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His head bent, his asped, and he went after the hushed sound as if he could taste it, hisheat wrapped in coolness

He stroked a wisp of hair that had slipped fro it behind her ear, and his entle, as if her skin were as delicate as jasmine petals He found a tender pulse point, and she shivered and arched against him Pleasure pooled low in her stohs

Shaking too hard to support her oeight, Justine leaned against hi her balance His lips shaped hers, pressing theue Some of her breaths broke into moans, and she tried to s them back, tried to make herself be quiet

Harder, deeper kisses, slowly ravishing until she couldn’t breathe or think, all she could do was feel, her body absorbing sensation, bri minutes had passed before Jason eased back Hisback for another brief nudge of a kiss, then grazing her cheek as if he couldn’t stop tasting her

The night had cooled, darkness falling likehis coat, Jason settled it over her shoulders Gratefully Justine pushed her arh the silk-lined sleeves, his warmth and scent wrapped around her He took her hand

There was very little conversation as they walked back to the inn So much had been said in the past few hours, so ly discarded Except that Justine couldn’t think of what she would choose to take back She tried to figure out the moment when the line had been crossed, when she had revealed too much But there had been no line There still wasn’t a line

As they followed a stone path that led around the back of the inn to her cottage, Justine felt her sto hot-air balloon Everything was too acute, too sensitive

Was this hoas supposed to feel, this wrenching attraction that stunned and scared and thrilled all at once? Maybe this was other people’s normal

God, how do they stand it?

As they approached the cottage, light froh aand scattered in leround Justine turned to face him at the front threshold Nervousness had turned her insides into a pinball s

"What are you doing tomorrow?" she asked

"I’ll be up early for a boat checkout with a charter rep"

"What kind of boat are you leasing?"

"A twenty-two-foot Bayliner I’ and touring"

"There’s not a lot of fishing space on a boat that size"

"The e fish," he said dryly, "it won’t matter"

"There are some tricky shallows and rocks around here"

"I can read a chart"

"That’s good" She wondered if she should say so about the kiss … kisses … outside the restaurant Jason re for the doorknob, she opened the door a few inches and faced hiain "Thanks for dinner I enjoyed it more than I expected to That is … I had no expectations I mean … I didn’t think that you and I--"

"I understand," Jason said with a slight s to make a move on her, then Justine expected to feel relief But there was only the deflating sense that she was facing yet another long eonea couple of friends on Cauldron Island A pair of wo a water taxi?"

"No, I have a kayak"

Jason’s face changed, the a alone?"

"It’s not far A couple of miles at most And it’s a familiar route I cankit?"

"And a repair kit"

"You still shouldn’t go alone I’ll take you on the Bayliner"

She gave hiet home?"

"I’ll pick you up later Or if you’d prefer, I’ll send a water taxi"

"Thanks, but I don’t like waiting to be picked up, orsomeone else wait Really, there’s no need to worry I like paddling to Cauldron Island I’ve done it a lot, and I’ve never had any proble fro a wet suit?"

His concern over her safety was both flattering and vaguely irritating She wasn’t used to answering to anyone for her decisions "No, no one does for a short trip like this Kayakers around here dress for the air te challenging conditions"

"You can’t know for certain whether you’re going to face challenging conditions or not And you could capsize regardless Wear a wet suit"

"Wear a wet suit?" Justine repeated "We’re back to giving orders again?"

Although she could tell that Jason wanted to argue further, he kept hishis hands in his pockets, he turned to leave

He was going to walk off without another word?

"I’ll bring up your vodka in a few minutes," she said

Jason paused "Thanks, but I don’t want it tonight," he said without turning around

"It’s no proble bitch-slapped by Priscilla to her instructions"

Jason returned to her, looking annoyed "You can skip the vodka if I tell you to skip it"

"I’ll leave a tray outside your door You can take it or leave it, but it’s going to be there"

He gave her a cold stare "Why would you insist on doing so I’ve just told you not to do? Especially when it’s unnecessary work for you"