C h a pter O ne
Laine’s arrival at Honolulu Inter natio nal Airport was traditional. She would have preferred to melt throu gh the crowd, but it appeared traveling tourist class categorized her as just that.
Golden-ski nned girls with i vor y smiles and vi vi d saro ngs bestowed brilliant colored leis. Accepting both kiss and floral neckl ace, Lai ne wo ve t hrough the milling crowd and searched for an informatio n desk. The girt h of a fellow passenger hampered her journey.
His yellow and orange flowered shirt and the twi n cameras which joined the lei around his neck attested to his deter mination to enjo y his vacation. Under different cir cumstances, his appearance would have nudged at her humor, but t he tensio n in Laine’s stomach stifled any amusement. She had not stood on Ameri can soil in fifteen years. The ripe land wit h cliffs and beaches which she had seen as the plane descended brought no sense of ho mecomi ng.
The America Laine pictured came in sporadi c patches of memor y and through t he perspective of a child of seven. America was a gnarled elm tree guar di ng her bedroom window. It was a spread of green grass where buttercu ps scattered gold. It was a mail box at the end of a long, winding lane. But most of all, America was the man who had taken her to imaginar y African jungles and desert islands. However, ther e were or chi ds i nstead of daisies.
The graceful palms and spreading ferns of Honolulu were as forei gn to Laine as the father she had traveled half the world to find. It seemed a lifeti me ago that divorce had pulled her away fro m her roots.
Laine felt a quiet desperatio n t hat t he address she had found among her mother’s papers would lead to emptiness. The age of the small, creased piece of paper was unknown to her. Neit her did she know if Captain James Simmo ns still lived on the island of Kauai. There had o nl y been t he address tossed in among her mother’s bills. There had been no correspondence, nothi ng to indicate t he address was still a vit al one. To write to her father was the practical thi ng to do, and Laine had stru ggled with indecision for nearl y a week. Ultimatel y, she had rejected a letter in
favor of a per sonal meeting. Her hoar d of money would barel y see her throu gh a week of food and lodging, and t hough she knew the trip was impetuous, she had not been abl e to prevent herself.
Threading through her doubts was the shimmering strand of fear that rejection waited for her at the end of her journe y.
There was no reaso n to expect anyt hing else, she lectured herself. Why should t he man who had left her fatherl ess duri ng her growing-u p years care about the woman she had beco me? Relaxing the grip o n the handle of her handbag, Lai ne reasserted her vow to accept whatever waited at her journey’s end. She had learned long ago to adjust to whatever life offered.
She concealed her feelings with the habit develo ped during her adolescence.
Quickl y, she adjusted the white, soft- brimmed hat over a halo of flaxen curls. She lift ed her chin. No one would have guessed her underl ying anxiet y as she moved with unco nscious grace t hrough the crowds. She looked elegantl y aloof in her inherited traveling suit of ice blue silk, altered to fit her slight fi gure rather t han her mother’s ampl e curves.
The girl at the information desk was deep in an enjo yable co nversation wit h a man. Standing to one si de, Laine watched the encounter with detached i nterest. The man was dar k and intimi dati ngl y t all. Her pu pils would undoubtedl y have called him séduisant. His ru gged features were surrounded by black hair i n curling disorder, while his bronzed ski n pro ved hi m no stranger to the Hawaiian sun. There was somethi ng rakish in his profile, so me basi c sensualit y which Lai ne recognized but di d not full y co mprehend. She thought perhaps his nose had been broken at one time, but rather than spoiling t he appeal of the profile, the lack of symmetr y added to it. His dress was casual, the jeans well worn and frayed at t he cuffs, and a denim work shirt expo sed a har d chest and corded ar ms.
Vaguel y irrit ated, Lai ne stu died him. She o bser ved the easy flow of
charm, the i ndolent stance at the counter, the tease of a smile on his mouth. I’ve seen his t ype bef ore, she t hought with a surge of resentment, ho vering around Vanessa like a crow arou nd carrio n. She remembered, too, that when her mother’s beaut y had beco me onl y
a shadow, the flock had left for younger pr ey. At that moment, Laine could f eel o nl y gratitude that her co ntacts with men had been limited.
He tur ned and encountered Lai ne’s stare. One dar k brow rose as he lingered over his sur vey of her. She was too unreasonabl y angr y with him to look away. The simplicit y of her suit shouted its exclusiveness, reveali ng the tender elegance of young curves.
The hat half shaded a fragile, fai ntl y aristocr atic face with well-defined planes, straight nose, u nsmiling mouth and morning-sky eyes. Her lashes were thick and gold, and he took them as too long for authenticit y. He assessed her as a cool, self-possessed woman, recognizi ng o nl y t he borrowed var nish.
Slowl y, and with deliberat e insolence, he smiled. Laine kept her gaze steady and stru ggled to def eat a blush. The clerk, seeing her companion’s transfer of attention, shift ed her eyes in Lai ne’s direction and banished a scowl.
“May I help you?” Dutifully, she affixed her occupational smile.
Ignoring t he ho veri ng male, Lai ne st epped up to the counter.
“Thank you. I need transportation to Kauai. Could you tell me how to arrange it?” A whisper of France lingered in her voice.
“Of course, there’s a charter leaving for Kau ai in…” The cler k glanced at her watch and smiled again. “Twent y minutes.”
“I’m leaving right now.” Laine glanced o ver and gave the loitering man
a brief stare. She noted that his e yes wer e as green as Chi nese jade. “No use hanging around the airport, and,” he co ntinu ed as his smile became a gri n, “my Cu b’s not as crowded or expensive as the charter.”
Laine’s disdainful lift of brow and di smissi ng survey had been successful before, but did not work this time. “Do you have a pl ane?” she asked coldl y.
“Yeah, I’ve got a plane.” His hands were thrust in his pocket s, and in hi s slouch against t he counter, he still managed to tower over her. “I can always use the loose change fro m picki ng up isl and hoppers.”
“Dillon,” the clerk began, but he interrupted her with another grin and a jerk of his head.
“Rose’ll vouch for me. I ru n for Canyo n Airlines o n Kauai.”
He presented Rose with a wi de smile. She shuffled papers.
“Dillon … Mr. O’Brian is a fine pilot.” Rose cleared her throat and sent Dillon a telling glance. “If you’ d rat her not wait for the scheduled charter, I can guarantee t hat yo ur flight will be equall y enjo yable with him.”
Stu dying his irreverent smile and amused eyes, Laine was of the o pinio n that the trip would be somethi ng less than enjo yable. However, her funds were low and she knew she must conser ve what she had.
“Very well, Mr. O’Brian, I will engage your services.” He held out his hand, palm u p, and Lai ne dropped her eyes to it. Infuriated by his ru deness, she brought her eyes back to hi s. “If you will tell me your rate, Mr. O’Brian, I shall be happy to pay you when we land.”
“Your baggage check,” he countered, smiling. “Just part of the service, lady.”
Bendi ng her head to conceal her blush, Lai ne fumbled through her purse for the ticket.
“O.K., let’s go.” He took both the stub and her arm, propelling her away as he called o ver his shoulder in far ewell to the information cler k, “See you next time, Rose.”
“Welcome to Hawaii,” Rose stated out of habit, then, with a sigh, pouted after Dillon’s back.
Unused to being so firml y guided, and hampered by a stride a fractio n
of his, Lai ne stru ggled to mai ntai n her co mposure while she trotted beside hi m. “Mr. O’Brian, I ho pe I do n’t have to jog to Kauai.” He stopped and grinned at her. She tried, and failed, not to pant. His gri n, she discovered, was a strange and po werful weapo n, and o ne for which she had not yet develo ped a defense.
“Thought you were in a hurry, Miss…” He glanced at her ticket, and she watched t he gri n vanish. When his eyes lifted, all remnants of humor had fled. His mouth was grim. She would have retreated from the waves of hostilit y had not his gri p on her arm prevented her. “Laine Simmons?” It was more accusation than question.
“Yes, you’ve read it correctly,” she said.
Dillon’s eyes narrowed. She found her cool façade melti ng with disco ncerting speed. “You’re going to see James Si mmo ns?”
Her eyes wi dened. For an inst ant, a flash of ho pe flickered on her face.
But his expression remained set and hostile. She smothered the impulse to ask hu ndreds of questions as she felt his tighteni ng fingers bruise her arm.
“I do n’t know how that concerns you, Mr. O’Brian,” she began, “but yes. Do you know my fat her?” She faltered o ver the final wor d, finding the novelt y of its use bittersweet.
“Yes, I know him … a great deal better than you do. Well, Duchess—” he released her as if t he contact was offensi ve
“—I doubt if fifteen years late is better than never, but we’ll see.
Canyo n Airlines is at your disposal.” He inclined hi s head and gave Lai ne a half bow. “The trip’s on the house. I can hardl y charge the owner’s prodi gal daughter.” Dillon retri eved her luggage and stalked from the termi nal in thunderous silence. In the wake of the storm, Laine followed, stu nned by his hostilit y and by his informatio n.
Her fathe r owned an airline. She r emembered James Si mmo ns onl y as a pilot, with the dream of his own planes a distant fantas y. When had t he dream beco me realit y? Why did this man, who was currentl y tossing her mother’ s elegant lu ggage like so many duffel bags into a small, streamlined plane, turn such hostilit y on her at the discover y of her name? How di d he know fifteen years had spanned her separation from her father? She o pened her mouth to question Dillo n as he rounded the nose of t he plane. She shut it agai n as he tur ned and captured her with his angr y stare.
“Up you go, Du chess. We’ve got twent y-eight minutes to endure
each other’s co mpany.” His hands went to her waist, and he hoisted her as if she wer e no more burden t han a feather pillow. He eased his long frame into the seat beside her. She became uncomfortabl y awar e of his virilit y and attempted to ignore him by giving intense concentration to the buckling of her safet y belt.
Beneat h her lashes, she watched as he flicked at the co ntrols before t he engine ro ared to life.
The sea o pened beneat h them. Beaches lay white against its verge, dotted wit h su n worshipers. Mountai ns rose, jagged and primitive, the eter nal ruler s of the islands. As they gained height, the colors i n the scene below became so intense that they seemed artificial. Soon the shades blended. Browns, greens and blues softened wit h di stance. Flashes of scarlet and yellow merged before fadi ng. The plane soared with a surge of power, then its wings tilted as it made a curvi ng arch and hurtled i nto the sky.
“Kau ai is a natural paradise,” Dillon began in the tone of a tour guide. He leaned back i n his seat and lit a ci garette. “It offers, o n the North Shore,
the Wailua Ri ver which ends at Fer n Grotto. The foliage is exceptional . There are miles of beaches, fields of cane and pi neapple. Opeakea Falls, Hanalei Bay and Na Pali Coast are also worth seeing. On the South Shore,” he co ntinu ed, while Laine adopted the air of attenti ve listener, “we have Koki e State Park and Waimea C anyo n. Ther e ar e tropical trees and flowers at Olo pia and Menehu ne Gardens. Water sports are exceptio nal almost anywhere around the island. Why the devil did you come?”
The qu estion, so abrupt on t he tail of his mechanical recital, caused
Laine to jolt in her seat and stare. “To … to see my father.”
“Took your own sweet time about it,” Dillon muttered and dr ew hard on his ci garette. He turned again and gave her a slow, intimate survey. “I guess you were prett y busy attendi ng that elegant fi nishing school.”
Laine frowned, thinki ng of the boar di ng school whi ch had been both home and refu ge for nearl y fifteen years. She decided Dillon O’Brian was crazed. Ther e was no use co ntradicting a lunatic. “I’ m glad you approve,” she returned cooll y. “A pit y you missed the experi ence. It’ s amazi ng what can be do ne with rough edges.”
“No thanks, Duchess.” He blew out a stream of smo ke. “I prefer a bit of ho nest crudeness.”
“You appear to have an adequate supply.”
“I get by. Island life can be a bit uncivilized at times.” His smile was t hin. “I doubt if it’s going to suit your tastes.”
“I can be very adaptable, Mr. O’Brian.” She moved her shoulders with
gentle elegance. “I can also overlook a certain amount of discourtesy for short perio ds of time. Twent y-ei ght minutes i s just under my limit.” “Terrific. Tell me, Miss Simmons,” he continued with exaggerated
respect,
“how is life on the
Continent?”
“Marvelous.” Deliberately, she tilted her head and loo ked at him from under the brim of her hat. “The French are so cosmopolitan, so urbane. One feels so …” Attempting to copy her mother’s easy polish, she gestured and gave t he next word the French expr essio n. “C hez soi wit h people of o ne’s own i ncli natio ns.”
“Very true.” The tone was iro nic. Dillon kept his eyes on the open sky as he spo ke. “I doubt if yo u’ll find many peo ple of your own inclinations on Kauai.”
“Perhaps not.” Laine pushed the thought of her father aside and tossed her head. “Then again, I may find the island as agreeable as I find Paris.”
“I’m sure you found the men agreeable.” Dillon crushed out his
cigarette with one quick t hrust. Laine found his fresh anger rewarding. The memor y of the pitifull y few men with who m she had had close co ntact caused her to force back a lau gh. Onl y a small smile escaped.
“The men of my acquaintance—” she apologized mentally to elderl y Fat her Rennier “—are men of elegance and culture and breedi ng. They ar e men of high intellect and discerning tastes who possess t he manners and sensiti vit y which I currentl y fi nd lacking in their American cou nterparts.”
“Is that so?” Dillon questioned softly.
“That, Mr. O’Brian,” said Laine firmly, “is quite so.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want to spoil our record.” Switching over to automatic pilot, he turned in his seat and captured her.
Mouth bruised mouth before she realized his i ntent.
She was locked in hi s arms, her struggles prevented by his strengt h and by her own dazed senses. She was overwhelmed by the scent and taste and feel of him. He incr eased the intimacy, parting her li ps with his to ngue. To escape from sensations mor e acute t han she had thought possibl e, she clutched at his shirt.
Dillon lifted his face, and his brows drew straight at her look of stunned, young vulnerabilit y. She could onl y stare, her eyes filled with confused new knowledge. Pulling away, he switched back to manual co ntrol and gave his attention to the sky. “It seems yo ur French lovers haven’t prepared you for Ameri can techni que.”
Stu ng, and furious with the weakness she had just discovered, Laine turned in her seat and faced him. “Your technique, Mr.
O’Brian, is as cru de as the rest of you.”
He grinned and shru gged. “Be grateful, Du chess, that I didn’t simpl y shove you out the door. I’ ve been fighting the inclination for twent y mi nutes.”
“You would be wise to suppress such inclinations,” Laine snapped, feeli ng her temper bu bbling at an alarming speed. I will not lose it, she
told herself. She would not give t his detestable man t he satisfaction of seeing how thoroughl y he had unnerved her.
The plane di pped i nto an abrupt nosedi ve. The sea hurtled toward them at a terrif ying rat e as t he small steel bird performed a series of somersaults. The sky and sea were a mass of interchangeable blues with t he whit e of clouds and t he white of breakers no longer separate. Laine clutched at her seat, squeezing her eyes shut as the sea and sky whirled in her brain. Protest was impossi ble. She had lost both her voice and her heart at the first circl e. She clung and prayed for her stomach to remai n statio nar y. The plane leveled, then cruised right side u p, but inside her head t he world still revolved. Laine heard her companion laugh wholeheartedl y.
“You can o pen your e yes now, Miss Simmons. We’ll be landing in a mi nute.”
Turni ng to him, Laine erupted wit h a lo ng, detailed anal ysi s of his character . At length, she realized she was stating her opinion i n French. She took a deep breat h. “You, Mr. O’Brian,”
she fi nished i n frigid English, “are t he most detestable man I have ever met.”
“Thank you, Duchess.” Pleased, he began to hum.
Laine forced herself to keep her eyes open as Dillo n began his descent. Ther e was a bri ef impr essio n of greens and browns mel ding with blue, and agai n the swift rise of mountains before t hey were bounci ng o n asphalt and gli ding to a stop. Dazed, she surveyed the hangars and li nes of aircr aft, Pi per Cubs and cabin planes, twin engines and passenger jets. There’ s some mistake, she thought. This cannot belong to my fath er.
“Don’t get any ideas, Duchess,” Dillon remarked, noting her astonished star e. Hi s mouth tightened. “You’ve forfeited your share. And even if the captain was incli ned to be generous, his partner would make thi ngs ver y difficult. You’re going to have to look someplace else for an easy ride.”
He jumped to the ground as Laine stared at him with disbelief.
Disengaging her belt, she prepared to lower herself to the ground. His hands gripped her waist before her feet made contact. For a moment, he held her suspended. With their faces onl y inches apart, Laine found his eyes her jailer. She had never known eyes so green or so compelli ng.
“Watch your step,” he commanded, then dro pped her to the ground. Laine stepped back, retreating from t he hostilit y i n his voice. Gat hering
her courage, she lifted her chi n and hel d her grou nd. “Mr. O’Brian, would you please tell me wher e I might find my fat her?”
He stared for a mo ment, and she thought he would simpl y refuse and leave her. Abruptl y, he gestured toward a small white building. “His office is i n there,” he barked before he turned to stride away.
C h a pter Two
The building which Laine approached was a midsize hut. Fanning palms and flaming anthurium skirted its entrance. Hands trembling, Laine entered. She felt as t hough her knees might dissolve under her, as though t he pou ndi ng of her heart would burst through her head. What would she say to the man who had left her floundering in lo neliness for fifteen years? What words were there to bri dge the gap and expr ess the need which had never died? Would she need to ask questions, or could she forget t he whys and just accept?
Laine’s image of James Simmons was as clear and vivi d as yest erday. It was not di mmed by the shadows of time. He would be older, she remi nded herself. She was older as well. She was not a chil d trailing after an idol, but a wo man meeti ng her father. They wer e neit her one the same as t hey had been.
Perhaps that i n itself would be an advantage.
The outer room of the hut was deserted. Laine had a vague impression of wicker fur nishings and wo ven mats. She stared around her , feeling alo ne and u nsure. Li ke a ghost of the past, his voice reached out, booming through an open doorway.
Approaching the sound, Laine watched as her fat her talked o n the pho ne at hi s desk.
She could see the alteratio ns which age had made o n his face, but
her memor y had been accurate. The sun had dar kened his ski n and laid its lines upo n it, but his features were no str anger to her. His thick brows were gray now, but still pro minent o ver his brown eyes. The nose was still strong and straight over the long, thi n mouth.
His hair remained full, though as gray as his brows, and she watched as he reached up in a well-remembered gesture and tugged his fingers throu gh it.
She pr essed her lips toget her as he replaced the receiver, then swallowi ng, Laine spoke in soft memor y. “Hello, Cap.”
He twisted his head, and she watched surprise flood his face.
His
eyes ran a quick gamut of emotions, and somewhere between the
beginning and the end she saw t he pai n. He stood, and she noted with a small sense of sho ck that he was shorter than her chil d’s perspective had made him.
“Laine?” The question was hesitant, colored by a reserve which crushed her impulse to rush toward him. She sensed immediatel y that his arms would not be open to receive her, and this rejectio n t hreatened to destro y her t entative smil e.
“It’s good to see you.” Hating the inanit y, she stepped into the room and held out her hand.
After a moment, he accepted it. He held her hand bri efl y, then released
it. “You’ve grown up.” His survey was slow, his smile touching onl y his mouth. “You’ve t he look of your mother. No more pigtails?”
The smile illuminated her face wit h such swift impact, her fat her’s expression warmed. “Not for some time. There was no one to pull them.” Reserve settled over hi m agai n. Feeling the chill, Laine fumbled for some new line of conversatio n. “You’ve got your airport; you must be ver y happy. I’d like to see mor e of it.”
“We’ll arrange it.” His tone was polite and imperso nal, whi ppi ng across her f ace like the sti ng of a lash.
Laine wander ed to a window and stared out through a mist of tears.
“It’s
ver y
impressi ve.”
“Thank you, we’re pretty proud of it.” He cleared his thro at and studied her back. “How long will you be i n Hawaii?”
She gri pped the wi ndowsill and tri ed to match his tone. E ven at their
worst, her fears had not prepared her for this degree of pain. “A few weeks perhaps, I have no defi nite plans. I came … I came straight here.” Turni ng, Laine began to fill the void with chatter.
“I’m sure there are things I should see since I’m here. The pilot who flew me over said Kauai was beautiful, gar dens and … ” She tried and failed to remember the specifics of Dillon’s speech. “And parks.” She settled on a generalit y, keeping her smile fixed.
“Perhaps you could recommend a hotel?”
He was searchi ng her face, and Laine struggled to keep her smile from dissolvi ng. “You’re welco me to stay with me whil e you’re here.”
Bur ying her pri de, she agr eed. She knew she could not afford to stay anywhere else. “That’s kind of you. I should li ke that.”
He nodded and shuffled some papers on hi s desk. “How’s your mother?”
“She died,” Laine murmured. “Three months ago.”
Cap gl anced up shar pl y. Laine watched t he pai n flicker over his face. He sat down. “I’m sorr y, Laine. Was she ill?”
“There was …” She swallowed. “There was a car accident.”
“I see.” He cleared his thro at, and his tone was again impersonal.
“If you had written, I would have flown o ver and helped you.”
“Would you?” She shook her head and turned back to the windo w. She remembered t he panic, the numbness, t he mountai n of debts, the auction of ever y valu able. “I managed well enough.”
“Laine, why did you come?” Though his voice had softened, he remained behind t he barrier of his desk.
“To see my father.” Her words were devoid of emotion.
“Cap.” At the voice Laine turned, watching as Dillo n’s form filled the doorway. His glance scanned her before returning to Cap. “Chambers is leaving for the mai nland. He wants to see you before he takes off.”
“All right. Laine,” Cap turned and gestured awkwardly, “this is Dillon
O’Brian, my partner. Dillon, this is my
daughter.” “We’ ve met.” Dillon
smiled briefl y.
Laine managed a nod. “Yes, Mr. O’Brian was kind enough to fl y me from Oahu. It was a most … fasci nati ng journe y.”
“That’s fine then.” Cap moved to Dillon and clasped a hand to his shoulder. “Run Lai ne to the house, will you, and see she settles in? I’ m sure she must be tired.”
Laine watched, exclu ded from the myster y of masculine understanding as looks were exchanged. Dillon no dded. “My pleasure.”
“I’ll be home in a couple of hours.” Cap turned and regarded Laine in
awkward silence.
“All right.” Her smile was beginning to hurt her cheeks, so Laine let it die. “Thank you.” Cap hesitated, then walked t hrou gh the door leaving her staring at emptiness. I will not cr y, she or dered herself. Not in front of this man. If she had nothi ng else l eft, she had her pride.
“Whenever you’re ready, Miss Simmo ns.”
Brushi ng past Dillon, Laine glanced back over her shoulder. “I hope you dri ve a car with more discretion than you fl y a plane, Mr. O’Brian.”
He gave an enigmatic shru g. “Why do n’t we fi nd out?”
Her bags were sitting outside. She glanced down at them, then up at
Dillon. “You seem to have anticipated me.”
“I had ho ped,” he began as he tossed the bags into the rear of a sleek compact, “to pack both t hem and you back to where you came from, but that is o bviousl y impossi ble now.” He o pened his door, slid i nto the dri ver’ s seat and started the engine. Laine slipped in beside him, unai ded. Releasing the brake, he shot forward with a speed which jer ked her against the cu shio ns.
“What did you say to him?” Dillon demanded, not bothering with preliminaries as he maneu ver ed skillfull y through the air port traffic.
“Being my father’s business partner does not entitle you to an account of his perso nal co nversations wit h me,” Lai ne answered. Her voice
was clipped and resentful.
“Listen, Duchess, I’m not about to stand by while you drop into Cap’s lif e and stir up trouble. I di dn’t like t he way he looked when I walked in on you. I gave you ten mi nutes, and you managed to hurt him. Don’t make me sto p the car and persuade you to tell me.” He paused and lowered his voice. “You’d find my metho ds unrefi ned.” The threat vi brated i n his softl y spo ken words.
Suddenl y Laine found herself too tired to banter. Ni ghts wit h onl y patches of sleep, days crowded with pressures and anxiet y, and the lo ng, tedious journey had taken their toll. With a wear y gesture, she pulled off her hat. Resting her head against t he seat, she closed her eyes. “Mr. O’Brian, it was not my i ntention to hurt my f ather. In the ten minutes you allowed, we sai d remarkabl y little.
Per haps it was the news that my mother had di ed which u pset hi m, but that is somet hing he would have learned eventuall y at any rate.” Her tone was hollow, and he gl anced at her, surprised by t he sudden frailt y of her u nframed face. Her hair was soft and pale against her i vor y ski n. For the first time, he saw the smu dges of mauve hau nting her eyes.
“How long ago?”
Laine opened her eyes i n co nfusion as she detected a whisper of sympathy i n his voice. “Three mo nths.” She sighed and turned to face Dillon more directl y. “She ran her car into a tel epho ne pole.
They tell me
she died i nstantl y.” And painlessl y, she added to herself, anest hetized with several quarts of vi ntage ch am pa gn e.
Dillon lapsed into silence, and she was grateful that he ignored t he need for any trite words of sympathy. She had had enough of those already
and found his silence more co mforting. She studied his profile, the bronzed chiseled li nes and unyiel ding mouth, before she turned her attention back to the scener y.
The scent of the Pacific lingered in t he air. The water was a sparkli ng blue against the cr ystal beaches. Screw pi nes rose from the sand and accepted the lazy br eeze, and monkeypo ds, wide and domeli ke, spread t heir shade in invitation. As they dro ve inland, Laine caught onl y brief glimpses of the sea. The landscape was a myriad of colors against a rich velvet green. Su n f ell in waves of light, offering its warmth so that flowers di d not strain to it, but r ather basked lazil y i n its glor y.
Dillon turned up a dri ve which was flanked by two sturdy palms. As they approached t he house, Lai ne felt the first stir of pleasure. It was simple, its lines basic and clean, its walls cool and white. It stood two stories squar e, sturdy despite its lar ge expanses of glass. Watching the wi ndows wi nk in t he su n, Laine felt her first welco ming.
“It’s lovel y.”
“Not as fancy as you might have expected,” Dillon countered as he halted at the end of t he dri ve, “but Cap likes it.” The brief truce was obviousl y at an end. He eased from t he car and gave his attention to her lu ggage.
Wit hout comment, Lai ne o pened her door and sli pped out.
