Starfish Island by Deborah Brown Page A

demanding bastard, used to getting my own way. I will keep you safe, even if I have to use unfair tactics.” He rolled her over and threw his leg across her body, trapping her beneath him. “Promise me,” he demanded. When Nicole didn’t answer, he pinched her butt cheek, hard. “I didn’t hear you.”
    “You’re insufferable.”
    “Do you need a harder pinch to your other butt cheek?” he asked, his hand sliding down her side, edging toward her bottom.
    Her cheeks flamed. “I promise,” she said quickly.
    “We better go back before I forget we’re on the beach and strip your clothes off.”
    She made a little groaning noise and saw Michael smile in response.
    “By the way, if you push the intercom button and it turns red, the current is on. Keep it turned off until I return. I’m flying to New York on business; I’ll only be gone a couple of days. Wait for me.” He stood up, leaned over to brush his lips over hers again, and pulled her to her feet.
    “Wait for what?”
    “For us to figure out just who is behind the threatening voice,” he said as they crossed the patio. “I promise we’ll solve this together.” He stopped outside the open door that led into the dining room. “Dinner when I get back? Something quiet, just the two of us.” His gaze roamed slowly over her body, as if devouring her. He pulled her into his arms. “It is mutual, isn’t it?”
    Nicole felt her heartbeat accelerate as their bodies touched. She tried to hold herself away from him to prevent contact as much as possible but found it to be a losing effort. “Yes,” she whispered.
    Just before they reached Ellis, who rose as they approached, Michael whispered, “I hope you feel the pinch I gave you all day tomorrow and think about me.”

  
    Chapter Nine
     
    THE NEXT MORNING, Nicole drew a deep breath as she walked along the strip of beach where her property met Michael’s and wiggled her toes in the white sand. Spotting a couple of seashells, she bent over and scooped them into the pocket of her sun dress. The hot weather would soon be back in full bloom. “I’m going to enjoy every day here.”
    “Beautiful, isn’t it?” came a voice from behind her. She whirled around, not knowing what to expect.
    “Oh,” Nicole said, startled.
    “Didn’t mean to scare you,” Jake said. “What has you talking to yourself?”
    “What are you doing wandering around by yourself so early?”
    “I’m here to meet Cecilia. She runs the island every morning and finishes up by running on the beach.”
    With a sudden shift of mood, Nicole asked, “Did you ever figure out who it was you chased or what they wanted?”
    “No, but I did ask the club manager if he’d heard of anyone suspicious hanging around the club.”
    “Had he?”
    “No, but I’m not surprised. The crime stats out here on this pricey piece of real estate are low. It was probably some kid fooling around by the pool area, sneaking a swim. I used to do lots of stupid stuff as a kid, mostly to annoy Michael. But I fooled all the people who thought I’d never amount to anything. The defective Edwards seed, they thought. Besides, even if he overheard us talking, it wouldn’t mean anything.”
    “I certainly hope you’re right.“ She looked out over the water and took a deep breath of the crisp air. “I plan to start early morning walks. They’re just what I need to clear my head.”
    “Clear your head?” Jake teased her. “More going on than you’re sharing?”
    She had no intention of telling him that she’d slept with one eye and one ear open all night, waiting for the slightest sound that would tell her someone was in the other room. She had taken Michael’s advice and turned off the intercom, but she stayed alert for any suspicious sounds. She’d also locked her door and shoved a chair under the knob. Nothing had happened, and finally, near dawn, she drifted into a fitful sleep.
    All through the night, she lay there wondering why someone would