turned to walk away, but Stephanie caught his arm, her fingers tightening around the iron-hard flesh. ‘Look, I’m sorry if you feel this has been my fault, but you have to try to understand the situation I was put in. Jessica was extremely upset when I came across her. She seemed to think that you’d left her and that you weren’t coming back.’
Something crossed his face, some emotion so raw that it was almost painful to watch. But then his expression smoothed out again into the sardonic lines she was growing to recognise. ‘But I did come back, didn’t I? So this is no longer your problem. Goodnight.’
‘And that’s it, is it? You’re just going to walk off without a word of thanks? I didn’t have to waste my time by staying with her.’
He glanced down at where her hand held his arm, then looked back straight into her face with a smile that chilled her to the bone. ‘Then why did you, honey? Were you hoping for some sort of... reward?’ His tone was little short of insulting, and Stephanie dropped her hand from him at once as though he had struck her.
‘Not You have a nerve, Mr...’ She stopped abruptly, but he said nothing, merely watched her, and she rushed on, ‘I don’t want any reward, and definitely nothing along the lines you mean! Frankly, I pity that poor child having you for a father!’
For a moment she thought he was going to strike her. His anger was so great, almost tangible as it scorched the air between them. Then with a staggering show of self-discipline he brought himself under control. He walked over to the bench and took Jessica’s hand, then turned to glance over his shoulder at where Stephanie was still standing. ‘One word of free advice, and that is to keep your opinions to yourself when you have no idea what you’re talking about. It could save you a whole lot of trouble, believe me.’
‘I know enough about children to recognise when something is wrong!’
‘Frankly, lady, I don’t give a damn what you know or don’t know! Goodnight.’
He started to walk away, but the child hung back, then suddenly broke free and came rushing back to hug Stephanie, her small arms locking tightly around the woman’s slim hips.
‘Thank you for taking care of me, Stephie. I wish you could do it all the time!’
Startled, Stephanie dropped to one knee and hugged her back, holding the little body close against her own for a moment before slowly putting the child from her. ‘It was my pleasure, Jessica, but now I think it’s time you went. Your daddy is waiting for you.’
She glanced over the child’s head at the tall man who was standing a few feet away and felt something inside her start to ache at the expression on his face. Just for a moment their eyes met in a look that seemed to cut straight to her heart, then he called the child to him and turned to walk away without another word.
Stephanie stood up slowly, and took a long breath, feeling more upset than she could explain. He was just an arrogant, overbearing male, so why did she feel like sitting down and weeping when she remembered that expression of regret and pain in those devil-dark eyes? She had no idea, just the certainty that he wouldn’t thank her for feeling that way!
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.