Shading her eyes fro m the su n, she stood for a mo ment and studied her father’s home. A set of stairs led to a circling porch.
Dillon climbed them, nudged the fro nt door open and stro de i nto the house. Laine entered u nescorted.
“Close my door; flies are not welcome.”
Laine glanced up and saw, wit h stunned admiration, an enormous woman step as lightl y down the st aircase as a you ng girl. Her girt h was wrapped i n a colorful, flowing muumuu. Her glossy black hair was pulled tight and secured at the back of her head. Her skin was
unlined, t he color of dark ho ney. Her eyes were jet, set deep and widel y spaced. Her age might have been anywhere fro m thirt y to sixt y. The image of an island priest ess, she took a long, u ninhibited survey of Laine when she reached the foot of the st airs.
“Who is this?” she asked Dillon as she folded her thick arms over a tumbling boso m.
“This is Cap’s daughter.” Setting down the bags, he leaned on the banister and watched t he exchange.
“Cap Simmo ns’s dau ghter.” Her mouth pursed and her eyes narro wed.
“Pretty thing, but too pale and skinny. Don’t you eat?” She circled
Laine’s arm between her thu mb and
forefinger .
“Why, yes, I …”
“Not enough,” she interrupted and fingered a sunlit curl with interest. “Mmm, ver y nice, ver y prett y. Why do you wear it so short?”
“I …”
“You should have come years ago, but you are here now.” Noddi ng, she patted Lai ne’s cheek. “You are tired. I will fix yo ur room.”
“Thank you. I …”
“Then you eat,” she ordered, and hefted Laine’s two cases up the stairs. “That was Miri,” Dillon volunteer ed and tu cked his hands in his
pockets.
“She runs the
house.”
“Yes, I see.” Unable to prevent herself, Laine lifted her hand to her hair and wo ndered o ver the lengt h. “Shouldn’t you have taken the bags up for her?”
“Miri could carry me up the stairs without breaking stride. Besides, I know better t han to int erfer e with what she considers her duties. Come on.” He grabbed her ar m and pulled her down the hall.
“I’ll fix you a drink.”
Wit h casual familiarit y, Dillon moved to a double-doored cabinet. Laine flexed her arm and surveyed the cream-walled room.
Si mplicit y r eigned here as its outer shell had indicat ed, and she appreciated Miri’s o bvious diligence with polish and broom.
Ther e was, she noted with a si gh, no room for a woman here. The furnishings shouted wit h masculinit y, a masculinit y whi ch was well established and co mfortable i n its solitar y state.
“What’ll you have?” Dillo n’s questio n brought Laine back fro m her musings. She shook her head and dropped her hat on a small table. It loo ked frivolous and totall y out of place.
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“Nothing, thank yo u.”
“Suit yourself.” He poured a measure of liquor into a glass and dropped down on a chair. “We’re not gi ven to formalities around here, Duchess. Whil e you’re in residence, you’ll have to cope with a more basi c for m of existence.”
She i ncli ned her head, layi ng her purse beside her hat. “P erhaps one may still wash one’s hands before dinner?”
“Sure,” he returned, ignoring the sarcasm. “We’re big on water.” “And where, Mr. O’Brian, do you li ve?”
“Here.” He stretched his legs and gave a satisfied smile at her frown. “For a week or two. I’m having some repairs done to my house.”
“How unfortunate,” Laine commented and wandered the room.
“For both of us.”
“You’ll survive, Duchess.” He toasted her with his glass. “I’m sure you’ve had plent y of experience i n sur vivi ng.”
“Yes, I have, Mr. O’Brian, but I have a feeling you know nothing about
it.”
“You’ve got guts, lady, I’ll give you that.” He tossed back his drink and
scowled as she tur ned to face
him.
“Your opinion is duly noted and filed.”
“Did you come for more mo ney? Is it possible you’re that greedy?
” He rose in one smooth motion and crossed the room, grabbing her shoulders before she could back away from his mercurial temper.
“Haven’t you squeezed enough out of him? Never giving anything in return. Never even disturbing yourself to answer one of his letters.
Letting the years pile up wit hout any acknowledgement. What the devil do you want from him now?”
Dillon sto pped abru ptl y. The color had drai ned from her face, leaving it like white marble. Her eyes were dazed wit h shock. She swayed as though her joints had melted, and he held her upright, staring at her in su dden co nfusion. “What’s the matter with Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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you?”
“I … Mr. O’Brian, I think I would like that drink no w, if you don’t mi nd.”
His frown deepened, and he l ed her to a chair before mo ving off to Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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pour her a drink. Laine accepted with a murmured thanks, then shuddered at the
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unfamiliar burn of brandy. The room steadied, and she felt the mists cleari ng.
“Mr. O’Brian, I … am I to understand …” She stopped and shut her eyes a mo ment. “Are you saying my father wrote to me?”
“You know very well he did.” The retort was both swift and anno yed. “He came to the islands ri ght after you and your mother left him, and he wrote you regularl y u ntil five years ago when he gave u p. He still sent money,” Dillon added, flicking on his lighter. “Oh yes, the money kept right on coming until you turned twent y-o ne l ast year.”
“You’re lying!”
Dillon looked o ver i n astonishment as she rose from her chair.
Her cheeks were flami ng, her eyes flashi ng. “Well, well, it appears the ice mai den has melted.” He blew out a stream of smoke and spo ke mil dl y. “I never lie, Duchess. I find the truth more i nter esti ng.”
“He never wrote to me. Never!” She walked to where Dillon sat. “Not once in all those years. All the letters I sent came back because he had moved away without even telli ng me where.”
Slowl y, Dillon crushed out his cigarette and rose to face her.
“Do you expect me to bu y that? You’re selling to the wrong perso n, Miss Si m m o ns. I saw the letters C ap sent, and the checks ever y month.” He ran a finger down the lapel of her suit. “You seem to have put t hem to good use.”
“I tell you I never received any letters.” Laine knocked his hand away and tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “I have not had o ne word from my father since I was seven years old.”
“Miss Simmons, I mailed more than one letter myself, though I was tempted to chu ck them into the P acific. Presents, too; dolls in the earl y years. You must have quite a collection of porcelai n dolls.
Then ther e was the jewelr y. I remember the ei ghteenth birt hday present ver y clearl y. Opal earri ngs shaped like flowers.”
“Earrings,” Laine whispered. Feeling the room tilt again, she du g her teeth i nto her lip and shook her head.
“That’s right.” His voice was rough as he mo ved to pour Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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himself another dri nk. “And they all went to the same place: 17 rue de
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la Concorde, P aris.”
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Her color ebbed again, and she lifted a hand to her temple. “My mother’s address,” she murmured, and turned away to sit before her legs gave way. “I was in school; my mother lived t here.”
“Yes.” Dillon took a quick sip and settled on the sofa again. “Your education
was
bot h
lengthy
and
expensive.”
Laine thought for a moment of the boar di ng school with its plai n, wholesome food, cotton sheets and leaking roof. She pressed her fingers to her eyes. “I was not aware t hat my father was paying for my schooling.”
“Just who did you think was paying for your French pinafores and art lessons?”
She sighed, stung by the shar pness of his to ne. Her hands fluttered briefl y before she dro pped t hem into her lap. “Vanessa … my mother said she had an i ncome. I never questioned her. She must have kept my father’s letters from me.”
Laine’s voice was dull, and Dillon mo ved with su dden impatience.
“Is that the tune yo u’re going to play to Cap? You make it very convi ncing.”
“No, Mr. O’Brian. It hardly matters at this point, does it? In any case, I
doubt that he would believe me any more than you do. I will keep my visit brief, t hen return to France.” She lifted her brandy and stared into the amber liquid, wondering if it was respo nsible for her numbness. “I would like a week or two. I would appr eciate it if you would not mention this discussion to my fat her ; it would onl y complicate matters.”
Dillon gave a short laugh and sipped from his drink. “I have no intentio n of telling hi m any part of t his little fair y tale.”
“Your word, Mr. O’Brian.” Surprised by the anxiety in her voice,
Dillon glanced up. “I want your word.” She met hi s eyes wit hout waveri ng. “My word, Miss Simmons,” he agreed at lengt h.
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Noddi ng, she rose and lifted her hat and bag from the table. “I would like to go up to my room now. I’ m ver y tired.”
He was frowni ng into his drink. Laine, wit hout a backwar d gl ance, walked to her room.
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C h a pter Three
Laine faced the woman in the mirror. She saw a pale face, dominated by wi de, shadowed eyes. Reaching for her rouge, she placed borrowed color in her cheeks.
She had known her mother’s faults: the egotism, the shallowness. As a child, it had been easy to overlook the flaws and prize the sporadic, exciti ng visits with the vibrant, fair y-tale wo man. Icecream parfaits and part y dresses were such a co ntrast to homespun unifor ms and porri dge. As Laine had grown ol der , the visits had become further spaced and shorter. It became routine for her to spend her vacatio ns from school with the nuns. She had begu n to see, t hrough the objecti vit y of distance, her mother’s desperation for youth, her selfish gri p on her own beaut y. A grown daughter wit h fir m limbs and unli ned skin had been more of an obstacle than an acco mplishment. A grown daughter was a remi nder of one’s own mortalit y.
She was always afraid of losing, Laine t hought. Her looks, her youth, her fri ends, her men. All t he creams and potions. She sighed and shut her eyes. All the dyes and lotions. There had been a collection of porcel ain dolls, Laine remembered. Vanessa’s dolls, or so she had t hought. Twel ve porcelain dolls, each from a different countr y. She t hought of how beautiful the Spanish doll had been with its high comb and mantilla. And the earrings …
Lai ne tossed down her brush and whirled around t he room.
Those lo vel y opal earrings t hat looked so fragile in Vanessa’s ears. I remember seeing her wear them, just as I remember listi ng them and the twelve porcelain dolls for auction. How much more that was mine did she keep from me? Bli ndl y, Lai ne stared out her windo w. The incredible array of isl and blossoms might not have existed.
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own pleasure? To l et me t hink, year after year, t hat my f ather had forgotten me? She kept me from him, even fro m hi s words on paper.
I r esent her
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for that, how I resent her for t hat. Not for t he mo ney, but for the lies and the loss. She must have used t he checks to keep her apartment in Paris, and for all
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those clothes and all t hose parties. Laine shut her eyes tight on waves of outrage. At least I know no w why she took me with her to France: as an insurance policy. She lived off me for nearl y fift een years, and even t hen it wasn’t enough. Lai ne felt tears squeezing through her closed lids. Oh, how Cap must hate me. How he must hate me for the ingratitu de and the coldness. He would never believe me. She sighed, rememberi ng her father’ s reactio n to her appearance. “You’ve the look of your mother. ” Opening her eyes, she walked back and studied her face i n t he mirror.
It was true, she decided as she ran her fi ngerti ps along her cheeks.
The resemblance was there in t he bone structure, in the coloring. Laine frowned, findi ng no pleasure in her inheritance.
He’s onl y to look at me to see her. He’s o nl y to look at me to r emember. He’ll think as Dillon O’Brian t hinks. How could I expect anyt hing else? For a few moments, Laine and her reflection merel y stared at one another. But per haps, she mused, her bottom lip t hrust forward in thought, with a week or two I mi ght sal vage something of what used to be, some portion of the friendshi p. I would be co ntent with that. But he must not thi nk I’ve come for money, so I must be careful he not find out how little I have left . Mor e t han anythi ng, I shall have to be careful around Mr. O’Bri an.
Detestable man, she thou ght on a fresh flurr y of anger. He is surel y the most ill- bred, mannerless man I have ever met. He’s worse, much worse, t han any of Vanessa’ s hangers-on. At least they managed to wear a light coat of respectabilit y. Cap probabl y picked him u p off the beach out of pit y and made him his partner.
He has i nsolent e yes, she added, lifting her brush and tugging it through her hair. Al ways looking at you as if he knew how you would feel in his arms. He’s nothi ng but a wo manizer. Tossing down t he brush, she glared at the woman i n the glass. He’s just an unr efined, arro gant womanizer . Look at the way he behaved o n the plane.
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lips. The memor y of their turbulent capture flooded back. You’ve been kissed before, she lectured, shaking her head against the echoing sensatio ns. Not like that, a small voice insisted. Never like that.
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“Oh, the devil with Dillon O’Brian!” she muttered aloud, and just barel y resisted the urge to slam her bedroom door on her way out.
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Laine hesitated at the sound of masculine voices. It was a new sound for one generall y accustomed to female company, and she found it pleasant. There was a mixture of deep blends, her fat her’s booming dru m tones and Dillon’s laco nic drawl. She heard a laugh, an appealing, uni nhi bited rumble, and she frowned as she recognized it as Dillon’s. Quietl y, she came down t he rest of the steps and mo ved to the doorway.
“Then, when I took out the carburetor, he stared at it, muttered a stream of i ncantations and shook hi s head. I ended u p fixing it myself.”
“And a lot quicker than the Maui mechanic or any other would have.”
Cap’s rich chuckle reached Laine as she stepped i nto the doorway.
They were seated easil y. Dillon was sprawled on the sofa, her father in a chair. Pi pe smoke rose f rom t he tray besi de him.
Both wer e relaxed and so content in each other’s company that Lai ne felt the urge to back away and leave them u ndistur bed. She felt an i ntruder into some long established routine. With a swift pang of envy, she took a step in retreat.
Her mo vement cau ght Dillon’ s attentio n. Befor e she could leave, his eyes hel d her motionless just as effectivel y as if his arms had reached out to capture her. She had changed fro m the sophisticated suit she had worn for the flight into a simple white dress from her own war drobe. Unador ned and ingenue, it emphasized her youth and her slender innocence. Following the directio n of Dillon’s u nsmiling survey, Cap saw Laine and rose. As he stood, his ease transformed into awkwardness.
“Hello, Laine. Have you settled in all right?”
Laine forced herself to shift her attention f rom Dillon to her father.
“Yes, thank you.” The moistening of her lips was the first outward sign of ner ves. “The room is lo vel y. I’ m sorr y. Did I interrupt?” Her hands fluttered once, then were joined loosel y as if to keep t hem still.
“No … ah, come in and sit down. Just a little Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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shoptalk.” She hesitated again before stepping into the room.
“Would you like a drink?” Cap moved to the bar and jiggled Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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glasses. Dillon remained silent and seat ed.
“No, nothing, thank you.” Laine tried a smile. “Your home is bea utiful. I can see the beach from my wi ndow.” Taki ng the remai ning seat on the sofa, Lai ne kept as much distance between herself and Dillon as possible.
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“It must be marvelous being close enough to swim when the mood strikes you.”
“I don’t get to the water as mu ch as I used to.” Cap settled down again, tapping his pipe agai nst the tray. “Used to scuba some. Now, Dillo n’s the one for it.” Laine hear d the affectio n in his voice, and caught it again in his smiling glance at the man beside her.
“I find the sea and the sky have a lot in commo n,”
Dillon commented, reaching forward to lift his drink from the table. “Freedom and challenge.” He sent Cap an easy smile. “I taught Cap to explore t he fatho ms, he taught me to fl y.”
“I suppose I’m more of a land creature,” Laine replied, forcing herself to meet his gaze levell y. “I haven’t much experi ence in t he air or on the sea.”
Dillon swirled his drink idl y, but his eyes hel d challenge.
“You do swim, do n’t you?”
“I manage.”
“Fine.” He took another swallow of his drink. “I’ll teach you to snorkel.” Setti ng down the glass, he resumed hi s relaxed positio n. “Tomorrow. We’ll get an earl y st art.”
His arro gance shot u p Lai ne’s spine like a ro d. Her to ne became cool and dismissi ve. “I wouldn’t presume to impose on your time, Mr. O’Brian.”
Unaffected by t he frost i n her voice, Dillo n continued. “No troubl e. I’ ve got nothing scheduled u ntil the after noon. You’ve got some extr a gear around, haven’t you, Cap?”
“Sure, in the back room.” Hurt by the apparent relief in his voice, Laine shut her eyes briefl y. “You’ll enjo y yourself, Lai ne. Dillo n’s a fine teacher, and he kno ws these wat ers.”
Laine gave Dillo n a polite smile, hopi ng he could read between the lines. “I’ m sure you know how much I appreciate your time, Mr.
O’ B rian .” The lifti ng of his brows indicated t hat t heir silent commu nication wa s proceeding wit h perfect understandi ng. “No
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more t han I your co m pa ny ,
Miss
Simmo ns.”
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“Dinner.” Miri’s abru pt annou ncement startled Laine. “You.” She pointed an accusing finger at Lai ne, then crooked it in a commandi ng
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gesture. “Come eat, and don’t pick at your food. Too skinny,”
she muttered and whisked away i n a flurr y of brilliant colors.
Laine’s arm was captured as they followed in the wake of Miri’ s waves. Dillon
slowed her
progress until they
were alone i n the corridor. “My compliments on your entrance. You wer e the picture
of the pure young virgin.”
“I have no doubt you would like to offer me to the nearest volcano god, Mr. O’Brian, but perhaps you would allow me to have my last meal i n peace.”
“Miss Simmo ns.” He bowed with exaggerated gallantry and increased his hold o n her arm. “Even I can stir myself on occasio n to escort a l ady into dinner.”
“Perhaps with a great deal of concentration, you could accomplish this spectacular feat without breaki ng my arm.”
Laine gritted her teeth as they entered the glass-enclosed di ning room. Dillon pulled out her chair. She glanced coldl y u p at hi m. “Thank you,
Mr. O’ Brian,” she murmured as she sli d into her seat. Detestabl e man!
Inclining his head politel y, Dillon rounded the table and dro pped into a chair. “Hey, Cap, that little cabi n plane we’ ve been using o n the Maui run is runni ng a bit rough. I want to have a look at it before it goes up agai n.”
“Hmm. What do you think’s the pro blem?”
There began a technical, and to Lai ne u ni ntelli gible, discussion. Miri entered, placi ng a steaming tray of fish in front of Lai ne wit h a meani ngful thump. To assure she had not been misunderstood, Miri pointed a finger at the platt er, then at Laine’s empt y plate before she swirled from the room.
The co nversatio n had turned to the i ntricacies of fuel systems by the ti me Lai ne had eaten all she could of Miri’s fish. Her silence during the meal had been almost co mplete as the men enjo yed their mutual interest. She saw, as she watched him, that her father’s lack of courtesy was not deliberate, but rather the result of Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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years of li ving alone. He was, she decided, a man comfortable with men and out of his dept h with f emini ne company. Though she felt Dillon’s ru deness was intentional, it was her father’s unconscious slight which stung.
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“You will excuse me?” Laine rose during a brief lull in the conversatio n. She felt a fresh surge of regret as she read the disco mfort i n
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her father’s eyes. “I’m a bit tired. Please.” She managed a smile as she started to rise. “Do n’t disturb yourself, I know t he way.” As she turned to go, she could al most hear the room sigh with relief at her exit.
Later t hat eveni ng, Laine felt stifled in her room. The house was quiet. The tropical moon had risen and she could see the curtai ns flutter with t he gentle whispers of perfu med air. Unable to bear the loneliness of the four walls any longer, she stole quietl y downstairs and into the ni ght. As she wandered without regard for destination, she could hear t he night birds call to each other, piercing the stillness wit h a strange, foreign music. She listened to the sea’s murmur and slipped off her shoes to walk across the fi ne layer of sand to meet it.
The water fringed in a wide arch, frothing against the sands and lapping back into the womb of mi dni ght blue. Its surface winked wit h mirrored stars. Laine breathed deepl y of its scent, mingli ng with the flowered air.
But this paradi se was not for her. Dillon and her f ather had banished her. It was t he same stor y all over agai n. She remembered how often she had been excluded on her visits to her mother’s home in Paris. Agai n an intru der, Laine deci ded, and wondered if she had either the strength or the will to pursue t he smiling masquerade for even a week of her fat her’s co mpany. Her place was not with hi m any more t han it had been with Vanessa.
Dro ppi ng to the sand, Laine brought her knees to her chest and wept for the years of loss.
“I do n’t have a handkerchief, so you’ll have to co pe without one.”
At the sound of Dillon’ s voice, Laine shu ddered and hugged her knees tighter. “Please, go away.”
“What’s the pro blem, Duchess?” His voice was rough and impatient.
If
she had had more experience, Laine might have reco gnized a masculine disco mfort with femini ne tears. “If thi ngs aren’t goi ng Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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as planned, sitti ng on the beach and cr yi ng isn’t going to help.
Especiall y if there’s no one arou nd to s ympat hize.”
“Go away,” she repeated, keeping her face buried. “I want you to leave me alone. I want to be alo ne.”
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“You might as well get used to it,” he returned carelessly. “I intend to keep a close eye on you u ntil you’re back in Europe. Cap’s too soft to hold out against t he sweet, innocent routine for long.”
Laine sprang up and launched herself at him. He staggered a moment as t he small mi ssile caught him off guard. “He’s my father, do you under stand? My father. I have a ri ght to be with him. I have a right to know him.” Wit h useless fur y, she beat her fists against his chest. He weathered the attack wit h some surprise before he caught her arms and dragged her, still swinging, against him.
“There’s quite a temper u nder the ice! You can always try the routine about not getti ng his letters—t hat should further your campaign.”
“I do n’t want his pity, do you hear?” She pushed and sho ved and struck out while Dillon hel d her with mi nimum effort. “I would rather have his hate than his disinterest, but I would rat her have his disi nterest t han his pit y.”
“Hold still, blast it,” he ordered, losing patience with the battle. “You’re not going to get
hurt.”
“I will not hold still,” Laine flung back. “I am not a pu ppy who washed up on his doorstep and needs to be dried off and given a corner and a pat on the head. I will have my two weeks, and I won’t l et you spoil it for me.” She tossed back her head. Tears fell freel y, but her eyes now held fur y rather t han sorrow. “Let me go !
I don’t want you to touch me.” She began to battle with new enthusiasm, kicking and nearl y throwing them both o nto the sand.
“All right, that’s enough.” Swiftly, he used his arms to band, his mouth to silence.
He was drawing her i nto a whirlpool, spinning and spinni ng, until all
sense of time and existence was lost in t he current . She would taste the salt of her own tears mixed wit h some tangy, vital flavor which belonged to hi m. She felt a swift heat rise to her ski n and fought against it as desperatel y as she fought against his Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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imprisoni ng arms. His mouth took hers o nce more, enticing her to give what she did not yet understand. All at o nce she lost all resistance, all sense of self. She went limp i n his arms, her li ps softeni ng in surrender. Dillon drew her
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away and without even bei ng aware of what she was doing, Laine dropped her head to his chest. She
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trembled as she felt his hand brush li ghtl y throu gh her hair , and nestled closer to him. Su ddenl y war m and no lo nger alone, she shut her eyes and let the gamut of emotions run its course.
“Just who are you, Laine Simmons?” Dillon drew her away again.
He closed a firm hand under her chi n as she stubbornl y fought to keep her head lowered. “Look at me,” he commanded. The or der was absolute. Wit h his eyes narrowed, he exami ned her without mercy.
Her eyes were wide and brimming, t he tears trembling down her cheeks and clinging to her lashes. All layers of her borrowed so phisticatio n had been stri pped awa y, leaving o nl y the vulnerabilit y. His search ended o n an impati ent oath. “Ice, t hen fire, now tears. No, do n’t,” he commanded as she struggled to lower her head again. “I’ m not in the mood to test my resistance.” He let out a deep breath and shook his head. “You’re going to be nothing but trouble, I should have seen that from the first look. But you’re here, and we’re goi ng to have to come to terms.”
“Mr. O’Brian …”
“Dillon, for pit y’s sake. Let’s not be any more ridiculous than necessar y.”
“Dillon,” Laine repeated, sniffling and despising herself. “I do n’t thi nk
I can discuss terms with any coherence to night. If you would just let me go, we could draw u p a contract tomorrow.”
“No, the terms are simple because they’re all mine.”
“That sounds exceedingly reasonable.” She was pleased that irony replaced tears.
“While you’re here,” Dillon continued mildly, “we’re going to be to gether like shadow and shade. I’m your guardi an angel until you go back to the Left Bank. If you make a wrong move wit h Cap, I’ m coming down on you so fast you won’t be able to bli nk t hose little-girl eyes.”
“Is my father so helpless he needs protection from his own daughter?” She brushed furiousl y at her li ngering tears.
“There isn’t a man alive who doesn’t need protection fro m Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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you,
Duchess.” Tilting his head, he stu died her damp, glowing face.
“If you’re an o perator, you’re a good o ne. If you’re not, I’ll apologize
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when t he time comes.”
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“You may keep your apology and have it for breakfast. With any luck, you’ll strangl e on it.”
Dillon threw back his head and lau ghed, t he same appeali ng rumble
Laine had heard earlier. Outraged both wit h the laughter and its effect o n her, she swung back her hand to slap his face.
“Oh, no.” Dillon grabbed her wrist. “Do n’t spoil it. I’d just have to hit you back, and you look fabulous when you’re spitting fire.
It’s much more to my taste than the cool mademoiselle fro m Paris.
Listen, Lai ne.” He took an exaggerated breath to control his laughter , and she found herself stru ggli ng to deal wit h the stir caused by the way her name sou nded on his li ps. “Let’s tr y a truce, at least i n public. Privatel y, we can have a round a night, with or wit hout gloves.”
“That should suit you well enough.” Laine wriggled out of his loosened hold and tossed her head. “You have a consi derable advantage— given yo ur weight and str engt h.”
“Yeah.” Dillon grinned and moved his shoulders. “Learn to live with it. Come on.” He took her hand in a friendl y gesture which nonplussed her. “Into bed; you’ve got to get up earl y tomorrow.
I don’t like to lose the morni ng.”
“I’m not going with you tomorrow.” She tu gged her hand away and planted her bar e heels in the sand. “You’ll probabl y attempt to drown me, t hen hi de my body in some co ve.”
Dillon si ghed in mo ck exasperation. “Laine, if I have to dr ag you out of bed in the morning, you’re going to find yourself learning a great deal more than snorkeli ng. No w, are you going to walk back to the house, or d o I carr y you?”
“If they could bottle yo ur arro gance, Dillon O’Brian, there would be no shortage of fuel in this countr y!”
Wit h t his, Lai ne tur ned and fled. Dillon watched until t he darkness
shrouded her white figure. Then he bent down to retrieve her shoes.
