as he touched them, winding one around a finger. His knuckle brushed the back of her neck, sending her body into sensation overload. Who knew the back of her neck was so sensitive? Then her whole body went into shock as she felt the imprint of his lips right there at her nape. She bolted up from her lounger in an instinctive attempt to create more distance between them and adjusted her sunglasses on her face as she turned around and looked down on him.
Galen looked up at her unashamedly. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”
He flashed her another of those devil-may-care grins and rose from his lounger before jogging along the beach to where Ellie was fashioning a turtle sand sculpture. Peyton watched him join his ward with an enthusiasm she envied. Even in the short time she’d begun to get to know him, she recognized he had a knack for making everything look so uncomplicated. No doubt he was the life and soul of every party he attended, she thought with a touch of venom. The charmed billionaire who never had a care in his privileged world. He’d never had to come from school to a quiet house and wonder if today would be the day that he’d discover his mom dead in her bed. Or that the next knock on the door was from the sheriff to evict them from another home.
And then again, he’d known loss, she reminded herself with an effort to be fair. Ellie’s parents’ deaths had obviously affected him, and her research had uncovered he’d lost his own father when he was in his early teens. That must have been hard. Maybe his carefree act was just that. An act. She shrugged, picked up her sarong and knotted it at her hip before pushing her feet into a pair of crystal-studded thongs and walking along the beach to supervise the sculpting. Whether it was an act or not, it didn’t matter to her because she wasn’t here to enjoy Galen Horvath’s company. She was here to do a job and she needed to remember that.
* * *
It was midnight, and Galen was mentally worn out and physically uncomfortable. There ought to be a law against suits and ties in tropical climates, he thought as he unknotted his tie and entered the villa that was home for the duration of their honeymoon.
“Good of you to come back.” An acerbic voice came from the depths of the overstuffed couch facing the moonlit water. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d left us for good.”
“Did you miss me?” Galen said, refusing to rise to Peyton’s bait.
The woman had been so intent on keeping her distance from him that he’d almost begun to wonder if she’d even miss him when he had to work. Of course, working on honeymoon was not ideal, but the resort was on the verge of signing an agreement for a major expansion with an overseas partner, and certain things needed to be dealt with right here, right now.
“Ellie missed you,” Peyton said, rising from the couch and facing him with her hands on her hips.
Galen’s throat went dry as he took her in. She was silhouetted in the light behind her, exposing the slim, lean lines of her body beneath the sheer cream on the lemon-patterned sundress she wore. He’d seen her in her swimsuit and, yes, she was incredible to look at. But like this? She was mystery and mayhem all in one package. The sharp sound of her voice dragged him into reality.
“I was beginning to wonder if you’d married me just so you could have a babysitter. I have to say, if that’s your parenting style, I feel sorry for Ellie because she deserves better than that.”
Deserved better than him, too, perhaps? Galen felt his anger rise but, as ever, he pushed a lid down firmly on it and deflected her words with a smile. “Ellie knew I would be tied up all day.”
“It doesn’t mean she didn’t miss you. She gets really anxious when you’re not around. Did you know that?”
A shaft of guilt struck him in the chest. The last thing on earth he ever wanted to do was cause Ellie any distress. “What do you mean exactly?”
“She sounded tense at dinnertime, asking when you’d be back. I tried to distract her. Let her beat me at cards.”
“Let her?” He cocked a half grin. The kid was a demon at cards.
“Okay, so she thrashed me. But when you weren’t home by bedtime she got really upset. She was terrified something had happened to you, no matter what I said.”
Galen nodded, accepting that he should have reached out to let her know he wouldn’t be home until very late. Even though she’d been in his care for several months now, he was still adjusting to the responsibility. But they’d already been here on Maui for three days and Ellie had seemed equally happy to be with Peyton as with him—he’d been certain she’d be okay. Clearly, he’d been wrong.
“I’m sorry. I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow.”
“Would that be before or after your next business meeting?”
A kernel of warmth sparked to life deep inside him. Peyton might be angry at him but she was very firmly in Ellie’s corner and that was what he’d hoped for all along—that he’d marry a woman who’d be comfortable in a maternal role with Ellie.
“There won’t be any more business meetings. I promise. Not while we’re on honeymoon, anyway.”
“Until the next emergency arises and you need to offload your responsibilities again?”
He fought to keep his features neutral as he replied. “I don’t make a habit of offloading anything. I’m sorry if caring for Ellie was such a burden to you.”
Color flamed in her cheeks and her eyes grew bright. She looked like she was about to light off like a firecracker. Before she could respond, he put up a hand.
“Look, I’m sorry—that was uncalled for. I shouldn’t have assumed that you’d look after Ellie when I couldn’t.”
“You don’t even know me,” Peyton said, a grimace twisting her beautiful face.
Galen walked closer to her and took one of her hands. “You’re right. I don’t know you, yet. I do, however, know you’re trustworthy. We wouldn’t have been matched if you weren’t.”
Peyton nodded ever so slightly. “She was upset tonight, Galen. I hated it.”
Compassion flooded him and he squeezed her hand gently. “You feel so helpless, don’t you?”
The anger that had been holding her rigid dropped out of her just like that.
“Yes, and I didn’t like it. I’m sorry I took it out on you. But don’t think I’m letting you off the hook.”
“I know, and I’ll make it up to both of you. I am a man of my word, Peyton. No more business on this vacation.”
“Thank you.”
She pulled her hand free and started to gather up her things, including some handwritten notes and a laptop computer.
“You were working?” he asked.
“Not until Ellie went to bed, which was only a couple of hours ago because she was so upset.”
“I didn’t mean it like that—no need to be defensive.”
She raised her brows at him.
“I didn’t. I’m merely interested. Is this
