a lighted window. Luke’s chest showed as little impact, and he strode purposefully forward.
‘Put me down.’ It was a cry of outrage. No man had touched Nikki Russell for five years and she had no intention of permitting it now. Especially not this man!
‘I’ll put you down,’ Luke promised drily, ‘when I’m ready.’
‘But-’
‘Dr Russell, you are withering into dust with your old house and your elderly housekeeper and your books. Beattie has more life in her than you and she’s near seventy. Your housekeeper says you need something to cheer you up, and I’ve taken it on board as a personal challenge.’
‘If you think dumping me in the water will cheer me up…!’ She pummelled again and her feet lashed out, but he kept right on walking, implacably quiet, towards the water.
And Nikki fell silent, speechless. The feel of Luke’s hard body under her was doing crazy, crazy things to her equilibrium. This was mad. Her whole world was mad.
‘I’m not dumping you in the water,’ he said cheerfully as they neared the shallows. ‘I’m taking you for a swim.’
‘There are stingers in the water. And stingrays.’
‘Beattie tells me the stingers won’t be here for another few weeks,’ he reassured her kindly. ‘And with the amount of noise you’ve been making, any self-respecting stingray will have lit out for Texas ten minutes ago. Now shut up, hold your nose and enjoy yourself.’
‘But…’
She got no further. While Luke had been talking he had broached the waves at the water’s edge. Now they were surging around his waist, and as Nikki uttered her last word a large crest surged towards them, shoulder-high. Luke simply lifted his burden and deposited her neatly into the foaming surf.
Nikki had forgotten what it would be like…She had expected coldness-shock-but…the tropical water was almost warm. It had been five long years since Nikki had granted herself the indulgence of a beach swim and, despite her shock and anger, her overwhelming sensation was that of being welcomed back by a friend. She had loved the sea. Now it folded her back into its clasp with a sensual pleasure that was almost a caress.
Involuntarily Nikki felt her body moving into a graceful dive, turning away from the man throwing her into the wave and sweeping under the crest in a lithe arcing of her slim body.
Oh, it was lovely! Why had she stayed away for so long? The salt water surrounded her, encasing her in its cool caress, cooling her overheated body, taking the shards from her anger…
What on earth was she doing? She wasn’t swimming! There were texts she hadn’t opened yet and she was in the water, cavorting…
She rose unsteadily to her feet, her feet finding the sandy bottom. Her dress clung and swayed around her legs, pulled by the strength of the water. Luke was only feet from her, his eyes in the dim moonlight amused and appreciative.
‘Well, well,’ he said slowly. ‘The lady can swim. Now, why does Beattie tell me you haven’t swum in the sea for years?’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Nikki spluttered, trying to stalk forward. Another wave pounded into her back, making her stumble and spoiling the effect of her damping words entirely. Where on earth was her dignity? Before she could fall, strong arms reached out and held her.
‘It’s OK to have fun,’ Luke Marriott said softly, looking down at the sodden girl in his arms. ‘It’s OK, Nikki.’
‘Well, this is hardly my idea of fun,’ Nikki snapped. ‘To be half drowned…’
‘You? Half drowned? You can swim like a fish.’
‘You didn’t know that when you threw me under!’
‘No.’ He was staring down at her in the soft light. ‘I didn’t. But I could guess. As I can guess a hell of a lot about you, Nikki Russell.’
‘Well, keep your guesswork for someone else.’ Nikki was almost crying. ‘I don’t want it. I don’t want you anywhere near me.’
‘Or anyone else,’ he said softly. ‘At least, that’s what you say.’
‘It’s true.’
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘You have needs, just like the rest of us, Dr Russell.’
‘I don’t…’
‘Well, let’s just see.’ His grip suddenly tightened. Her body was drawn hard against his naked chest and his blond head sank to kiss her.
Nikki froze. His lips took hers to him, yet they couldn’t force her to respond. Her mouth was hard, immobile, and then her hands came up to shove him away.
It was that movement that was her undoing. Her fingers touched his wet, bare skin and a tremor ran through her. Five years. Five long years of nothing…
And now this. Lips that searched hers, hands that held her hard against him, making her body feel his strength-his maleness. Her dress might not have existed. Wet and limp, it was a frail barrier between them, and Nikki’s body knew his beneath it.
His hands held her tighter, tighter still, pulling her to compliance, moulding her breasts into his muscled chest. Waves of salt foam swept in and out around them but the surging water just deepened the caress, isolating them more against the world.
And to her horror Nikki felt herself respond. The night was magic. This moment was magic. The warmth of the water, the light of the waning moon and the sweeping whisper of the surf all combined to drug her into euphoria. She was powerless to resist. Powerless…
Slowly, slowly, her lips parted, allowing his insistent tongue to enter. He tasted of the sea, salt and something else…something of the night and the mood and the maleness of him.
Oh, God, she was mad and yet she couldn’t stop. It was as if she were indeed drowning and this man’s body was the only thing between her and the end of the world. There was the ocean around them. They were an island in the sea and they were stranded forever. His hands fell to her hips, caressing her thighs, pulling her in to feel his maleness, and she felt her body mould to him. If she were to die now, this was what heaven would feel like. She arched back, her neck white and satin-sheened in the moonlight, and from a distance she heard herself moan. The sound held pain and desire and…
And what? Who could know?
His mouth fell to the swell of her breasts, and the top button of her dress was suddenly undone. A hand went in to tease the tautness of her nipples and Nikki moaned again.
And then the sea intervened. A surge of surf, larger than the rest, tossed itself at the entwined couple. They staggered together and Luke’s hand fell away to save them both from falling.
It was enough. The tiny movement of withdrawal was enough to give Nikki back her senses. With a gasp of horror she pulled away, her hands coming up to cover the gaping nakedness of her breasts. Mad. She was mad. They were both mad.
And then they were staring at each other over the moon-drenched sea and Luke’s eyes reflected what Nikki was feeling. There was horror in his eyes as well, and Nikki knew that he too had not intended what had just happened.
‘Nikki…’ Luke’s voice was unsteady, uncertain, for the first time since Nikki had met him. Nikki shook her head and turned away.
‘I’ll be in the car,’ she whispered. ‘When you’re ready…’
Luke dressed swiftly on the beach while Nikki sat sodden in the car, waiting. When he came, she was hunched as far away as it was possible to be on the passenger side of the car and, after one swift, hard glance at his companion, Luke started the car and turned for home. They drove home in silence.
Luke’s face was set and grim, and his customary cheerfulness seemed to have deserted him. It was almost as though he was as shaken as she was, Nikki thought bitterly, though such a thing was hardly possible. A ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ man, was Luke Marriott, if Charlotte’s information could be relied on. Which it could be, Nikki thought. To do this…to seduce her…
He hadn’t seduced her. He had kissed her and she had responded. That truth made Nikki hug her arms into her breasts and shiver, and Luke cast a glance across at her.
‘My sweater’s over the back,’ he said impersonally, and another shudder ran through Nikki’s body. How could
