"Me too, Darlin'. You're safe here with me. It won't happen again."

Luke grinned at the protest in her eyes and saw her clamp down on her first response, giving him another smile instead.

"I know that. If I have to be stranded in paradise, I couldn't have better company."

They let it go, got back to the gardening, but it stayed on both their minds and Luke was very aware of how often her eyes were on him. She was young, innocent (despite being a star from California) and he would try to give her time to adjust to the new feelings before taking advantage of her…but time was running out.

He could feel it pulling them along, and he wanted to tell her what was in his heart but didn't, still not sure of what response he might get.

3

Not one to wait, Fate stepped in. A few hours after their first embrace, they were forced to confront their future directly.

"Is Miss…Roberts about? I thought I'd take her on a tour of my estate."

Luke clamped his jaw shut against his first thought: No, Jackass, not if she has any taste, and used a polite response instead. "Hang on, damn it."

Spinning away, he slammed the door in the surprised son of a millionaire's face, hard enough to rattle the frame. Luke longed to order the playboy off his property, but knew he couldn't. All the island males had come sniffing around (Ethan Kraft the most determined) and though it was her decision to make, Luke couldn't help the jealousy that filled his heart. His! She was his!

"Kendle! Company!" he shouted out the back door and her soft words made him grin, like her even more.

"I'm not here."

Luke shook his head, not bothering to lower his voice. "Too late. Come say 'Hi' to Ethan."

"Shit."

Luke was laughing as she came to the door and stepped around him, muttering about people with more money than brains. He settled in his chair with a drink and a cigar, shamelessly turning off the record player to listen.

Kendle yanked the front door open with a frown and held it, not inviting him in and not stepping out. This was the fifth time he had "dropped by" in the last two weeks, becoming more and more frustrated that none of his power and money seemed to matter to her. He'd finally reached annoying.

"Hello, Ethan."

He blinked at her tone and flashed a brilliant smile meant to blind so that she wouldn't see his pale, green eyes crawl up her jeans, go over her chest, and finally make it to her face. "How lovely you look, Ms. Roberts. I've come to sweep you away for that tour I've been promising."




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