bedclothes. She was sprawled on top of the sheet in a pair of boxer shorts and a skimpy singlet top that had ridden sideways, revealing almost every inch of skin from her waist to her shoulders.
All of which Cade would have been able to see through the fine drift of mosquito netting.
Hot with delayed embarrassment, she dived across the room, performed her ablutions, changed into a businesslike shirt and skirt and walked out into the living room with her chin at an angle and every nerve taut.
Cade was standing at the table checking out a sheaf of papers.
‘Sorry,’ she said rapidly.
He lifted his head and gave her a long, cool look. Last night’s kisses—and whether he’d just seen more of her than was
respectable
—clearly meant nothing to him.
All thought was blotted out by a stark, fierce surge of hunger when he crossed the room towards her. Desperately clinging to her splintering composure, she tried to ignore the powerful, masculine grace of his movements and the erratic beat of her heart.
‘Jet lag reveals itself in different ways,’ he said laconically. ‘Here’s what I want you to do after you’ve had breakfast.’
She forced herself to concentrate, only to be startledwhen he finished by saying, ‘Drink plenty of water today and try a nap after lunch. It might help.’ He looked at his watch. ‘I have to go. I’ll be back around midday.’
Taryn took a deep breath, letting it out on an explosive sigh once she was safely alone.
‘Breakfast,’ she said to the silent room, then started at a knock on the door. Fortunately, it heralded a delicious concoction of tropical fruit with good toast to back it up.
And excellent coffee … Mentally thanking that long-ago Arabian—or had he been Ethiopian?—goatherd who’d noticed how frisky his goats became after grazing on coffee berries, she ate breakfast before setting to work.
Although she still felt a little slack and listless, by the time the sun was at its highest she’d finished nearly everything Cade had set out for her.
When he arrived back in the
fale
he glanced at her work. ‘Thank you. This is just what I need. I’m having a working lunch but you can eat here or in the restaurant, whichever you prefer.’
‘Here,’ she said.
Cade’s nod was short, almost dismissive. ‘And take that nap.’
Clearly he regretted those feverish kisses as much as she did.
Perhaps for him they hadn’t been feverish. Had he been taken aback—even dismayed—by the intensity of her response?
Even if he hadn’t, his aloofness was understandable; basically, he was indicating that although he’d forgotten himself enough to kiss her, he regretted it and she wasn’t to presume on it.
Kiss in haste, repent at leisure—a classic case of themorning after the night before, she thought, smarting with something close to shame.
Ignoring the tight knot in her stomach, she worked through lunch, and afterwards followed instructions to take a short nap, only to wake with heavy limbs and a threatening headache.
A swim in the lagoon revived her considerably. On her way back to the
fale,
she met the Frenchwoman with impeccable style who’d admired her
pareu
the previous evening.
Beside her was a much younger woman, a stunning opera singer. After giving Taryn an indifferent nod, she began to complain of boredom.
Madame Murat listened to her complaints with a smile, before saying, ‘It would be my dream to spend the rest of my life in this lovely place.’ She looked at Taryn. ‘You, my dear, are here to work, are you not?’
‘Yes.’ Taryn added brightly, ‘But working in paradise is no effort.’
The younger woman gave a significant smile. ‘No effort at all when you’re sharing.’ she paused, before adding on a husky laugh ‘
… accommodation
with a hunk like Cade Peredur. Lucky you.’ Another pause, before she asked, ‘What’s he like—as an employer, I mean, of course.’
‘Very professional,’ Taryn said woodenly.
‘How maddening for
All of which Cade would have been able to see through the fine drift of mosquito netting.
Hot with delayed embarrassment, she dived across the room, performed her ablutions, changed into a businesslike shirt and skirt and walked out into the living room with her chin at an angle and every nerve taut.
Cade was standing at the table checking out a sheaf of papers.
‘Sorry,’ she said rapidly.
He lifted his head and gave her a long, cool look. Last night’s kisses—and whether he’d just seen more of her than was
respectable
—clearly meant nothing to him.
All thought was blotted out by a stark, fierce surge of hunger when he crossed the room towards her. Desperately clinging to her splintering composure, she tried to ignore the powerful, masculine grace of his movements and the erratic beat of her heart.
‘Jet lag reveals itself in different ways,’ he said laconically. ‘Here’s what I want you to do after you’ve had breakfast.’
She forced herself to concentrate, only to be startledwhen he finished by saying, ‘Drink plenty of water today and try a nap after lunch. It might help.’ He looked at his watch. ‘I have to go. I’ll be back around midday.’
Taryn took a deep breath, letting it out on an explosive sigh once she was safely alone.
‘Breakfast,’ she said to the silent room, then started at a knock on the door. Fortunately, it heralded a delicious concoction of tropical fruit with good toast to back it up.
And excellent coffee … Mentally thanking that long-ago Arabian—or had he been Ethiopian?—goatherd who’d noticed how frisky his goats became after grazing on coffee berries, she ate breakfast before setting to work.
Although she still felt a little slack and listless, by the time the sun was at its highest she’d finished nearly everything Cade had set out for her.
When he arrived back in the
fale
he glanced at her work. ‘Thank you. This is just what I need. I’m having a working lunch but you can eat here or in the restaurant, whichever you prefer.’
‘Here,’ she said.
Cade’s nod was short, almost dismissive. ‘And take that nap.’
Clearly he regretted those feverish kisses as much as she did.
Perhaps for him they hadn’t been feverish. Had he been taken aback—even dismayed—by the intensity of her response?
Even if he hadn’t, his aloofness was understandable; basically, he was indicating that although he’d forgotten himself enough to kiss her, he regretted it and she wasn’t to presume on it.
Kiss in haste, repent at leisure—a classic case of themorning after the night before, she thought, smarting with something close to shame.
Ignoring the tight knot in her stomach, she worked through lunch, and afterwards followed instructions to take a short nap, only to wake with heavy limbs and a threatening headache.
A swim in the lagoon revived her considerably. On her way back to the
fale,
she met the Frenchwoman with impeccable style who’d admired her
pareu
the previous evening.
Beside her was a much younger woman, a stunning opera singer. After giving Taryn an indifferent nod, she began to complain of boredom.
Madame Murat listened to her complaints with a smile, before saying, ‘It would be my dream to spend the rest of my life in this lovely place.’ She looked at Taryn. ‘You, my dear, are here to work, are you not?’
‘Yes.’ Taryn added brightly, ‘But working in paradise is no effort.’
The younger woman gave a significant smile. ‘No effort at all when you’re sharing.’ she paused, before adding on a husky laugh ‘
… accommodation
with a hunk like Cade Peredur. Lucky you.’ Another pause, before she asked, ‘What’s he like—as an employer, I mean, of course.’
‘Very professional,’ Taryn said woodenly.
‘How maddening for
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