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C h a pter Fo u r
The mor ning was golden. As usual, Lai ne woke earl y. For a moment, she blinked in puzzlement. Cool green walls had replaced her white ones, louvered shades hu ng where she expected faded stri ped curtains. Instead of her desk stood a plain maho gany bureau topped with a vase of scarlet blossoms. But it was t he silence which most confused her. There were no giggles, no rushing feet outside her door. The quiet was broken o nl y by a bird who sang his morni ng song outside her wi ndow. Memor y flooded back.
With a sigh, Laine lay back agai nst the pillow and wished she could go to sleep again. The habit of earl y risi ng was too ingrained. She rose, showered and dressed.
A friend had persuaded her to accept t he lo an of a swimsuit, and Laine studied t he two tiny pieces. She sli pped on what had been descri bed as a modified biki ni. The silver y blue was fl atteri ng, highli ghti ng her subtle cur ves, but no amount of adjustment could result in a more substantial coverage. There was defi nitel y too much of her and too little suit.
“Silly,” Laine muttered and adjusted the halter strings a last time. “Women wear t hese t hings all t he time, and I’ ve har dl y t he shape for drawing attention.”
Skinny. Wit h a grimace, she recalled Miri’s judgment. Lai ne gave the top a last, hopeless tug. I do n’t think all the fis h in the P
acific ar e going to change this inadequacy. Pulling on white jeans and a scarlet scoop- necked top, she remi nded herself that cleavage was not what she needed for deali ng with Dillon O’Brian.
As she wandered downstairs, Lai ne heard the stirrings which accompany an awakeni ng house. She mo ved quietl y, half afrai d she would distur b the routine. In t he di ning room, the sun poured like liquid gold through the windows. St anding i n its pool, Lai ne stared out at soft ferns and brilliant poppies. C harmed by Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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the scene, she decided she would let nothi ng spoil the perfection of the day. There
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would be ti me enough later, on so me drizzling French morning, to think of rej ectio ns and humiliatio ns, but to day the sun was bright and filled wit h promise.
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“So, you are ready for breakfast.” Miri glided in from the adjoining kitchen. She managed to look graceful despite her size, and regal despite t he glari ng flowered muumuu.
“Good morning, Miri.” Laine gave her the first smile of the day and
gestured toward t he sky.
“It’s
beautiful.”
“It will bring some color to your skin.” Miri sniffed and ran a finger down Laine’s arm. “Red if you aren’t careful. Now, sit and I will put fl esh on yo ur ski nny bones.” Imperiousl y, she tapped the back of a chair, and Lai ne obeyed.
“Miri, have you worked for my father long?”
“Ten years.” Miri shook her head and poured steaming coffee into a cup. “Too long a time for a man not to have a wife. Your mother,” she co ntinued, narrowing her dark eyes,
“she was skinny too?”
“Well, no, I wouldn’t say … That is …” Laine hesitated in an attempt to gau ge Miri’s esti mation of a suitable shape.
Rich lau ghter shot out. Miri’s boso m trembl ed u nder pink and orange flowers. “You do n’t want to say she was not as much woman as Miri.” She ran her hands over her well- padded hi ps.
“You’re a pretty girl,” she said unexpectedly and patted Laine’s flaxen curls. “Your eyes ar e too young to be sad.” As Laine stared up at her, speechless under the u nfamiliar affectio n, Miri sighed. “I will bring yo ur breakfast, and you will eat what I give you.”
“Make it two , Miri.” Dillon strolled in, bronzed and confident in cutoff deni ms and a plain white T-shirt. “Mor ning, Du chess.
Sl eep well?” He dropped i nto the chair opposite Laine and poured himself a cup of coffee. His movement s were easy, wit hout any earl y-mor ning lethargy, and his eyes wer e co mpletel y alert . Laine concluded that Dillon O’Brian was one of t hose r are creatures who moved from sleep to wakefulness i nstantl y. It also occurred to her, in o ne insistent flash, that he was not onl y t he most attractive man she had ever known, but the most compelling. Stru ggling against Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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an unexplained longing, Laine tried to mirror his casual ness.
“Good morning, Dillo n. It appears it’s going to be another lo vely day.” “We’ ve a lar ge suppl y of t hem on t his side of the island.”
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“On this side?” Laine watched as he ran a hand through his hair , sending it i nto a stat e of appealing confusion.
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“Mmm. On the windward slopes it rains almost every day.” He downed half his coffee in one movement, and Lai ne found herself staring at his long, brown fi ngers. They looked stro ng and competent against the cream- colored earthenware. Suddenl y, she remembered the feel of them o n her chi n. “Somet hing wro ng? ”
“What?” Blinking, she brought her attention back to his face. “No, I was just thinki ng … I’ll have to tour the island while I’ m here,” she improvised, rushi ng t hrough t he words. “Is your … is your home near here?”
“Not far.” Dillon lifted his cup again, studying her o ver its rim.
Laine began to stir her own coffee as if the task required enormous concentratio n. She had no intentio n of dri nking it, having had her first—and, she vowed, last—encounter wit h American coffee aboar d the plane.
“Breakfast,” Miri announced, gliding into the room with a heaping tray. “You will eat.” Wit h brows drawn, she began piling portio ns onto Laine’s plate. “And then you go out so I can clean my house.
You!” She shook a large spoon at Dillon who was filling his own plate wit h obvious appreci ation. “Do n’t bring any sand back wit h you to dirt y my floors.”
He respo nded with a quick Hawaiian phrase and a cocky gri n. M iri’s lau ghter echoed after her as she mo ved from t he room and into the kitch en. “Dillon,” Laine began, stari ng at t he amou nt of food o n
her plate, “I
could never eat all of t his.”
He forked a mouthful of eggs and shru gged. “B etter make a st ab at it. Miri’s decided to fatten you up, and even if you couldn’t use it— and you can,” he added as he butter ed a piece of toast, “Miri is not a lady to cross. Pretend it’s bouillabaisse or escargots.”
The last was stated with a tangi ble edge, and Laine stiffened.
Instinctivel y, she put up her defenses. “I have no co mplaints on the qualit y of the food, but on the quantit y.”
Dillon shrugged. Anno yed, Laine attacked her breakfast. The Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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meal progressed without conversatio n. Fifteen minutes later, she searched for the power to lift yet another forkful of eggs. With a sound of
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impatience, Dillon rose and pulled her from her chair.
“You look like you’ll keel over if you sho vel in one more bite.
I’ll give you a break and get you out before Miri co mes back.”
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Laine gritted her teet h, ho ping it would help her to be humble.
“Thank you.”
As Dillon pulled Lai ne down the hall toward t he front door, Cap descended the stairs. All t hree stopped as he glanced down from man
to woman. “Good mor ning. It should be a fine day for your snorkeling lesson, Laine.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.” She smiled, straining for a natural ness she was unable to feel in his pr esence.
“That’s good. Dillon’s right at home in the water.” Cap’s smile gained
warmth as he turned to the man by her side. “When you come in this afternoon, take a look at the new twin-engine. I thi nk the mo difications you specified worked out well.”
“Sure. I’m going to do a bit of work on that cabin plane. Keep Ti nker away fro m it, will
you?”
Cap chuckled as t hey enjo yed so me personal joke. When he turned to Laine, he had a remnant of his smile and a polite nod. “I’ll see you tonight. Have a good time.”
“Yes, thank you.” She watched him mo ve away and, for a mo ment, her heart lifted to her eyes. Looking back, she found Dillon studyi ng her. His expression was indrawn and brooding.
“Come on,” he said with su dden briskness as he captured her hand. “Let’s get st arted.” He lifted a faded, long-stringed bag and tossed it over his shoulder as t hey passed through the front door.
“Where’s your suit?”
“I have it on.” Preferring to trot alo ngside rather than be dragged, Laine scrambled to keep pace.
The path he took was a well-worn dirt track. Along its bor ders, flowers and fer ns crept to encro ach on the wal kway. Laine wo ndered if ther e was another place on earth wher e colors had such clarit y or where green had so many shades. The vanilla-scented blosso ms of heliotrope added a tang to t he moist sea air. Wit h a high call, a skylar k streaked across the sky and disappeared. Lai ne and Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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Dillon wal ked in silence as the sun poured unfiltered over their heads.
After a ten-minute jo g, Laine sai d breat hlessl y, “I do hope it isn’t much farther. I haven’t run t he decathlo n for years.”
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Dillon turned, and she braced her self for hi s irritated retort.
Instead, he began to walk at a more moderat e pace. Pleased, Lai ne allowed herself a small smile. She felt even a minor vi ctor y in deali ng wit h Dillon O’Brian was an accomplishment. Moments later, she forgot her triumph.
The bay was secluded, sheltered by palms and laced with sati n-petaled hibiscus. In the exotic beaut y of Kau ai, it was a stunning diamo nd. The water might have dri pped from t he sky that morning. It shone and gli mmered like a multitude of fresh raindro ps.
Wit h a cr y of pleasure, Laine began to pull Dillon t hrough the circling palms and into the whit e heat of su n and sand. “Oh, it’s beautiful!” She tur ned two quick circles as if to insure encompassing all the new wonders; “It’s perfect, absolutel y perfect .”
She watched his smile flash like a brisk wind. It chased away the clouds and, for one precious moment, there was u nderstanding rather than tension between them. It flowed from man to woman with an ease which was as unexpected as it was soothing. His frown returned abru ptl y, and Dillon crouched to rummage t hrough the bag. He pulled out snorkels and masks.
“Snorkeling’s easy o nce you learn to relax and breathe pro perly.
It’ s important to be bot h relaxed and alert.” He began to instruct in simple terms, explai ning breathi ng techni ques and adjusting Lai ne’s mask.
“There is no need to be quite so didactic,” she said at length, irked by his patronizing tone and frowning face. “I assur e you, I have a wor king brai n. Most t hings do n’t have to be repeated more than four or five times before I grasp the meani ng.”
“Fine.” He handed her both snorkel and mask. “Let’s try it in the water.” Pulling off his shirt, he dropped it on the canvas bag.
He stood above her adjusting the strap o n his own mask.
A fine mat of bl ack hair lay against his bro nzed chest. His ski n was stretched tight o ver his rib cage, then tapered down to a narrow waist. The faded denim hung low over his lean hips. With some astonishment, Laine felt an ache start in her stomach and Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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move war ml y through her vei ns. She dropped her eyes to an i ntense study of
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the sand.
“Take off your clothes.” Laine’s eyes widened. She took a quick step in retreat. “Unless you intend to swim in them,” Dillo n added. His lips twitched before he tur ned and moved to ward the water .
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Embarrassed, Laine did her best to emulate his casualness.
Shyl y, she stri pped off her top. Pulling off her jeans, she folded both and followed Dillon toward the bay. He waited for her, water lapping over his thighs. His eyes traveled over ever y inch of her exposed ski n before they rested on her face.
“Stay close,” he co mmanded when she stood beside him.
“We’ll skim the surface for a bit u ntil you get the hang of it.” He pulled the mask down o ver her eyes and adjusted it .
Easil y, they mo ved along t he shallows where su nlight struck the soft bottom and sea lettuce danced and swayed. Forgetting her instructions, Lai ne breathed water instead of air and surfaced cho king.
“What happened?” Dillon demanded, as Laine coughed and sputtered. “You’re going to have to pay more attentio n to what you’re doing,” he war ned. Givi ng her a sturdy t hump on the back, he pulled her mask back over her eyes. “Ready? ” he asked.
After three deep breaths, Laine managed to speak. “Yes.” She submerged.
Little by little, she explored deeper water, swimming by Dillon’s side. He moved through t he water as a bird mo ves through the air, with inherent ease and co nfidence. Before long, Laine learned to translate hi s aquatic hand signals and began to impro vise her own. They were joined i n t he liqui d worl d by curious fish. As Lai ne stared into round, li dless eyes, she wo ndered who had come to gape at who m.
The su n flickered through with et hereal light. It nurtured the sea grass and caused shells and smooth rocks to glisten. It was a silent world, and althou gh the sea bottom teemed with life, it was so mehow private and free. Pale pink fingers of coral grouped toget her to form a hiding place for vivi d blue fish. Laine watched in fasci natio n as a her mit crab sli d out of its borrowed shell and scurried away. Ther e was a pair of orange starfish clingi ng cont entedl y to a rock, and a sea urchi n nestled in spiny solitude.
Laine enjo yed isolation with t his strange, moody man. She di d not pause to appraise the pleasure she took in sharing her new Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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experiences wit h him. The change in their relatio nship had been so smooth and so swift, she had not even been aware of it. They were,
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for a moment, onl y man and woman clo aked i n a worl d of water and sunlight. On impulse, she lifted a
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large cone-shaped shell from its bed, its resident long since evicted. First holding it out for Dillon to view, she swam toward the dancing light o n the surface.
Shaking her head as she broke water, Laine splattered Dillo n’s mask with sundro ps. Lau ghi ng, she pushed her own mask to the top of her head and stood in the waist- high water. “Oh, that was wo nderful ! I’ve never seen anythi ng like it.” She pushed damp tendrils behind her ears. “All those colors, and so many shades of blue and green molded to gether. It feels … it feels as if there wer e nothing else in t he world but yourself and where you are.”
Excitement had kissed her cheeks wit h color, her eyes stealing the blue fro m the sea. Her hair was dark gold, clingi ng in a sleek cap to her head. Now, without the softeni ng of curls, her face seemed more deli catel y sculptured, the planes and hollows more fragile.
Dillon watched her i n smiling silence, pushing his own mask atop his head.
“I’ve never do ne anything like that before. I could have stayed down there forever. There’s so much to see, so much to touch. Look what I found. It’s beautiful.” She hel d the shell i n both hands, traci ng a fi nger o ver its amber lines. “What is it?”
Dillon took it for a moment, tur ning it o ver in his hands before givi ng it back to her. “A music volute. You’ll find scores of shells around t he i sland.”
“May I keep it? Does this place belong to anyo ne?”
Dillon laughed, enjo ying her enthusiasm. “This is a pri vate bay, but I
know the o wner. I don’t think he’d mind.”
“Will I hear the sea? They say you can.” Laine lifted the shell to her ear. At t he low, drifting echo, her eyes wi dened in wonder.
“Oh, c’est incro yable.” In her excitement, she reverted to French, not onl y in speech, but in mannerisms. Her eyes locked on his as one hand hel d the shell to her ear and t he other gestured with her words.
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“On entend le bruit de la mer. C’est merveilleux! Dillon, écout e. ”
She offered the shell, wanting to share her discover y. He laughed as she had hear d him lau gh wit h her fat her . “Sorr y, Du chess, you lost me a few sentences back.”
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“Oh, how silly. I wasn’t thinking. I haven’t spo ken English in so long.” She brushed at her damp hair and offered hi m a smile. “It’s mar velous, I can reall y hear t he sea.” Her words faltered as his eyes lost their amusement. They were darkened by an emotion which caused her heart to jump and pound furiousl y agai nst her ribs. Her mind shouted quickl y to retreat, but her bo dy and will melted as his arms sli d around her . Her mouth lifted of its own accor d to surrender to his.
For the first time, she felt a man’s hands roam over her naked ski n.
There was nothi ng between t hem but the sati n rivulets of water which clu ng to their bodies. Under t he streaming gold su n, her heart opened, and she gave. She accept ed t he demands of his mouth, moved with t he caresses of hi s hands until she thought they would never become separate. She wanted o nl y for them to remain one until the sun died, and t he world was still.
Dillon released her slowl y, hi s arms lingering, as if reluctant to relinquish possessio n. Her sigh was mixed wit h pleasure and the despair of losi ng a newl y discovered treasure. “I would swear,”
he muttered, staring down into her face, “you’r e either a first- rate actress or one step out of a nunner y.”
Immediatel y, t he helpless color rose, and Laine turned to escape to the sand of t he beach. “Hol d on.” Taking her ar m, Dillon turned her to face him. His brows drew close as he stu died her blush. “That’s a feat I haven’t seen in years. Duchess, you amaze me. Either way,” he co ntinu ed, and his smil e hel d mocker y but lacked its former malice, “calculated or innocent, you amaze me. Agai n,” he said simpl y and drew her i nto his arms.
This ti me the kiss was gentle and teasing. But she had less defense against tenderness than passio n, and her body was pliant to his instruction. Her hands tightened on his shoulders, feeli ng t he ripple of muscles under her palms as he drew ever y drop of response fro m her mouth. Wit h no knowledge of seductio n, she became a temptress by her ver y inno cence. Dillon drew her away and gave her clou ded eyes and swollen mouth a lo ng examination.
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“You’re a powerful lady,” he said at length, then let out a quick Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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breath. “Let’s sit in the sun awhile.” Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand and mo ved to ward the beach.
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On the sand, he spread a large beach towel and dropped onto it. When Lai ne hesitated, he pulled her down to join him. “I don’t bite, Laine, I onl y nibble.” Drawing a cigarette from the bag besi de them, he lit it, then leaned back on his el bows. His skin gleamed with water and sun.
Feeling awkward, Laine sat ver y still wit h the shell in her hands. She tried not onl y to under stand what she had felt in Dillo n’s arms, but why she had felt it. It had been important, and somehow, she felt certain it would remain important for t he rest of her life. It was a gift that did not yet have a name. Su ddenl y, she felt as happy as when the shell had spoken i n her ear. Glancing at it, Laine smiled wit h unrestrained jo y.
“You treat that shell as though it were your firstborn.” Twisting her head, she saw Dillon grinning. She decided she had never been happier.
“It is my first souvenir, and I’ve never dived for sunken treasure befor e.”
“Just think of all the sharks you had to push out of the way to get your hands on it.” He blew smoke at the sky as she wrinkled her nose at him.
“Perhaps yo u’re o nly jealous because you didn’t get one of your own.
I
suppose it was selfish of me not to have gotten o ne for you.” “I’ll survive.”
“You don’t find shells in Paris,” she commented, feeling at ease and strangel y fr esh. “The children will treasure it as much as they would gold dou bloons.”
“Children?”
Laine was examini ng her prize, exploring its smooth surface with her fingers. “My students at school. Most of them have never seen anythi ng like t his except in pictures.”
“You teach?”
Much too engrossed in discovering ever y angle of the shell, Laine missed the incredulit y in his voice. She answered absentl y, Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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“Yes, English to the French stu dents and French to the English girls who board there. After I graduat ed, I stayed on as staff. There was reall y nowhere else to go, and it had always been home i n any case. Dillo n,
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do you suppose I could come back sometime and find one or two others, a different t ype per haps? The girls would be fascinated; they get so little entertainment.”
“Where was your mother?”
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“What?” In the transfer of her attention, she saw he was sitting up and st aring at her wit h hard, pro bing eyes. “What did you say? ” she asked again, co nfused by his change of to ne.
“I said, where was your mother?”
“When … when I was in school? She was in P aris.” The sudden anger in his tone thr ew her into turmoil. She searched for a way to change the topic. “I would like to see the airport agai n; do you thi nk I
…”
“Sto p it.”
Laine jerked at the harsh command, then quickl y tried to slip into her armor. “There’s no need to shout. I’m quite capable of hearing you from thi s distance.”
“Don’t pull that ro yal routine on me, Duchess. I want some answers.” He flicked away his cigarette. Laine saw both the determinatio n and fur y in hi s face.
“I’m sorry, Dillo n.” Rising and stepping out of reach, Laine remained outwardl y calm. “I’m reall y not i n the mood for a cross- exami natio n.”
Wit h a mutter ed oath, Dillon swung to his f eet and captured her arms
with a swiftness which left her stunned. “You can be a frost y little number. You switch on and off so fast, I can’t make up my mind which is the charade. Just who the devil are you?”
“I’m tired of telling you who I am,” she answered quietly.
“I don’t know what you want me to say; I do n’t know what you want me to be.”
Her answer and her mil d tone seemed o nl y to make him more angr y.
He tightened his hold and gave her a quick shake. “What was thi s last routine of yours?”
She was yanked against hi m in a sudden blaze of fury, but before punishment could be met ed out, someone called his name.
With a soft oath Dillon released her, and turned as a figure emerged fro m a narro w tunnel of palms.
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Laine’s first thought was t hat a spirit from the island was drifting throu gh t he shelter and across the sand. Her skin was tawny gold and smooth agai nst a sarong of scarlet and mi dni ght blue. A full ebony
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car pet of hair fell to her waist , flowing gentl y with her graceful movement s. Almo nd-shaped amber eyes were fringed with dark vel vet. A sultr y smil e
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flitted across an exotic and perfect face. She lifted a hand i n greeti ng, and
Dillon answered.
“Hello,
Orchid.”
Her mortalit y was established in Laine’s mind as the beautiful apparition lifted her li ps and brushed Dillon’s. “Miri said you’ d go ne snorkeling, so I knew you’d be here.” Her voice flowed like soft music.
“Laine Simmons, Orchid King.” Dillo n’s introductions were casual. Laine murmured a response, feeli ng su ddenl y as inadequate as a shadow faced wit h the sun. “Laine’s Cap’s daughter.”
“Oh, I see.” Laine was su bjected to a more lengthy survey. She saw speculation beneath t he practiced smile. “How nice you’re visiting at l ast. Are you stayi ng lo ng?”
“A week or two.” Laine regained her poise and met Orchid’s eyes.
“Do you live on the
island?”
“Yes, though I’m off it as often as not. I’m a flight attendant. I’m just back from the mai nland, and I’ve got a few days. I wanted to trade the
sky for the sea. I hope you’re going back in.” She smiled u p at Dillon and tucked a hand t hrough his arm. “I would love some company.”
Laine watched his charm flow. It seemed he need do not hing but smile to work his own particular magic. “Sure, I’ ve got a couple of hours.”
“I think I’ll just go back to the house,” Laine said quickly, feeling like
an intruder. “I do n’t thi nk I should get too much su n at o ne time.” Lifting her shirt , Lai ne tugged it on. “Thank you, Dillo n, for your time.” She bent down and retrieved t he rest of her things before speaking again. “It’ s nice to have met you, Miss King.”
“I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” Undraping her sarong, Orchid revealed an inadequate biki ni and a stunni ng bo dy.
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“We’re all very friendly on this island, aren’t we, cousin?” Though it was the standard island form of address, Orchid’ s use of t he word cousin implied a much closer relatio nship.
“Very friendly.” Dillon agreed with such ease that Laine felt he Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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must be quite accustomed to Orchi d’s charms.
Murmuri ng a goodbye, Lai ne moved toward the canopy of palms. Hearing Or chid lau gh, then
speak in
the
musical to ngue
of the
island, Laine glanced back before the leaves blocked out the view.
She watched
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the golden arms twi ne around Dillo n’s neck, pulling his mouth to war d hers in invitatio n.
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C ha pt er F ive
The wal k back from the bay gave Lai ne time to reflect on the var yi ng emotions Dillo n O’Brian had managed to arouse in the small amount of time she had known him. Anno yance, resentment and anger had come first. No w, t here was a wari ness she realized stemmed from her inexperience with men. But somehow, that mor ning, t her e had been a few moment s of harmo ny. She had been at ease i n his company. And, she admitted ru efull y, she had never before been totall y at ease in masculine co mpany o n a o ne-to
-one basis.
Perhaps it had simpl y been the no velt y of her underwater adventure whi ch had been responsible for her respo nse to him. There had been so met hing natural in their co ming together, as if body had been created for body and mouth for mouth. She had felt a freedom in his arms, an awakeni ng. It had been as if walls of glass had shatt ered and left her open to sensatio ns for t he first time.
Sto pping, Laine plucked a blush-pi nk hi biscus, then twirled its stem i dl y as she wandered up the dirt track. Her tenuous feelings had been dissipated first by Dillon’s u nexplai ned anger, then by the appearance of t he dark island beaut y.
Orchid King, Lai ne mused. A frown marred her brow as the name of the flirtatious information cler k ran through her brain.
Rose. Smoothing the frown away, Lai ne shook off a vague depressio n. Perhaps Dillon had a pr edilection for women with flower y names. It was certainl y none of her concer n. Obviously, she conti nued, unconsciousl y tearing off the hibiscus petals, he gave and received kisses as freel y as a mouse nibbles cheese. He simpl y kissed me because I was there. Obviousl y, she went on doggedl y, shredding the wounded blossom without thou ght, Orchid King has a great deal more to offer than I. She makes me feel like a Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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pale, shapeless wren next to a lush, vi brant flami ngo. I would hardl y appeal to hi m as a woman even if he di dn’t already dislike me. I don’t want to appeal to Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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him. Certainl y not. The ver y last thing I want to do is to appeal to that insufferabl e man. Scowling, she stared do wn at the mutilated hibiscus.
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Wit h so mething bet ween a sigh and a mo an, she tossed it aside and increased her pace.
After depositing t he shell in her room and changing out of her bathing suit, Lai ne wandered back downst airs. She felt listless and at loose ends. In the or ganized system of classes and meals and designated acti vities, her time had always been carefull y bu dgeted. She found the lack of demand unsettling. She thought of how often during the course
of a busy day she had yearned for a free hour to read or simpl y to sit alone. Now her time was free, and she wished onl y for occupatio n. The difference was, she knew, the fear of idle hours and the tendency to think. She found herself avoiding any attempt to sort out her situation or t he future.
No one had shown her t hrough the house si nce her arrival. After a brief hesit ation, she allowed curiosit y to lead her and gave herself a tour. She discovered that her fat her li ved simpl y, wit h no frills or fripper y, but with basic masculine comforts. There wer e books, but it appeared they were little read. She could see by the quantit y and ragged appearance of aeronautical magazines where her father’s taste in literature lay. Bamboo shades replaced conventional curtai ns; woven mats took the place of rugs. While far fro m primiti ve, the rooms wer e simpl y furni shed.
Her mind began to draw a picture of a man co ntent with such a basic existence, who lived quietl y and routinel y; a man whose mai n outlet was his lo ve of the sky. Now Lai ne began to understand why her parents’ marriage had f ailed. Her father’s life-st yle was as unassu ming as her mother’s had been pretentious. Her mot her would never have been satisfied with her father’s modest existence, and he would have been lost in hers.
Lai ne wonder ed, with a small frown, why she herself di d not seem to fit with either one of t hem.
Laine lifted a black-framed snapshot from a desk. A you nger version of Cap Si mmo ns beamed out at her, his arm casuall y tossed around a Dillon who had not yet reached full manhood.
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Dillon’s smile was the same, however—so mewhat cocky and sure.
