a weariness of spirit she did not want to think about, she followed him.
Anna stared about her. Not only did it make it easier to ignore the man driving the four-by-four careering along the potted road, but it was interesting to see something more of the island than the Makarios villa—exquisite though that was.
From the air-conditioned interior the rolling landscape looked lush, covered in wild greenery. Little villages were dotted about, the West Indian chattel-style board houses surrounded by banana trees and their verandas over-tumbled with crimson bougainvillaea. Roadside stalls every now and then sold fresh fruit, both to islanders and to tourists stopping off in their hire cars to taste fresh pineapple and coconut.
She didn’t ask where they were going—what was the point? She would find out when they got there. But when they did, Anna was surprised. It was the capital of the island, and Leo made his way, weaving along a grid of streets, to end up by the harbour. He parked the car and nodded at Anna.
‘Time to go shopping,’ he announced.
He waited for her expression to brighten at the treat ahead, but she simply kept the same blank expression on her face that she always kept for him. Pressing his mouth tightly, he got out, and waited while she did likewise.
The mid-morning heat hit her, and she instantly felt the inappropriateness of the tight-fitting stretch clothes she was wearing. Had he really said shopping? Well, thank heavens for that, at least. At last she could buy some beachwear.
So it was with more enthusiasm than Leo usually saw in her outside the bedroom that she followed him into the smartestlooking tax-free designer wear shop. Swiftly and methodically she sifted along the rails and took her selection to the cash desk.
Leo was there before her.
‘So at last you’ve seen sense enough to wear something suitable for the beach,’ he said pointedly, indicating her armful of brightly coloured clothes.
She stared at him tightly.
‘Strangely,’ she informed him acidly, ‘I wasn’t planning a trip to the Caribbean when I packed for Austria. Of course I didn’t have any suitable daywear for the beach!’
Leo frowned. ‘You mean you’ve been wearing those idiotic outfits because it was all you had? Good grief, why didn’t you just tell me? I could have taken you shopping the day you arrived!’ He spoke as if she were stupid.
Anna said nothing, merely smiled at the saleslady and let her start folding her clothes.
‘You don’t want to try any on?’ asked Leo sceptically.
She cast him a look. ‘I can tell they’ll fit, and I can tell they’ll suit me. It’s one of the little skills you pick up in my line of work.’
‘There is no call for sarcasm,’ Leo replied repressively. ‘When I take women shopping they usually spend hours trying on everything in sight. It’s a dead bore. Your attitude is refreshing, believe me.’
He started reaching inside his back trouser pocket for his wallet. But Anna was already handing her credit card over.
‘Anna,’ he said, even more repressively, ‘allow me, if you please.’
‘I don’t please,’ she said, and nodded at the saleslady to take her card.
Leo sighed heavily. ‘Are you trying to prove something, Anna?’
‘No. I’m just buying my own clothes.’
With a snap, Leo put his wallet away. Let the damn girl buy her own clothes if she insisted. He watched her sign for her purchases, pick up the bags, and then hesitate suddenly.
‘I’d like to change,’ she said to the shop assistant, and disappeared with the bags.
She emerged in under two minutes, clad in a brightly coloured blue and orange sundress that floated around her calves.
Leo found his breath stilling. She really was the most stunning female he’d laid eyes on. Effortlessly so. Her hair was still in its high ponytail, and she’d let it dry naturally, without any styling. She wore no make-up except suncream and protective lipgloss. And sunshades. Not a scrap of jewellery either.
And yet in that simple print dress she looked breathtaking.
Something moved inside him. It was an odd sensation. He didn’t know what it was.
He only knew it was inappropriate.
‘Let’s go,’ he said shortly, and headed outdoors.
Anna followed him, feeling the relief of finally wearing something that didn’t look idiotic in these tropical surroundings.
‘There’s another designer shop over there.’ Leo pointed across the way and started towards it.
‘I’ve got all the clothes I need,’ Anna returned.
Leo gave a snort. ‘No woman has all the clothes she needs! And this time—’ he turned his head ‘—I am buying. Please do not make another scene.’
Anna’s lips tightened.
‘I really don’t want any more clothes,’ she insisted.
‘Then what do you want?’ He glanced around, eyes lighting on a jewellery store. For a moment he realised he was on the point of buying her jewels, as if she were an ordinary mistress.
Anna couldn’t help but see where he’d been looking.
‘No, thank you,’ she said sweetly. ‘I prefer to steal mine.’
Leo’s head whipped round, eyes narrowed.
His eyes fastened on hers.
And for a second—quite inexplicably—he suddenly wanted to laugh. The girl was outrageous, all right! Totally outrageous—and yet…
He broke eye contact deliberately, pointing out a souvenir shop selling island art and mementoes.
Anna shook her head sharply.
‘I’ll have all the souvenirs of this place I could never want,’ she said.
Leo’s eyes slashed back to hers. This time he didn’t want to laugh at all. He wanted to throttle her.
‘Well, your souvenirs from an Austrian jail would be very different, I can assure you!’ he shot back tightly. He took her arm. ‘I need some coffee,’ he announced.
She tried to pull away from him, but he would not let her.
‘Let go of me!’ she snarled.
He merely tightened his grip, and looked down at her with his long-lashed eyes.
‘That’s not what you say in bed, Anna mou. You want me to touch you then.’
His voice was soft, as soft as silk, his eyes molten, melting her…
Once
