The Platinum Collection: An Australian Conquest: The Incorrigible Playboy / His Most Exquisite Conquest / His Bought Mistress. Emma Darcy
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that admirable work and talent had no relevance to how he dealt with women.
She and Jack moved on. He showed her the gym, which contained most of the popular work-out equipment, introducing her to staff she hadn’t met yet. A large shed near the beach where the helicopter landed contained a desalination plant that ultimately provided fresh water for the resort. The power generator was also housed there.
‘This beach faces west,’ Jack said, pointing to the hill above it. ‘Up there are the two pavilion villas, both of them occupied today so I can’t show them to you. Their porches lead out to infinity pools that catch the sunset. Feels like there’s just you and the water and the sky. They weren’t on the original plan. Harry’s idea to build them, make them really special.’
Elizabeth nodded. ‘I noticed it cost more to stay in them.’
Jack grinned. ‘Honeymoon paradise.’
As they continued the tour, chatting as they went along, Elizabeth realised her escort was extremely well skilled—electrician, plumber, carpenter, gardener—capable of turning his hand to any maintenance work.
She couldn’t help remarking, ‘How come you never started a business of your own, Jack? You’re so well qualified.’
He grinned. ‘Hated all the paperwork the government expects you to do. Reckon I got a plum job with Harry’s dad, maintaining the property he had overlooking Cairns. Free cottage, good pay, all the fun of creating and being in a beautiful environment. Got the same deal here on the island with Harry. We’ve got a good life, Sarah and me. Can’t think of anything better.’
‘Then you’re very lucky,’ she said warmly.
‘That we are.’
A contented man, Elizabeth thought, wondering if she would ever reach the same state of contentment. Not today. And not here with Harry waiting for her back at the office. It was awful to think of how tempted she had been last night to just let herself be swept up in physical sensation. It had been a long time—almost three years since her last semiserious relationship ended—but that was no reason to engage in casual sex.
She’d never been into bed-hopping. Trying guys out on a purely physical basis did not appeal to her. She needed to feel really connected to the person before taking the next step to absolute intimacy. If Harry considered that attitude a headful of romantic dreams it was because it didn’t suit his playboy mentality. Bending her principles for him was not on, though she had to admit he was the sexiest man she had ever met, which made everything wretchedly difficult when she was alone with him.
Just one hour in the office this morning had been exhausting, having to use so much energy blocking out his physical impact on her. Of course, last night’s wild interlude had made her even more sexually aware of him. She’d been out of her mind to let him go so far with her. Now she had to cope with that memory in his eyes as well as the memories he’d stamped on her consciousness.
On the walk back to administration, Jack started talking about Harry again, how good he had been at all sports in his teens—that was easy to imagine—and what a pity it was that the untimely death of his parents had caused him to drop them. ‘Could have been a champion on any playing field,’ was Jack’s opinion.
Elizabeth could think of one sport Harry hadn’t given up.
He was a champion flirt.
She hoped he wouldn’t exercise that particular skill while she had to be with him for the rest of the day. So long as he kept to business, she should be reasonably okay. Nevertheless, it was impossible to stop her nerves twitching in agitation when Jack left her at the office door and Harry swung his chair around from the computer and smiled at her.
‘Enjoy the tour?’
She smiled back, deciding to show appreciation of all he’d done here. ‘You have created quite an extraordinary resort, Harry. I can’t think of anything that could make it better.’
‘If you do, let me know. I aim for perfection.’
Would he be the perfect lover?
Elizabeth was shocked at how that thought had slid right past her guard against the playboy. She hurled it out of her mind as she hitched herself onto the corner of the desk just as he had this morning, casually asking, ‘Anything come in that I should know about?’
‘Mickey called. He’s putting the suitcase your sister packed for you on the helicopter bringing the guests today.’ He gave her a quirky smile. ‘Should save you from having to wash out your undies tonight.’
‘That’s good,’ she said equably, determined not to be baited into being prickly.
‘Lucy says if she’s missed anything you need, send her an email,’ Harry went on. ‘She’ll bring it with her when she comes here with Mickey this weekend.’
Elizabeth sat in frozen suspension.
Her heart stopped.
Her lungs seized up.
Her mind stayed plugged on one horribly chilling thought.
Lucy...coming with Michael...to her island escape from them.
No escape at all!
HARRY saw her eyes glaze. She sat completely still. He knew this was a crunch moment. He waited, silently speculating on how she would react to the bombshell when she snapped out of the shock wave.
Would pride dictate that she welcome Mickey and her sister onto the island, keeping up the pretence that seeing them together did not hurt her?
Mickey was totally unaware that Elizabeth was hung up on him. So was Lucy. Neither of them would be looking for signs of hurt. It was quite possible to get through this visit, leaving them none the wiser, especially if Elizabeth was willing to let him be the man she was interested in. Which had to bring them several steps closer, Harry thought, willing her to choose that path.
Alternatively, since her escape from Mickey and Lucy had just been scuttled, the island no longer represented a safe refuge for her. And Harry knew he’d gone too far too fast last night, which was certainly ruffling her feathers. She might throw in this job, walk down to the back beach, wait for the helicopter to come in and fly out on it, take a trip somewhere else, not caring what anyone thought—wipe her hands of all of them.
Except she couldn’t quite.
Lucy was her sister.
Lucy depended on her to be her anchor and Elizabeth took responsibility seriously. She wasn’t the type to cut free. Not completely. But she might want to for a while.
Harry needed to stop her from walking out on him. Having her here on the island was his best chance with her. It gave him time to keep challenging her, wear down her resistance, make her realise they could have something good together.
* * *
Elizabeth felt totally numb. It had been such a struggle, holding herself together in front of Michael and Lucy yesterday, a struggle coping with what Harry made her feel, a struggle learning how to manage this resort as fast as she could. Now the whole reason for so much effort, the whole reason for being here was slipping away from her.
She couldn’t bear to play out yesterday’s scenario with Michael and Lucy again this weekend. It was too much pretence, too much pressure, too much everything with Harry hanging around, ready to take advantage of any weak moment, and she’d be tempted to use him again as a buffer. It was all horribly wrong and the worst part was she was trapped here—trapped by her own deceit.
If she walked out on the job after pretending to like being with Harry, how could she ever explain that to Lucy? It wouldn’t make sense. Telling her the truth wasn’t fair. It would cut into whatever happiness she was finding with Michael, tarnish it because it was causing her sister unhappiness, which Elizabeth knew Lucy would never knowingly do.