LITMIR.BIZ

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cottage?’

      ‘I suppose that would be me,’ said Henry unhappily. ‘I came and checked the place out before I went to the airport. I might have left the doors open for a while. It was so hot, and I wanted the breeze to blow through.’

      Joanna tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. What a perfect way to start her stay on the island. She’d never screamed like that before. But then, she’d never been so frightened either. Matt probably thought she was a complete idiot.

      ‘Can—can you get rid of it?’ she asked, trying to behave more calmly now that it seemed that there was no danger.

      But she was embarrassed that the older man was there.

      Matt looked thoughtful. ‘Well, we can,’ he said, in answer to her question. ‘But the whole place will have to be fumigated before you can stay here.’ He turned once more to Henry. ‘Why don’t you go and get the SUV and we’ll bring Mrs Novak back to the villa?’

      Joanna’s lips parted. ‘Your villa?’

      ‘You can’t stay here tonight,’ he added, aware that his panic on her behalf had given way to a kind of resentment. What chance did he have of keeping his cool when even her scream could tear his nerves to shreds?

      He scowled. It was hard to be gentle with her when seeing her like this had aroused all the carnal instincts he’d been trying so hard to deny. For pity’s sake, he’d spent the latter half of the evening trying to drown the knowledge that Joanna was here and he still wanted her. Had he ever stopped wanting her? He didn’t want to know.

      Meanwhile, Joanna, hearing the censure in his voice, assumed his attitude towards her hadn’t changed. Bringing her here had been a way to prove his dominance, and after the cottage was habitable again, she’d try and make sure she didn’t need his help again.

      With Henry on his way back to the villa, Joanna hesitated only a moment longer and then dropped down onto her knees. But she was aware her heart was still racing and the baby had been unusually quiet for the past half-hour. Shocked into immobility, she thought uneasily. Honestly, whatever that creature was, it had scared both of them half to death.

      ‘Would you like me to carry you into the bathroom,’ asked Matt, noticing her uncertainty, but to his relief Joanna shook her head.

      ‘Um—I don’t think that will be necessary,’ she said a little breathlessly. But she needed to put some clothes on before Henry returned. ‘Will—will that—what did you call it? Hutia? —will it try to escape?’

      Matt regarded her critically for a moment, and then gave in. ‘It’s probably more frightened of you than you are of it,’ he said, his tone softening. ‘It’s not gonna leap out at you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.’

      Joanna nodded and wriggled until her legs were hanging over the side of the bed. Her tee shirt had hiked up to the tops of her thighs, but that couldn’t be helped. It was a bit late now to be feeling embarrassed, and she was wearing panties, after all.

      The cotton trousers she’d travelled in were draped over one of the chairs nearest the door, her slip-ons on the floor beside them. It was only a little distance, she told herself firmly. If the creature hadn’t been disturbed by Matt and Henry kneeling down to peer at it, why should it bother her?

      Matt was standing watching her. He had his arms folded, legs apart, his narrow-fitting shorts moulding his powerful thighs. Why did he have to look so damn sexy? she wondered, sliding her bare feet to the floor. It was becoming harder and harder to remember that this was the man who had ruined the last months of her father’s life.

      She straightened up, and as she did so something brushed by her ankle. She managed to stifle the scream that rose in her throat, but she couldn’t prevent herself from rushing headlong towards the door.

      She certainly hadn’t intended to touch Matt. She just wanted to get away from the bed. But when he put out his hand to stop her reckless flight, she didn’t think before wrapping her arms about his waist and cuddling close to him.

      Apart from anything else, her panic had robbed her of any resistance. ‘What—what was that?’ she choked, her face pressed to the muscled hardness of his chest. Her hands spread against his back, accidentally connecting with the wedge of flesh exposed when he’d bent down and his tee had separated from his shorts. Struggling to ignore the smooth dampness of his skin beneath her fingers, she said hurriedly, ‘I felt something touch my ankle. Was it the—the hutia?’

      ‘Probably,’ said Matt stiffly, aware that it was only the swell of her pregnancy that was keeping her from feeling his instant arousal. Dammit, he had to stay away from her or God knew what he might be tempted to do. With his tone flattening, he responded, ‘It’s gone now, anyway. You can let me go.’

      But Joanna didn’t want to let him go. With her lungs filled with the sensual heat of his body, it was difficult to think coherently about anything. She fought valiantly for breath before saying, ‘Where—where do you think it went?’

      ‘I have no idea.’ Matt sighed, his hands closing on her trembling shoulders. The fabric of the shirt was so thin that he could feel the dampness of her skin through the cloth, but he forced himself to ignore the intimacy of the moment. ‘I imagine it’s found its way out of here.’

      She swallowed. ‘You don’t think it could have gone into the bathroom?’

      ‘I don’t think it was heading in that direction, no.’ Matt stepped back. Then, belatedly, he seemed to remember her condition, his eyes lowering to her stomach, bringing another wave of heat over her body. ‘You’re okay, aren’t you? You didn’t hurt yourself?’ He paused. ‘Or the baby?’

      ‘I don’t think so.’

      She ran an exploring hand over her bump and felt the reassuring thrust of a foot against her palm. She smiled, relieved that the baby was active again, and saw the way Matt’s expression had changed to one of concern.

      ‘You’re sure?’

      ‘I’m sure.’ She hesitated. ‘Would you like to feel him?’

      Matt’s pulse quickened in spite of himself. ‘I—well, sure,’ he said half unwillingly, and she took his hand and laid it against the rounded curve of her stomach.

      Almost immediately, he felt a powerful little kick against his hand, and he pulled away with a grunt of protest. ‘Strong, isn’t he?’ Joanna asked, smiling again. ‘How would you like to feel that in the early hours of the morning?’

      Matt shook his head. ‘I can’t imagine.’

      But he could, actually. It was amazingly easy to anticipate lying beside Joanna and sharing the intimacies of the pregnancy. Comforting her when the baby’s activities kept her awake, holding her in his arms until she and the baby went back to sleep.

      Yet that was exactly the opposite of what he should be thinking, he reminded himself irritably. ‘Why don’t you get dressed and put a couple of things in a bag?’ he added shortly, moving towards the door. ‘When Henry gets back, we’ll be leaving.’

      ‘Okay.’ Joanna cast a nervous glance towards the bathroom. ‘You’re sure it’s gone?’

      ‘I’m sure,’ said Matt, his patience shredding. ‘Henry probably left the door open when he left and it will have made its escape.’

      Joanna’s lips tightened, seeking a defence. ‘I could say it’s your fault for making me come here,’ she retaliated, hating the fact that right now she needed him more than he needed her. ‘I should have stayed in England, with my mother and Lionel.’

      ‘Let’s not start that again,’ said Matt wearily, glancing about the room and noticing the pair of drawstring trousers on the chair. ‘Here.’ He handed them to her. ‘Do you have a shirt you can wear?’

      Joanna took the trousers out of his hands. ‘I expect so,’ she said, stopping briefly to take a silky patterned smock from

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