The Man Who Risked It All

A long sigh broke free from her chest. So what was she going to do about it?

She noticed the uncapped bottle of water in her hand. She didn’t really want it, so she turned to put it back in the fridge, wondering who it was who’d stocked the fridge for them, because most of the room was taken up with bottles of Franco’s favourite beer.

Struck by a sudden idea, she took two bottles out and placed them on the galley top, then walked down the boat to push open a door at the far end that led into what was grandly described as a stateroom, though it was only big enough to take a double bed and set of drawers squeezed beside a cupboard.

Their two bags sat on the floor, and she’d bent to haul hers up on the bed with the intention of changing out of her sticky jeans when she saw them—the half dozen green frogs made of all kinds of shapes and materials, lined up in a row on the narrow shelf that ran the length of the bed. It was silly to feel weak tears sting her throat when she saw them sitting there, exactly where she’d left them, as if they’d been waiting patiently for her to return. It was even sillier to let a soft sob escape when she saw the grey rabbit sitting right in the middle of the row, as if he was making some kind of defiant statement to the frogs. Franco must have brought the rabbit with him and put it there. It had to have been the first thing he’d done when they’d arrived.

A sound made her turn, and she found him lounging in the narrow doorway, watching her through dark half-hooded eyes.

‘You kept them,’ she whispered.

‘You expected me to throw them away?’ His voice throbbed with dry challenge. ‘They are yours, Lexi. They belong to you. They hold your dreams of a handsome prince and ideal love, which I obviously never lived up to.’

‘Is that why you stuck the rabbit up there? To m-muscle in on my dreams?’

He looked at the rabbit, sitting there three times the size of its companions, and gave a crooked smile—because the rabbit did look as if he was muscling in on the frogs. ‘No. He is there to represent me. My dreams. With a bit of luck on my side you will kiss the rabbit as you move along the row. Think of me, waiting for my turn.’

‘I always thought of you when I kissed the frogs.’

‘Your handsome prince?’ He turned the crooked smile on her. ‘I don’t think so, cara. I let you down so badly I made a better villain in your fantasy world …’ He straightened up and pulled in a deep breath. ‘I came down to tell you I have to move the boat. There are rocks close to the surface. I cannot risk the Miranda swinging into one and damaging her hull. I’ve decided to use the sails. We will move much faster while there is a stiff breeze up. I need to find a safer place to anchor before it grows dark.’

‘OK.’ Lexi nodded her head, but he’d already turned away by then. ‘I’ll come and help. I … I just want to change out of these jeans and …’ Her voice sounded so strained she was surprised when it trailed away to nothing. It took an effort to make it work again. She tried again. ‘And you—you’re still the only man I’ve been with … the only man I’ve wanted to be with … Can—can we talk about that instead of princes and villains and frogs?’

She could tell by the severe set of his shoulders that he would much rather escape right now. Franco had done a lot of opening up in the last hour, after spending too long holding it all in. Oh, they’d fought over many things during the last week, Lexi recognised—fought over other people’s interference in their lives. But they hadn’t touched base on what they were feeling—not really—not if she didn’t count the time he’d told her he still loved her as they left the marina, and even that had become lost in the storm of shock she’d had straight afterwards.

‘I do truly still love you too, Francesco,’ she whispered shakily.

‘Madre di Dio!’ he swore, reeling back against the doorframe and spearing with her a burning glance. ‘I have to move the damn boat, Lexi! And you throw this at me now?’

Her lips trembled as she parted them. ‘I didn’t throw it at you, I just—just told you s-so you would know.’

He closed his eyes. ‘This is payback because I shocked you with such a declaration earlier.’

‘Well, if you want to take it that way then go and play with your ropes and sails!’ Lexi threw at him hotly. ‘Because I am not repeating it!’

She spun away, and yelped when she was spun right back again. Two powerful arms hauled her up against his chest.

‘That wasn’t fair,’ he growled.

‘I know,’ she admitted. ‘I just got all h-heated up—’

A pair of eyes the colour of tiger’s-eye quartz flamed down on her. He yanked her closer and fused their lips in a burning kiss. ‘Now, that’s heating you up, amante mia,’ he taunted softly, then let go of her and disappeared through the door while Lexi stood, still burning.

The sails were up and they were running with the wind by the time Lexi came up on deck. Standing at the wheel, Franco watched her pause and raise her chin, letting the warmth of the wind blow her hair away from her face. She’d changed into the white bikini she’d been wearing by the pool for the last few days. A white sarong printed with flowers was draped around her hips, and she looked long and sleek and so much his kind of woman he smiled at himself for thinking it.

She was carrying two bottles of beer with the caps already removed.

‘Grazie,’ he said, when she handed him one of the bottles.

‘Do you want me to do anything?’

‘No, just come and stand here where I can see you.’ He did not give her an option, just hooked an arm around her and drew her to stand in front of him.

As she settled against him Lexi saw he was in his element. With the sun on his face, the wind in the sails and the skimming hiss of water against the sides of the boat the only sound in a beautiful silence. This, she thought, was Franco’s world.

‘Do you have any idea where we are going?’ she questioned curiously.

‘Si, there is a pretty cove with a small beach and a restaurant within reach before the sun goes down.’