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Temptation in Paradise
Joanna Neil


Flirting with her off-limits doc…Paediatrician Jessie Heywood has arrived in the Caribbean ready to leave her heartbreak behind! Romance is the last thing on her mind, but after meeting Dr José Benitez Jessie finds herself facing the ultimate temptation…her boss! And, with the passion blazing between them hotter than the sun, Jessie suddenly finds herself wanting to stay for ever…












Dear Reader (#u89261f58-3574-544a-81be-345925a87952)


Wouldn’t it be wonderful to escape to a Caribbean paradise island? Imagine it: palm-fringed beaches, turquoise lagoons, hummingbirds sipping honey from deep-throated flowers. We could leave our troubles behind and indulge our dreams in this idyllic place.

Or could we?

That’s exactly what Jessie hopes to do when she leaves the UK for warmer shores, but things turn out to be not quite so peaceful in paradise as she might have hoped for.

Trouble seems to follow her brother around, for one thing, and her father adds his two-pennyworth, but the biggest headache of all comes in the form of a heartbreaker doctor who seems to have his sights firmly fixed on her.

Will Jessie and José manage to sort out their problems? Well, this is a magical island, after all …

With love

Joanna


When JOANNA NEIL discovered Mills & Boon


, her lifelong addiction to reading crystallised into an exciting new career writing Medical Romance™. Her characters are probably the outcome of her varied lifestyle, which includes working as a clerk, typist, nurse and infant teacher. She enjoys dressmaking and cooking at her Leicestershire home. Her family includes a husband, son and daughter, an exuberant yellow Labrador and two slightly crazed cockatiels. She currently works with a team of tutors at her local education centre to provide creative writing workshops for people interested in exploring their own writing ambitions.




Temptation in Paradise

Joanna Neil

















www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)




Table of Contents


Cover (#ua53ca8b5-bff0-5b5f-882a-f06e0d4be7c2)

About the Author (#ud1bc7179-6af5-53e5-b327-f98936d6a4d3)

Dear Reader

Title Page (#u9f3c3ca9-a2f8-59d8-b40f-fcf5a001cbd2)

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)




CHAPTER ONE (#u89261f58-3574-544a-81be-345925a87952)


‘I’M REALLY GLAD you decided to come out to the Caribbean, Jessie.’

Ben raised his voice above the sound of merrymaking going on inside the house immediately behind them, and for a moment or two his expression was solemn.

‘I didn’t expect you to come, you know—it must have taken a lot of sorting out and I feel really bad about pouring out my troubles to you and putting pressure on you that way. I shouldn’t have done it.’

He pressed his lips together in a rueful grimace.

‘You had enough on your plate back in London, and I know I ought to have kept things to myself, but I wasn’t thinking properly. I just needed to talk to you. Somehow, you always manage to make me feel better when I’m at my lowest.’

Jessie reached for his hand. ‘You’re my brother,’ she said softly. ‘I’ll always be there for you. You can depend on it.’

He gave her fingers an answering squeeze. ‘I’ll do the same for you, Jessie. You’ll see.’

‘I know you will,’ she said.

They were sitting on the terrace of a beautiful house, facing the sea, the darkness lit by flickering golden light from tiki torches planted at intervals along the paths and among the shrubbery. French doors opened out on to the patio to let the balmy tropical air circulate through the house, and in the background the heavy, rhythmic sound of steel drums beat out a lively calypso melody.

Inside the house, people were dancing, just as Jessie had been doing a short while ago with a number of eager partners. She hadn’t taken any of them up on their pleas for future romantic dates. Having her fingers burned back home had been warning enough and she wasn’t looking to get caught out that way again. As for the rest of the partygoers, they were chatting or helping themselves to the delicious food that had been set out on the island bar in the kitchen.

For now, though, Jessie just wanted to breathe in the night air and spend some time with her brother.

‘I feel as though I’ve landed in paradise,’ she said, sighing with contentment. ‘The island is incredible, fantastic. And as for this house, it’s so lovely—the owner must be very trusting to allow your friends to throw a party here while he’s away.’

‘I suppose so.’ Ben frowned, as though he hadn’t thought about it before now. ‘Anyway, Zach and Eric said they had his blessing. But, then, we’ve been renovating the place for him for the last couple of weeks—he let us have the keys so we could come and go as we pleased. I think he probably knows by now that we can be trusted.’

‘I guess so.’ She was puzzled. ‘Is that how long you’ve worked for him—a couple of weeks?’ It didn’t seem long enough for a man to decide he could safely leave his home in the hands of strangers.

