His faith in her felt like an aphrodisiac, and now she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his. Stormy grey with silver threads. If she could see his eyes that clearly, she was standing too near; had she stepped closer,or did he?
“Okay,” he said, his voice soft and low.
Okay what?
She couldn’t escape the feeling that something was missing, a question left unanswered. Like a chocolate bar unwrapped but not yet tasted.
She made do with a smile because she was struggling to speak. He closed his eyes and turned away, reaching for the door again.
No! She almost reached over and grabbed his arm. Almost.
“We never agreed a forfeit.” The words burst from her. It was the whiskey making herspeak now.
“What?” he asked without turning.
“About my French.”
“Excuse me?” He kept his back to her
“our bet, about my learning to speak French like a native on La Canette. In two weeks.”
“It’s a deal.” It didn’t sound like he’d given it any thought.
George openedthe door.
Why did he keep trying to leave? “What deal? We haven’t agreed on it.”
He paused, without turning around. “Okay, what do you want for aforfeit?”
She looked at the back of his head, his dark, shiny hair tapered to a point at the nape of his neck. What was wrong with him? Why wouldn’t he look at her?
Fine. If he really wanted to go, she didn’t want to keep him. She opened her mouth to sayforget itwhen he spoke again.
“Name your price,” he said.
She hadn’t really thought of a forfeit.Truth, Dare or Kiss?Then, out of the complex filing system that was her memory, a favourite picturepopped up.
“I want to find a boat to take me to BlueSage Bay.”
At that, he did turn around, closing the door behind him and facing her, his eyes wide. “What?”
There it was, that suspicious look from last week. What did he think? That she would sail toArgentina?
“I wanted to see the cove, but it’s too far to walk. I only have three hours off in the afternoons. It’s not enough time to walk there and back in time for Mr Du Montfort’s evening work. I tried but only got as far as the isthmus.” She wasbabbling.
“So?” He crossed his arms over his chest as if cold. The movement, right arm over left, pulled at his tie and dragged his shirt collar. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down again as heswallowed.
Lust. That’s what she was feeling. It made her mouth water with the need tokiss him.
Please, God, let him not notice.
With an effort, she remembered what they’d been saying.
“So, I can’t walk there, but if we could find a boat—”No, don’t saywe. “I could take it from the pier at the bottom of the garden. It would probably make it in less than half an hour. If it came back for me a couple of hours later.”
“Why do you want togo there?”
“I want to see it. There is a pretty-looking cottage with a jetty.” She couldn’t explain the beauty of the place. “I’d like to see it, that’s all.”