If they had stood in the flesh before her, their affection for each other would have seemed no less real. A shared u nderstandi ng was revealed i n their eyes
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and their easy stance to get her. It struck Lai ne suddenl y, with a stab of resentment , that they looked like father and so n. The years they had shared could never belo ng to her.
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“It’s not fair,” she murmured, gripping the picture in both hands. Wit h a fai nt shudder , she shut her eyes. Who am I blami ng?
she asked herself. Cap for needing someo ne? Dillo n for bei ng here? Blame wo n’t hel p, and looking for t he past is useless. It’s time I looked for somethi ng new. Letti ng out a deep breath, Lai ne replaced the photograph. She tur ned away and moved farther down the hall. In a moment, she found herself in the kitchen surrounded by gleaming white appliances and hangi ng copper kettles. Miri turned from the sto ve and gave Laine a satisfied smile.
“So you have come for lunch.” Miri tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “You have some color from the su n.”
Laine glanced down at her bare ar ms and was pleased with t he light tan.
“Why, yes, I do. I didn’t actually come for lunch, though.” She smiled and made an enco mpassi ng gesture. “I was explori ng t he house.”
“Good. Now you eat. Sit here.” Miri waved a lo ng knife toward the scrubbed wooden table. “And do not make your bed anymore. That is my jo b.” Miri plopped a glass of milk u nder Laine’s nose, then gave a ro yal sniff.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Laine glanced from the glass of milk u p to Miri’s pursed lips. “It’s just a habit.”
“Don’t do it again,” Miri co mmanded as she turned to the refrigerator. She spo ke again as she began to remo ve a variety of contents. “Did you make beds in that fancy school?”
“It isn’t actually a fancy school,” Laine corrected, watching with growi ng anxiet y as Miri pr epared a heft y sandwich. “It’s reall y just a small convent school outside Paris.”
“You lived in a convent?” Miri stopped her sandwich-building and looked skeptical.
“Well, no. That is, o ne might say I lived on the fringes of one.
Except, of course, when I visited my mother. Miri … ” Daunted by the plat e set in fro nt of her, Laine looked up helplessl y. “I do n’t think I can manage all t his.”
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“Just eat, Skinny Bo nes. Your morning with Dillon, it was nice?”
“Yes, very nice.” Laine applied herself to the sandwich as Miri
eased herself i nto the o pposite chair. “I never knew there was so
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much to see underwater. Dillon is an expert guide.”
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“Ah, that one.” Miri shook her head and somehow categorized Dillon as a nau ght y t wel ve- year-old bo y. “He is al ways in the water or in t he sk y. He should keep his feet planted on the ground more often.” Leaning back, Miri kept a co mmandi ng eye on Laine’s progress. “He watches you.”
“Yes, I know,” Laine murmured. “Like a parole officer. I met Miss
King,” she co ntinu ed, lifti ng her voice. “She came to t he ba y.”
“Orchid King.” Miri muttered something in unintelligible Hawaiian. “She’s ver y lo vel y … ver y vi br ant and stri king. I suppose Dillon has
known her for a lo ng time.” Lai ne made the comment casuall y, surprising
herself wit h the i ntentional pro be.
“Long enough. But her bait has not yet lured the fish into the net.” Miri gave a sl y smile lost on the woman who stared i nto her mil k. “You thi nk Dillon looks good?”
“Looks good?” Laine repeated and frowned, not understanding the nuance. “Yes, Dillon’s a ver y attracti ve man. At least, I suppose he is; I haven’t known many men.”
“You should give him more smiles,” Miri advised with a wise no d.
“A
smart woman uses smiles to show a man her mind.”
“He hasn’t given me many reaso ns to smile at him,”
Laine said between bites. “And,” she continu ed, findi ng she resented the thought , “I would thi nk he gets an abundance of smiles from other sources.”
“Dillon gives his attention to many wo men. He is a ver y generous man.” Miri chu ckl ed, and Lai ne blushed as she grasped the innuendo. “He has not yet found a wo man who could make hi m selfish. Now you…” Miri tapped a finger aside her nose as if consi deri ng. “You would do well wit h him.
He could teach you, and you coul d teach him.”
“I teach Dillo n?” Laine shook her head and gave a small laugh. “One cannot teach what one doesn’t know. In the first place, Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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Miri, I onl y met Dillon yesterday. All he’s done so far is co nfuse me. From one mo ment to the next, I do n’t know how he’s going to make me feel.” She si ghed, not realizing t he sound was wistful. “I think men are
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ver y strange, Miri. I don’t understand t hem at all.”
“Understand?” Her bright lau gh rattled through the kitchen. “What need is t her e to understand? You need onl y enjo y. I had three husbands, and I never understood o ne of them. But—”
her smil e was suddenl y you ng
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“—I enjo yed. You are very you ng,” she added. “That alo ne is attracti ve to a man used to women of knowledge.”
“I don’t think … I mean, of course, I wouldn’t want him to, but…” Laine
fumbled
and
stuttered,
finding her
thoughts a
mass
of confusion. “I’m sure Dillon
wouldn’t be i nter ested i n me. He seems to have a ver y co mpatibl e relatio nship with Miss King.
Besides— ” Lai ne shru gged her shoulders as she felt depressio n growing, “—he distrusts me.”
“It is a stupid woman who lets what is go ne interfere with what is now.” Miri placed her fi ngerti ps to gether and leaned back in her chair. “You want your fat her’s love, Ski nny Bo nes? Time and patience will gi ve it to you. You want Dillon?”
She hel d up an imperious hand at Laine’s automatic protest. “You will learn to fight as a woman fights.” She stood, and t he flowers on her muumuu trembled with the mo vement. “Now, out of my kitchen. I have much work to do.”
Obedientl y, Laine rose and mo ved to the door. “Miri …”
Nibbling her li ps, she turned back. “You’ve been ver y close to my f ather for many years. Do n’t you… ” Laine hesitated, then finished i n a rush. “Don’t you resent me just appearing like this after all t hese years?”
“Resent?” Miri repeated the word, then ran her tongue alo ng the insi de of her mouth. “I do not resent because resent is a waste of time. And the last t hing I resent is a child.” She picked up a large spoon and tapped it idl y against her palm. “When you went away from Cap Simmo ns, you were a child and you went with your mot her. Now you are not a child, and you are here. What do I have to resent?” Miri shrugged and moved back to t he stove.
Feeling unexpected tears, Laine shut her eyes on them and drew a small breath. “Thank you, Miri.” With a murmur, she r etreated to her room.
Thoughts swirled inside Laine’ s mi nd as she sat alone in her bedroom. As Dillon’ s embrace had opened a door to Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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dormant emotions, so Miri’s words had o pened a door to dormant thoughts. Time and patience, Lai ne repeated silentl y. Time and patience were
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Miri’s prescri ption for a dau ghter’s trou bled heart. But I have so little
time, and little more patience. How can I win my f ather’s love in a matter of days? She shook her head, unable to resolve an answer.
And Dillo n, her heart murmured as she threw herself o nto the bed and stared at t he ceiling. Why must he co mplicat e an Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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already impossi bl y complicated situation? Why must he embrace me, making me t hink and feel as a wo man one moment , then push me away and stand as my accuser the next? He can be so gentle when you’re in his ar ms, so warm. And then … Frustrated, she rolled over, layi ng her cheek agai nst the pillow. Then he’s so cold, and even his eyes are brutal. If onl y I could stop thi nking of him, sto p remembering how it feels to be kissed by hi m. It’s onl y that I have no experience, and he has so much. It’ s nothing more than a physical awakeni ng. There can be nothing mor e … nothing more.
The knock on Lai ne’s door brought her up with a st art. Pushing at her tousled hair, she rose to answer. Dillon had exchanged cutoffs for jeans, and he appeared as refreshed and alert as she did bemused and heavy- lidded. Laine stared at him dumbl y, u nable to bring her thought s and words together. With a frown, he surveyed her sleep- flushed cheeks and soft eyes.
“Did I wake yo u?”
“No, I …” She glanced back at the clo ck, and her co nfusion grew as she noted that an hour had passed si nce she had first stretched out on the bed. “Yes,” she amended. “I suppose the flight fi nall y caught up wit h me.” She reached up and ran a hand through her hair, stru ggli ng to orient herself. “I didn’t even realize I’ d been asleep.”
“They’re real, aren’t the y?”
“What?” Laine blinked and tried to sort out his meaning.
“The lashes.” He was staring so intently into her eyes, Laine had to fi ght t he need to look away.
Nonchalantl y, he leaned against the door and co mpleted his survey. “I’m on my way to the airport. I thought you mi ght want to go. You said you want ed to see it agai n.”
“Yes, I would.” She was surprised by his cou rtes y.
“ We ll,” he said dr yly, and gestured for her to come alo ng.
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get ready.” “You look ready.”
“I need to co mb my hair.”
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“It’s fine.” Dillo n grabbed her hand and pulled her from the room before she could resist further.
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Outside she found, to her astonishment, a helmet being thrust in her hands as she faced a shi ning, trim motorcycle. Clearing her thro at, she looked from the helmet, to t he machi ne, to Dillon. “We’r e going to ride on t his?”
“That’s right. I do n’t often use the car just to ru n to the airport.”
“You might find this a good time to do so,” Laine advised.
“I’ve
never
ridden
on
a
motorcycle.”
“Duchess, all you have to do is to sit down and hang on.”
Dillon took the helmet from her and dro pped it on her head.
Securing his own helmet, he straddled the bike, t hen kicked the starter into life. “Climb on.”
Wit h amazement, Lai ne found herself astri de t he purring machine and clutching Dillon’s wai st as t he motorcycle shot down the drive. Her death grip eased slightl y as she realized that the speed was moderate, and the motorcycl e had ever y int entio n of staying upright. It purred along the paved road.
Beside t hem, a river wandered like an unfurled blue ribbon, divi ding patter ned fields of taro. There was an excitement in being open to the wind, in feeli ng the hardness of Dillon’s muscles beneat h her hands. A sense of liberatio n flooded her. Laine realized that, i n one day, Dillon had already gi ven her experiences she might never have touched. I never knew how limited my life was, she thought with a smile. No matter what ha p pen s, when I leave here, nothing will ever be quite t he same ag ai n .
When they arri ved at the air port, Dillo n wove through t he mai n lot, circli ng to the back and halti ng in front of a hangar. “Off you go, Duchess. Ri de’s over.”
Laine eased from the bike and stru ggled with her helmet. “Here.” Dillon pulled it off for her, then dropped it to join hi s on the seat of t he bike. “Still i n one piece?”
“Actu ally,” she returned, “I think I enjo yed it.”
“It has its advantages.” He ran his hands down her arms, Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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then captured her waist. Laine stood ver y still, u nwilling to retreat from his touch. He bent down and mo ved his mouth wit h teasi ng light ness over hers. Currents of pleasure ran o ver her skin.
“Later,” he said,
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pulling back. “I i ntend to fi nish t hat i n a more satisfactor y manner.
But at the moment, I’ ve work to
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do.” His t humbs ran in lazy circl es over her hips. “Cap’s going to take you around; he’s expecting you. Can you find your way? ”
“Yes.” Co nfused by the urgency of her heartbeat, Laine stepped back. The break i n contact did nothing to slow it. “Am I to go to his office?”
“Yeah, the same place you went before. He’ll show you whatever you
want to see. Watch your step, Laine.” His green eyes cooled abruptl y, and his voice lost its light ness. “Until I’ m sure about you, you can’t afford to make any mistakes.”
For a mo ment, she onl y stared up at him, feeling her ski n grow cold, and her pulse slow. “I’m ver y much afraid,” she admitted sadl y, “I’ve already made one.”
Turni ng, she wal ked away.
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C h a pter Six
Laine walked towar d t he small, palm-flanked building.
Throu gh her mind r an all which had passed in twent y-four hours. She had met her father, lear ned of her mother’s deceptio n and was now readjusting her wi shes.
She had also, in the brief span of time it takes t he sun to rise and fall, disco vered the pleasures and demands of womanhood.
Dillon had released new and magic sensatio ns. Again, her mind argued with her heart that her feelings were onl y the result of a first physical attractio n. It could har dl y be anyt hing else, she assured herself. One does not fall in love i n a day, and certai nl y not with a man like Dillon O’Brian. We’re total opposites. He’s outgoing and co nfident, and so co mpletel y at ease with people. I envy him his honest confi dence. There’s not hing emotional about that . I’ ve simpl y never met anyo ne li ke him before. That’s why I’m confused. It has nothing to do with emotions. Laine felt comforted as she entered her f ather’s office building.
As she stepped into the outer lobby, Cap strode from his office, glanci ng over his shoulder at a dark girl with a pad in her hand who was following in his wake.
“Check with Dillon on the fuel order before you send that out. He’ll be i n a meeting for the next hour. If you miss hi m at his office, tr y hangar four.” As he caught sight of Laine, Cap smiled and slowed his pace. “Hello, Laine. Dillon said you wanted a tour.”
“Yes, I’d lo ve o ne, if you have the time.”
“Of course. Sharon, this is my daughter. Laine, this is Sharo n Kumocko, my secretar y.”
Laine observed the curiosit y i n Sharon’s eyes as t hey exchanged greetings. Her father’ s tone during the introductions had been somewhat forced. Lai ne felt him hesitate before he took her Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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arm to lead her outside. She wondered briefl y if she had imagined their closeness during her childhood.
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“It’s not a very big airport,” Cap began as they stepped out into the sun and heat. “For the most part, we cater to island hoppers and charters. We also run a flight school. That’s essentiall y Dillon’s project.”
“Cap.” Impulsively, Laine halted his recital and turned to face hi m. “I kno w I’ve put you i n an awkward position. I realize now that I should have written and asked if I could co me rat her than just dro pping o n your doorstep this wa y. It was thoughtless of me.”
“Laine …”
“Please.” She shoo k her head at his interruption and rushed o n.
“I realize, too, that you have your own life, your own home, your own friends. You’ve had fifteen years to settle i nto a routine. I don’t want to interfer e with any of that. Believe me, I do n’t want to be i n the way, and I don’t want you to feel …” She made a helpless gesture as the impetus ran out of her words. “I would like it if we could be friends.”
Cap had studied her during her speech. The smile he gave her at its finish hel d more warmth than t hose he had given her before.
“You know,” he sighed, tugging his fingers through his hair, “it’s sort of terrif yi ng to be faced with a grown-up daughter. I missed all the stages, all t he changes. I’ m afrai d I still pictured you as a bad- tempered pigtailed urchin wit h scraped knees. The elegant woman who walked into my offi ce yester day and spoke to me with a fai nt French accent is a stranger . And o ne,” he added, touching her hair a moment, “who brings back memories I thought I’ d buried.” He sighed again and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know much about women; I do n’t thi nk I ever did. Your mother was the most beautiful, co nfusi ng woman I’ ve ever known.
When you were little, and the three of us were still toget her, I su bstituted your friendshi p for the friendshi p t hat your mother and I never had. You were t he onl y femal e I ever u nderstood. I’ ve always wondered if that was why things didn’t work.”
Tilting her head, Laine gave her father a long, searchi ng look.
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“Cap, why did you marry her? There seems to be nothing you had in commo n.”
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Cap shook his head with a quick lau gh. “You didn’t kno w her twent y years ago. She did a lot of changing, Lai ne. Some peo ple change more than others.” He shook his head again, and his eyes focused o n some mi ddle distance. “Besides, I loved her. I’ve always loved her.”
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“I’m sorry.” Laine felt tears burn the back of her eyes, and she dropped her gaze to t he ground. “I don’t mean to make things more difficult.”
“You’re not. We had so me good years.” He paused until Laine lifted
her e yes. “I like to remember them now and agai n.” Taking her arm, he began to wal k. “Was your mother happy, Lai ne?”
“Happy? ” She thought a moment, remembering the quicksilver moods, t he gay bu bbling voice wit h dissatisfaction always under the surface. “I suppose Vanessa was as happy as she was capable of bei ng. She loved P aris and she lived as she chose.”
“Vanessa?” Cap frowned, glancing down at Laine’s profile. “Is that how you think of your mother?
”
“I always called her by name.” Laine lifted her hand to shield her eyes fro m the sun as she watched t he descent of a charter. “She said
‘mother’ made her feel too old. She hated getting older … I feel better knowi ng you’re happy i n the life you’ve chosen. Do you fly anymore, Cap? I r emember how you used to love it.”
“I still put in my quota of flight hours. Laine.” He took both her arms and turned her to face him. “One question, then we’ll leave it alone for a while. Have you been happy? ”
The directness of both his qu estions and his eyes caused her to fumble. She looked away as if fascinated by disembarki ng passengers. “I’ve been ver y busy. The nuns are ver y serious about education.”
“You’re not answering my question. Or,” he corrected, drawing his thick brows together, “maybe you are.”
“I’ve been content,” she said, giving him a smile. “I’ve learned a great
deal, and I’m comfortabl e with my life. I thi nk that’s enough for
anyo ne.” “For so meo ne,” Cap r eturned, “who’s reached my age, but not for a
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ver y you ng, ver y lovel y wo man.” He watched her smile fade into
per plexit y. “It’s not enough, Laine, and I’m surprised you’d settl e for it.” His voice was stern, laced with a hint of disappro val which put Laine on the defensive.
“Cap, I haven’t had the chance…” She stopped, realizing she must guard her words. “I haven’t taken the time,” she amended, “to
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chase windmills.” She lifted her hands, pal ms u p, in a broad French gesture. “P erhaps I’ ve reached t he poi nt i n my life when I should begi n to do so.”
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His expression lightened as she smiled up at him. “All ri ght, we’ll let it rest for now.”
Wit hout any mor e mentio n of t he past, Cap led Laine throu gh neat rows of planes. He fo ndled each as if it wer e a chil d, explai ni ng their qualities in
prou d, but to Lai ne
hopelessl y techni cal, terms.
She
listened, co ntent with his good humor, pleased with the sound of his voice. Occasio nall y, she made an ignorant comment that made hi m laugh. She found t he lau gh ver y precious.
The buildi ngs were spread out, neat and wit hout pretension; hangars and storage buildi ngs, research and accounting offices, wit h the high, gl ass
-enclosed control tower do minating all. Cap poi nted out each one, but the
planes themsel ves were his consummat e interest.
“You said it wasn’t big.” Laine gazed around the complex and down light- dotted runwa ys. “It looks enormous.”
“It’s a small, low-activity field, but we do our best to see that it’s as well ru n
as
Honolulu
International.”
“What is it that Dillon do es here?” Telling herself it was only idle curiosit y, Lai ne surrendered to t he ur ge to question.
“Oh, Dillon does a bit of everything,” Cap answered with frustrating
vagueness. “He has a knack for or ganizi ng. He can find his way through a pro blem before it becomes one, and he handles people so well they never realize t hey’ ve been handled. He can also take a plane apart and put it back to get her again.” Smiling, Cap gave a small shake of his head. “I do n’t know what I’d have done without Dillo n. Wit hout his drive, I might have been content to be a crop duster.”
“Drive?” Laine repeated, lingering o ver the word. “Yes, I su ppose he has dri ve when there is somethi ng he wants. But isn’t he Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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…” She searched for a label and settled o n a generality. “Isn’t he a ver y casual per son?”
“Island life breeds a certain casualness, Laine, and Dillon was born here.” He steered her towar d the communications building.
“Just
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because a man i s at ease wit h himself and avoids pretension doesn’t mean he lacks intelligence or abilit y. Dillo n has both; he simpl y pursues his ambitions i n his own way.”
Later, as they walked toward t he steel- domed hangars, Laine realized she and her fat her had begun to build a new relationshi p. He was more
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relaxed wit h her, hi s smiles and speech more spo ntaneous. She knew her shiel d was dro pped as well , and she was more vulnerable.
“I’ve an appointment in a few minutes.” Cap stopped just inside the building and glanced at his watch. “I’ll have to turn you over to Dillon now, unless you want me to have so meo ne take you back to the house.”
“No, I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “P erhaps I can just wander about.
I
don’t
want
to
be
a
nuisance.”
“You haven’t been a nuisance. I enjo yed taking you through.
You haven’t lost the curiosit y I remember. You always wanted to know why and how and you always listened. I t hink you were five when you demanded I explai n the entir e control panel of a 707.” His chuckle was the same quick, appealing sound she remembered from childhood. “Your face would get so serious, I’d swear you had understood ever yt hing I’d sai d.” He patted her hand, then smiled over her head. “Dillon, I t hought we’d find you here. Take care of Laine, will you? I’ve got Billet coming in.”
“It appears I’ve got the best of the deal.”
Laine turned to see him leaning against a plane, wipi ng his hand on the loose coveralls he wore.
“Did everything go all right with the u nion representative?”
“Fine. You can look o ver the report tomorrow.”
“I’ll see you to night, then.” Cap turned to Laine, and after a brief hesitation, patted her cheek before he wal ked away.
Smiling, she turned back to encou nter Dillon’s broodi ng star e.
“Oh,
please,” she began, shaking her head. “Don’t spoil it. It’ s such a small thi ng.”
Wit h a shrug, Dillon turned back to the plane. “Di d you like your tour?”
“Yes, I did.” Laine’s footsteps echoed off the high ceiling as she crossed the room to join him. “I’ m afraid I di dn’t understand a fraction of what he told me. He carried on about aprons and funnel Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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syst ems and became ver y expansive on wind drag and thrust.” She creased her brow for a moment as she searched her memor y. “I’ m told struts can withstand comprehensive as well as tensil e forces. I
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didn’t have the courage to confess I di dn’t know o ne force fro m the other.”
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“He’s happiest when he’s talking about planes,” Dillon commented absentl y. “It doesn’t matter if you understood as lo ng as you listened. Hand me that torqu e wrench.”
Laine looked down at the assortment of tools, then searched for something resembling a torque wr ench. “I enjo yed listening. Is thi s a wrench?”
Dillon twisted his head and glanced at the ratchet she offered.
Wit h reluctant amusement, he brou ght his eyes to hers, then shook his head. “No, Duchess. This,” he stated, findi ng the tool himself, “is a wrench.”
“I haven’t spent a great deal of time u nder cars or under planes,”
she muttered. Her anno yance spr ead as she t hought how u nlikel y it was t hat he would ask Orchid King for a torque wrench. “Cap told me you’ ve added a fli ght school. Do you do t he i nstructing?”
“So me.”
Pumping up her courage, Lai ne asked in a rush, “Would you teach me?”
“What?” Dillon glanced back over his shoulder.
“Could you teach me to fly a plane?” She wo ndered if the question sounded as ri diculous to Dillon as it did to her.
“Maybe.” He stu died the fragile planes of her face, noting the determined light in her eyes. “Maybe,” he repeated. “Why do you want to lear n?”
“Cap used to talk about teaching me. Of course—” she spread her hands in a Gallic gesture “— I was onl y a chil d, but …”
Releasing an i mpatient breath, Laine lifted her chin and was suddenl y ver y American. “Because I thi nk it would be fu n.”
The change, and the stubborn set to her mouth, touched off Dillon’s laughter. “I’ll take one of you up tomorrow.” Lai ne frowned, tr ying to pu zzle out his meaning. Turni ng back to the plane, Dillon hel d out the wrench for her to put awa y. She stared at the grease- smeared handl e. Taki ng hi s head from the bowels of the plane, Dillon turned back and saw her relu ctance. He mutter ed somethi ng she di d not attempt to translate, then mo ved away and Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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pulled another pair of coveralls from a hook. “Here, put these on.
I’ m goi ng to be a while,
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and you might as well be useful.”
“I’m sure you’d manage beautifully without me.”
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“Undoubtedly, but put them o n anyway.” Under Dillon’s watchful eye, Laine stepped into the coveralls and sli pped her arms into the sleeves. “Good grief, you look swallowed.” Crouchi ng down, he began to roll u p the pants legs while she scowled at the top of his head.
“I’m sure you’ll find me more hindrance than help.”
“I figured that out some time ago,” he replied. His tone was undeniabl y cheerful as he rolled u p her sleeves half a dozen times. “You shouldn’t have quit growing so soon; you don’t look more than twelve.” He pulled the zipper up to her throat in one swift motion, then looked into her face. She saw his expression alter. For an instant, she thought she obser ved a flash of tender ness before he let out an i mpatient breat h. Cursing softl y, he submer ged into the bell y of the pl ane. “All right,” he began briskl y,
“hand me a screwdriver. The one with the red handle.”
Having made the acquaintance of this particular tool, Laine foraged and found it. She placed it in Dillo n’s outstretched hand.
He worked for some time, his conversation limited almost exclusivel y to the request and descriptio n of tools. As time passed, t he hu m of planes outside became o nl y a backdro p for his voice.
Laine began to ask hi m questions about the job he was performi ng.
She felt no need to follow his answers, fi nding pleasure onl y in the tone and texture of his voice. He was absorbed and she was abl e to study him u no bserved. She sur ve yed t he o dd intensit y of his eyes, the firm line of his chin and jaw, t he bro nzed ski n which rippled along his arm as he worked. She saw t hat his chin was shadowed with a da y-old beard, that his hair was curling loosel y over his collar, that his right brow was lifted slightl y higher t han his left as he co ncentr ated.
Dillon turned to her wit h so me request, but she could onl y stare. She was lost i n his e yes, blanketed by a fierce and trembling realization.
“What’s wro ng?” Dillon drew his brows to gether.
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Like a di ver breaki ng water, Laine shook her head and swallowed. “Nothi ng, I … What did you want? I wasn’t payi ng attention.” She bent o ver the box of tools as if it contained t he focus of her worl d. Silentl y, Dillon lifted out the one he required and turned back to
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the engi ne. Grateful for his preoccupatio n, Lai ne closed her eyes.
She felt bemused and defenseless.
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Lo ve, she t hou ght, should not co me wit h such quick i ntensit y.
It should flow slowl y, with tenderness and gentle feelings. It shouldn’t stab like a sword, striking wit hout war ni ng, wit hout mercy. How could one love what one could not understand?
Dillon O’ Brian was an enigma, a man whose moods seemed to flow without rhyme or reaso n. And what did she know of him? He was her fat her’s partner, but his position was u nclear. He was a man who knew both the sky and the sea, and found it easy to mo ve with their freedo m. She knew too that he was a man who knew women and could gi ve t hem pleasure.
And how, Lai ne wondered, does one fi ght lo ve when o ne has no knowledge of it? Perhaps it was a matter of balance. She deli beratel y released the tension in her shoulders. I have to find the way to wal k the wir e wit hout leani ng over eit her side and tumbling off.