‘Yes. I had to find work quickly after Dad kicked me out, and they needed an extra man on the team to do the labouring. Dr Benitez—the owner—already knew me because I’ve been helping out with the diving for the coral reef study alongside him in my spare time, so he set me on. He said I could do some work on his other properties when the renovations here were finished. He has a building company and rents out the properties once they’ve been brought up to a good standard.’

‘It’s good you were able to find something so soon.’ It sounded as though his new employer, Dr Benitez, was a wealthy, powerful individual—some kind of marine biologist who also had a property portfolio. It was good that Ben had landed on his feet.

She looked at her brother. He was barely nineteen, well muscled and fit from working out, but his appearance disguised the fact that he was young for his years and was still racked by the legacy of a troubled childhood. Of course, they’d both been affected by the break-up of their parents’ marriage, but Ben had only been eleven when it had happened, and his whole world had been turned upside down. Perhaps Jessie, being a few years older, had managed to handle the situation better.

Their mother had been devastated by the divorce, and had retreated into a world of her own, leaving Jessie, seventeen years old at the time, to do what she could to take care of her brother and support him emotionally. She’d carried on doing that while she’d been at medical school, being able to go on living at home to care for him and her mother, but for a long time Ben had struggled. He’d tried desperately to hold on to the image of a father figure, but it had all been in vain. In the end his hopes had been dashed, leaving him confused and more than a little rebellious. This latest attempt to bond with his father by coming out to the Caribbean had also turned sour.

Now, though, the fact that Jessie was here with him had obviously lifted his spirits and had allowed him to put his troubles behind him for a while.

‘You should try this rum punch, Jessie,’ he said cheerfully. There was an ice bucket on the white-painted ornamental garden table and he lifted the lid and used tongs to scoop out some ice cubes, dropping them into a tall glass. Then he picked up a jug and poured bright amber-coloured liquid over the ice. ‘I’m sure you’ll like it.’ He handed her the glass. ‘It’s a favourite round here.’ He watched her, his youthful, handsome face expectant.

‘Thanks …’ Her mouth curved. ‘Though I think I may be getting near to my limit already. There was the wine, earlier … and—oh—the mojitos …’ She rolled her eyes in recollection of a great experience. But perhaps she’d overdone the alcohol a bit?

All the same, Jessie put the glass to her lips and sipped slowly, savouring the flavours on her tongue and trying to pick out the different ingredients. There was rum, of course, a dash of lime juice, sweet syrup and orange … and maybe a hint of Angostura bitters.

‘Mmm … you’re right,’ she murmured. ‘This is just what I needed.’ Warmth slowly curled and settled in her abdomen and she smiled up at him. ‘I think this is the first time I’ve been able to truly unwind since I stepped off the plane yesterday.’

Ben nodded, pleased, and leaned back in his chair. ‘You’ll love it here. The change will do you good.’

‘Yes … I hope so.’

She looked around, sipping her drink as she absorbed the flawless, landscaped surroundings. The heady, sweet scent of frangipani filled the air, and in the pools of light spread by the torches she could see exotic blooms of bougainvillea, their magenta bracts circling tiny white flowers and next to them a mass of bright pink hibiscus.

He smiled. ‘It’s a great party, isn’t it? It’s amazing what you can pull together at the last minute … and the food’s fantastic. Would you like me to get you some more of those jerk chicken wraps that you liked earlier—and maybe some rice?’

‘That sounds lovely—but I can get them for myself,’ she said with a smile, starting to get to her feet.

‘No, no … you stay there and relax. You’re probably still suffering from jet lag. Enjoy the scenery.’

He left her, walking towards the open patio doors, and Jessie subsided back into her chair, watching the moonlit waves of the Caribbean breaking over smooth white sand. Palm fronds bent in the gentle breeze, outlined against the clear night sky.

She stretched lazily, crossing one palely bronzed leg over the other. The warm tropical air caressed her bare shoulders and she sighed contentedly. This was true bliss. Perhaps she should have done this long ago, put the house up for rental and left all her cares behind her.

‘Perhaps I could get you another drink?’ Coming from close by, the male voice startled her. It was faintly accented—a Spanish inflection, perhaps?—deep and husky, wrapping itself around her senses and sending an unexpected thrill of anticipation to run up and down her spine. She sat up, alert, her skin prickling.

‘I … um …’ She looked up at the man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and who was now standing by her side. Her heartbeat quickened. He was dark and mysterious in the shadowy light, tall and immaculately dressed in beautifully tailored trousers and a midnight-blue linen shirt. ‘Thanks, but … er … I’m not sure if I should. I think I might have had enough to drink already.’ Her head felt warm and fuzzy, a sure sign the alcohol was hitting the spot.

