A Woman's Heart Read Online Free PDF

must be Alex's uncle. You're the spitting image of your sister."
    Peter's body tensed.
    "Nice little lassie, that one," Capt'n continued, his direct gaze daring anyone to disagree. He squeezed hard on Peter's hand.
    "Yes," Peter agreed.
    "Got yourself a good grip there, laddie," the Capt'n said grudgingly, examining his fingers when he at last got them back.
    "You must work out," Peter replied, giving him a smile.
    Amazing how the smile warmed his face, Jann thought.
    "Don't need to work out when you live an active life," Capt'n scoffed, puffing out his chest. "Lots of chores to do on a boat. Don't need those fancy gyms."
    "Wouldn't have thought you'd have much time for babies," Peter remarked. "Do you have children of your own?"
    "Never a one," the Capt'n replied. "Don't know if that's a blessing or a curse."
    "So how did you come to be the baby-sitter?" Peter asked.
    Jann's chest tightened. He had almost fooled her for a moment into thinking he had another side, that he could be nice. But he was as tricky as a snake coiled to strike.
    "She's got no one else, has she?" Capt'n replied, gesturing with a shaky finger towards Jann. "So she has to make do with—"
    "Are you still here?" a high-pitched voice demanded, rising like a blast of hot steam from the cabin of Jann's boat. "You could have been to the store and back by now." Tanned fingers curled around the hatch, pushing it aside. A head emerged next, the tightly-curled hair attached to it wobbling indignantly.
    "Oh, lovey, it's you," the woman said, catching sight of Jann.
    "Ruby Miller," Jann went on, feeling as a magician must when pulling a rabbit from a hat, "meet Claire's brother, Peter Strickland."
    Her friend's smile cooled.
    "Call me Peter," Claire's brother said, casting Ruby a polite smile. Then he turned back to Jann, his expression unreadable. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other, after all."
    She had seen too much already.
    "Peter's here to meet Alex," Jann hastily explained.
    "The little darling's asleep," Ruby said, the fine lines creasing her brow melting away. She slipped through the narrow hatchway and out onto the deck.
    "Capt'n said he's given you a rough time this morning," Jann said worriedly.
    "Now what made you say a thing like that?" Ruby demanded, glaring at her husband. "Men!" She rolled her eyes. "A little gas and they want to run for the hills. Alex only cried for a minute or two. As soon as he burped he was as right as rain."
    Jann stepped aboard her boat and gave Ruby a grateful hug. "Thanks," she whispered into the older woman's ear.
    "My pleasure," Ruby replied, holding her close a second longer. "I enjoy taking care of Alex and that's a fact. What time do you need us tomorrow?"
    "I'm not sure yet. Could I pop down to the Windward later and let you know?"
    "That'll be fine, honey." She stepped onto the pier and touched her husband's arm. "Come along, old man, let's get home."
    "Wait!" Sudden panic twisted Jann's gut. "You don't have to go yet!"
    Her friends turned to her, looking startled.
    "Stay and have a cup of tea," Jann suggested.
    "Not today, girl," Capt'n said, draping one arm around Ruby's shoulders. He started down the dock, moving Ruby along with him. "The two of you have things to discuss."
    Slowly, reluctantly, Jann turned back to Peter.
    "May I come aboard?" he inquired, his voice studiously polite.
    "Of course," she agreed stiffly, wishing she could say no.
    Two steps and he loomed above her, his outline framed by the noonday sun—powerful, urbane, and very, very masculine. Then he was in the cockpit with her and his bulk seemed to shrink the boat's size.
    Putting out his hand, he lifted her sunglasses from her nose.
    "Better," he pronounced, studying her eyes. "I can't see what you're thinking behind those things." His eyes glinted. "Or is that the idea?"
    "The sun's strong in Hawaii." She willed away the heat blazing her cheeks. "Better buy yourself a pair."
    "I won't be here long enough for it to matter." He glanced