Roarke's Kingdom

“Look at me. And take off those glasses.” His tone was silken and dangerous, and she knew the second she heard it that the game was up.

Jennifer shook her head. “No.”

“Take them off.”

She shrank back. “No. I mean, what for? I told you, I’m perfectly…”

She made a little sound as he reached down and whipped the glasses from her nose. There was a long silence, and then he let out his breath.

“Well, well, well,” he said softly. “Isn’t it a small world?”

She looked up slowly into eyes as flat and colorless as winter ice. Suddenly, she was very aware of how alone they were.

“It’s—it’s not how it looks,” she said quickly.

He rocked back on his heels and gave her a smile that matched the coldness in his eyes.

“Isn’t it?”

“No. I—I…” Think. Think! There had to be something she could say, some explanation she could offer.

She recoiled as he leaned forward and slammed his hands on the doorframe on either side of her.

“Well? Why were you following me?”

Jennifer blinked. “Following you?”

“Come on, don’t try playing the innocent. It worked once, but—”

“Is that what you think? That I was following you?” Despite herself, she laughed. “Why on earth would I do that?”

“You tell me.”

“How could I have followed you? I was here first, remember?”

He stared at her while the seconds ticked away, and finally he nodded. “So you were.”

Her pulse began to ease. “Well, then—”

“Let me get this straight. You just happened to wander into the Campbell building yesterday.”

“I told you, I was looking for a job.”

“And now, by the strangest coincidence you found your way here, to my yacht club.”

“Your yacht club?” It took no effort at all to achieve a tone of disbelief. “I didn’t know that.”

He smiled tightly. “Didn’t you?”

“Look, I was out driving, seeing the island—and—and I saw a sign that said something about boats…”

“There are a dozen signs about boats along this stretch of road.”

“Well, I didn’t know that. I was just—I saw the sign. I knew it said something about boats, and I thought—I thought I’d see about—about renting one.”

She fell silent and waited for him to say something. But he didn’t; he just kept looking at her, his expression absolutely unreadable. After a moment, she swallowed dryly and stepped out of his car.

“Where are