He smiled. ‘Maybe one more won’t hurt if you eat some food. Your friend has gone to fetch it, I think.’

‘Your friend,’ he’d said. She pondered that for a moment and he must have taken her silence for acquiescence because he started to top up her glass.

‘He—uh—he’s—’ She broke off, wondering how long he’d been standing there. ‘I didn’t see you come out onto the terrace,’ she murmured, ‘or hear you, for that matter.’

He gave a wry smile. ‘That’s not surprising really, with the music going at full blast in there.’ He nodded towards the house. ‘But actually I came from around the side of the building.’

‘Oh, I see.’ She frowned. That would explain why she hadn’t seen him before this. He hadn’t been at the party until now. ‘Are you a neighbour?’ A sudden thought struck her. ‘Have you come to complain about the noise?’ The beach houses were some distance apart, but sound probably carried quite a way out here in the tropics. ‘I’m sorry if it’s been disturbing you.’

His expression was wry. ‘It certainly caught my attention.’

‘Oh … yes … of course. Well, I’m sure we can get them to turn it down a few notches, though I imagine things will be winding up here before too long.’ She made a face. ‘It’s very late and some of us have places to be in the morning.’

‘That’s very true.’ He looked at her thoughtfully, an appreciative glint sparking in his blue eyes. ‘Though I must say there are some things that are definitely worth staying up for.’ His glance drifted over her, making her hotly aware of the clothes she was wearing, party clothes, very different from what she might have worn back in London. Her strapless top clung to her curves like a second skin and her short sarong-style skirt wrapped itself lovingly around her hips and left a good deal of bare leg on show.

‘I … uh …’ Unsettled by his intent scrutiny, she stood up. ‘Perhaps I should go and see about quietening things down a bit?’

He shook his head. ‘Leave it to me—I’ll sort it out.’ There was a slight edge to his voice as he added, ‘There are certain people I need to see.’ But then he relaxed and said softly, ‘For the moment, I’d much sooner have you stay here and talk to me.’

He studied her once more, his gaze moving slowly over her as though he couldn’t quite tear himself away. His glance lingered for a moment or two on the burnished chestnut hair falling in silky waves below her shoulders, and then his gaze wandered over her slender figure, leaving a trail of heat in its wake.

Colour rose in her cheeks. ‘I suppose that would be all right.’

‘I’m glad.’ He moved a little closer to her and all her senses erupted and began to clamour for attention. Warning bells sounded dimly in her head, but she ignored them. After all, what could be the harm in talking to him? ‘I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,’ he said, ‘but I couldn’t help overhearing that you might be suffering from jet lag. Have you come far? Are you here for a holiday?’

‘Not a holiday, no … though I’ll admit I wouldn’t mind a few days soaking up the sun and exploring the island. I’m usually a hard worker, always on the go, but I have to say, as soon as I arrived here something made me want to give up on the idea of doing anything strenuous. Everyone’s so laid back … the pace is so relaxed.’ She smiled. ‘From the little I’ve seen, it’s beautiful here … very different from London, where I’ve been living.’

‘It is.’ He sent her a quizzical look. ‘So, if you’re not here for a holiday …?’

She shook her head, causing her silky chestnut curls to ripple and settle once more over her bare shoulders. ‘I managed to organise some temporary work—I’ll be over here for three months, working as a doctor in the paediatric emergency unit at the hospital. It isn’t a full-time position, so I might need to look for something else to keep me going, but it was too good an opportunity to miss.’ There would be some on-call work outside the hospital, as she understood it, and that suited her perfectly.

She shrugged lightly and his glance flicked to the creamy softness of her skin. ‘It … uh … it suited me to leave the UK right now,’ she went on. ‘I wanted to gain a bit more experience before I decide what specialty I want to follow.’

He raised a dark brow. ‘You’ve travelled a long way to do that.’

‘Yes, that’s true.’ Her mouth moved awkwardly. ‘Actually, I have family over here—my father has a stake in a rum distillery on the island. We haven’t seen a lot of each other over the years and I thought this would give me a chance to spend some time with him.’

He frowned. ‘And your mother? Is she not living here?’

She pulled in a quick breath before answering him. ‘No. My parents haven’t been together for quite some time. My mother died back in the UK a couple of years ago.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Again there was that deep Spanish inflection. His eyes darkened with compassion. ‘That must have been hard for you.’

