxed strokes, and thenstood waist deep, his forehead swept clear by the wind thatcaressed him. Curious about his body, she stared at lean rippledstomach muscles. She could never get enough, admiring his malebeauty, his body lean from years as a boxer.
Staving off the quick unaccustomed tinglingin the pit of her stomach grew impossible. He called to her. Shebent over and picked up an empty conch shell, pretending not tohear.
“Alexandra?”
How quickly he had come up on her. Shegasped when he took hold of her braid, running its silky lengththrough his fingers. “Your braid is bound so tightly. You shouldleave it down. It draws the eye like a river of gold.”
His face was harsh, his eyes a penetratingblue. He caught her hand before she could take flight, his fleshwarm against hers…and a vague, sensuous light passed betweenthem.
Her wariness stood no chance against hisallure. With some carnal fascination, he drew and captured herawareness, until the sea, the sky, the world itself, faded aroundthem. His hand glided up and down her arm, her body felt heavy andwarm, and her heartbeat raced at the mere impact of his gentletouch.
“What is bothering you, Alexandra?”
His nearness made her senses spin. His gazeroved over her in lazy regard, appraising her, and leaving herexposed. What if they were stranded here forever? What harm couldthere be to find solace in each other’s arms. Reason warred withcautionsuch an attraction was impossible. She drew an unevenbreath. She had to stay positive. They would be rescued.
“Do you question my word?”
She shook her head. “You don’t understand.Her pulses leapt with excitement. She could feel the heat from hisbodyso close. It wasn’t him. She was ashamed of her barrenness. “Ican’t explain.” She tugged. Tears grew in her eyes.
“Alexandra”
“No.” She jerked her arm away and bolted ina flat out run, hearing him pound the sand behind her. “Go away,Nicholas. Leave me alone.” He wanted an answer, but he raised somany fears and uncertaintiesa warmth…a wanting.
Leaping through a stand of bristlyCasuarinas, she landed in the next cove, her heels making divots inthe beach. She stopped. From the storm the night before, numerouscasks and flotsam had been cast ashore. Nicholas jumped down besideher.
“What do you think is in the barrels?” shesaid.
Nicholas ran ahead. He knelt in the sand,digging with his hands and plying the barrels free. For an hour,they freed the casks and rolled them above the tideline.
“We’ll find out later. Be thankful for ourbounty,” he said tersely.
He wanted an answer as to why she ran fromhim, why she avoided him. She balled her hands into fists. She wasunder no obligation to tell him she could not have children, yetNicholas was the type of man who didn’t let things go.
He pulled a sword out of the sand, held itup. The blade glinted in the sun, throwing sharp sunlighteverywhere. He tied the sword about his waist, and strode down thebeach, hands behind his back, the sword flapping against histhigh.
Pleased for the moment, he allowed atemporary withdrawal from their discussion. Alexandra scanned thehorizon. “Do you think we will find more? Do you think there areany survivors?
A long ridge of sandbars, like uneven humps,ran a space. Beyond that, the waterspout of a whale rose violentlyas if to give a greeting. At any other time, she would have beenexcited over such a sight.
She picked up a stone and examined it.“You’ve told me little about your Uncle Cornelius who was soimportant in your life.”
“He had a hard life. His mother produced anheir and as far as she was concerned, she had done her job. Shedidn’t want any part of Cornelius. His father spent his time onextramarital affairs, and was hard and demanding of Cornelius,spending no time with him at all.”
Alexandra raised her eyebrows with thatknowledge. Cornelius’s relationship with his father mirroredNicholas’s.
“Cornelius was my father’s closest friendthrough their school years. And then entered Lucretia Hansford. Shewas kind, gentle, fun, loving…everything Cornelius’s mother wasnot. He fell in love with her.”
“What was the problem?”
“The problem being, Lucretia was in lovewith Richard Rutland, my father.”
Three sea hawks flying overhead shadowedAlexandra. “So, Lucretia is your mother.”
“Yes, and she and my father became engaged.Cornelius felt betrayed by my father. Cornelius possessed a madobsession for my mother, kidnapped her, and took her to GretnaGreen where he could get a special license and force her to marryhim.”
