couldn’t forgive him for that… and yet now her emotions were torn.
Little by little, as she came to know him better, he was beginning to tug at her heartstrings. She didn’t know how it had happened, but she felt sorry for him and in spite of herself she was worried about him. He looked so thin and wasted, and it occurred to her that he probably wasn’t eating as well as he should.
As for Nick Bellini, she’d already learned to be wary of him, and she had to be grateful that her father had let her know what she was up against. Anyway, surely her fears were groundless? Her relationship with Nick was going to be strictly professional, wasn’t it?
It didn’t surprise her one bit to discover that he had the reputation of a compulsive heartbreaker.
A couple of hours later, Katie dropped her father off at his house and left him in the care of Libby, his housekeeper. ‘I’ll keep an eye on him, don’t you worry,’ the woman said, and Katie immediately felt reassured. Libby was kindly and capable looking, and Katie knew she was leaving him in good hands.
Then she set off for Nick’s beach house. The scenery was breathtaking as she drove along, with the sun glinting on the blue Pacific Ocean and the rugged length of the coastline stretching out ahead of her.
Living here was like being dropped into a secluded corner of paradise, she reflected as she parked her car in Nick’s driveway a few minutes later. She slid out of the car and looked around, gazing out over the bay and watching the surf form lacy white ribbons on the sand. Black oystercatchers moved busily amongst the rocks, seeking out mussels and molluscs with their long orange beaks.
‘Katie, I’m glad you could make it,’ Nick said, coming out of the house to greet her. ‘I was on the upper deck when I saw you arrive.’ His arms closed around her in a welcoming hug, and in spite of herself her senses immediately responded in a flurry of excitement. ‘How’s your father?’ he asked.
‘Much better.’
‘I’m glad.’
His arms were warm and strong, folding her to him, and for a wild moment or two she was tempted to nestle against him and accept the shelter he offered. She could feel the reassuring, steady beat of his heart through the thin cotton of her top.
‘It’s good to see you,’ he murmured, stepping back a little to look at her. ‘I hope you didn’t mind coming out here to visit me—it’s just that I have to be at the house to oversee some work I’m having done out back, as I told you. The workmen are installing a hot tub in the courtyard.’
‘That sounds like fun,’ she said, easing herself away from him. She ran a hand over her jeans in a defensive gesture, smoothing the denim. This closeness was doing strange things to her heart rate, and it wouldn’t do to have him see what effect he was having on her. ‘You certainly have the climate for it out here.’
He smiled, his hand slipping to her waist as he gently led her towards the house. ‘I’m looking forward to trying it out. All those jets of water are supposed to make you feel really good, like a soothing massage.’ He grinned. ‘Perhaps you might like to try it with me some time?’
‘I…uh…’ She gave a soft intake of breath. ‘I’d have to think about that.’ She blinked. The prospect of sharing a hot tub with him was much more than she could handle right then. In fact, she’d have to know him a whole lot better before anything like that ever happened.
He laughed softly. ‘I’ll take that as a definite maybe,’ he said. ‘Let me show you around the house.’
‘Thank you. I’d like that.’ She gazed at the beautiful building as they walked along the path. It was multi-storeyed, with sloping roofs at varying levels, the tiles a soft sandstone colour that contrasted perfectly with the white-painted walls. There were arched windows and glass doors, and there were steps leading from a balconied terrace on the upper floor, providing external access to the ground below. Behind the whole edifice was a backdrop of green Monterey pines, and in the far distance she could see lush, forested mountain slopes. ‘This is fantastic,’ she murmured. ‘It’s a spectacular house.’
She turned to look back at the Pacific. ‘I really envy you, living out here by the ocean. It must be lovely to look out over the water every day and gaze at the cliffs that form the bay.’
‘It’s very relaxing. I know I’m fortunate to be able to enjoy it.’ He showed her into the house, and they stepped into a wide entrance hall whose pale-coloured walls reflected the light. The oak floor gleamed faintly.
He led the way into a room just off the hall. ‘This is the lounge, as you can see. I tend to sit in here to read the paper or watch TV of an evening. It’s a very peaceful room, and it looks out over the patio garden. And, of course, with the French doors it’s handy for the courtyard… and, from now on, the hot tub, too,’ he added with a grin.
She peered out through the open doors at the courtyard that was closed in on three sides by different wings of the building. The remaining side was made up of a decorative screen wall, providing a glimpse into the garden beyond. ‘I can see the men are still working on it. It looks as though you have everything you need out there—a place to relax and enjoy the sunshine, a barbecue area, and all those lovely flowers and shrubs to enjoy. It looks like a little piece of heaven.’
She turned to gaze around the room. ‘I like the pale-coloured furnishings in here, too. It just adds to the feeling of light.’ Her glance took in glass shelves and a low table, before trailing over the sumptuous sofa and chairs. Pastel-coloured cushions added a delicate touch.
‘I’m glad you like it,’ he said, claiming her hand and leading her through an open doorway. ‘Let me show you the kitchen, and I’ll make us a drink. What would you like—coffee, tea? You could have iced tea, if you prefer. Or maybe you’d like something stronger?’
‘Iced tea sounds fine, thanks.’ She stopped to look around. ‘Oh, this is lovely,’ she said with a soft gasp. ‘And it’s such a large room, too.’ The cupboards and wall units were all finished in the palest green, verging on white, and marble worktops gleamed palely in the sunlight that poured in through the windows. There were shelves filled with bright copper pans, and corner wall units with attractive ceramics on display.
‘Well, it serves as a breakfast kitchen,’ Nick explained, going over to the fridge. ‘There’s a separate dining room through the archway, but I tend to eat in here, mostly… or upstairs on the upper deck. I can look out over the ocean from there.’
‘That sounds like bliss.’
He nodded, putting ice into two glasses and adding tea from a jug. ‘It is. Would you like lemon and mint with this?’ he asked, indicating the iced tea.
‘Please. That would be good.’
He placed the two glasses on a tray, along with the jug of tea and a plate of mixed hors d’oeuvres. ‘We’ll take these upstairs and I’ll show you the upper deck.’It’s great up there at this time of day, and you can see over the whole of the bay from the terrace.’
She followed him up the stairs, walking through a second sitting room and out through beautifully embellished glass doors onto the balcony terrace.
He was right. The view from the deck was fantastic, and Katie could even see the wildflowers that grew on the craggy slopes in the distance. He pulled out a chair for her by a wrought-iron table, and she sat down and began to relax.
Out
