Page 80 of Booked for Summer

The woman sniffed. ‘Well, I hope he’ll listen to reason. All this focus on tourists. Why doesn’t anyone want to build places for those of us who live and work here?’ She sighed. ‘Sorry, I didn’t come in to rant. I actually came to see if you have a copy of a book I was recommended by a friend who’d been to your book clinic…’

Jade gave him an apologetic glance before focusing back on the customer and Liam slunk out of the door.

Haven Resort needs Nantucket as much as Nantucket needs you.

Was Jade right? Was his crazy obsession– yeah, now he was quoting Jeremy– to get the island to respect him, actually doing the opposite? By expanding the resort, making it more and more an exclusive enclave for the rich, was he turning into someone no better than the assholes he’d spent half a lifetime hating?

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Jade’s body went still as she watched the whale surface in front of them, then glide back down into the indigo blue of the Atlantic Ocean.

It was so beautiful, tears burned her eyes.

Liam stood behind her, the warmth of his chest against her back adding to the moment. His hands rested loosely on her waist, holding her in a way that was both respectful, yet possessive. He’d been like that all day, keeping a distance too far away to be lovers yet too close for mere friends.

‘Tell me again which whales we’ve seen today.’

‘The smaller ones with a white band on each flipper were the Minke whales.’

The whisper of his breath against her neck caused a swoop in her belly. ‘White tummy,’ she murmured.

‘That’s right. The much larger, long, slender one was the Finback or Fin whale.’

‘The males have a one metre-plus penis.’

She felt the vibration of his laughter as it rumbled through his chest. ‘That’s what your book claimed. Way to give a guy a complex.’

‘But they’re over ten times longer than you, so actually…’Holy crap Jade, where are you going with this?

‘Actually?’ he prompted, mouth closer to her ear now, his voice an octave lower.

‘I was going to say speaking proportionally, you could hold your head up high in a whale pod.’

And now his lips brushed her ear as he spoke. ‘Thank you.’

Oh God, she wasn’t going to survive much more of this. Her nipples were like bullets and there was so much heat between her legs she was worried he’d see steam. ‘Maybe we should stop talking about penises.’

She almost groaned with disappointment when she felt his wall of heat leave her back. ‘The chunky whale with the really long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head, is the humpback.’ He was stood beside her now, eyes searching hers. ‘He’s the one who just made you cry.’

She hadn’t realised he’d noticed. ‘Yeah, well that’s your fault for bringing me here, showing me these guys who look so majestic when they erupt out of the water. I mean, they’re the kings of the belly flop, but somehow they make it look regal. And I bet their stomach doesn’t go red.’

‘Only because they have tough skin. Yours is soft, delicate. Smooth to touch.’ He cleared his throat. ‘It’s probably time we headed back.’

‘Yes.’ Beyond time. Her body had spent all day being primed for sex, and was ready to fire the moment he touched her.Reallytouched her, rather than the glancing caress of a hand against her back, fingertips down her arm. A flutter of hot breath against her neck.

He was driving her insane, yet it was hard to tell whether he was as turned on as she was. At times she caught him looking at her with hooded eyes, yet then he’d glance away and she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it.

Of course I want to sleep with you again.

He’d said that, hadn’t he? It was entirely possible he was trying to show her he wanted her for more than sex.

They walked back to the bridge and she tried not to be impressed by the confident way he handled the array of buttons and switches, hands sure on the wheel as he turned the boat around and headed back towards Nantucket.

They made easy talk on the way back, Liam proving to be an excellent tour guide. She’d expected the businessman in him to know about the area, she hadn’t expected him to be so knowledgeable about the wildlife that inhabited it. Yet another sign he wasn’t as cold-hearted and uncaring as he’d been depicted.

Her pulse kicked up a gear when Nantucket came into view. As the boat powered closer, she saw the now familiar white tower and black roof of Brant Point Lighthouse at the entrance to Nantucket Harbour, dozens of boats of various descriptions bustling in and out; yachts, ferries, fishing vessels. Along from the harbour were stretches of golden beach, interspersed with lush green vegetation. It wasn’t just pretty, there was a serenity to it that, like the whales earlier, caught at her throat. She would miss all this.

But you’re here now.

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