Chain of Love by Anne Stuart

eminently practical, broke through the rising hysteria. “Sin has been treated to enough of your charm to
    know that such a setup would be the last thing on your mind. They won’t be arriving for another couple of days. If there’s not a last minute
    cancellation then you and I can share a room and Sin and Charles can have this one.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. This is your first vacation in ages—I’m certainly not about to break you up like we were at summer camp.
    I’ll fly back.”
    “You’ll do no such thing, Cathy! You promised me you’d keep me company, and I’m going to hold you to it. If worse comes to worst
    Sin can always sleep on the boat. He’s done it before, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
    “How can you be sure there’s not another room on the island?” Cathy persisted. “I wouldn’t mind staying at another resort. As
    a matter of fact, it might be easier. While Charles and Sin went off you could come over and—”
    “You really are afraid of Sin, aren’t you?” Meg mused. “He said you were, but I thought he was imagining things. Why don’t
    you like him?”
    “It’s not that I don’t like him,” Cathy admitted, tossing herself down on the bed nearest the balcony and staring at the ceiling.
    “I’m just not ready to get involved with another man. The wounds still haven’t healed from Greg.”
    An angry look closed down over Meg’s usually cheerful face. “Some time,” she said, “I would like to put out a contract on Greg
    Danville. The man should be shot.”
    “You know, Meg, I rarely even think of him anymore,” Cathy admitted, surprised at her own truthfulness. “It’s just the thought of
    anyone new that throws me into a panic.”
    “And what makes you think Sin is going to be that somebody new?”
    Cathy rolled over to face her sister, pushing her silver-blond hair out of her shadowed face. “I don’t know. It’s probably just a
    combination of paranoia and wishful thinking,” she admitted with a wry grin. “I’m too tired to sort it out tonight, anyway. I’m
    sure after a few days of having nothing to do but lie in the hot sun I’ll be able to think of a way out of this mess. I could even stay on the boat
    while Sin enjoys this room and the nubile young ladies who will doubtless fall at his feet.”
    “What makes you think they’d fall at his feet?” Meg questioned curiously.
    “Wouldn’t you, if you were single?” Cathy shot back.
    “You’re single. I hadn’t noticed you falling at his feet.”
    Cathy hesitated for a moment. “I hide it very well,” she said quietly. “Now go to your room and get some sleep. I’m sure Junior
    doesn’t appreciate these late hours you’re keeping. It’s no wonder your stomach is setting up a protest.”
    “But I want to continue this conversation,” Meg insisted stubbornly. “Did you really just say-?”
    “Forget what I said. Sometimes I talk too much. If I happened to notice that Sin MacDonald is an incredibly attractive man it’s only because
    I’m not yet blind. That doesn’t mean I’m going to jump into bed with him, it doesn’t mean we have anything at all in common. It
    merely means—”
    “Yes, I know,” Meg interrupted, a twinkle in her dark eyes. “You can spare me all the rest of your denials and justifications. I’ll
    just have to take you at your word.”
    “Do that.” Cathy jumped from the bed, filled with a sudden restless energy. “Do you want me to walk you back to your room?”
    “No, dear sister. You get a good night’s sleep. We have an arduous day ahead of us, lying in the sun and broiling our delicate Whiteheart skin.
    I want you to be completely rested. Sweet dreams.”
    There was a distinctly mischievous look on Meg’s face as she shut the door. Cathy strolled to the balcony and stared out into the moon-shadowed
    stillness. The quiet sound of the surf attempted to soothe her, but Cathy’s nervous imagination was too strong for it. She knew only too well