Page 4 of One Forbidden Night In Paradise (Hot Winter Escapes)

She felt his narrowed gaze make a slow, assessing sweep of her face.

‘From me?’ He stared at her for a moment as if he was making a decision. ‘Okay, then, let’s go out front,’ he said finally.

Outside, the smell of oil mingled with the sea air as she followed him to where two lines of mopeds sat on their stands in the sun. Behind them was another line of bicycles. The man stopped and turned to face her and she swallowed hard. She had thought that maybe in daylight he would look more ordinary but if anything the sunlight seemed to accentuate the miraculous lines of his face.

Wishing she still had the buffer of the counter between them, she said quickly, ‘So what are my options?’

‘You have three. These are the basic ones.’ He gestured towards the line of black mopeds. ‘They’re practical, they do the job, but they’re not going to turn heads. Then we have these.’ His hand rested lightly on a pistachio-coloured scooter with cream upholstery and a wicker basket. ‘They are Italian. A little bit faster, a little bit more stylish.’

‘And what’s the third? You said there were three.’

Squinting up at the sun, he pulled off his cap and tucked it into his back pocket. ‘A good old-fashioned pushbike.’ He turned away from the line of mopeds. ‘That’s probably your best bet. It’s what I’d recommend for those of a more cautious disposition.’

She felt anger twitch through her. What did he know about her disposition? ‘I don’t bet,’ she said crisply.

‘Exactly. You don’t like going outside of your comfort zone.’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘Actually I prefer the Italian one.’

‘Really?’ He seemed amused. ‘Ever ridden one before?’

She glared at him. ‘No, but my brother has a motorbike.’

‘Good for him, but it’s you I’m interested in.’ His gaze rested on her face and she felt her cheeks grow warm. He meant as a customer, she told herself quickly, but the raw sexual challenge in his green gaze took her breath away.

She watched, panic and anger and something she didn’t want to identify fluttering in her throat as he pulled the nearest moped off its stand. ‘Then you better give it a test drive but before you do that—’ he picked up the helmet that was hooked over the handlebar ‘—you need to put this on.’

She took the helmet from his hand. Feeling all fingers and thumbs beneath his gaze, she tried to fit it over her head but her bun was too rigid. ‘Here, let me—’

Before she could protest, he reached up and heat exploded inside her as his hand grazed her neck and she felt her hair tumble to her shoulders. ‘Now try.’

It was a whisper of a touch but as he took a step back she had to force herself to ignore how it had blazed through her, swift and hot like a flame.

This time the helmet went on easily though.

‘Right.’ He gripped the handlebar. ‘This left side is the front brake. The right side is the rear brake and the throttle. Here—’ he pointed to some switches ‘—you have lights, indicator and the horn. Bermudans love their horns.’ He gave her the same flicker of a smile as he had to the woman in the store.

‘So to start, you turn the key, squeeze the brake, any brake, and then press the ignition. Voila,’ he said softly as the engine started. He switched it off. ‘Your turn.’

She sat down on the seat and repeated everything he had just shown her.

‘Good. Just get used to the throttle. You’ll want to keep your feet close to the ground. Now give it a bit of acceleration.’

The moped started to move. Her heart bumped upwards. ‘Nice and slow.’ His green eyes were watching her intently and the slow burn of his gaze made her skin feel hot and tight. ‘Slow and straight. Now see if you can take it round the car park.’

Jem felt a rush of exhilaration as she navigated the parked cars. She could probably run faster than she was moving but being on the moped made her feel like a character in a black and white film. If only Holly were here to see her.

As she came to a stop, she glanced over triumphantly to where the man was standing, but he was gone. Switching off the ignition, she pulled the moped backwards onto its stand, her elation of moments earlier slipping away. But perhaps he’d gone back into the store to do the paperwork, she thought, tugging off the helmet and resting it on the seat.

‘Hey there.’ She turned, her heart lurching, but a different man was walking towards her, smiling warmly. ‘I’m George. How can I help you today?’

‘It’s okay, someone’s already helping me...only I don’t know where he went. He was just here...’ Her voice faltered as her gaze snagged on a familiar red cap. She frowned. The man was walking along the jetty. ‘Where’s he going?’

‘Who?’ George glanced over to where she was looking. ‘You mean Chase. Probably out on his boat.’

‘You mean he’s a fisherman.’ Her stomach felt as if it were in free fall. ‘But I thought he worked here?’

George shook his head, grinning. ‘No, Chase don’t work for me.’

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