don’t want to rush it, either,’ he said huskily, letting her fingers roam over his thighs, relishing every moment.
‘You have very long legs,’ she murmured in a considering voice. ‘At least, I suppose they are. I don’t have many points of comparison.’
‘I wish you didn’t have any—unless, of course, you learned that in the leg class?’
She stifled her laughter against his chest, and at last she felt him relax enough to laugh, as well.
Francesco didn’t relax easily, she could tell. It had been a real shock to him when she’d made a joke about her blindness, but he’d soon get the hang of that. She would teach him. In the meantime, they had other business.
‘Now, about that pot-belly of yours,’ she murmured, letting her fingers continue their work. ‘It doesn’t feel very pot to me.’
‘I don’t keep it precisely there,’ he said in a tense voice.
‘You want me to move?’
‘No, just…keep doing…what you’re doing.’
She did as he wished, realising that their previous loving had barely taken the edge off his passion and he was once more in a state of heated arousal. He was hard and hot in her palm, and she indulged herself in pleasure until, at the precise moment she intended, he lost control and tossed her onto her back.
Her own control was fast vanishing. She was eager for him to move over her and repeat the experience that had been so thrilling the first time. She reached for him, barely able to contain herself, clasping him so firmly that they were united in an instant.
At the feel of him inside her she gave a shout of pleasure that mingled with his and began to move strongly, urgently, wrapping her legs around him and holding him close. She wanted to keep him like that always.
Afterwards they slept in each other’s arms for a couple of hours and awoke hungry. She went into the kitchen, refusing his offer to make the food himself.
‘I know where everything is,’ she assured him.
‘Yes, you just proved that,’ he murmured.
‘Don’t be vulgar.’ She chuckled, aiming a mock punch at him.
But she misjudged the distance and caught him across the face, making him yell more in surprise than pain.
‘Darling, darling, I’m sorry,’ she cried, kissing him fiercely. ‘I didn’t mean that.’
‘You’re a violent woman,’ he complained.
‘No, just a blind one. You’ll be covered in bruises in no time.’
‘How can you talk like that?’
‘Because it’s true. You should escape me now, while you still can!’
‘I didn’t mean that. I meant the other thing.’
‘About being blind?’
‘Yes. Never mind that now. Let’s have something to eat.’
She made sandwiches and coffee and they picnicked in the bedroom.
‘It upsets you when I make jokes about being blind, doesn’t it?’ she mused, munching.
‘It confuses me. It’s like invading sacred ground.’
‘It’s not sacred to me. Anyway, it’s my ground and I’ll invade it if I want to. And if I can, you can. So hush!’
They had laughed, and loved again, laughed again and loved again. That was how it had been in the beginning.
And even then the first danger signs had been there, but they’d both been too much in love to heed them. If only…
‘Time to come in,’ came the voice over the radio.
‘Just a few more minutes,’ Celia begged.
‘Your air will be running out soon. Did you find any pirate treasure?’
‘Not this time, but I always live in hope,’ she said, determinedly cheerful.
It was time to go back and face the world. Fiona was close by, calling her, and together they made their way to the boat, where hands came down to welcome them aboard.
‘How was it?’ Ken asked.
‘Wonderful!’ Celia exclaimed. ‘The most glorious feeling—being weightless, and so free—such freedom—as though the rest of the world didn’t exist.’
‘Is that your idea of freedom?’ Fiona asked. ‘Escaping the rest of the world?’
‘Escaping the world’s prejudices, yes,’ Celia murmured thoughtfully.
‘Ah,’ Ken said in a significant voice. ‘I’m afraid that the world has followed you here. I’ve just heard on the radio that when we get back to land you’ll find Francesco waiting for you.’
‘How did he find me here? I just said I was going. I didn’t say where.’
‘I guess he’s got a very good surveillance team working on it,’ Ken suggested lightly.
He meant it as a joke, but Celia’s face tightened and her voice was hard as she said, ‘Evidently.’
‘What do you want to do?’ Ken asked. ‘You’ve paid for the whole day, and there’s two hours left, so we don’t have to go back before then.’
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to head out to sea for a long as possible. But she mastered the impulse and said in a resigned voice, ‘No, let’s go back now. I’ve got to face him sooner or later.’
‘Why have you got to face him?’ Fiona asked indignantly. ‘This is the twenty-first century. A woman doesn’t have to put up with an abusive man.’
‘But he isn’t abusive.’ Celia sighed. ‘He’s gentle and loving and protective. He wants to shield me from every wind that blows.’
‘Oh, Lord!’ Fiona said in sympathy. As they neared land she said, ‘I can see his face now. He doesn’t look loving and protective. He looks mad as hell.’
‘Good!’ Celia said. ‘Then can I be as mad as hell and throw something at him?’
‘What would you do about aiming?’ Fiona wanted to know.
‘I wouldn’t need to,’ Celia said despairingly. ‘If he saw me lifting a heavy vase he’d get in front of me and let it hit him. Ooooh, what am I going to do with a man like that?’
‘Leave him,’ Fiona said at once. ‘Or you won’t survive.’
‘I know, I know, but it’s so drastic.’
‘Yes, but I know what it’s like. I
