Nina looked shocked. Maria and Garry; they weren’t a match. Never in this world!‘Maria, don’t do anything in haste. I wish I hadn’t.’‘You do?’‘If I hadn’t been quite so eager, maybe Stephan would have held me in greater esteem. Now he thinks I’m a trollop.’‘A trollop. Really? Why, Nina? You’re one of the most sensible girls I know. I wish I could be more like you.’ Maria pondered over Nina’s words, then added, ‘Why did you sleep with him then?’What was the use in lying. When the heart is involved it seems a futile exercise. ‘Because I love him,’ She reached for a peppermint from the goldleafed dish on the onyx coffee table. ‘You do crazy things when you’re in love. You agree to stupid conditions just to be with someone.’‘Wow! I guess I’ve never been in love.’‘Who’s never been in love?’ The small figure loomed out of the darkened shadows of the lower deck.‘Petros!’ Maria went to him and kissed him soundly on both cheeks. ‘Am I glad you’re here!’Petros sat down and patted the s
‘Yes.’ The girls looked at each other, ‘Are you going to tell on me?’Maria looked at the shoes and shook her head. ‘Nope. But I have to be honest I can’t imagine you two doing it, or you even sleeping in the same bed.’Carrie laughed, ‘Why ever not?’‘Now me and Garry on the other hand I could imagine. But Alexis seems to do everything in a strait-jacket. You never know what he’s thinking, unless he’s angry. His anger I CAN predict. I just can’t imagine him being sensitive, or - or sexy.’Carrie smiled. ‘I refuse to go into detail about our relationship, but I will tell you he’s very sexy in bed, and he doesn’t ever use a strait-jacket!’‘Wowl’ Maria screamed with laughter. ‘That’s why Mauling Marsha is still after him. It’s got to be.’They giggled together. ‘Come on, let’s go out to the simdeck and spoil her fun.’Maria bounced off the bed. ‘You put your sexiest bikini on. I’ll just be a mo.’Carrie sighed; she looked down the side of the bed at Alexis’s shoes. Would his shoes alwa
'Use the credit cards, Carrie! Your money won’t last forever!’Carrie was saved from making a reply when a sharp knock came on the door and their drinks were placed on the desk in front of them. She looked at Alexis’s brandy sour, the tall frosted glass with the sugarrimmed top, and wished for her own.‘May I taste your drink?’ She took Alexis’s glass, sipping the contents. Divine recall; she closed her eyes, for the taste brought back memories of a holiday in Cyprus with her parents. Her mother had been drinking brandy sours by the dozen, or so it seemed, and every time she looked away Carrie would sip the cool liquid, gasp and pull a face. She could hear her parents giggle as they watched her face, as sour as the brandy drink itself.‘I don’t mind sharing, but why not just order one?’ asked Alexis as she handed him the glass with hardly any of the liquid dnmk.She smiled sweetly at him. ‘You know how alcohol affectsme. Besides I wanted orange. It just reminds me of Cyprus, of the la
Fear rocked her back against the diver’s body, but as swiftly as the fear stilled her, her survival instincts came into play almost automatically.Fight rushed back into her body.She struggled hard and landed a kick which connected with something, from the sound of her attacker’s gnmt. Leaning back she caught hold of his wet hair, pulled like crazy and heard another muffled hiss before she bit into his hand.‘Witch!’She would have bitten him again, but she was dumped on the bed stomach first, her head held against the pillow so her screams couldn’t be heard. She still fought on as he held her face down, his knee on the middle of her back, her hands cruelly captured.Then suddenly she was free and the light was on and a very angry Alexis was looking down at her, at the same time as checking the blood and teeth marks on his hand.‘What the hell’s going on here?’She was speechless!Breathless. It had been Alexis under the yacht!He was furious, she could see. But why?Swallowing hard,
'Ouch, Alexis!’‘Don’t look so hurt, Maria. It could be worse. I could take you across my knee in a tavema full of people.’‘Alexis, you wouldn’t! Besides, I’m too old for that!’‘You think so? Papa wouldn’t think so if he were here and you know it. So think again, Maria. Now tell me why did you lie to Mama} Why did you make out that Garry was a friend of mine? And where the hell did you pick him up?’Maria looked up at her brother. She’d like to say ‘/ know your game, Alexis', but she couldn’t. Besides, she was having way too much fun with Garry, and she wasn’t about to drop Nina in it. Instead she went along with the gameplan. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it. Mama wanted to know who he was. If I’d told her he was an out-of-work lecturer she’d have gone spare.’‘Gone spare?’‘Yep. You know, loopy' Maria shook her head. ‘You think he’s not right for me, huh?’Alexis spared a look for Garry who was pretending to be drunk again. 'Mama thinks he wants to get you into bed. I’m wonder
‘We could share nothing!’ Alexis bit out harshly. ‘I don’t know how many times I’ve told you. It’s over. I thought that by seeing me with Carrie you would understand. I have never loved you. You came to we, remember.’‘Make love to me again,’ she whispered hoarsely. ‘You wouldn’t want it to be over then. We’d rekindle everything.’Alexis closed his eyes, pleased that the breeze was whipping around his face, cooling him down. His temper was still hot from dealing with his irresponsible sister. He couldn’t cope with this too!‘I know your game, Marsha. Sorry I can’t oblige,’ he growled, his eyes glittering. ‘Maybe you should return to your husband. Maybe one of the other men on board can help you out, if you’re that desperate.’ He caught the upswing of her hand. ‘Oh no! There isn’t a woman alive that would get away with that, unless I actually deserved it, of course.’‘You do, you bastard! You let me believe I was coming on this yacht for a reconciliation.’He shook his head. ‘Oh no, ho
‘He does not, he loves me!’‘And as for running half-naked aroimd his room, he must be getting slack. He always makes sure the woman he’s making love to is completely naked!’With that she slammed the receiver down. Damn the woman!Picking up the receiver she phoned Peter; she needed comfort from that gentle little voice that would tell her he loved her, simply because he did.‘Hello, Audrey, how are you?’ she said, making herself more comfortable, with her legs stretched out on the sofa.‘Oh Carrie, he’s been ever so poorly,’ cried Audrey.‘What? Peter has been ill? He’s still in bed?’ Carrie frowned.She listened to how Peter had been ill with a severe bout of bronchitis, and was still suffering the aftereffects. He’d been camping with his dad, had been caught out in the rain last weekend and got wet through.‘Look, Audrey, 1*11 try and sort out a holiday for you all. Lord knows you deserve one.’‘If only Graham would accept. You know how proud he is, and we just can’t afford the ai
‘Afaiwa, I’m sorry I’m late. Things got ratherhectic.’ He looked around the huge hallway full of people, waving at some of them. ‘Where’s Carrie?’‘Last I saw she was on the balcony,’ said Helena.‘I’ll go and find her. I have something for her,’ he said, and his mother did not miss the twinkle in his eyes.Carrie was just coming out of the first-floor guest bathroom when he saw her. He caught his breath; she was more beautiful than he remembered, and well worth the long flight back.Carrie felt a strange sense, as if someone was watching her. When the prickly sensation tripped down her spine she knew he was here. She looked about the flrst floor, nothing there, then as she looked between the marble spindles of the banister she caught him staring up at her.All day she had been practising her scowl, rehearsing her cutting words. Mesmerized, she watched him climb the stairs.Biting back a retort she couldn’t remember, she looked him slowly up and down as he neared her, accepting that