CHAPTER TWO

      ‘I’M AFRAID that’s all we can do for now, ma’am. The police have been informed, and naturally we shall contact you immediately if it turns up. We operate a very strict security code here which keeps crime to a minimum, but .. ’ The young man shrugged expressively, not needing to voice the rest of what he’d been thinking. Stephanie knew exactly what it was and couldn’t blame him. How could she have been so careless as to leave her bag lying on the path like that? Even allowing for the fact that she’d been concerned about helping Jessica, it had been an incredibly stupid thing to do.

      She smiled her thanks at the man behind the desk, then left the office, trying to stave off the almost overwhelming panic she felt, but it was hard to control it. That bag had contained everything—passport, credit cards and nearly every cent. Now what was she going to do?

      Wearily she made her way to the bus-stops, wondering how she was going to get herself out of such a predicament. That the bag might be found with her possessions intact was such a slim chance that it didn’t warrant dwelling on. She had to reconcile herself to the fact that apart from the few dollars stuffed into the pockets of her shorts she was broke, and the consequences of that were terrifying. The hotel management was going to take a very dim view of her inability to pay the bill!

      A groan slid past her lips, but steadfastly she refused to let any others follow it. There had to be a way out of this mess... there just had to! And once she’d had a good night’s sleep then she would find it.

      The sound of a car slowing to a halt alongside her caught her attention, and she glanced round, feeling herself go hot all over when she recognised the driver.

      ‘Would you like a lift?’ His voice was just as gravelly as she remembered it, the deep tones holding no trace of warmth.

      Stephanie smiled at the child who was peering rather anxiously over his shoulder, then shook her head, her blue eyes chilly as they met his. ‘No, thank you.’

      She turned her head away, ignoring the throbbing of the engine, and breathed a sigh of relief as the car pulled away. However, it was short-lived as it came to a halt a few yards away and the engine was cut. The man got out, his long legs eating up the distance as he strode back to her, his face set into lines of obvious displeasure. Stephanie glanced warily at him, then looked round, but apart from a couple who were standing with arms entwined, lost in each other, a few yards away there was no one else waiting for the bus.

      ‘I asked if you would like a lift,’ the man ground out as he came to a halt in front of her and folded his arms across his broad chest.

      ‘And I told you quite clearly that I didn’t want one. Perhaps there is something wrong with your hearing, Mr...?’ She paused, one slender brow raising in mocking enquiry.

      ‘Ford. Logan Ford. And for your information, Stephanie, my hearing is perfect.’

      Hearing him say her name that way startled her so much that she stared back at him in shock. ‘How do you know my name?’

      He smiled tightly, shooting a glance over his shoulder at the small figure who was staring rather anxiously out of the window. ‘You seem to have got yourself a fan there, honey. My daughter hasn’t stopped chattering about you for the past hour. I would have needed to be deaf if I hadn’t caught on to your name. Now come along.’ He slid a hand under her elbow and started to lead her towards the car, but Stephanie drew back, glaring at him.

      ‘Just hold it right there! I told you that I don’t want a lift and I meant it. Frankly, I can’t understand why you even bothered to stop to offer me one in the first place. I didn’t think we parted on terms which would make either of us anxious to meet again!’

      ‘You’re right. I don’t give a damn how you get back to your hotel, or whether you achieve it safely or not. From what I’ve seen of you, you can well take care of yourself. However, my daughter doesn’t share my enlightened views. She saw you walking towards the busstop and made me turn back. Seems that she’s worried that something might happen to you, being all by yourself at this time of night.’

      ‘Well, that was a kind thought. She is obviously a very considerate little girl.’ Unlike her father, she silently added, then flushed when she caught his eyes and realised that he knew exactly what she’d been thinking.

      Nervously she edged around the man, not liking the way his eyes had narrowed on her flushed face, or the way his strong jaw had tightened. ‘Tell Jessica thank you, will you? But I don’t need a lift. I’ll be fine.’

      His hand shot out, stopping her from moving away, his fingers almost bruising as he held her just in front of him and stared coldly down into her face. ‘I’m sure you will, but Jessica won’t be convinced by such a reassurance. And I don’t intend to spend the night sitting up with her while she has more nightmares, worrying about you! Now we can either do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way, but the outcome will be the same: like it or not, Stephanie, we are giving you a lift!’

      He put an insulting emphasis on her given name that stung, but suddenly Stephanie didn’t feel up to arguing any more. The night had taken its toll; the loss of her bag coming on top of their previous confrontation was just too much. Tears slithered down her cheeks and she turned away, hating him to see her this way.

      ‘What the...?’ The exclamation was bitten off, his surprise evident in the way his fingers bit into her flesh. Stephanie yelped, then cried all the harder, broken sobs which echoed through the night.

      ‘Look, if this is some sort of trick, lady, then cut it out. It won’t cut any ice with me!’

      There wasn’t an ounce of compassion in the harsh tones, not an inch of give now that he had recovered from his surprise, and Stephanie glared up at him with tear-soaked eyes.

      ‘It isn’t a trick, but I don’t expect you to believe me! For your information, Mr Ford, I’ve had it up to here tonight, what with you being so horrible before and then losing my bag and everything! And if I feel like crying then I shall do so, and I won’t have any arrogant jerk like you telling me not to!’

      ‘I should watch my tongue if I were you. I won’t have any woman speaking to me like that!’

      His anger was rising, but Stephanie was too upset to care. ‘Won’t you indeed? Then what are you going to do about it, Mr High and-Mighty Ford—wash my mouth out with soap and water? That seems to me just about——Ohhh!’

      The breath whooshed out of her as he jerked her to him so fast that she hit his chest. Instinctively her hands clutched at his shoulders to steady herself, her fingers fastening on to the iron-hard muscles that rippled