Kisses at Sunset

CHAPTER ONE

‘JUST look at that girl.’

Josh Sullivan strolled casually along the beach with his brother, his eyes fixed intently on a female surfer, balanced on her board.

His brother shot him an impatient glance. ‘Look where you’re going, will you? You’re worse than the dog and, believe me, that’s saying something.’ He whistled to his dog who bounded happily off into the distance, barking with excitement while Mac watched in exasperation. ‘I swear that dog needs a psychiatrist.’

‘What a babe.’ Josh ignored his brother, his eyes fixed on the girl who was standing steadily on her board as she swept down the waves with effortless ease, arms outstretched, her long hair streaming down her back. Even from the shore he could see her lush curves, clearly outlined by the black wetsuit. And he admired her style. She was good with the board. And she looked amazing.

‘It should be against the law,’ he muttered, stumbling over an elaborate construction that had been left in the sand by an enthusiastic group of children.

This time his brother’s remonstration was stronger. ‘Will you look where you’re going? Some poor kid spent hours building that.’ Mac shook his head and then followed his brother’s gaze with a concerned frown. ‘She shouldn’t be surfing on that part of the beach, anyway. The currents are lethal. Hasn’t she read any of the notices? She should be further over.’

Josh glanced at his brother and wondered if he knew how much he’d changed since he’d married Louisa. ‘She’s good. And the surf is fantastic.’

For a moment he was tempted to sprint back to his house, pick up a board and catch a few waves himself, but then he remembered his plans. After a busy week at the hospital he’d promised his stomach a decent lunch and himself an entire afternoon working on the boat. He looked at the foaming surf and wished there were more hours in the day.

Mac squinted out to sea. ‘There are some pretty young kids out there. What the hell are they playing at?’

Josh yawned. ‘Having a good time, I should think. Loosen up, will you? You used to do dangerous things, too. Before your wife tamed you, you would have been out in those waves, flirting with death and danger.’

As he himself did. He saw enough in the hospital to know that life was to be lived, every moment of every day.

Mac stopped dead. ‘My wife has not tamed me.’

A broad smile spread over Josh’s face as he slapped his brother on the shoulder. ‘She’s got you on a lead, bro’,’ he said, using a sympathetic tone guaranteed to drive his brother mad, ‘and it’s a short one at that.’

It was one of his favourite weekend occupations. Goading his more serious older brother. Seeing just how far he could push and needle before Mac exploded out of that air of mature responsibility.

Judging from the dangerous glint in his brother’s eye, it wasn’t going to take long today.

‘A lead?’ Mac virtually growled the words. ‘Louisa never stops me doing anything…’

Not long now.

Josh gave him a pitying look. ‘You just don’t get it, do you? And that’s the skill of women.’ He spread lean bronzed hands to emphasise his point. ‘They sneak around and tie you up in knots and before you know what’s hit you, your life is over.’

‘In a minute you’re going to know exactly what hit you and it’s going to be me! And your life might well be over.’ Mac’s dark eyes flashed a warning and the muscles in his shoulders bunched. ‘Are you suggesting Louisa stops me from doing things?’

‘Not openly, oh, no, no, no.’ Josh waggled a finger but took a step backwards in readiness. ‘Women are so much cleverer than that. They make it look as though it was your decision. And it’s such a gradual thing you don’t even see it happening. One night you’re joining your mates in the pub for a few beers and the next your feet walk straight past that same pub on your way home for an early dinner. And there’s not a decent beer in sight.’ He looked sorrowful. ‘Just candles, fancy glass and fancy wine. What sort of a life is that?’

‘A pretty good one,’ Mac said dryly, stepping to one side as a child sprinted past clutching a bucket and spade, ‘and do I really need to point out that you love fancy wine almost as much as you love women?’

‘I also love sport and fast cars, and women just don’t get either of those things,’ Josh muttered sadly, rubbing a hand over his rough jaw and noting that he’d forgotten to shave. ‘Take cars. When you’re dating, women pretend they love them, although the truth is they’re always grabbing at their hair and sneaking a look in the mirror when they think you’re not looking just to check the wind hasn’t messed them up in some way. Then you marry them and before you know it you’re driving some bizarre vehicle that looks like a coach and comes with thousands of doors and child-friendly gadgets designed to bring a guy out in a rash.’

‘My car does not look like a coach.’

‘It will do soon.’ Josh threw him a look and gave a dramatic shudder. ‘Look at that enormous bump your wife is carrying around. That baby has got to go somewhere.’

Mac frowned. ‘She’s not enormous.’

‘I never said she was enormous,’ Josh said mildly. ‘I said that her bump is enormous. And so it should be. She’s eight months pregnant.’

‘She’s not enormous.’