“It seems you’ve taken a side trip,” Dillo n co mmented, pulling a rag from hi s pocket. He grinned as Lai ne gave a start of alarm. “You’re a miserable mechanic, Duchess, and a sloppy o ne.” He rubbed t he rag over her cheek until a bl ack smu dge disappeared. “There’s a sink over there; you’d better go wash your hands. I’ll finish these adjustments lat er. The fuel system is givi ng me fits.”
Laine moved off as he instructed, taki ng her time in remo ving traces of grime. She used the opportunit y to regai n her co mposure. Hangi ng up the borrowed o veralls, she wandered about the empt y hangar whil e Dillon packed away tools and co mpl eted his own washing up. She was sur prised to see t hat it had grown late during the time she had inexpertl y assisted Dillon.
A soft dusk masked the day’s brilliance. Alo ng the runways, li ghts twinkled like small red eyes. As she turned back, Laine fou nd Dillon’s gaze on her. She moistened her lips, then attempted casual ness.
“Are you finished?”
“Not quite. Come here.” Something in his tone caused her Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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to retreat a step rather than obey. He lifted his brows, t hen repeated the order wit h a soft, u nderl ying threat. “I said come here.”
Decidi ng voluntar y agreement was the wisest choice, Lai ne crossed the floor. Her echoing footsteps seemed to bounce off the walls like Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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thu nder. She prayed the sound masked the furious booming of her heart as she stopped in front of him, and that its beati ng was in her ears onl y. She stood
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in silence as he studied her face, wishi ng desperatel y she knew what he was looki ng for, and if she possessed it. Dillon said nothing, but placed his hands on her hips, drawing her a step closer. Their thighs brushed. His gri p was firm, and all the while his eyes kept hers a prisoner.
“Kiss me,” he said simply. She shook her head in quick protest, unable to look or break away. “Laine, I sai d kiss me.” Dillon pressed her hips closer, moldi ng her shape to his. His eyes were demanding, his mouth tempting. Tentati vel y, she lifted her arms, letting her hands rest on his shoulders as she rose to her toes. Her eyes remained o pen and locked on his as their faces drew nearer, as their breaths began to mingle. Softl y, she touched her lips to his.
He waited u ntil her mouth lost its shyness and became mo bile on his, waited until her arms found their way around his neck to urge hi m closer. He increased the pressure, dr awi ng out her si gh as he slid his hands under her blouse to the smooth skin of her back.
His explorations were slow and achingl y gentle. The hands that caressed her tau ght rather than demanded. Murmuring his name against the taste of his mouth, Lai ne strai ned agai nst him, wanting him, needing him. The swift heat of passion was all- consu ming.
Her lips seemed to learn more quickl y than her brain. They began to seek and demand pleasures she could not yet understand.
The rest of t he world faded like a whisper. At that mo ment, there was not hing in her lif e but Dillon and her need for him.
He drew her away. Neit her spoke, each stari ng into t he other’s eyes as if to read a message not yet written. Dillon brushed a stray curl from her cheek. “I’ d better take you home.”
“Dillon,” Laine began, completely at a loss as to what could be said. Unable to continue, she closed her eyes on her own inadequacy.
“Come on, Du chess, you’ve had a long day.” Dillon circled her neck wit h his hand and massaged briefl y. “We’re not dealing on equal footing at the mo ment, and I li ke to fi ght fair u nder most circumstances.”
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“Fight?” Laine managed, stru ggling to keep her eyes o pen and steady on his. “Is that what t his is, Dillo n? A fight?”
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“The oldest kind,” he returned with a small lift to his mouth. His smile
faded before it was trul y formed, and suddenl y his hand was fir m on her
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chi n. “It’s not over, Laine, and when we have t he next rou nd, I might say t he devil wit h the rules.”
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C h a pter Se v e n
When Lai ne came down for breakfast the next morning, she found onl y her father. “Hello, Skinny Bones,” Miri called out before Cap could greet her. “Sit and eat. I will fix you tea si nce you do not like my coffee.”
Unsure whether to be embarrassed or amused, Laine obe yed.
“Thank you, Miri,” she said to the retreating back.
“She’s quite taken with you.” Looking over, Laine saw the light of mirth in Cap’s eyes. “Since you’ ve co me, she’s been so wrapped up with putting pou nds on you, she hasn’t made o ne comment about me needi ng a wife.”
Wit h a wr y smile, Laine watched her fat her pour his coffee.
“Glad to help. I showed myself around a bit yesterday. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not.” His smile was rueful. “I guess I should’ve taken you around t he house myself. My manners are a little rust y.”
“I didn’t mind. Actually,” she tilted her head and returned his smile, “wanderi ng around alone gave me a sort of fresh perspective. You said you’d missed all the stages and still thought of me as a chil d. I t hi nk …” Her fi ngers spread as she tried to clarif y her thoughts. “I think I missed them too—that is, I still had my childhood image of you. Yester day, I began to see James Simmons in flesh and blood.”
“Disappointed?” There was more ease in his to ne and a lurking humor i n his eyes.
“Impressed,” Laine corrected. “I saw a man content with hi mself and his life, who has the love and respect of those close to him. I think my fat her must be a ver y nice man.”
He gave her an odd smil e which spoke both of surprise and pleasure. “That’s quite a compliment coming from a gro wn dau Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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ghter.” He added mor e coffee to his cu p, and Laine let t he silence drift. Her gaze li ngered o n Dillon’s empt y seat a moment. “Ah … is Dillon not here?”
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“Hmm? Oh, Dillo n had a breakfast meeting. As a matter of fact, he has quite a few things to see to this mor ning.” Cap drank his coffee black, and with an enjo yment Laine could not understand.
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“I see,” she responded, trying not to sou nd disappointed. “I su ppose the air port keeps bot h of you ver y busy.”
“That it does.” Cap glanced at his watch and tilted his head in regret .
“Actu ally, I have an appointment myself very shortly. I’m sorry to leave you alone thi s way, but …”
“Please,” Laine interru pted. “I don’t need to be entertained, and I meant what I said yester day about not wanti ng to interf ere.
I’ m sure I’ll find plent y of t hings to keep me o ccupi ed.”
“All right then. I’ll see you this evening.” Cap rose, then paused at the doorway wit h sudden inspiration. “Miri can arrange a ri de for you if you’d li ke to do some sho ppi ng i n town.”
“Thank you.” Laine smiled, thinking of her limited fu nds. “P erhaps I will.” She wat ched hi m stroll away, then sighed, as her gaze fell again on Dillon’s empt y chair.
Laine’s morning was spent lazil y. She soon found out that Miri would not accept or tolerate any help around the house.
Following the nati ve wo man’s strong suggestion that she go out, Lai ne gathered her stationer y and set out for the bay. She fou nd it ever y bit as perfect as she had t he day before—the water clear as crystal, t he sand white and pure. Spreading out a blanket, Lai ne sat down and tried to describe her surroundings wit h words o n paper.
The letters she wrote to France were lo ng and detailed, though she o mitted any mention of her troubled situation.
As she wrote, t he sun rose hi gh over head. The air was moist and ripe. Lulled by the peace and t he ra ys of the sun, she curled up o n the blanket and slept.
Her limbs were languid, and behind closed lids was a dull red mist. She wondered hazil y ho w the reverend mother had ur ged so much heat out of the ancient furnace. Relu ctantl y, she stru ggl ed to toss off sleep as a hand shook her shoulder. “Un mo ment, ma soeur,” she murmured, and sighed wit h t he effort.
“J’arrive. ” Forcing open her leaden lids, she found Dillon’s face inches above hers.
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“I seem to have a habit of waking you up.” He leaned back on his heels and studied her cloudy eyes. “Don’t you know better than to sleep in the sun wit h t hat co mplexion? You’re lucky you didn’t bur n.”
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“Oh.” At last realizing where she was, Laine pushed herself into a sitting position. She felt the odd sense of guilt of the napper cau ght nappi ng. “I do n’t know why I fell asleep like that . It must have been t he quiet.”
“Another reaso n might be exhaustion,” Dillo n countered, then frowned. “You’re losing the shadows under your eyes.”
“Cap said you were very busy this morning.” Laine found his conti nued
survey disco ncerting and shuffled her
writing gear. “Hmm, yes, I was. Writing
letters?”
She glanced up at him, t hen tapped the ti p of her pen against her mouth. “Hmm, yes, I was.”
“Very cute.” His mouth twitched slightly as he hauled her to her feet.
“I
thought you wanted to learn how to fl y a plane.”
“Oh!” Her face lit up with pleasure. “I thought you’d forgotten. Are you sure you’r e not too busy? C ap sai d…”
“No, I hadn’t forgotten, and no, I’m not too busy.” He cut her off as he leaned down to gat her her bl anket. “Stop babbling as if you were twel ve and I wer e taki ng you to t he circus for cotton candy.”
“Of course,” she replied, amused by his reactio n.
Dillon let out an exasperat ed br eath before grabbing her hand and pulling her across t he sand. She heard hi m mutter so met hing uncomplimentar y about women in general.
Less than an hour later, Laine found herself seated in Dillon’s plane. “Now, this is a singl e prop mono plane with a reci procating engi ne. Another ti me, I’ll take you up i n the jet, but … ”
“You have another plane?” Laine interrupted.
“So me peo ple collect hats,” Dillon countered dryl y, then pointed to the variet y of gauges. “Basicall y, fl ying a plane is no more difficult than drivi ng a car. The first t hing you have to do is understand your i nstruments and learn how to read them.”
“There are quite a few, aren’t there?” Du biously, Laine scanned Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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numbers and needles.
“Not really. This isn’t exactly an X-15.” He let out a long breath at her blank expressio n, then started the engine. “O.K., as we climb, I want
you to watch this gau ge. It’s the altimeter. It …”
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“It indicates the height of the plane above sea level or above ground,” Lai ne finished for him.
“Very good.” Dillon cleared his takeoff with the tower, and the pl ane began its roll do wn t he ru nwa y. “What di d you do, grab o ne of
Cap’s
magazines
last
ni ght?”
“No. I remember so me of my early lessons. I su ppose I stored away all t he thi ngs Cap used to rambl e about when I was a child. This is a co mpass, and thi s … ” Her brow furrowed in her memor y search. “This is a turn and bank indicator, but I’m not sure I r emember quite what that means.”
“I’m impressed, but you’re supposed to be watching the altimeter.” “Oh, yes.” Wri nkling her nose at the chastisement, she obeyed.
“All right.” Dillon gave her profile a quick grin, then turned his att entio n to the sky. “The lar ger needle’s going to make one turn of the dial for ever y thousand feet we climb. The smaller o ne makes a turn for ever y ten t housand. Once you learn your gauges, and how to use each o ne of t hem, your job’s less difficult than drivi ng, and there’s generall y a lot less traffic.”
“Perhaps, you’ll teach me to drive a car next,” Laine su ggested as she watched the lar ge needle round the dial for t he seco nd time.
“You don’t know how to drive?” Dillon demanded. His voice was incredulous.
“No. Is that a crime in this country? I assure you, there are some people who believe me to be mar gi nall y intelligent . I’m certain I can lear n to fl y t his machine in the same amount of time it takes any of your other students.”
“It’s possible,” Dillon muttered. “How co me you never learned to dri ve a car?”
“Because I never had o ne. How did you break your nose?” At his puzzled expressio n, Lai ne mer el y gave him a bland smile.
“My question is just as irrelevant as yours.”
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Laine felt quite pleased when he laughed, almost as though she had won a small victor y.
“Which time?” he asked, and it was her turn to look puzzled. “I broke it
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twice. The first time I was about ten and tri ed to fl y a car dboard plane I had designed off the roof of the garage. I didn’t have the propulsion s ystem
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perf ected. I onl y broke my nose and my ar m, though I was told it should’ ve been my neck.”
“Very likely,” Laine agreed. “And the seco nd time?”
“The second time, I was a bit older. There was a disagr eement over a certai n girl. My nose suffered another insult, and t he other gu y lost two teeth.”
“Older perhaps, but little wiser,” Laine commented. “And who got the girl?”
Dillon flashed his quick gri n. “Neither of us. We deci ded she wasn’t
worth it after all and went off to nurse our wounds with a beer.” “How gallant.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’ve noticed that trait in me. I can’t seem to shake it. No w, watch your famous turn and bank indicator, and I’ll explain its function.”
For the next thirt y mi nutes, he became the quintessential teacher, surprising Laine with his kno wledge and patience. He answered the dozens of questio ns she tossed out as flashes of her earl y lesso ns ski pped through her memor y. He seemed to accept her sudden t hirst to know as if it were not o nl y natural, but expected.
They cruised through a sky touched with puff y clouds and mountain peaks and skimmed the gapi ng mouth of the multihued Waimea Canyo n. They circled above the endl ess, whit ecapped ocean. Lai ne began to see the similarit y bet ween the freedo m of the sky and the freedom of the sea. She began to f eel the fasci natio n Dillon had spo ken of, the need to meet the challenge, the need to explore. She listened wit h ever y ounce of her co ncentration, determined to understand and remember.
“There’s a little storm behind us,” Dillon announced casually.
“We’re not going to beat it back.” He turned to Laine with a fai nt smile on his lips. “We’re goi ng to get tossed around a bit, Duchess.”
“Oh?” Trying to mirror his mood, Laine shifted in her seat and studied the dark clou ds i n their wake. “Can you fl y through Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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that?” she asked, keeping her voice light whil e her sto mach tightened.
“Oh, ma ybe,” he returned. She jerked her head around swiftl y. When she saw t he l aughter i n his eyes, she let out a long breath.
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“You have an odd sense of hu mor, Dillo n. Very u nique,”
she added, then sucked in her breat h as the clouds o vertook them.
All at once, they were shrouded in darkness, rai n pelti ng furiously on all sides. As the plane rocked, Laine felt a surge of panic.
“You know, it alwa ys fascinates me to be in a cloud.
Not hing much to them, just vapor and moisture, but they’re fabulous.” His voice was cal m and composed. Lai ne felt her heartbeat stead ying. “Storm clou ds ar e the most interesting, but you reall y need light ning.”
“I think I could live without it,” Laine murmured.
“That’s because you haven’t seen it from up here. When you fl y above lightni ng, you can watch it kicking up inside the clouds.
The colors are incredi ble.”
“Have you flown through many storms?” Laine looked out her wi ndows, but saw nothi ng but swirling black clouds.
“I’ve do ne my share. The fro nt of this one’ll be waiting for us when we land. Wo n’t last lo ng, t hough.” The plane bucked agai n, and Laine looked o n i n bewil derment as Dillon grinned.
“You enjo y this sort of thing, don’t you? The excitement, the sense of danger?”
“It keeps the reflexes in tune, Laine.” Turning, he smiled at her without a trace of cyni cism. “And it keeps life from bei ng boring.” The look held for a moment , and Laine’s heart di d a series of jumpi ng jacks. “There’s plent y of stabilit y in life,” he continued, making adjustments to compensat e for the wind. “Jobs, bills, insurance policies, that’s what gives you balance. But someti mes, you’ve got to ride a roller co aster, ru n a race, ride a wave. That’s what makes life fu n. The trick is to keep o ne end of the scope from over balancing the other.”
Yes, Lai ne thought. Vanessa never learned the trick. She was always looking for a new game and never enjo yed the one she was playing. And perhaps I’ve overcompensated by thinking too Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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much of the stabilit y. Too many books, and not enough doi ng. Lai ne felt her muscles relax and she turned to Dillon wit h a hint of a smile. “I haven’t ri dden a roller co aster for a great many years.
One could say that I’m due. Look!” She pressed her face against the side window
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and peered downward. “It’s like somethi ng Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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out of Macbeth, all mist y and si nister. I’ d li ke to see the li ghtni ng, Dillon. I
reall y
would.”
He laughed at the eager anticipation on her f ace as he began his descent. “I’ll see if I can arrange it.”
The clou ds seemed to swirl and dissol ve as t he plane lost altitude.
Their
thickness became pale gray cobwebs to be dusted out of the way. Below, t he landscape came into view as they dro pped below the mist. The eart h was rai n- drenched and vivi d with color. As they landed, Lai ne felt her pleasur e fade into a vague sense of loss. She felt like a child who had just blown out her last birthday candle.
“I’ll take you back u p in a couple days if you want,” said Dillon, taxii ng to a
halt.
“Yes, please, I’d like that very much. I do n’t know how to thank you for …”
“Do your homework,” he said as he shut off the engine. “I’ll give you some books and you can r ead up o n i nstrument ation.”
“Yes, sir,” Laine said with suspicious humility. Dillon glared at her briefl y before swi nging from the plane. Lai ne’ s lack of experience caused her
to
take more
time with
her exit .
She
fou nd herself swoo ped do wn before she could co mpl ete the journey o n her own.
In the poundi ng rai n they stood close, Dillon’ s hands light on her waist. She could feel t he heat of his body through the dampness of her blouse. Dark tendrils of hair fell over his forehead, and wit hout thought, Laine lifted her hand to smooth them back.
There was somet hing sweetl y ordi nar y about being i n his arms, as if it were a place she had been countless times before and would come back to countless times again. She felt her love bursting to be free.
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“You’re getting wet,” she murmured, dropping her hand to his cheek. “So are you.” Though his fi ngers ti ghtened o n her waist, he drew her no
closer.
“I do n’t mind.”
Wit h a sigh, Dillon rested his chin on the top of her head.
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“Miri’ll punch me out if I let you catch a chill.”
“I’m not cold,” she murmured, finding indescribable pleasure in their closeness.
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“You’re shivering.” Abruptly, Dillon brought her to his side and began to wal k. “We’ll go into my office, and you can dr y out before I take you home.”
As they walked, t he rain slowed to a mist. Fingers of sunlight began to strain through, brushing away t he last stubborn dro ps.
Laine surve yed the complex. She remembered the building which housed Dillon’s office from the tour she had taken with her fat her. With a grin, she pu shed damp hair fro m her eyes and pulled away from Dillo n. “Race you,” she challenged, and scrambled o ver wet pavement.
He caught her, lau ghi ng and breathless, at the door. Wit h a new ease, Lai ne circled his neck as they lau ghed toget her. She felt young and foolish and desperatel y in love.
“You’re quick, aren’t you?” Dillon o bserved, and she tilted her head back to meet his smile.
“You learn to be quick when you live in a dormitory. Competition for
the bath is brutal.” Laine thought she saw his smile begin to fade befor e they were i nterru pted.
“Dillon, I’m sorry to disturb you.”
Glanci ng over, Laine saw a young wo man with classic bo ne structure, her raven hair pulled taut at the nape of a slender neck. The woman returned Laine’s sur vey with u ndisguised curiosit y. Blushing, Lai ne stru ggled out of Dillon’s arms.
“It’s all right, Fran. This is Laine Simmons, Cap’s daughter. Fran’s my calculator.”
“He means secretary,” Fran returned with an exasperated sigh.
“But this afternoon I feel more like an answering service.
You have a dozen pho ne messages o n your desk.”
“Anything urgent?” As he asked, he moved into an adjoining room. “No.” F ran gave Laine a friendl y smile. “Just several peo ple who didn’t
want to make a decision until t hey heard from Mount Ol ympus. I told
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them tomorrow.”
“Good.” Walking back into the room, Dillon carried a handful of papers and a towel. He tossed t he towel at Laine befor e he
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studied the papers.
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“I thought you were supposed to be taking a few days off,”
Fran stated while Dillon muttered over his messages.
“Um-hu m. There doesn’t seem to be anything here that can’t wait.” “I’ve already told you that.” Fran snatched t he papers out of his hand. “So you did.” Unabashed, Dillon gri nned and patted her cheek. “Did
you
ask
Orchid
what
she
wanted?”
Across the room, Lai ne sto pped ru bbi ng the towel agai nst her hair, then began again with increased speed.
“No, though after the third call, I’m afraid I became a bit abrupt with
her.”
“She can handle it,” Dillon returned easily, then switched his attention to Laine. “Ready? ”
“Yes.” Feeling curiously deflated, Laine crossed the room and handed
Dillon the towel. “Thank
you.”
“Sure.” Casually, he tossed the damp towel to Fran.
“See you to morrow, cousin.”
“Yes, master.” Fran shot Laine a friendly wave before Dillon hustled her from the buildi ng.
Wit h a great deal of effort, Laine managed to thrust Orchid King from her mind during the dri ve home and throughout the evening meal. The sun was just setting when she settled on the porch wit h Dillon and her fat her.
The sky’s li ght was enchanti ng. The i ntense, tropical blue was breaki ng i nto hues of gold and crimson, the low, mi sted clouds streaked with pi nks and mauves. Ther e was somethi ng dreamlike and soothing in the dusk. Lai ne sat quietl y i n a wicker chair, thinking over her day as t he men’s conversatio n washed over her. Even had she understood t heir exchange, she was too lazil y content to join in. She knew that for the first time in her adult life, she was both ph ysicall y and mentall y relaxed. Per haps, Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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she mused, it was t he adventures of the past few days, t he testi ng of so many untried feelings and emotions.
Mumbling about coffee, C ap rose and sli pped i nsi de t he house. Laine gave him an absent smile as he passed her, then curled her legs under her and watched t he first st ars blink into life.
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“You’re quiet tonight.” As Dillo n leaned back in his chair, Laine heard the soft click of his lighter .
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“I was just thinking how lovely it is here.” Her sigh drifted with contentment. “I thi nk it must be the loveliest place on earth.”
“Lovelier than P aris?”
Hearing the edge i n his voice, Laine tur ned to look at him questio ningl y. The first li ght of the moon fell gentl y over her face. “It’s ver y diff erent from P aris,” she answered. “P arts of P
aris are beautiful, mellowed and gentled wit h age. Other part s are elegant or dignified. She is like a wo man who has been often told she is enchanti ng. But the beaut y here is more pri mitive.
The island is ageless and innocent at the same time.”
“Many people tire of innocence.” Dillon shrugged and drew deepl y on hi s ci garette.
“I suppose that’s true,” she agreed, u nsure why he seemed so distant
and so cynical.
“In this light, you look a great deal like your mother,” he said suddenl y, and Laine felt her skin ice o ver.
“How do you know? You never met my mother.”
“Cap has a picture.” Dillon turned toward her, but his face was in shadows. “You resemble her a gr eat deal.”
“She certainly does.” Cap sauntered out with a tray of coffee in his hands. Setti ng it on a round glass table, he strai ghtened and studied Laine. “It’s amazing. The light will catch you a certain way, or you’ll get a certain expression on your face. Su ddenl y, it’s your mother twent y years ago.”
“I’m not Vanessa.” Laine sprang u p fro m her seat, and her voice trembled wit h rage. “I’ m nothi ng like Vanessa.” To her distress, tears began to gat her i n her eyes. Her fat her looked on i n astonishment. “I’ m nothing like her. I wo n’t be compared to her.” Furious with both the men and herself, Laine turned and slammed through the screen door. On her dash for the stairs, she collided wit h Miri’s substantial form. Stuttering an apology, she streaked up the stairs and into her room.
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in. Laine was paci ng around her room for the t hird time when Miri strolled
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“What is all this running and slamming in my house?” Miri asked, folding her arms across her ample chest.
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Shaking her head, Laine lowered herself to the bed, t hen, despising herself, burst into tears. Clucki ng her tongue and muttering in Hawaiian, Miri crossed the room. Soon Lai ne found her head cradled against a soft, pillowing bosom. “That Dillo n,” Miri muttered as she rocked Laine to and fro.
“It wasn’t Dillon,” Laine managed, finding the maternal comfort new and o verwhelmi ng. “Yes, it was … it was bot h of them.” Laine had a su dden desperate need for reassurance. “I’m nothing like her, Miri. I’m nothi ng li ke her at all.”
“Of course you are not.” Miri patted Laine’s blo nd curls. “Who is it you ar e not like?”
“Vanessa.” Laine brushed away tears with the back of her hand. “My mother. Both of them wer e looking at me, saying how much I look like her.”
“What is this? What is this? All these tears because you look like someone?” Miri pulled Laine away by t he shoulders and shook her. “Why do you waste your tears on t his? I t hink you’re a smart girl, t hen you act stupi d.”
“You do n’t understand.” Laine drew up her knees and rested her chi n on them. “I wo n’t be compared to her, not to her. Vanessa was selfish and self -centered and disho nest.”
“She was your mother,” Miri stated with such authority that Laine’s mouth dro pped open. “You will speak with respect of your mother. She is dead, and whatever she di d is over now. You must bur y it,” Miri co mmanded, giving Laine another shake, “or you will never be happy. Did they say you were selfish and self-centered and disho nest?”
“No, but …”
“What did Cap Simmo ns say to you?” Miri
demanded. Laine let out a long breath. “He said I looked li ke my mother .” “And do you, or does he lie?”
“Yes, I suppose I do, but …”
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woman.” Miri lifted Laine’s chin wit h her thick fingers. “Do you know who you are, Lai ne Simmons?”
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“Yes, I think I do.”
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“Then you have no problem.” Miri patted her cheek and rose.
“Oh, Miri.” Laine laughed and wiped her eyes again. “You make me feel ver y foolish.”
“You make yourself feel foolish,” Miri corrected. “I did not slam doors.”
Laine si ghed o ver Miri’s logic. “I suppose I’ll have to go down and apologize.”
As Laine stood, Miri folded her arms and blocked her way.
“You will do no such thing.”
Staring at her, Lai ne let out a frustrated breath. “But you just sai d …”
“I said you were stupid, and you were. Cap Simmo ns and Dillon wer e also stupi d. No woman should be compared to another woman. You are special, you are u niqu e. So meti mes men see only the face.” Miri tapped a finger against each of her cheeks. “It takes t hem longer to see what is i nsi de. So—” she gave Laine a white-toothed smile “— you will not apologize, you will let them apologize. It is the best way.”
“I see,” Laine said, not seeing at all. Suddenly, she lau ghed and sat back o n the bed. “Thank yo u, Miri, I feel mu ch better.”
“Good. Now go to bed. I will go lecture Cap Simmons and Dillon.”
There was an u nmistakable note of anti cipation in her voice.
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C h a pter Eight
The following morni ng Laine descended t he stairs, her Nile-gr een sundress floating around her, l eaving her arms and shoulders bare. Feeling awkwar d after t he previous evening’s incident, Laine paused at the doorway of the di ning room. Her fat her and Dillon were already at br eakfast and deep i n discussion.
