Page 31 of Eclipse Bay

“Mitchell said something else while we were in the garden,” Rafe said eventually.

She glanced at him over her shoulder as she dropped a large pinch of tea into the pot. “What was that?”

He watched her with shuttered eyes. “He told me it was about time I got married.”

For some reason her stomach tightened. She hoped it wasn’t the grilled salmon they’d had at dinner. It had tasted so good going down, but fish could be tricky.

“Well,” she said. “Talk about pressure.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure you responded by telling him to stay out of your personal affairs.” She concentrated hard on the teakettle, willing it to boil quickly.

Rafe said nothing.

A tiny shriek rose from the kettle. Close enough, she decided. Grateful for the small distraction, she hastily poured the hot water into the pot.

It was okay, she thought a moment later. She was cool now. But when she turned around with her most polished smile firmly in place, she discovered that Rafe had left the doorway and was now standing less than two feet away.

Much too close.

“I didn’t come straight out and say it in so many words.” Rafe’s eyes never left her face. “But you’re right. I made it clear that I’d do what I wanted to do.”

“As usual.”

“Yeah.”

She tried to think of something clever to say in response to that. She wound up clearing her throat instead.

“And what do you want to do?”

“Right now I want to kiss you.”

chapter 7

She went very still. The really scary part, she realized, was that she wanted the same thing. She had a hunch that he could see it in her eyes.

She licked her lips and asked the only question that mattered. “Why?”

“Does there have to be a reason?”

“Yes.” She could feel the counter pressing against her lower back. She put her arms out on either side and gripped the curved tile edge. “Yes, I think so. Especially given the situation here.”

“Situation?”

“You. Me. Dreamscape.”

“What happens if I can’t come up with any reason except the fact that I want to kiss you?”

“The important thing,” she explained very carefully, “the really crucial thing, is that the reason, whatever it is, must have nothing to do with Dreamscape.”

He raised his hands and slowly folded them around the nape of her neck. His palms were warm and heavy against her skin. She could feel the strength in him but sensed the control. The combination was electrifying.

His thumbs moved gently just behind her ears. He eased her head back slightly and lowered his mouth to hers.

“This has nothing to do with the mansion,” he said against her lips. “You have my word on it.”

The kiss was a real one this time, not the chaste, meaningless little brush of the lips he had bestowed on her that night when he had walked her home. And it was just exactly what she had always suspected it would be: devastating.

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