His Royal Pleasure

Katherine paused in the act of rubbing herself dry. He’d done it again. Was that a request or an order? Then again, after midnight, who cared?

“I love the ocean,” she said, watching the pulse of the whitecaps against the sand. “During the school year I live in Greensboro. So I really miss it then.”

“You’re going to miss it even more when Pirate Island is sold.”

Katherine stiffened. “How—”

“You got a call from Mr. James Logan. He’d heard from someone in Charles City, and he wants to tour the campground with you tomorrow morning at ten o’clock.”

“Tomorrow!” The news hit her like a brick. Even though she knew selling Pirate Island was for the best, taking this next step hurt. She wasn’t ready emotionally or logistically.

“Oh, this is just great.” She stood and struggled with her T-shirt. “We’ve got a ton of children’s activities planned tomorrow morning. It’s supposed to rain, so all the parents will be dumping their kids on us.” Trying to pull the armhole of the shirt over her head, she made a muffled sound of frustration. “What is wrong with this shirt?”

“I’m sure Chad and the others will cooperate with you once you tell them your plan,” Al said, deftly righting the shirt for her.

She jerked the shirt on and glared at him. “I don’t want Chad and the others to know. For that matter I don’t want you to know. But I guess it’s too late for that.”

“And your uncle Jasper?”

Katherine gripped his arm. “Swear you won’t tell him.”

“I won’t. But you shouldn’t have to do this alone. You care too much about this place. You can trust me.”

Katherine stared at him. She almost believed him. He stood there so tall, so sure, so strong. She could feel muscles like steel beneath her fingers. She dropped her hands, but he caught them.

He was getting too close. She felt crowded. She’d always felt more comfortable helping others than being helped. Katherine tried to pull her hands away, but he wouldn’t allow it. She pulled her gaze from his instead.

“Let me help you,” Al said in a low murmur that sent goose bumps down her arms. “Call it payback,” he offered. “You took me in when I needed help.”

“I didn’t want to.”

“But you did.”

Katherine finally succeeded in pulling away. “I don’t know you.”

Al shook his head. “You know me. You told me so yourself. You’re not following your instincts.”

Her stomach fluttered, but she held her ground. “My instincts with men haven’t been very reliable.”

“Then you must follow my instincts.”

Katherine blinked and checked the hard planes of his face. He was serious. “Has anyone ever told you you’re the teeniest bit autocratic?”

Alex considered that. “No. People are grateful for my advice.”

“Or maybe they’re just too intimidated to point out your arrogance,” she muttered.

Alex was just about to firmly address her breach of protocol when he remembered that Al Sanders wasn’t due any special treatment. He stared down at the woman who got under his skin more than any other had and reined in his consternation. “I prefer to call it confidence.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that,” she said in a dry tone.

“Are you so frightened of me?”

He watched her face and realized he’d hit a nerve. His quick surge of triumph gave way to something less comfortable. He took her hands again.

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” she whispered, hoping to appeal to his mile-wide chivalrous streak.

Alex shook his head.

A lump of dread formed in her throat. The sheer power of his personality overwhelmed her. He was so sure of himself. His hands, she noticed irrelevantly, were warm and firm, just as they’d been in her dream.

He pulled her closer.

Katherine’s heart raced. Oh, no. Not on the beach. Not when she felt weak and confused.

Not tonight.

Not any time.

Chapter Three

It was inevitable, Katherine realized. She braced herself, stiffening her body, closing her eyes and tightly pursing her lips. Then she waited.

For a moment nothing happened. His hands still held hers, his breath mingled with the night breeze against her cheek, and his body emanated heat and power, but he didn’t move any closer to her.

Then he rubbed his lips across her cheek and chuckled next to her ear. The tickling vibration of his voice had her curling her head toward her shoulder. She opened her eyes and glared at him for laughing at her.

“You look like you’re preparing yourself for a vile-tasting medicine,” he said. “Am I so bad, chеrie?”

“Very bad,” Katherine shot back. When she realized how tightly she clutched his hands, she struggled to release them.

He ignored her struggles. “Ah, but how can you know when you haven’t learned my flavor?”

“I don’t wa—”

The rest of her words and breath were lost as his mouth came down on hers. She tried to purse her mouth again, but he sucked her lower lip and darted his tongue across her upper one.

He gave her a moment’s respite, and she grabbed it as if it were a lifeline. “Cheater,” she hissed, breathless and angry because of it. “You’ve got my hands.”

In an instant he released them, but before she could do anything, Al slid his hands through her hair, cradling her head. “It’s a sin to see a frown on such a beautiful mouth,” he chided in a velvet tone that sent shivers down her spine.

“I’m sure you’re an expert on sin.”

At his soft laughter she balled her fists and thought about bopping him on his hard head. Her ability to move, however, evaporated when he nibbled, then pressed his mouth against hers first one way, then another, and another, until she grew soft beneath him.

He was sipping her like nectar. His tongue explored the tenderness just inside her lips. She felt like a rare delicacy he was savoring to the fullest. Her heart thundered against her chest, and she sighed, dropping her fists in mute surrender.

One of his hands slid down her hair to her bare back, pressing her closer so that she felt the muscles of his chest, the tightness of his abdomen, the power of his thighs and the hard ridge between. And she knew he really wanted her. He wasn’t putting on an act that would end up making her feel foolish and humiliated.