“If Bob needs next week off, I can easily take his shift on the charters.” Dillon poured coffee as he
spo ke.
“You’ve got enough to do at your own place without taking that on, too. Whatever happened to those few days off you were going to take?” C ap accepted the coffee and gave Dillon a ster n look.
“I haven’t exactly been chained to my desk the past week.”
Dillon grinned, t hen shrugged as Cap’s expression remai ned u nchanged. “I’ll take so me ti me off next mo nth.”
“Where have I heard that before?” Cap asked the ceiling.
Dillon’s grin flashed again.
“I didn’t tell you I was retiring next year, did I? ” Dillon sipped coffee casuall y, but Lai ne recognized t he mischi ef in his voice.
“I’m going to take up hang gliding while you slave away behind a desk. Who are you going to nag if I’ m not around ever y day?”
“When you can stay away for more than a week at a time,” Cap countered, “t hat’ s when I’m going to retire. The trouble with you—
” he wagged a spoon at Dillon in admo nishment “—is that your mind’s too good and you’ ve l et too many peopl e find it out. Now you’r e stuck because no body wants to make a move wit hout checking with you first. You should’ ve kept t hat aeronautical-engi neering degree a secret. Hang gli di ng.” Cap chuckled and lifted his cu p. “Oh, hello, Lai ne.”
Laine jolted at the sound of her name. “Good morning,”
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she replied, ho ping that her outburst the evening befor e had not cost her the sli ght pro gress she had made with her fat her.
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“Is it safe to ask you in?” His smile was sheepish, but he becko ned her forward. “As I recall, your explosions were frequent, fierce, but short- lived.”
Relieved he had not offered her a stilted apology, Lai ne took her place at the table. “Your memor y is accurate, thou gh I assure you, I explode at ver y i nfrequent int er vals these days.” She offered Dillon a tentative smile, determined to treat t he matter lightl y.
“Good morning, Dillo n.”
“Morning, Duchess. Coffee?” Before she could refuse, he was filling her cu p.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “It’s hard to believe, but I think today is more beautiful t han yesterday. I do n’t believe I’d ever grow used to living in paradise.”
“You’ve barely seen any of it yet,” Cap commented. “You should go up to the mountai ns, or to the center . You know, the center of Kauai is o ne of the wettest spots i n the worl d. The rain forest is somet hing to see.”
“The island seems to have a lot of variety.” Laine to yed with her coffee. “I can’t imagi ne any of it is more beautiful than right here.”
“I’ll take you arou nd a bit today,” Dillo n announced. Laine glanced
shar pl y
at
him.
“I do n’t want to interfere with your routine. I’ve already taken up a great deal of your time.” Lai ne had not yet regained her balance wit h Dillo n. Her eyes were both war y and unsure.
“I’ve a bit more to spare.” He rose abruptly. “I’ll have things cleared up and be back around eleven. See you later , Cap.”
He stro de out without waiting for her assent.
Miri entered with a full pl ate and placed it i n front of Laine.
She sco wled at the coffee. “Why do you pour coffee when you aren’t going to drink it?” With a regal sniff, she picked u p the cu p and swoo ped from the room. With a si gh, Laine attacked her Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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breakfast and wo ndered how the day would pass. She was to find the mor ning passed quickl y.
As if granting a ro yal decree, Miri agreed to allow Laine to refresh the vases of flowers which were scattered throughout the house.
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Laine spent her morni ng hours in t he garden. It was not a garden as Lai ne remembered fro m her earl y American years or from her later French ones. It was a
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spreading, sprawling, wild tangle of greens and tempestuous hues.
The plants would not be organized or dictated to by plot or plan.
Insi de again, Lai ne took special care in the arranging of the vases.
Her mind drifted to the daffodils which would be blooming outside her window at
school.
She
found
it
o dd that she
felt
no trace of homesickness, no longing for t he soft French voices of the sisters or
the hi gh, eager ones of her students. She knew that she was dangerousl y close to t hinki ng of Kau ai as home. The thought of returni ng to France and the life she led there filled her with a cold, dull ache.
In her father’s den, Laine placed the vase of frangipani on his desk and glanced at the photograph of Cap and Dillon. How strange, she thought, t hat I should need both of t hem so badl y. Wit h a sigh, she buried her face i n t he blossoms.
“Do flowers make you unhappy? ”
She whirled, nearl y upsetti ng the vase. For a moment, she and Dillon stared at each other without speaking. Lai ne felt the tension between them, t hough its cause and meaning were unclear to her. “Hello. Is it eleven already? ”
“It’s nearly noon. I’m late.” Dillon thrust his hands in his pockets and watched her. Behind her, the su n poured throu gh t he window to halo her hair. “Do you want some lunch?”
“No, thank you ,” she said with conviction. She saw his eyes smile briefl y.
“Are you ready? ”
“Yes, I’ll just tell Miri I’m going.”
“She knows.” Crossing the room, Dillon slid open the glass door and waited for Laine to precede hi m outside.
Laine found Dillo n in a silent mood as t hey drove from the house. She gave his thoughts t heir privacy and concentrated o n the view. Ridges of green mountains loomed on either side.
Dillon dro ve along a sheer precipice where t he eart h surrendered abru ptl y to the sky to fall i nto an azure sea.
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“They used to toss Kukui oil torches over the cliffs to entertai n ro yalt y,” Dillon sai d suddenl y, after miles of silence.
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“Legend has it that the menehune lived here. The pixie peo ple,” he elaborated at her blank
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expression. “You see there?” Aft er halting the car, he pointed to a black precipice lined with grooves. “That’s their staircase. They built fishponds by moonlight.”
“Where are they now?” Laine smiled at him.
Dillon reached across to open her door. “Oh, the y’re still here.
They’re hidi ng.”
Laine joined him to wal k to t he edge of the cliff. Her heart fl ew to her
throat as she stared fro m the di zzying hei ght down to t he frot hing power of waves on ro ck. For an instant, she could feel herself tumbli ng helplessl y t hrough miles of space.
Unaffected by vertigo, Dillon loo ked out to sea. The breeze teased his hair, tossing it into confusion. “You have the remar kable capacit y of knowi ng when to be quiet and making the silence comfortable,” he remar ked.
“You seemed preoccupied.” The wind tossed curls in her eyes, and Laine brushed t hem away. “I thought per haps you were worki ng out a problem.”
“Did you?” he returned, and his expression seemed both amused and anno yed. “I want to talk to you about yo ur mother.”
The statement was so u nexpected that it took Laine a moment to react. “No.” She turned awa y, but he took her arm and held her still.
“You were furious last night. I want to know why.”
“I overreacted.” She tossed her head as her curls continued to dance around her face. “It was foolish of me, but sometimes my temper get s the better of me.” She saw by his expression that her explanatio n would not placate him. She wanted badl y to tell him how she had been hurt, but the memor y of their first discussion in her father’s house, and his cold judgment of her, prevented her.
“Dillo n, all my life I’ve been accepted for who I am.” Speaking slowly, she chose her words carefull y. “It anno ys me to fi nd t hat changing now. I do not want to be compared wit h Vanessa because we share certai n physical traits.”
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“Is that what you think Cap was doing?”
“Perhaps, perhaps not.” She tilted her chin yet further. “But that’s what you were doing.”
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“Was I?” It was a question which asked for no answer, and Laine gave no ne. “Why are you so bitter about your mother, Lai ne?”
She moved her shoulders and turned back toward t he sea. “I’m not bitter, Dillon, not any lo nger. Vanessa’s dead, and that part of my life is o ver . I do n’t want to talk about her until I u nderstand my feeli ngs better.”
“All right.” They stood silent for a mo ment, wrapped in the wind.
“I’m having a lot more trouble with you than I anticipated,”
Dillon muttered.
“I do n’t know what you mean.”
“No,” he agreed, loo king at her so intently she felt he read her soul. “I’m sure you don’t.” He wal ked away, then stopped. After a hesitation too brief to measure, he turned toward her again and held out his hand. Laine stared at it, unsure what he was offeri ng.
Findi ng it did not matter, she accepted.
During the ensuing drive, Dillon spo ke easil y. His mood had altered, and Laine mo ved wit h it. The worl d was lush with ripe blossoms. Moss clung, green and vi brant, to cliffs—a carpet on stone. They passed elephant ears whose l eaves were large enough to use as a canopy agai nst rain or su n. The frangi pani became more varied and more brilliant. When Dillon stopped t he car again, Laine did not hesitate to take his hand.
He led her alo ng a pat h t hat was sheltered by palms, movi ng down it as though he knew the way well. Laine hear d the rush of water before they entered the clearing. Her breat h cau ght at t he sight of the secluded pool circled by thick trees and fed by a shimmering waterfall.
“Oh, Dillon, what a glorious place! There can’t be another like it in the worl d!” Lai ne ran to the edge of the pool, then dropped down to feel the texture of the water. It was war m sil k. “If I could, I would come here to swi m in t he moonlight.” With a lau gh, she rose and tossed water to the sky. “With flowers in my hair and nothing else.”
“That’s the o nly permissible way to swim in a moonlit pool.
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Island law.”
Laughing again, she turned to a bush and plucked a scarlet hi biscus.
“I
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suppose I’d need long bl ack hair and honey ski n to look the part.”
Taking the bloom fro m her, Dillon tucked it behind her ear.
After studyi ng the effect, he smiled and ran a finger down her cheek.
“Ivory and
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gold work ver y nicel y. There was a time you’d have been worshi ped with all pomp and ceremo ny, then tossed off a clif f as an off ering to jealous go ds.”
“I do n’t believe that would suit me.” Utterly enchanted, Laine twirle d away. “Is t his a secret pl ace? It feels like a secr et place.” Stepping out of her sho es, she sat o n the edge of t he pool and dangled her f eet i n the water . “If you want it to be.” Droppi ng down besi de
her , Dillon sat Indi an-
fashion. “It’s not on the tourist route, at any rate.”
“It feels magic, the same way that little bay feels magic. Do you feel it, Dillo n? Do you realize how lovel y this all is, how fresh, or are you immu ne to it by now?”
“I’m not immune to beauty.” He lifted her hand, brushing his lips over her fingertips. Her eyes grew wide as currents of pl easure jolted up her arm. Smiling, Dillon turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “You can’t have lived in P aris for fifteen years and not have had your hand kissed. I’ ve seen mo vies.”
The li ght ness of his tone helped her regain her balance. “Actuall y, ever yo ne’s always kissi ng my left hand. You threw me off when you kissed my right.” She kicked water i n the air and watched the drops catch the sun before t hey were swallowed by the pool. “So metimes, when t he rai n drizzles in t he fall , and t he dampness creeps through the windo ws, I’ll remember this.” Her voice had changed, and t here was so met hing wistful, something yearning in her tone. “Then when spring comes, and the bu ds flower, and the air smells of them, I’ll remember the fragrance here. And when t he sun shi nes on a Sunda y, I’ll walk near the Seine and think of a waterfall.”
Rain came without war ning, a sho wer drenched in su n.
Dillon scrambled u p, pulling Laine under a shelteri ng cluster of palms. “Oh, it’s warm.” She leaned out from the green ceiling to catch r ain i n her pal m. “It’s as if it’s dropping from the sun.”
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“Islanders call it liquid sunshine.” Dillon gave an easy tu g on her hand to pull her back as she inched forward. “You’re getting soaked. I
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think you must enjo y getting drenched i n your clothes.” He ruffled her hair and splattered the air wit h shimmeri ng dro ps.
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“Yes, I su ppose I do .” She stared out, absorbed with the deepening colors. Blossoms trembled u nder their shower. “There’s so much on the island t hat remai ns unspoiled, as if no o ne had ever touched it. When we stood on the cliff and looked down at the sea, I was frightened. I’ ve alwa ys been a coward. But still, it was beautiful, so terrif yingl y beautiful I couldn’t look away.”
“A coward?” Dillon sat on the soft grou nd and pulled her down to join him. Her head naturall y found the curve of hi s shoulder.
“I would have said you were remarkably intrepid. You didn’t panic during the storm yesterday.”
“No, I just skirted around the edges of panic.”
His laugh was full of pleasure. “You also survived the little show in the pl ane on the way fro m Oahu wit hout a scream or a fai nt.”
“That’s because I was angry.” She pushed at her damp hair and watched the t hin curtain of rai n. “It was unkind of you.”
“Yes, I suppose it was. I’m often u nkind.”
“I think you’re kind more often than not. Though I also think you don’t like being labeled a kind man.”
“That’s a very o dd o pinion for a short acquaintance.” Her answering
shrug was eloquent and intensel y Gallic. A fro wn moved across his brow. “This school of yours,” he began, “what kind is it?”
“Just a school, the same as any other, with giggling girls and rules which must be bro ken.”
“A boarding school?” he probed, and she moved her shoulders again. “Yes, a boarding school. Dillon, this is not t he pl ace to think of
schedules and classes. I shall have to deal wit h t hem again soon enough. This is a magic pl ace, and for now I want to pretend I belong here. Ah, regarde!” Laine shifted, gesturing in wo nder. “Un arc- en- ciel. ”
“I guess that means rainbow.” He glanced at the sky, then back at her glowi ng f ace.
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“There are two! How can there be two?”
They stretched, high and perfect, in curvi ng ar ches from one mountai n ri dge to another. The second’ s shi mmering colors were the
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reverse of the first’s. As the su n glistened o n raindro ps, the colors grew i n i ntensit y,
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streaki ng across the cerulean sky like a trail from an artist’s many- tinted brush.
“Double bows are co mmo n here,” Dillon explained, relaxing against the base of t he palm. “The trade wi nds blow agai nst the mountai ns
and form a rai n boundar y. It rai ns on one si de while t he su n shines on the other. Then, the su n stri kes t he rai ndro ps, and …”
“No, don’t tell me,” Laine interrupted with a shake of her head.
“It would spoil it if I knew.” She smiled with the su dden knowledge that all thi ngs precious should be left unexplai ned. “I do n’t want to understand,” she murmured, accepti ng both her love and the rainbows without questio n, without logic. “I just want to enjo y.”
Tilting back her head, Laine offered her mouth. “Will you kiss me, Dillon?”
His e yes never l eft hers. He brought his hands to her face, and gentl y, his fi ngers stroked the fr agile li ne of her cheek. In silence, he explored the planes and hollows of her face with his fingertips, lear ning t he texture of fine bo nes and sati n ski n. His mouth followed the trail of hi s fingers, and Lai ne closed her eyes, kno wing nothing had ever been sweeter than his lips on her skin.
Still moving slowl y, still mo vi ng gentl y, Dillon brushed his mouth over hers in a whisperlike kiss which drugged her senses. He seemed content to taste, seemed happy to sample rather than devour.
His mouth moved o n, li ngeri ng on the curve of her neck, ni bbling at the lobe of her ear befor e co ming back to join hers. His tongu e teased her lips apart as her heart beat began to roar in her ears. He took her to the edge of reason with a tender, sensitive touch. As her need grew, Laine drew him closer, her bo dy mo ving against his i n i nno cent temptatio n.
Dillon swore suddenl y before pulling her back. She kept her arms around his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair as he stared down at her . Her eyes wer e deep and cloudy wit h growing passio n.
Unawar e of her own seducti ve powers, Laine sighed his name and placed a soft kiss on both of his cheeks.
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“I want you,” Dillon stated in a savage murmur before his mouth crushed hers. She yiel ded to hi m as a you ng willow yields to the wi nd.
His hands moved over her as if desperate to lear n ever y aspect , ever y secret, and she who had never known a man’s intimat e touch delighted
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in the seeking. Her body was limber under his touch, responsive and eager .
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She was the student, and he t he teacher. Her ski n grew hot as her vei ns swelled with pounding blood. As t he low, smoldering fire burst into quick flame, her demands rose with his. She trembled and murmured his name, as f rightened of the new sensation as she had been at the edge of the cliff.
Dillon lifted his mouth from hers, r esting it o n her hair before she could search for the joining again. He hel d her close, cradling her head agai nst his chest. His heart drummed against her ear, and Laine closed her e yes with the pleasure. Drawi ng her away, he stoo d. He moved his hands to his pockets as he turned his back o n her.
“It’s sto pped raining.” She thou ght his voice sounded strange and hear d him take a long br eath before he tur ned back to her. “We’d better go.”
His expression was unfat homable. Though she searched, Laine could find no wor ds to fill the sudden gap and close t he distance which had sprung bet ween t hem. Her eyes met his, asking questio ns her lips could not. Dillo n opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again before he reached do wn to pull her to her feet. Her eyes faltered. Dillo n lifted her chi n with his fingerti ps, then traced the li ps still soft from his. Briskl y, he shook his head.
Without a wor d, he lay his mouth gentl y o n hers before he led her away fro m the palms.
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C h a pter Ni ne
A generous golden ball, t he sun domi nated the sky as the car mo ved along the highway. Dillon made easy conversation, as if passion belonged onl y to a rai n-curtained pool. While her brai n fidgeted, “Laine tried to match his mood.
Men, she decided, must be better able to deal with the demands of the bo dy than women are with those of t he heart. He had wanted her ; even if he had not said it, she would have known. The urgency, the power of his claim had been unmistakable. Laine felt her color rise as she remembered her unprotesting response. Averting her head as if absor bed i n t he view, she tried to deci de what course lay open to her.
She would leave Kau ai in a week’ s time. Now, she would not onl y have to abandon the father whom she had longed for all of her life, but the man who hel d all claim to her heart. Per haps, she reflected wit h a small sigh, I’ m always destined to love what can never be mi ne. Miri said I should fi ght as a wo man fi ght s, but I don’t know wher e to begin. Per haps with honest y. I should find the place and time to tell Dillon of my feeli ngs. If he knew I wanted nothi ng fro m him but his affection, we might make a beginning. I could find a way to stay here at least a while longer. I could take a job. In time, he mi ght lear n to reall y care for me. Laine’s mood lightened at the thought. She focused again on her surrou ndi ngs.
“Dillon, what is gro wing there? Is it bamboo?” Acres upo n acres of towering stal ks bor dered the road. Clumps of cylindrical gold stretched out on either side.
“Su garcane,” he answered, without glancing at the fields.
“It’s like a jungle.” Fascinated, Laine leaned out the window, and the wi nd buffeted her face. “I had no idea it grew so tall.”
“Gets to be a bit over twenty feet, but it doesn’t grow as fast as a jungl e
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in t his part of the worl d. It takes a year and a half to two years to reach full growt h.”
“There’s so much.” Laine turned to face him, absently brushing curls
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from her cheeks. “It’s a plantation, I suppose, t hough it’s har d to concei ve
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of one person o wni ng so much. It must take tremendous manpower to har vest.”
“A bit.” Dillon swerved off the highway and onto a hard-packed road. “The
undergrowth is
bur ned
off, then machi nes
cut
the
pl ants. Hand cutting is
time co nsuming
so
machi ner y lowers pro duction costs even when labor costs are lo w. Besides, it’s one miserable job.”
“Have you ever done it?” She watched a quick grin light his face. “A ti me or two, which is why I prefer fl ying a plane.”
Laine glanced around at the infinit y of fields, wo ndering when the
har vest began, tr ying to pictur e the machines slicing through the towering st alks. Her musings halted as the brilli ant white of a house shone in the distance. Tall , with graceful colonial li nes and pillars, it stood on lush lawns. Vi nes dripped from scrolled balco nies; the high and narrow wi ndows were shutter ed in soft gra y. The house looked comfortabl y old and li ved in. Had it not been for South Sea foliage, Laine mi ght have been seeing a plantation house in old Louisiana.
“What a beautiful ho me. One could see for miles from the balco ny.” Laine glanced at Dillon i n surprise as he halted the car and again leaned over to open her door. “This is a pri vat e home, is it not? Are we allowed to walk around?”
“Sure.” Opening his own door, Dillon slid out. “It’s mine.”
He leaned against t he car and loo ked down at her. “Are you going to sit ther e with your mouth o pen or are you going to come insi de?” Quickl y, Lai ne slid out and stood beside him. “I gat her you expected a grass hut and hammock?”
“Why, no, I don’t precisely know what I expected, but …” With a hel pless gesture of her hands, she gazed about. A tremor of alar m trickled t hrough her. “The cane fiel ds,” she began, pra ying she was mistaken. “Are they yours?”
“They go with the house.”
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Findi ng her throat closed, Lai ne sai d not hing as Dillon led her up stone steps and throu gh a wide mahogany door. Insi de, the staircase domi nated the hall. Wide and arching in a deep half circle, its wood gleamed. Lai ne had a quick, confused impression of watercolors and
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wood carvings as Dillon strode straight down t he hall and led her i nto a parlor.
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The walls were li ke rich cream; the furnishi ngs were dar k and old. The car pet was a delicatel y faded needlepoint over a glisteni ng wood floor. Nutmeg sheers were drawn back from the windows to allow the view of a manicured lawn.
“Sit down.” Dillon gestured to a chair. “I’ll see about somet hing cold to drink.” Lai ne no dded, grateful for the ti me alone to organize her scattered thoughts. She listened until Dillon’s footsteps echo ed into silence.
Her survey of t he room was slow. She seated herself i n a high- backed chair and let her eyes roam. The room had an u ndeniable air of muted wealth. Laine had not asso ciated wealth with Dillon O’Brian. Now she found it an insurmountable obstacle.
Her protestations of love would never be accepted as pure. He would think his money had been her enticement. She closed her e yes o n a small moan of desperatio n. Rising, she moved to a window and tried to deal with dashed hopes.
What was it he called me once? An operator. With a short laugh, she rested her brow against the cool glass. I’ m afrai d I make a ver y poor one. I wish I’d never come here, never seen what he has. At least t hen I could have hung on to ho pe a bit lo nger. Hearing Dillo n’s approach, Laine struggled for composure. As he entered, she gave him a careful smile.
“Dillon, your ho me is very lovely.” After accepting the tall glass he offered, Laine mo ved back to her chair.
“It serves.” He sat o pposite her. His brow lifted fractionally at the formalit y of her to ne.
“Did you build it yourself?”
“No, my grandfather.” With his customary ease, Dillon leaned back and watched her. “He was a sailor and deci ded Kauai was the next best thing to t he sea.”
“So. I thou ght it looked as if it had kno wn generatio ns.”
Laine sipped at her drink wit hout tasti ng it. “But you found planes more entici ng t han the sea or the fiel ds.”
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at her polite, i mperso nal interest. “They yield a marketable pro duct, assist in local emplo yment and make use of the land. It’s a profitable cro p
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and its management takes o nl y a portion of my time.” As Dillon set down his glass, Laine thought he appeared to come to some decision. “My fat her
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died a couple of mont hs before I met Cap. We were both floundering, but I was angr y, and he was…” Dillon hesitated, then shrugged. “He was as he always is. We suited each other. He had a cabin plane and used to pick up island hoppers. I couldn’t learn about fl yi ng fast enough, and Cap needed to teach. I needed balance, and he needed to give it. A coupl e of years later, we began planni ng t he air port.”
Laine dro pped her eyes to her glass. “And it was the mo ney from your fiel ds which built the airport?”
“As I said, the cane has its
uses.”
“And the bay where we swam?” On a sudden flash of intuition, she lifted her eyes to his. “That’s yours, too, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.” She could see no change of expressio n in his eyes.
“And my father’s house?” Laine swallowed the dryness building in her thro at. “Is that also on your pro pert y?”
She saw anno yance cross hi s face before he smoothed it away.
His
answer was mil d. “Cap had a fondness for t hat strip of land, so he bought it.”
“From you?”
“Yes, from me. Is that a pro blem?”
“No,” she replied. “It’s simply that I begin to see things more clearl y. Mu ch more clearl y.” Laine set down her drink and folded her empt y hands. “It appears that you are more my fat her’s son t han I shall ever be his dau ghter.”
“Laine …” Dillon let out a short breath, then rose and paced the room with a sudden restlessness. “Cap and I understand each other. We’ve known each other for nearl y fifteen years.
He’s been part of my life for almost half of it.”
“I’m not asking you for justifications, Dillon. I’m sorry if it seemed as if I were.” Laine stoo d, tr yi ng to keep her voice steady. “When I return to France next week, it will be good to kno w that my father has you to rel y on.”
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“Next week?” Dillon stopped pacing. “You’re planning to leave next week?”
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“Yes.” Laine tried not to think of how quickly seven days could pass. “We agreed I would stay for two weeks. It’s time I got back to my own life.”
“You’re hurt because Cap hasn’t responded to you the way you’d ho ped.”
Surprised both by his wor ds and t he gentleness of his tone, Laine felt the thi n thread of her control straining. She struggled to keep her eyes cal m and level wit h his. “I have changed my mind …
o n a great many matt ers. Please do n’t, Dillon.” She shook her head as he started to speak. “I would rather not tal k of t his; it’s o nl y more difficult.”
“Laine.” He placed his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from turning away. “There are a lot of things t hat you and I have to talk about, whet her they’re difficult or not. You can’t keep shutting away little parts of yourself. I want… ” The ringi ng of the doorbell interrupted hi s words. Wit h a quick, impatient oat h, he dro pped his hands and strode away to answer.
A light, musical voice drift ed into the room. When Orchid King entered t he parlor on Dillon’s arm, Laine met her wit h a polite smile.
It struck Lai ne that Orchid and Dillon wer e a perfectl y matched couple. Orchid’s tawny, exotic beaut y suited his ruggedness, and her fully rounded curves were all t he mor e stu nni ng agai nst his leanness. Her hair fell in an ebo ny wat erfall, cascading down a smooth bar e back to t he waist of close- fitting pumpkin-colored shorts. Seeing her, Lai ne felt dowdy and pro vinci al.
“Hello, Miss Simmo ns.” Orchid tightened her hand on Dillo n’s arm. “How nice to see you again so soo n.”
“Hello, Miss King.” Anno yed by her own insecurities, Laine met Orchid’s amusement with eyes of a cool spring mor ning. “You did say the island was small.”
“Yes, I did.” She smiled, and Laine was reminded of a tawny cat.
“I
hope you’ve been able to see somethi ng of it.”
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“I took Laine around a bit this morning.” Watching Laine, Dillon missed t he flash of fire i n Orchi d’s amber e yes.
“I’m sure she couldn’t find a better guide.” Orchid’s expression melted
into soft appeal. “I’m so glad you were ho me, Dillon. I wanted to
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make certai n yo u’d be at t he luau tomorrow night.” Turni ng more directl y to face
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him, she subtl y but effecti vel y exclu ded Lai ne fro m t he conversation.
