Grace self-consciously tucked her hair behind her ear and looked out towards the horizon. He had called her beautiful.Beautiful. It appeared that Talek had taken up the baton of flirtation and was offering it back to her. Much to her annoyance, she had no idea what to do with it.
She stared at the waves, acutely aware he was watching her. The seagull returned and glided low over the surface, stretched out its legs and dipped briefly into the sea, churning the water with its beating wings and stabbing beak, before rising swiftly again and flying away towards a solitary rock.
‘Why were you distressed at the station that day?’ asked Talek.
If you knew you would no longer think of me as beautiful.
Grace parried his question with one of her own. ‘Did you share the secret of Amelia’s health in the hope I would return the favour and share a secret of my own?’
‘No. I have come to realise that I cannot plan what I say where you are concerned.’
‘Does my company disturb you so much?’
‘It must.’ He softened his remark with a smile. ‘I’m not used to having two women in the house. At times I feel rather . . . outnumbered.’
Grace laughed.
Talek’s eyes softened. ‘It is good to see you laugh. You have been very quiet today.’
‘I was not aware my moods were so obvious.’
‘They are to me.’
His candid remark silenced them both. She had not met this side of his character before. Had the coastal breeze clutched his sombre, distant side and stolen it away?
A gentle, glistening wave rolled in, stretching up the beach far higher than the others. Talek saw it first and lifted Grace in his arms before it caught at the hem of her dress. It was a desperate act — unplanned, sudden, almost clumsy, yet gallant too. Another contradiction.
He carried her away from the water’s edge, but did not let her go. Grace’s mind slowed and stalled as she locked away in her memory the sensation of his arms about her. She should object, but she had no words to ask him to release her . . . or the will to do so. His body against hers was too intoxicating to fight. The strange sensations it ignited spread about her body, turning her breath ragged, her heart to race and her voice to leave her. Yet, strangely, she did not feel at a disadvantage, because she knew he felt it too.
Gradually his hold loosened and he gently lowered her to the ground. She was in no hurry and savoured the moment, inch by inch, button by button, the fabric on their clothing slid against the other’s. She could feel his rapid heartbeat against her own and his shaken, laboured breath in the soft curls of her hair. Yes, he was feeling it too.
Her feet touched the ground, but he did not let her go.
‘I’m aware of everything about you,’ he whispered against her hair. ‘The tone in your voice. The way your eyes change colour during the course of the day. The way your lips move when you speak.’ Grace lifted her gaze to meet his as he trailed the curve of his finger down her cheek. He was watching it, as if he was marvelling at the softness of her skin. ‘I’ve tried to fight it, but I no longer have the will to try.’
‘Fight what?’
He met her gaze. ‘This.’
His kiss surprised her, robbing her of both time and place and her will to move. It was demanding and stoked a need within her too, a desire which was instinctual and would not beignored. Her lips parted beneath his, enticing him deeper. The seductive message was clear. I’m yours for this moment in time and you are mine. Talek heard the unspoken message and gladly responded as only a man can.
The intimacy of their kiss was both shocking and all consuming; indulging in a wild passion she did not know could exist. At times gentle, at times demanding, a chase of desire that left them both breathless and shaken. Together they had unleashed a passion that could run wild if not kept in check.
It was Talek who had the strength to break away first.
He rested his cheek against her hair as he caressed the small of her back with his hands. He spoke, his voice hoarse and barely a whisper.
‘What have you done to me, Grace Kellow?’ He held her at arm’s length, his brow knotted in puzzlement. He retreated a few steps. ‘I have turned into an untrustworthy fool. I promised your father you would come to no harm under my roof. I promised to protect you, not to take advantage of you.’
‘We kissed. There is no harm done.’
Talek shook his head. ‘I’m not talking about just the kiss. I’m talking about where that kiss might lead. From the first day I saw you I have been drawn to you, Grace. I blamed it on my curiosity. Who was this woman who had the gall to accuse me of murder and trespass on private property, but then be found in such a vulnerable and confused state? Your behaviour was bound to raise questions in here,’ he said, tapping his temple. He took a deep breath. ‘This strange power you have over me is growing stronger by the day and it is only now that I can see what it is. I am attracted to you, Grace, but my good sense warns me to keep my distance. I have workers who rely on me and a business to run and I need a clear head, not one that is thinking of another.’
‘Is this because Margaret hurt you so deeply?’
Talek braced himself. ‘My sister shares too much at times.’
‘She thought to warn me. Her intention was good.’
