Miss Prim's Greek Island Fling
He stared at her, not comprehending.
‘It hurts to run without one,’ she said through gritted teeth.
He blinked. Hell. He hadn’t thought about that. She wasn’t exactly big-breasted, but she was curvy where it mattered and...
‘And while we’re at it,’ she ground out, ‘I’d prefer to wear jogging shoes than run barefoot. This is darn hard on the ankles.’ Her hands went to her hips. ‘For heaven’s sake, Finn, you have to give a girl some warning so she can prepare the appropriate outfit.’
He felt like an idiot. ‘Well, let’s just walk the rest of the way.’
It was hell walking beside her. Every breath he took was scented with peaches and coconut. And from the corner of his eye he couldn’t help but track the perky progress of her ponytail. In his mind’s eye all he could see was the way she’d cupped her breasts, to help take their weight while running, and things inside him twisted and grew hot.
When they reached the tall cliff at the beach’s far end, Audra slapped a hand to it in a ‘we made it’ gesture. ‘My mood doesn’t feel improved.’
She sounded peeved, which made him want to laugh. But those lips...that ponytail... He needed a timeout, a little distance. Now.
She straightened and gave him the once-over. ‘You’re not even sweating the tiniest little bit!’
Not where she could see, at least. For which he gave thanks. But he needed to get waist-deep in water soon before she saw the effect she was having on him.
He gestured back the way they’d come. ‘We’re going to swim back.’ Cold water suddenly seemed like an excellent plan.
Her face fell. ‘Why didn’t you say so before? I don’t want to get my caftan wet. I could’ve left it behind.’
He was glad she hadn’t. The less on show where she was concerned, the better.
‘It’ll take no time at all to dry off at the other end.’
‘It’s not designed to be swum in. It’ll fall off my shoulder and probably get tangled in my legs.’
He clenched his jaw tight. Not an image he needed in his mind.
‘I won’t be able to swim properly.’
He couldn’t utter a damn word.
Her chin shot up. ‘You think I’m trying to wriggle my way out, don’t you? You think I’m just making up excuses.’
It was probably wiser to let her misinterpret his silence than tell her the truth.
‘Well, fine, I’ll show you!’
She pulled the caftan over her head and tossed it to him. He did his best not to notice the flare of her hips, the long length of her legs, or the gentle swell of her breasts.
‘I’ll swim while you keep my caftan dry, cabana boy.’
Her, in the water way over there? Him, on the beach way over here? Worked for him.
‘But when we reach the other end it’s nothing but lazing on the beach and reading books till lunchtime.’
‘Deal.’ He was looking forward to another session with his book.
He kept pace with her on the shore, just in case she got a cramp or into some kind of trouble. She alternated freestyle with breaststroke and backstroke. And the slow easy pace suited him. It helped him find his equilibrium again. It gave him the time to remind himself in detail of all the ways he owed Rupert.
He nodded. He owed Rupert big-time—and that meant Audra was off limits and out of bounds. It might be different if Finn were looking to settle down, but settling down and Finn were barely on terms of acquaintance. And while he might feel as if he were at a crossroads in his life, that didn’t mean anything. The after-effects of his accident would disappear soon enough. When they did, life would return to normal. He’d be looking for his next adrenaline rush and...and he’d be content again.
* * *
‘Jetskiing?’
Audra stared at him with... Well, it wasn’t horror at least. Consternation maybe? ‘We had a laze on the beach, read our books, had a slow leisurely lunch...and now it’s time for some fun.’
She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. ‘But aren’t jetskis like motorbikes? And motorbikes are dangerous.’
He shook his head. ‘Unlike a motorbike, it doesn’t hurt if you fall off a jetski.’ At least, not at the speeds they’d be going. ‘They’re only dangerous if we don’t use them right...if we’re stupid.’
‘But we’re going to be smart and use them right?’
He nodded. ‘We’re even going to have a lesson first.’ He could teach her all she needed to know, but he’d come to the conclusion it might be wiser to not be so hands-on where Audra was concerned.
She stared at the jetskiers who were currently buzzing about on the bay. ‘A lesson?’ She pursed her lips. ‘And...and it doesn’t look as if it involves an awful lot of strength or stamina,’ she said, almost to herself. And then she started and jutted her chin. ‘Call me a wimp if you want, but I have a feeling I’m going to be sore enough tomorrow as it is.’