“It wouldn’t be any fun without
you.”
“I’ll be there.” Laine watched a smile lift o ne corner of his mouth.
“Are you
going
to
dance?”
“Of course.” The soft purr of her voice added to Laine’s image of a lithesome feline. “Tommy expects it.”
Dillon’s smile flashed into a gri n. He lifted his eyes o ver Orchid’s head
to meet Lai ne’s. “Tommy is Miri’s nephew. He’s having his annual luau tomorrow. You should find both the food and the entertainment interesting.”
“Oh, yes,” Orchid agreed. “No tourist should leave the islands without attending a luau. Do you plan to see the other islands during your vacatio n?”
“I’m afraid that will have to wait for another time. I’m sorry to say I haven’t lived u p to my obli gations as a tourist. The pur pose of my visit has been to see my father and his home.”
Somewhat impatientl y, Dillon disengaged his arm from Orchid’s grasp. “I have to see my foreman. Why don’t you keep Lai ne company for a few mi nutes?”
“Certainly.” Orchid tossed a lock of rain-straight hair behind her back. “How are the repairs co ming?”
“Fine. I should be able to move back in a cou ple of days without bei ng in t he wa y.” Wit h an i nclinatio n of his head for Laine, he turned and strode from the room.
“Miss Simmons, do make yourself at ho me.” Assu ming the role of hostess wit h a graceful wave of her hand, Orchi d glided fart her into the room. “Woul d you car e for anythi ng? A cold drink per haps?”
Infuriated at bei ng placed in t he position of being Orchid’s guest, Laine forced do wn her temper. “Thank you, no. Dillon has already seen to it.”
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mpany,” Orchid commented as she dropped into a chair. She crossed long, slender legs, looking like an advertisement for Hawaii’s lush attractio ns. “Especiall y for one who comes to visit her fat her.”
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“
117
Dillon has been ver y generous with his time.” Lai ne co pied Orchid’s action and hoped she was equipped for a femi nine battle of words.
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“Oh, yes, Dillo n’s a generous man.” Her smile was indulgent and possessive. “It’ s quite easy to misinterpret his generosit y u nless o ne knows him as well as I do. He can be so charmi ng.”
“Charming?” Laine repeated, and looked faintly skeptical. “How odd. C harmi ng is not the adjecti ve which comes to my mi nd.
But then,” she paused and smil ed, “you know him better t han I do.”
Orchid placed t he tips of her fi ngers together, then regarded Laine over the tips. “Miss Simmo ns, maybe we can dispense with the polite small tal k while we have this time alone.”
Wo ndering if she was si nki ng over her head, Lai ne nodded.
“Your optio n, Miss King.”
“I intend to marry Dillon.”
“A formidable intention,” Laine managed as her heart co nstricted.
“I
assume Dillon is aware of your
goal.”
“Dillon knows I want him.” Irritatio n flickered o ver the exotic face at Lai ne’s easy answer. “I do n’t appr eciat e all the time you’ve been spending wit h hi m.”
“That’s a pity, Miss King.” Laine picked up her lo ng-abandoned glass and sipped. “But don’t you think you’re discussing t his with the wrong perso n? I’ m sur e speaki ng to Dillon would be more producti ve.” “I
don’t believe
that’s
necessar y.”
Orchid
gave Laine
a companionable smile,
showi ng just a hint of white teeth. “I’ m sure we can settle t his between
us.
Don’t you
think
telling Dillon you
wanted to lear n to fl y a plane was a little trite?”
Laine felt a flush of fur y that Dillon had discussed her wit h Orchid. “Trite?”
Orchid made an impatient gesture. “Dillo n’s diverted by you at the moment, perhaps because you’re su ch a contrast to the t ype of wo man he’s always preferred. But the
milk-and- ho ney looks wo
n’t keep Dillon
interested for long.”
The
musical
voice
hardened. “Cool sophisticatio n doesn’t keep a man warm, and Dillon is ver y much a man.”
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“Yes, he’s made that very clear,” Laine could not resist interjecti ng .
“I’ m warning you … o nce,” Orchid hissed. “Keep your distance. I Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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can
make things ver y u ncomfortable for
you.”
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“I’m sure you can,” Laine acknowledged. She shru gged.
“I’ve been uncomfortable before.”
“Dillon can be very vindictive when he thinks he’s being decei ved. You’re going to end up losi ng more than you bar gained for.”
“Nom de Dieu !” Laine rose. “Is this how the game is played?” She made a co ntemptuous gesture wit h the back of her hand. “I want no ne of it. Snarling and hissing like two cats over a mouse. This isn’t worthy of Dillo n.”
“We haven’t started to play yet.” Orchid sat back, pleased by Laine’s agit ation. “If you do n’t like the rules, you’ d better leave. I do n’t intend to put up with you any lo nger.”
“Put up with me?” Laine stopped, her voice trembling with rage. “No one, Miss King, no one puts u p with me. You har dl y need concer n yourself with a wo man who will be gone in a week’s time.
Your lack of co nfidence is as pitiful as your t hreats.” Orchid rose at that, her fists clenched by her si des.
“What do you want fro m me?” Laine demanded. “Do you want my assurance that I won’t interfere with your pl ans? Ver y well , I gi ve it freel y and with pleasure. Dillon is yours.”
“That’s generous of you.” Spinning, Laine saw Dillon leaning against the doorway. His arms were crossed, his eyes dangerousl y dar k.
“Oh, Dillon, how quick you were.” Orchid’s voice was faint.
“Apparently not quick enough.” His eyes were lo cked on Laine’s.
“What’s the pro blem?”
“Just a little feminine talk, Dillon.” Reco vered, Orchid glided to his side. “Laine and I were just getting to know each other.”
“Laine, what’s going on?”
“Nothing important. If it’s co nvenient, I should like to go back now.” Without waiting for a repl y, Laine picked up her bag and moved to the doorwa y.
Dillon halted her by a hand o n her arm. “I asked you a question.”
“And I have given you the only answer I intend to give.”
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She
wrenched free and faced him. “I will not be questioned any longer. You have no right to qu estion me; I am nothing to you. You have no
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right to criticize me as you have do ne from t he first moment . You have no right to judge.” The
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anger i n her tone was now laced with despair. “You have no right to make love to me just because it amuses you.”
She ran in a flurr y of fl ying skirts, and he watched the door slam behind her.
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C ha pt er Ten
Laine spent the rest of the day in her room. She attempt ed not to dwell on the scene in Dillon’s home, or on the silent drive which followed it. She was not sure which had been more drai ning.
It occurred to her that she and Dillo n never seemed to enjo y a cordial relatio nshi p for more than a few hours at a ti me. It was definitel y time to leave. She began to plan for her retur n to France. Upon a review of her fi nances, she disco vered that she had barel y enough for a return ticket.
It would, she realized with a sigh, leave her virtuall y penniless.
Her own savings had been sorel y dent ed in dealing with her mother’s debt s, and plane fare had eaten at what remai ned. She could not, she determi ned, return to France wit hout a franc in her po cket. If ther e was a complication of any kind, she would be helpless to deal with it. Why di dn’t I sto p to thi nk, before I came here? she demanded of herself. Now I’ve place d myself i n an impo ssibl e si tuatio n.
Sitting on the bed, Lai ne rubbed an achi ng temple and tried to think. She didn’t want to ask her fat her for money. Pride prevented her from wiri ng to any friends to ask for a loan. She stared do wn at the small pile of bills in frustratio n. They won’t proliferate of their own accord, she reflected, so I must plan how to incr ease their number.
She mo ved to her dr esser and opened a small bo x. For some minutes, she studied t he gold locket it co ntai ned. It had been a gift from her fat her to her mother, and Vanessa had gi ven it to her o n her sixteenth birthday. She remembered the pleasure she had felt u pon receivi ng somet hing, however indirectl y, from her father. She had worn it habituall y u ntil she had dressed for her flight to Hawaii. Feeling it might cause her father pai n, Laine had placed it in its bo x, hopi ng that unhappy memories would be buri ed.
It was t he onl y t hing of value she owned, and now she had to sell it .
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Her door swu ng open. Lai ne held t he box behind her back. Miri glided in, a swirling mount ain of color. She regarded Lai ne’s flushed face with raised bro ws.
“Did you mess something up?”
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“No.”
“Then do n’t look guilty. Here.” She laid a sheath of brilliant blue and spar kling white on the bedspread. “It’ s for you. You wear this to the luau tomorro w.”
“Oh.” Laine stared at the exquisite length of silk, already feeling its magic agai nst her skin. “It’ s beautiful. I couldn’t .” She raised her eyes to Miri’s with a mixture of desire and regret. “I couldn’t take it.”
“You don’t like my present?” Miri demanded imperiously.
“You are very rude.”
“Oh, no.” Struck with alarm at the unintentional offense, Laine fumbled wit h an explanatio n. “It’s beautiful … reall y. It’s onl y that
…” “You should learn to say thank-you and not argu e. This will suit your skinny bones.” Miri gave a no d of satisfaction encompassing both the woman and t he silk. “Tomorrow, I will show you how to wrap
it.”
Unable to pr event herself , Laine moved over to feel t he cool material under her fingers. The co mbi nation of longing and Miri’s dar k, ar ched brows pro ved too formidabl e for pride. She surrendered with a si gh. “Thank you, Miri. It’s ver y good of you.”
“That’s mu ch better,” Miri approved and patted Laine’s halo of curls. “You are a prett y chil d. You should smile more. When you smile, the sadness goes away.”
Feeling the small bo x weighing like a sto ne in her hand, Laine held it up and opened it. “Miri, I wo nder if you might tell me where I could sell this.”
One large brown finger traced t he gold before Miri’s jet eyes lifted. Laine saw t he now familiar pucker between her brows. “Why do you want to sell a prett y thi ng like thi s? You don’t like it?”
“No, no, I like it very much.” Helpless under the direct stare, Laine mo ved her shoulders. “I need the money.”
“Money? Why do you need money? ”
“For my passage and expenses … to return to France.”
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“You don’t like Kauai?” Her indignant tone caused Laine to smile and shake her head.
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forever. But I must get back to my job.”
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“What do you do in that place?” Miri dismissed France with a regal gesture and settled her large fr ame into a chair . She folded her hands across the mou nd of her bell y.
“I teach.” Laine sat on the bed and closed the lid on the face of the locket.
“Don’t they pay you to teach?” Miri pursed her lips in disapproval.
“What did you do with your mo ney?
”
Laine flushed, feeling like a child who had been discovered spending her allowance on candy. “Ther e … t here wer e debts, and I
…”
“You have debts?”
“Well, no, I … not precisely.” Laine’s shoulders drooped with frustration. Seei ng Miri was prepared to remain a per manent fi xture of her room until she recei ved an explanatio n, Laine surrendered. Slowl y, she began to explain the financial mountai n which she had faced at her mot her’s death, the necessit y to liquidate assets, the conti nuing drai n o n her own resources. In t he telli ng, Lai ne felt the final layers of her resentment fadi ng. Miri di d not interru pt the recital, and Laine found t hat conf essio n had purged her of bitterness.
“Then, when I found my father’s address among her perso nal papers, I took what I had left and came here. I’m afraid I didn’t plan things well, and in or der to go back…” She shrugged again and trailed off. Miri no dded.
“Why have you not told Cap Simmo ns? He would not have his daughter selling her bau bles. He’s a good man, he would not have you in a strange countr y cou nting your penni es.”
“He doesn’t owe me anything.”
“He is your father,” Miri stated, lifting her chin and peering at Laine down her no
se.
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Vanessa’s carelessness and my own impulsiveness. He would think … No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want him to kno w. It’s ver y important to me that he not know. You must promise not to speak of this to him.”
“You are a very stubborn girl.” Miri crossed her arms and glared at Laine. Laine kept her eyes level. “Ver y well.” Miri’s bosom lifted and
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fell wit h her sigh. “You must do what you must do. Tomorrow, you will meet
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my nephew, Tommy. Ask hi m to co me look at your bauble. He is a jeweler and will gi ve you a fair price.”
“Thank you, Miri.” Laine smiled, feeling a portion of her burden ease. Miri rose, her muumuu trembling at the mo vement . “You had a
nice day wit h Dillo n?”
“We went by his home,” Laine returned evasivel y. “It’s very impressive.”
“Very nice place,” Miri agreed and brushed an infinitesimal speck of dust from the chair’s back. “My cousin cooks there, but not so well as Miri.”
“Miss King dro pped by.” Laine strove for a casual tone, but Miri’s brows rose.
“Hmph.” Miri stroked the tentlike lines of her flowered silk.
“We had a rather unpleasant discussion when Dillon left us alo ne. When he came back…” Lai ne paused and drew her bro ws together. “I shouted at hi m.”
Miri laughed, holding her middle as if it would split from the effort. For several moments, her mirth rolled comfortabl y around the room. “So you can shout, Ski nny Bo nes? I would li ke to have seen t hat.”
“I don’t think Dillon found it that amusing.” In spite of herself, Laine smiled.
“Oh, that one.” She wiped her eyes and shook her head. “He is too used to having his o wn way with wo men. He is too good-looking and has too much mo ney.” She placed a comforting hand o ver t he barrel of her bell y. “He’s a fair boss, and he works in t he fields when he’s needed. He has big degrees and many brai ns.” She tapped her fi nger on her t emple, but loo ked unimpressed. “He was a ver y bad bo y, wit h many pranks.” Laine saw her lips tr embl e as she tried not to show amusement at t he memories. “He is still a bad bo y,” she said fir ml y, regaini ng her dignit y. “He is ver y smart and ver y important.” She made a circling movement wit h both hands to indi cate Dillon’s importance, but her voice was full of mater nal Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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criticism. “But no matter what he thinks, he does not know wo men. He onl y knows planes.” She patted Lai ne’s head and pointed to the length of sil k. “Tomorrow, you wear that and put a flower in your hair. The moon
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will be full.”
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It was a night of silver and vel vet. Fro m her window, Laine could see t he danci ng diamonds of moonlight o n the sea. Allo wing the breeze to caress her bare shoulders, Laine reflected that the night was perfect for a lu au under the stars.
She had not seen Dillon since the previous day. He had returned to the house lo ng after she had retired, and had left again before she had awakened. She was determined, however , not to permit their last meeting to spoil the beaut y of the evening. If she had o nl y a few days left in hi s co mpany, she would make ever y effort to see that they were pleasant.
Turni ng from her window, Lai ne gave one final look at the woman in the mirror. Her bar e shoulders rose like marble fro m the brilliant blue of the sarong. She stared at t he wo man in the glass, reco gnizing some change, but unabl e to discer n its cause. She was not aware that over the past few days she had moved from girlhoo d to womanhoo d. After a final touch of the brush to her hair, Lai ne left the room. Dillo n’s voice rose up the staircase, and she moved to meet it. All at once, it seemed years since she had last heard him speak.
“We’ll be harvesting next month, but if I kno w the schedule of meetings far enough i n advance, I can… ”
His voice tr ailed away as Laine mo ved into t he doorway. Pausing i n the
act of pouring a drink, he made a slow survey. Laine felt her pulse triple its rat e as his eyes lingered along their route before meeting hers.
Glanci ng u p from filling his pi pe, Cap noted Dillon’s absorptio n. He followed his gaze. “Well, Laine.” He rose, surprisi ng her by crossing t he room and taking both her hands i n his. “What a beautiful sight.”
“Do you like it?” Smiling first at him, she glanced down at the sarong. “I’m not quite used to the way it feels.”
“I like it very mu ch, but I was talking about you. My daughter is a ver y beautiful woman, isn’t she, Dillon?” His eyes were soft Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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and smiled into Lai ne’s.
“Yes.” Dillon’s voice came from behind him. “Very beautiful.”
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warmth of his hands. “I’ve missed her.” He bent and kissed her cheek, then turned to
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Dillon. “You two run alo ng. I’ll see if Miri’s ready, which she won’t be. We’ll be along lat er.”
Laine watched him stride away. She lifted one hand to her cheek, unable to believe she could be so deepl y affected by one small gesture.
“Are you ready? ” She no dded, unable to speak, then felt Dillon’s hands descend to her shoulders. “It isn’t easy to bridge a fifteen- year gap, but you’ ve made a st art.”
Surprised by the support in his voice, Laine blinked back tear s and turned to face him. “Thank you. It means a great deal to me for you to say that. Dillon, yester day, I … ”
“Let’s not worry about yesterday right now.” His smile was both an apology and an acceptance of hers. It was easy to smile back. He studied her a moment before lifting her hand to his li ps.
“You are incredibly beautiful, like a blossom hanging on a branch just out of reach.” Laine wanted to blurt out that she was not out of reach, but a thick blanket of shyness co vered her tongue. She could do no more than stare at him.
“Come on.” Keeping her hand in his, Dillon mo ved to the door. “You should tr y ever ything o nce.” His to ne was li ght again as they slid into his car. “You know, you’re a ver y small lady.”
“Only because you look from an intimidating height,” she returned, feeling pleased with the ease of their relationship. “What does one do at a luau, Dillo n? I’m ver y much afraid I’ll insult a local tradition if I refuse to eat raw fish. But—” resting her head agai nst the seat, she smiled at the stars “— I shall refuse to do so.”
“We do n’t hurl mainlanders into the sea anymore for minor offenses. You haven’t much hip,” he commented, dro ppi ng his eyes for a mo ment. “But you could have a st ab at a hula.”
“I’m sure my hips are adequate and will no doubt be more so if Miri has her way.” Laine sent him a teasi ng glance. “Do you dance, Dillon?”
He grinned and met her look. “I pr efer to watch. Danci ng t he hula properl y takes years of practice. These dancers are ver y goo d.”
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“I see.” She shifted in her seat to smile at him. “Will there be many peopl e at t he lu au?”
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“Mmm.” Dillon tapped his finger absently against the wheel.
“About a hu ndred, give or take a few.”
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“A hundred,” Laine echoed. She fou ght off unhappy memories of her mother’s o vercrowded, overelegant parties. So many people, so many demands, so many measuring eyes.
“Tommy has a lot of relatives.”
“How nice for him,” she murmured and considered the advantages of small families.
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C ha pt er Eleven
The hollow, primiti ve sound of drums vi brated through air pungent with roasting meat. Tor ches were set on high stakes, their orange flames shooting flickering light against a black sky. To Lai ne it was li ke steppi ng back in time. The lawn was crowded with guests—some in t raditional attire and ot hers, like Dillo n, in the casual comfort of jeans. Lau ghter rose from a myriad of tones and mi xed languages. Laine gazed around, ent hralled by the scene and t he scents.
Set on a huge, woven mat wer e an i nfinit e variet y of mysterious dishes i n wooden bowls and trays. Ebony- haired girl s in nati ve dress knelt to spoon food onto the plates and servi ng dishes. Diverse aromas lifted on the ni ght air and lingered to entice. Men, swathed at the waist and bare- chested, beat out pulsating rhyt hms o n hi gh, conical drums.
Introduced to an impossi ble blur of faces, Laine merel y flo ated wit h the mood of the crowd. There seemed to be a uni versal friendliness, an unco mplicated jo y in simpl y being.
Soon sandwiched between her father and Dillon, Laine sat o n the grass and watched her pl ate being heaped wit h unknown wonders.
A roar of approval rose over t he musi c as the pig was u nearthed from the i mu and carved. Dutifull y, she dipped her finger s i n poi and sampled. She shru gged her shoulder s as Dillon lau ghed at her wrinkled nose.
“Perhaps it’s an acquired taste,” she suggested as she wiped her fingers on a napki n.
“Here.” Dillon lifted a fork and urged its co ntents into Laine’s relu ctant
mouth.
Wit h some surprise, she found the taste delightful. “That’s ver y good. What is it?”
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“La ula u. ”
“This is not illuminating.”
“If it’s good, what else do you have to kno w?” His logic caused her to arch her bro ws. “It’s por k and butterfish steamed in ti
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leaves,” he
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explai ned, shaki ng his head. “Tr y t his.” Dillon off ered the for k again, and
Laine
accepted
wit hout
hesitation.
“Oh, what is it? I’ve never tasted anything like it.”
“Squid,” he answered, then roared with lau ghter at her gasp of alarm.
“I believe,” Laine stated with dignity, “I shall limit myself to por k and pineapple.”
“You’ll never grow hips that way.”
“I shall learn to live without them. What is this drink … ?
No,” she deci ded, smili ng as she heard her fat her’ s chuckle. “I believe I’ m better off not knowing.”
Avoiding t he squid, Laine found herself enjo ying the informal meal. Occasionall y, someo ne stopped and crouched beside them, exchanging quick greetings or a long stor y.
Lai ne was treated with a natural friendliness which soon put her at her ease. Her father seemed comfortable with her, and t hough he and Dillon enjo yed an ent ente which elu ded her, she no longer felt like an i ntruder. Music and lau ghter and the heady perfu me of night swam around her. Laine thought she had never felt so intensel y aware of her surrou ndings.
Suddenl y, the drummers beat a rapid tempo, reaching a peak, then halting. Their echo fell into silence as Orchi d st epped into view. She stood in a circle of torchlight, her skin glowing under its touch. Her eyes wer e gol d and arro gant. Tantalizing and perfect, her body was adorned onl y in a brief top and a slight swatch of scarlet silk draped low o ver her hips. She stood completel y still, allo wing the silence to build before she began slowl y circling her hips. A singl e drum began to follow the rh ythm she set .
Her hair, crowned with a circlet of buds, f ell down her bare back.
Her hands and lithesome curves mo ved with a h ypnoti c power as the bare draping of silk flowed against her t highs. Sensuous and tempti ng, her gestures moved wit h the beat, and Laine saw that her golden eyes wer e locked on Dillon’s. The faint smile she gave Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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him was knowledgeable. Almost imper ceptibl y, her dance grew in speed. As the drum became mor e insistent, her movements became more abandoned. Her face remai ned cal m and smiling abo ve her u ndulating body. Then, abru ptl y, sound and movement halted into stunning silence.
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Applause broke out. Orchid threw Laine a look of triumph before she lifted the flower cro wn from her head and tossed it into Dillon’s lap. With a soft, sultr y laugh, she retr eated to the shadows.
“Looks like you’ve got yourself an invitatio n,” Cap co mmented, then pursed his lips in thou ght. “Amazing. I wo nder how many RP
Ms we could clock her at.”
Shrugging, Dillon lift ed his glass.
“You like to mo ve like that, Skinny Bo nes?” Laine turned to where Miri sat in the background. She looked more regal t han ever in a high- backed rattan chair. “You eat so you don’t rattle, and Miri will teach you.”
Flushed with a mi xture of embarrassment and t he longing to move with such free abandonment, Laine avoided Dillon’s eyes.
“I don’t rattle now, but I think Miss King’s ability is natural.”
“You might pick it up, Duchess.” Dillon grinned at Lai ne’s lowered lashes. “I’ d like to sit in on the lesso ns, Miri. As you well know, I’ ve got a ver y discerni ng eye.” He dropped his gaze to her bar e legs, moving it up the length of blue and white silk, before meeting her eyes.
Miri muttered something i n Hawaiian, and Dillon chuckled and tossed back a retort in the same tongue. “Come with me,”
Miri commanded. Rising, she pulled Lai ne to her feet.
“What did you say to him?” Laine moved in the wake of Miri’s flowing gown.
“I said he is a big hungry cat cornering a small mouse.” “I am not a mouse,” Laine retur ned indignantl y.
Miri lau ghed without breaki ng stri de. “Dillon says no, too. He says you are a bir d whose beak is so meti mes sharp u nder soft feathers.”
“Oh.” Unsure whether to be pleased or anno yed with the descri ption, Laine lapsed into silence.
“I have told To mmy you have a bauble to sell,” Miri annou nced.
“You will talk to him now.”
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“Yes, of course,” Laine murmured, having forgotten the locket in the enchant ment of t he ni ght.
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man wit h an easy smile and friendl y eyes. Lai ne ju dged hi m to be in the later part of his t hirties, and she had seen hi m handle his guests with a practiced
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charm. “You will talk to Cap Simmons’s dau ght er,”
Miri commanded as she placed a protective hand on Lai ne’s shoulder. “You do right by her, or I will bo x your ears.”
“Yes, Miri,” he agreed, but his subservient nod was not reflected in his laughing eyes. He watched the graceful mountain move off before he tossed an arm around Laine’s shoulders. He moved her gentl y toward the privacy of trees. “Miri i s the matriarch of our famil y,” he said with a laugh. “She rules with an iron hand.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed. It’s impossible to say no to her, isn’t it?” The celebrating sounds of t he luau drifted i nto a murmur as they wal ked.
“I’ve never tried. I’m a coward.”
“I appreciate your time, Mr. Kinimoko,” Laine began.
“Tommy, please, then I can call you Laine.” She smiled, and as they walked on, she heard t he whisper of the sea. “Miri said you had a bauble to sell. I’ m afraid she wasn’t any more specific.”
“A gold locket,” Laine explained, finding his friendly manner had put her at ease. “It’s heart-shaped and has a braided chai n. I have no idea of its value.” She paused, wishing t here was another way. “I need the money.”
Tommy glanced at the delicat e profile, then patted her shoulder.
“I take it you don’t want Cap to know? Okay,” he continued as she shook her head. “I have some free time in the morni ng. Why don’t I come by and have a look arou nd ten? You’ll find it more co mfortable than co ming into t he sho p.”
Laine hear d leaves rustle and saw Tommy glance idl y toward the sound. “It’s ver y good of you.” He turned back to her and she smiled, relieved that the first hurdl e was over. “I hope I’m not putting you to any trou ble.”
“I enjo y troubling for beautiful wahines.” He kept his arm over her shoulders as he led her back toward the sound of dru ms and guitars. “You hear d Miri. You don’t want me to get my ears bo xed, do you?”
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tell Miri you’ve do ne ri ght by Cap Simmo ns’s dau ghter, and your ears will be left i n peace.” Lau ghing, Laine tilted her f ace to his as they broke t hrough t he curtain of trees.
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“Your sister’s looking for you, To mmy.” At Dillo n’s voice, Laine gave a guilt y start.
“Thanks, Dillon. I’ll just turn Laine o ver to you. Take good care of her,” he advised gravel y. “She’s under Miri’s protectio n.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Dillon watched in silence as To mmy mer ged back into the cro wd, then he turned back to study Laine. “There’ s an old Hawaiian custom,” he began slowl y, and she hear d anno yance color his tone, “which I have just invented. When a woman comes to a luau with a man, she doesn’t walk i n mo nke ypo d trees with anyo ne else.”
