were long and lean and made her skin burn at the touch. It was more than pleasure, more than passion. Those she had felt before. Here was something beyond her experience. It frightened her, made her ache, made her answer his demand with more fervor. Then, when she knew the border of sanity would be crossed, he released her.
She stared up at him. Thoughts and emotions shuddered through her. She could still feel the needs. His flavor still lingered on her lips.
âThis is the first time Iâve seen you at a loss for words,â Jordan murmured. He slipped his hand around the back of her neck. His fingers caressed. Kasey felt a new surge of desire shoot through her.
âYou took me by surprise.â She slid out of his grasp and moved away from him. She was going to have to give this a great deal of thought, but now wasnât the time. She needed to find her balance again.
He watched her. It pleased him to note that he had unsettled her. But then, she had unsettled him as well. He hadnât been prepared for the intensity of the desire he had felt at the first taste of her.
âIâll have to make a habit of surprising you.â She turned and faced him.
âI donât surprise easily, Jordan. And I donât plan to have an affair with you.â
âGood. That should make things more interesting. I plan to have one with you.â
I miscalculated, she thought to herself. He isnât as bound by social conventions as I thought. There is a strong ruthlessness under that social veneer. She would have to be more careful. She forced her voice to sound calm as she asked, âWasnât I about to show you a picture of a shaman?â
He took the book from her hand and closed it firmly. âFirst things first. How would you like to take tomorrow off and go sailing?â
âSailing?â Her tone was wary. âJust you and me?â
âThatâs what I had in mind.â
The offer of freedom after days of being stifled in the houseâthe chance to be with him away from the workâwas tempting. Too tempting. She shook her head. âI donât think it would be wise.â
âYou donât strike me as a woman who always does whatâs wise.â His hand slipped up over her cheek into her hair.
âIâm making an exception. I really wish you wouldnât do that.â She could feel her pulse beginning to hammer.
He kissed her gently on the temple. âCome with me, Kasey. I need a day away from this room, away from these books.â
Perhaps just this once, she thought.
Â
The boat was everything she had expected: sleek, luxurious and expensive. It had pleased her to watch Jordan handle the fifteen-foot sailing yacht with an ease that spoke of long experience. She sat at the bow so she could watch the boat slice through the ocean. This is his escape when that world heâs locked himself into becomes too much for him, she mused.
Kasey watched him at the tiller. He was stripped to the waist. There was power in his arms and in his eyes. What would it be like to make love with him? She curled her legs under her on the padded bench and studied him carefully. Hehad marvelous hands. Even as she sat with the wind whipping around her, she could feel the touch. He would be a demanding lover, she decided, remembering the aggression of his kiss. Exciting. But . . . thereâs a but, and Iâm not sure yet why itâs there. Iâm not sure I want to know.
Jordan looked over and caught her eye. âWhat are you thinking?â
âJust working out a hypothetical problem,â she said, coloring. âOh, look!â Over his shoulder she could see a school of dolphin. They leaped and dove and leaped again. âArenât they marvelous?â She uncurled herself to go to the stern. She balanced herself by putting her hand on his shoulder, then leaned further out. âIf I were a mermaid, Iâd swim with
Janwillem van de Wetering