“Will I be tossed to the sharks if I break the rules?” Her teasing smile faded as Dillo n took a step
closer.
“Don’t, Laine.” He circled her neck with his hand. “I haven’t had much practice i n restraint.”
She swayed toward him, gi ving in to the sudden sur ging need.
“Dillon,” she murmured, offering her mouth in simple invitatio n. She felt the strength of his fingers as they tightened on her neck.
She rested her hands agai nst his chest and felt his heartbeat under her pal ms. The kno wledge of his power over her, and her own lo nging, caused her to tremble. Dillo n made a soft sound, a lingering expulsion of breath. Laine watched hi m stru ggle with some emotion, watched so met hi ng flicker i n his eyes and fade before his fingers relaxed agai n.
“A wahine who stands in the shadows under a full moon must be kissed.”
“Is this another old Hawaiian tradition?” Laine felt his arms slip around her waist and melted against
him.
“Yes, about ten seconds old.”
Wit h unexpected gentleness, his mouth met hers. At t he first touch, her bo dy went fluid, mi sts of pleasure shrouding her . As fro m a distant shore, Laine hear d the call of the dru ms, t heir r hyt hm buildi ng to a crescendo as did her heart beat. Feeling t he tenseness of Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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Dillon’s shoulders under her hands, she stroked, t hen circled his neck to bring his face closer to hers. Too soon, he lifted his mouth, and his arms relinquished hi s hol d of her.
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“More,” Laine murmured, unsatisfied, and pulled his face back to her s. She was swept agai nst him. The po wer of his kiss drove all but the need
from her mind. She could taste t he hunger on his li ps, feel the heat growing
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on his flesh. The air seemed to tremble around them. In that moment, her body belonged mor e to him than to her. If there was a world apart from seeking li ps and caressing hands it hel d no meaning for her. Again, Dillon drew her away, but his voice was low and uneven.
“We’ll go back before another tradition occurs to me.”
In the morning, Laine lingered u nder t he sun’s streaming light, unwilling to leave her bed and the warm pleasure which still clung from the evening before. The taste of Dillon’s mouth still lingered on hers, and his scent remained fresh and vital on her senses. She relived t he memor y of bei ng in his arms. Finall y, with a si gh, she abandoned the luxur y of her bed and rose to face the day. Just as she was securing the belt of her ro be, Miri gli ded into t he room.
“So, you have decided to get up. The morning is half go ne while you lay i n your bed.” Miri’s voice was stern, but her eyes twinkled with i ndulgence.
“It made the night last longer,” Laine replied, smiling at the affectionate scol d.
“You liked the roast pig and poi?” Miri asked with a wise nod and a
whisper
of
a
smile.
“It was wo nderful.”
Wit h her lilting laugh floating t hrough the room, Miri turned to leave. “I am going to the market . My nephew is here to see your bauble. Do you want him to wait?”
“Oh.” Forcing herself back down to earth, Laine ran her fingers through her hair. “I didn’t r ealize it was that late. I do n’t want to inconvenience him. I … is anyo ne el se at ho me?”
“No, they are gone.”
Glanci ng down at her robe, Laine deci ded it was adequate coverage. “P erhaps he could come u p and look at it. I Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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don’t want to keep him waiting.”
“He will give you a fair price,” Miri stated as she drifted through the doorway. “Or , you will tell me.”
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Laine took the small box from her drawer and opened the li d. The locket glinted u nder a ray of sunshi ne. There wer e no pictures to remo ve but, nonetheless, she opened it and stared at its empti ness.
“Laine.”
Turni ng, she managed to smile at To mmy as he stood in the doorway. “Hello. It was good of you to come. Forgi ve me, I slept rather late this mor ning.”
“A compliment to the host of the luau.” He made a small, rather dapper bow as she approached hi m.
“It was my first, and I have no doubt it will remain my favorite.”
Laine handed hi m the bo x, then gri pped her hands to get her as he made his exami natio n.
“It’s a nice piece,” he said at length. Lifting his eyes, To mmy studied her . “Laine, you do n’t want to sell this—it’s written all over yo ur f ace.”
“No.” She saw from his manner she need not hedge. “It’s necessary that
I do.”
Detecting the firmness in her voice, Tommy shru gged and placed the locket back in its box. “I can give you a hundred for it, though I think it’s worth a great deal more to you.”
Laine no dded and closed t he li d as he handed the bo x back to her . “That will be fine. Perhaps you’d take it now. I would rat her you kept it.”
“If that’s what you want.” Tommy drew out his wallet and counted out bills. “I brought some cash. I thought you’d find it easier than a check.”
“Thank you.” After accepting the mo ney, Laine stared do wn at it until he rested a hand on her shoulder.
“Laine, I’ve known Cap a long time. Would you take this as a loan?” “No.” She shook her head, t hen smiled to ease the sharpness of the
word. “No. It’s ver y ki nd of you, but I must do it this way.”
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“Okay.” He took the offered bo x and pocketed it. “I will, however, hold t his for a while i n case you have second thoughts.”
“Thank you. Thank you for not asking questions.”
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“I’ll see myself out.” He took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. “Just tell Miri to get in touch wit h me if you change your mind.”
“Yes, I will.”
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After he had go ne, Laine sat heavil y on the bed and star ed at the money she hel d clutched in her hand. There was nothi ng else I could do, she told herself. It was o nl y a piece of metal. Now, it’s done, I can’t dwell on it.
“Well, Duchess, it seems you’ve had a profitable morning.”
Laine’s head snapped u p. Dillo n’s e yes were frosted like an ice- crusted lake, and she stared at him, unable to clear her thoughts. His gaze raked her scantil y clad bo dy, and she reached a hand to the t hroat of her ro be i n an automatic gesture. Mo ving to ward her, he pulled the bills from her hand and dro pped the money on t he ni ghtstand.
“You’ve got class, Duchess.” Dillon pinned her with his eyes.
“I’d say that’s pretty good for a morning’s work.”
“What are you talking about?” Her thoughts were scattered as she searched for a way to avoid telli ng him about the locket.
“Oh, I think that’s clear enough. I guess I owe Orchid an apology.” He t hrust his hands in his po ckets and rocked back on hi s heels. The easy gesture belied the burni ng temper i n his eyes.
“When she told me about this little arrangement, I came down on her prett y har d. You’re a fast worker, Lai ne. You couldn’t have been wit h Tommy for more t han ten mi nutes l ast night ; you must have made quite a sales pitch.”
“I do n’t know why you’re so angr y,” she began, confused as to why the sale of her locket would bri ng on such fur y. “I suppose Miss King listened to our co nversation last ni ght.” Suddenl y, Laine remembered the quick rustle of leaves. “But why she should feel it necessar y to report to you on my business …”
“How’d you manage to get rid of Miri while you co nducted your little busi ness transaction?” Dillo n demanded. “She has a rather strict moral code, you know. If she finds out how you’re ear ning yo ur pin money, she’s liable to toss you out on your ear.”
“What do you…” Realization dawned slowly. Not my locket, Laine thought du mbl y, but myself . All trace of color fled from her face. “You don’t reall y believe that I …” Her voice Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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broke as she read the co ndemnation in hi s eyes. “This is despicabl e of you, Dillon. Nothing you’ve accused me of, nothing you’ ve said to me
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since we first met co mpar es with this.” The words trembled with emotion as she felt a vicelike pressure around her heart. “I won’t be insulted t his way by you.”
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“Oh, wo n’t you?” Taking her arm, Dillo n dragged Laine to her feet. “Have you a more plausi ble explanation up your sleeve for Tommy’s visit and the wad yo u’re fo ndling? Go ahead, run it by me. I’m list ening.”
“Oh, yes, I can see you are. Forgive me for refusing, but Tommy’s visit and my mo ney ar e my business. I owe you no explanatio n, Dillon. Your conclusio ns aren’t worthy of my words.
The fact that you gave enough cr edence to whatever lie Orchi d told you to come check o n me, means we have nothing more to say to each other.”
“I didn’t come here to check on you.” He was towering menacingl y over her, but Lai ne met his eyes without flinching. “I came by because I thought you’d want to go up again.
You said you wanted to lear n to fly, and I said I’d teach you.
If you want an apology, all you have to do is gi ve me a reasonabl e explanation.”
“I’ve spent enough time explaining myself to you. More than you deser ve. Qu estions, always questions. Never trust.” Her eyes smoldered wit h blue fire. “I want you to leave my room. I want you to leave me alone for the rest of the time I have in my fat her’s house.”
“You had me going.” His fingers tightened o n her arms, and she caught her breat h at the pressure. “I bought it all. The big, innocent eyes, t he virgi nal frailt y, the pictures you pai nted of a woman looking for her fat her’s affection and nothi ng else.
Trust?” he flung back at her. “You’d taken me to the point wher e I trusted you more than myself . You knew I wanted you, and you worked on me. All those tr embles and melting bo nes and artless looks. You played it perfectl y, ri ght down to the blushes.” He pulled her agai nst him, nearl y lifting her off her feet.
“Dillon, you’re hurting me.” She faltered.
“I wanted you,” he went on, as if she had not spoken. “Last night I was aching for you, but I treated you wit h a restrai nt and respect I’ ve never sho wn another woman. You slip on that i nno cent Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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aura that dri ves a man crazy. You shouldn’t have used it o n me, Duchess.”
Terror shi vered along her skin. Her breath was rapi d and achi ng in her lu ngs.
“Game’s over. I’m going to collect.” He silenced her protest with a
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har d, pu nishi ng kiss. Though she struggled against his impri soni ng arms, she made no more ripple than a l eaf battling a whirlpool.
The room tilted,
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and she was crushed beneath him on the mattress. She fought against the intimacy as his mouth and hands bruised her. He was claiming her in fur y, disposi ng of the barrier of her robe and possessing her flesh with angr y demand.
Slowl y, his mo vements altered in texture.
Punishment became seductio n as his hands began to car ess rat her than bruise. His mouth left hers to trail down her throat. Wit h a sob endi ng on a moan, Laine surrendered. Her bo dy became pliant under his, her will snapping with t he weight of sensations never tasted. Tear s gathered, but she made no more effort to halt them than she di d the man who urged t hem fro m her soul.
All mo vement sto pped abru ptl y, and Dillon lay still. The room was thrown into a tortured silence, bro ken o nl y by t he sou nd of quick breathi ng. Lifti ng hi s head, Dillon stu died the journey of a tear down Lai ne’ s cheek. He swore wit h sudden eloquence, then rose. He tugged a hand t hrough his hair as he turned his back o n her.
“This is the first time I’ve been driven to nearly forcing myself on a woman.” His voice was low and harsh as he swu ng around and stared at her. Lai ne lay still, emotionall y drained. She made no effort to cover herself, but merel y stared up at him wit h t he eyes of a wounded child. “I can’t deal wit h what you do to me, Lai ne.”
Turni ng on his heel, he stro de from the room. Lai ne t hought the slammi ng of her door the lo neliest sou nd she had ever hear d.
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C ha pt er Twelve
It was rai ning on the new spri ng grass. From her dormitor y window Laine watched the green brighten with its morni ng bat h. Outside her door, she heard girls troopi ng do wn the hall toward breakfast , but she di d not smile at t heir gay chatteri ng in French and English. She found smiles still difficult.
It had not yet been t wo weeks si nce Miri had met Laine’s packed cases with a frown and drawn bro ws. She had met Laine’s sketchy explanatio ns with crossed arms and further questions.
Lai ne had remained fir m, refusing to po stpone her departure or to give specific answers. The note she had left for her fat her had contained no more details, o nl y an apology for her abrupt leave-taking and a promise to write once she had settled back in France.
As of yet, Lai ne had not found the courage to put pen to paper.
Memories of her last moments wit h Dillo n conti nued to hau nt her. She could still smell t he perfume of island blossoms, still feel the war m, moist air ri se from the sea to move over her skin.
Watching the moon wane, she could remember its lush fullness over the heads of palms. She had hoped her memories would fade with time. She remi nded herself that Kauai and its promi ses were behi nd her.
It’ s better this way, she told herself, pi cking up her brush and preparing herself for the day’s work. Better for ever yo ne. Her father was settled i n hi s life and would be co ntent to exchange occasio nal letters. One day, perhaps, he would visit her. Laine knew she could never go back. She, too, had her own life, a job, t he co mfort of familiar surrou ndi ngs. Her e, she knew what was expected of her . Her existence would be tranquil and u nmarred by storms of emotions. She closed her eyes on Dillon’s image.
It’s too soon, she told her self. Too soon to test her abilit y to think of him without pai n. Later, when the memor y had dulled, she would open t he door. When she allowed herself to think of him Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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agai n, it would be to remember the beaut y.
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It was easier to forget if she followed a routine. Laine scheduled each day to allow for a mi nimu m of idle time. Classes claimed her morni ngs and
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earl y aft ernoons, and she spent the remai nder of her days with chores designed to keep her mind and hands busy.
Throughout the day, the rain co ntinued. With a musical plop, the inevitable leak dripped into the basin on Laine’s classroom floor.
The school buildi ng was old and rambling. Repairs were always either just completed, slated to be do ne or in vague consi deration for the future.
The windows wer e shut agai nst the damp, but the gloom crept into the room. The students were languid and inattentive. Her fi nal class of the day was made up of English girls just enteri ng adolescence.
They wer e thoroughl y bored by t heir hour lesso n on French grammar. As it was Saturday, t her e was onl y a half day of classes, but the hours dragged. Hugging her navy blazer closer, Laine reflected t hat the afternoon would be better emplo yed with a good boo k and a cheerful fire than by conju gating verbs in a rain-drear y classroom.
“Eloise,” Laine said, recalling her duty. “One must postpone naps until after class.”
The girl’s eyes bli nked open. She gave a groggy, self-conscious smile as her
classmates
giggled. “Yes,
Mademoiselle
Simmons.”
Laine bit back a sigh. “You will have your freedom in ten minutes,” she reminded them as she perched o n the edge of her desk. “If you have forgotten, it is Saturda y. Sunday follows.”
This informatio n brought murmurs of approval and a few straightened shoulders. Seeing she had at least mo mentaril y captured their attention, Lai ne went on. “Maintenant, the verb chanter. To sing. Attendez, ensuite répétez. Je chante, tu chantes, il chante, nous chantons, vous … ” Her voice faded as she saw the man leaning against the o pen door in the rear of the classroom.
“Vous cha ntez. ”
Laine forced her attentio n back to you ng Eloise. “Oui, vous chantez, et ils chantent. Répétez.”
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Obedientl y, t he musi c of high girlish voices repeated the lesson.
Laine
retreated behind her desk while Dillon stood calml y and watched.
As the voices faded i nto silence, Laine wracked her brain for the assi gnment she had planned.
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“Bien. You will write, for Mo nday, sentences using this verb in all its forms. Eloise, we will not consider ‘ Il chante’ an imaginative sentence.”
“Yes, Mademoiselle Simmons.”
The bell rang si gnaling t he end of class.
“You will not run,” she called over the furious clatter of shuffling desks and scurr yi ng feet. Gripping her hands in her lap, Laine prepared herself for t he encounter.
She watched the girls giggle and whisper as they passed by Dillo n, and saw, as her heart spu n circles, his familiar, easy gri n. Crossing the room wit h his long stride, he stood before her.
“Hello, Dillon.” She spo ke quickly to co ver her co nfusion. “You seem to have quite an effect on my
student s.”
He stu died her face in silence as she fought to keep her smile i n place. The flood of emotion threatened to drown her.
“You haven’t changed,” he said at length. “I don’t know why I was afraid you would.” Reaching i n his pocket, he pulled out the locket and placed it on her desk. Unabl e to speak, Lai ne star ed at it. As her eyes filled, her hand closed co nvulsi vel y o ver the gold heart. “Not a ver y eloqu ent apology, but I haven’t had a lot of practice. For pit y’ s sake, Lai ne.” His tone shifted i nto anger so quickl y, she lifted her head in shock. “If you needed mo ney, why di dn’t you tell me?”
“And confirm your opinion of my character?” she retorted.
Turni ng away, Dillon mo ved to a window and looked into the insistent mist of rain. “I had that one coming,” he murmured, then rested his hands on the sill and lapsed into silence.
She was moved by the flicker of pai n that had crossed his face. “There’s no purpose in recriminations now, Dillo n. It’s best to leave all that in the past.” Risi ng, she kept the desk between them. “I’m ver y grateful to you for taking t he time and the trouble to return my locket. It’ s more important to me than I can tell you. I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay you. I … ”
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Dillon whirled, and Laine stepped away from the fur y o n his face. She watched him struggle for co ntrol. “No, don’t say anyt hing, just
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give me a minute.” His hands retr eated to his po ckets. For several long moments, he
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paced the room. Gradu all y, his mo vements grew calmer. “The roof leaks,”
he sai d idl y.
“Only when it rains.”
He gave a short laugh and turned back to her. “Maybe it doesn’t mean much, but I’m sorr y. No.” He shook his head to ward her off as she began to answer. “Don’t be so blasted generous. It’ll onl y make me feel more guilt y.” He started to light a ci garette, remembered where he was and let out a long breath. “After my exhibition of stupidit y, I went u p for a while. I find that I t hink more clearl y a few thousand feet off the ground. You mi ght find this har d to believe, and I su ppose it’s even more ridiculous to expect you to forgive me, but I did manage to get a grip on realit y. I didn’t even believe the things I was saying to you when I was saying them.” He ru bbed his hands over his face, and Lai ne noticed for t he first ti me t hat he looked tired and drawn. “I o nl y know t hat I went a little crazy from the first minute I saw you.
“I went back to the house with the intention of offering a series of inadequat e apologies. I tried to rationali ze that all the accusatio ns I tossed at you about Cap were made for his sake.” He shook his head, and a fai nt smile touched his mouth. “It didn’t hel p.”
“Dillon …”
“Laine, do n’t interru pt. I haven’t the patience as it is.” He paced again, and she stood silent. “I’m not ver y good at thi s, so just don’t say anythi ng until I’m fi nished.” Restless, he continued to roam around the room as he spoke. “When I got back, Miri was waiting for me. I couldn’t get an ythi ng out of her at first but a detailed lecture on my character. Finall y, she told me you’d go ne.
I di dn’t take that news ver y well, but it’s no use going into that now. After a lot of glaring and ancient curses, she told me about the locket. I had to swear a blood oath not to tell Cap. It seems you had her wor d on that. I’ve been i n France for ten days tr yi ng to find you.” Tur ning back, he gestured i n frustration. “Ten days,” he repeated as if it were a lifetime. “It wasn’t until this Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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morni ng that I traced the maid who worked for your mot her . She was ver y expansive once I settled her into broken English. I got an earful about debts and au ctions Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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and the
little mademoiselle who stayed i n school over Chri stmas vacations while Madame went to Sai nt Moritz. She gave me the name of your school.”
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Dillon paused. For a moment ther e was onl y t he sound of water drippi ng from the ceiling into the basi n. “There’ s nothing you can say to me t hat I haven’t already sai d to myself, in more gr aphic terms. But I fi gured you should have the chance.”
Seeing he was finished, Laine drew a deep breath and pr epared to speak. “Dillon, I’ ve thought carefull y on how my position would have loo ked to you. You knew onl y one side, and your heart was wit h my fat her . I find it difficult, when I’m calm, to resent that lo yalt y or your protection of his welf are. As for what happened on t he last morning—” Lai ne swallowed, strivi ng to keep her voice composed. “I think it was as difficult for you as it was for me, per haps more difficult.”
“You’d make it a whole lot easier on my co nscience if you’ d yell or toss a few thi ngs at me.”
“I’m sorry.” She managed a smile and lifted her shoulders with the apology. “I’d have to be ver y angr y to do that, especiall y here.
The nuns frown on displays of temper.”
“Cap wants you to come ho me.”
Laine’s smile faded at his quiet wor ds. He watched her eyes go bleak before she shook her head and moved to t he window. “This is my home.”
“Your home’s in Kau ai. Cap wants you back. Is it fair to him to lose you twice?”
“Is it fair to ask me to turn my back o n my own life and return?”
she counter ed, tr yi ng to block out the pain his words were causing.
“Don’t talk to me about fair,
Dillon.”
“Look, be as bitter as you want about me. I deserve it.
Cap doesn’t. How do you thi nk he feels knowing what your childhood was like?”
“You told him?” She whirled around, and for the first time since he had
come i nto the room, Dillon saw her mask of co ntrol slip. “You had no right
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…”
“I had every right,” he interru pted. “Just as Cap had ever y right to know. Laine, listen to me.” She had started to turn away, but
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his words and quiet to ne halted her. “He loves you. He never sto pped,
not all those year s. I guess that’s why I reacted to you the way I did.” With an impatient sound, he ran his hands t hrough his hair again. “For fifteen years, lovi ng you hurt him.”
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“Don’t you think I know that?” she tossed back. “Why must he be hurt more?”
“Laine, the few days you were with him gave him back his daughter. He di dn’t ask why you never answered his l etters, he never accused
you of any of t he things I di d.” He shut his eyes briefl y, and agai n she noticed fatigue. “He loved you wit hout needing explanatio ns or apologies. It would have been wro ng to prolong the lies. When he found you’ d left, he wanted to come to France himself to bri ng you back. I asked him to let me come alone because I knew it was my fault that you left.”
“There’s no blame, Dillon.” With a sigh, Laine slipped the locket into her blazer pocket. “P erhaps you were right to tell Cap.
Per haps it’s cleaner. I’ll write him myself toni ght ; it was wro ng of me to leave without seei ng him. Knowing t hat he is reall y my father agai n is the greatest gift I’ve ever had. I do n’t want eit her one of you to think that my li ving in France me an s I hold any resentment. I ver y much ho pe that Cap visits me soon. Per haps you’d carr y a note back for me.”
Dillon’s eyes darkened. His voice was tight wit h anger when he spoke. “He isn’t going to like knowing you’re buried in this school.”
Laine turned away from him and faced the window.
“I’m not buried, Dillo n. The school is my ho me and my job.”
“And your escape?” he demanded impatiently, then swore as he saw her stiff en. He began to pace again. “I’ m sorry, that was a cheap shot.”
“No more apologies, Dillo n. I do n’t believe the floors can stand the
wear.”
He stopped his pacing and studied her. Her back was still to him, but he could just see t he line of her chin against t he pale cap of curls. In the trim navy blazer and white pleated skirt, she looked more stu dent than teacher. He began to speak i n a li ghter tone. “Li sten, Duchess, I’m goi ng to stay around for a cou ple of days, play tourist. How about showi ng me around? I could use Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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someone who speaks the language.”
Laine shut her eyes, thi nking of what a few days i n hi s co mpany would mean. There was no point i n prolonging the pai n.
“I’m sorry,
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Dillon, I’d lo ve to take you around, but I haven’t the time at the moment. My work here has backed u p si nce I took the time off to visit Kauai.”
“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?”
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“I’m not trying to do that, Dillon.” Laine turned, with an apologeti c smile. “Another time, per haps.”
“I haven’t got another time. I’m trying my best to do this right, but I’ m not sure of my mo ves. I’ ve never dealt with a wo man like you before.
All the rules ar e different.” She saw, wit h curiosit y, that hi s usual confi dence had vanished. He took a step toward her, sto pped, then walked to the blackboard. For some moments, he studied the co njugation of several French ver bs. “Have dinner with me to night.”
“No, Dillon, I …” He whirled around so swiftly, Laine swallowed the rest of her wor ds.
“If you won’t even have dinner with me, how the devil am I su pposed to talk you into coming home so I can struggle t hrough t his courting routine? Any fool could see I’m no good at this sort of thing. I’ve already made a mess of it. I do n’t know how much longer I can stand here and be reaso nabl y coherent. I love you, Laine, and it’s dri ving
me crazy. Co me back to Kauai so we can be married.”
Stu nned into speechlessness, Lai ne stared at him. “Dillon,”
she began, “di d you say you lo ve me?”
“Yes, I said I lo ve you. Do you want to hear it again?” His hands
descended to her shoulders, his lips to her hair. “I love you so much I’ m barel y able to do simple t hings like eat and sleep for thi nking of you. I keep remembering how you looked with a shell held to your ear. You stood ther e wit h t he water ru nni ng from your hair, and your eyes the color of the sky and the sea, and I fell co mpletel y in lo ve with you. I tried not to believe it, but I lost ground ever y time you got near me. When you l eft, it was like losi ng part of myself. I’ m not complete anymore without you.”
“Dillon.” His name was only a whisper.
“I swore I wasn’t going to put any pressure on you.” She felt his brow lower to t he crown of her head. “I wasn’t going to say all Isla nd o f F lo wers b y Nora Rob erts
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these things to you at o nce like t his. I’ll give you whatever you need, the flowers, t he candleli ght. You’d be surprised how conventio nal I can be when it’s necessar y. Just come back with me, Lai ne. I’ll give you some time before I start pressuring you to marr y me.”
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back with you unless you marr y me first.”
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“Listen.” Dillon tightened his grip, then with a groan of pleasure lowered hi s mouth to hers. “You drive a hard bar gai n,” he murmured as he tasted her lips. As if star ved for the flavor, he lingered over the kiss.
“I’m not going to give you the opportunity to change your mind.” Lifting her arms, Lai ne circled his neck, then lai d her cheek agai nst his. “You can gi ve me the flowers and candleli ght after we’re married.” “Duchess, you’ve got a deal. I’ll have you married to me before
you realize what you’re getti ng into. Some peo ple might tell you I
have a few faults—such as, I occasionall y lose my t emper—
”
“Really? ” Laine lifted an incredulous face. “I’ve never known anyo ne more mil d and even-tempered. However—” she trailed her finger down his throat and to yed with t he top button of his shirt “— I suppose I should co nfess that I am by nature ver y jealous. It’s just something I can’t co ntrol. And if I ever see another woman dance the hula especiall y for you , I shall probabl y throw her off t he near est cliff !”
“Would yo u?” Dillon gave a self-satisfied masculine grin as he framed her face in his hands. “Then I think Miri should start teaching you as soon as we get back. I warn you, I pl an to sit in on ever y lesson.”
“I’m sure I’ll be a quick learner.” Rising to her toes, Laine pulled him closer. “But ri ght now t here are thi ngs I would r ather learn.
Kiss me again, Dillon!”
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