She nodded and sought to change the subject before her emotions got the better of her. Her feelings about her mother’s death were still quite raw, and as for her father—their relationship was difficult, and somehow she had to sort out a way for them to get along better.

‘And you?’ she asked. ‘Do you live here on Saint Helene, or are you just visiting?’ She picked up her glass and began to sip the rum punch he’d poured for her. Perhaps it was all in her mind, but it seemed as though the kick from the alcohol was giving her confidence.

‘Oh, I live here,’ he said, his mouth curving. ‘My family made their home here several generations ago. Originally they were Spanish, but with a good deal of intermingling over the decades we’ve been left with a Spanish-American heritage.’

‘Ah … that would explain your accent. I couldn’t quite work it out at first. It’s faint, but definitely there.’ No matter how hard she tried to convince herself she was immune to any kind of male charm, his voice held a sexy, vibrant timbre that made her insides quiver. It was disturbing the way she responded to him, to say the least.

He inclined his head briefly, still holding Jessie’s gaze. She was mesmerised by those dark eyes, finding it hard to break away from the intoxicating heat glinting in their depths, until a sound broke the spell and she became aware of Ben walking towards them. She didn’t know whether to feel glad or let down by the interruption.

‘Sorry I’ve been gone for so long,’ Ben said, concentrating on placing a tray, laden with food, down on the table. ‘I was caught up, talking to a friend from the distillery.’

‘That’s okay.’ She put down her glass. ‘I’ve had someone to keep me company.’

Ben straightened and for the first time looked properly at the man standing beside her. He drew in a quick breath. ‘Dr Benitez …’ He seemed stunned. ‘I … We weren’t expecting you back here for a few days. I thought your business would keep you in Florida until the end of the week.’

‘I managed to complete it ahead of schedule.’ The doctor’s handsome sculpted features were rigid as he looked at Ben and it dawned on Jessie that something wasn’t quite right here.

So this was her brother’s new employer? ‘You already know each other,’ she said, looking from one to the other.

Ben was still caught in the searchlight of that unflinching stare. ‘We do.’ He gave himself a shake and made an effort to pull himself together. ‘Jessie, I should introduce you … This is Dr Benitez—like I said, I’ve been doing some work for him this last couple of weeks.’

Jessie nodded and looked back at the doctor. ‘Ben told me about the renovations he’s been doing for you.’ Her green eyes widened. ‘Am I right in thinking this is your house?’

He nodded. ‘You are.’

‘Ah.’ She faltered momentarily, feeling like an unwitting intruder. ‘Ben told me he and his friends have been working here. It’s such a lovely house—what I’ve seen of it so far, anyway. Which isn’t a great deal,’ she added hastily. ‘Just the living room and kitchen and the terrace.’ She didn’t want him to think she’d been inspecting every nook and cranny in his absence.

‘I’ll be more than glad to show you the rest,’ he said. His gaze was intense, heat flaring in the depths of his eyes, and her heart gave a small, involuntary leap.

‘Thank you, Dr Benitez, I’d like that.’

His expression softened briefly as he looked at her. ‘José … you must call me José, chica.’

‘José.’ She lowered her gaze for a second or two, a little overwhelmed by his full-on manner towards her.

‘Good.’

He turned to look at Ben, and she was dismayed to see that his demeanour changed. He was entirely different in his dealings with Ben. He seemed almost hostile towards him and straight away her system went on red alert. She had to get to the root of what was wrong. ‘Do you and Ben have a problem with one another?’ she asked.

‘I’m afraid it would seem so.’ He ran his hand lightly over her elbow, sending tremors of tingling sensation to run along the length of her arm. ‘Perhaps you would like to go back to the party for a few minutes?’ he suggested softly. ‘I need to talk to Ben in private for a moment.’

Jessie shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. You can say what needs to be said in front of me. I want to know what’s going on.’ She looked at Ben for confirmation and her brother nodded slowly, awkwardly.

‘I am sorry for that,’ José said. He stiffened, and turned an icy stare on Ben. ‘I want to know why he thought it would be all right to hold a party in my house while I was away.’ He sent her an oblique, smoky glance. ‘The only point in his favour is that he brought along with him the most beautiful girl in all of Saint Helene.’

‘Oh …’ She was too bewildered by his condemnation of Ben to take any notice of his smooth flattery. ‘You must be mistaken. I’m sure Ben wasn’t the one who—’

‘It’s all right, Jessie. I can speak for myself.’ Ben drew himself up to his full height, ready to stand up to José. ‘It’s not what you think, Dr Benitez. I didn’t set this up.’

Jessie was floundering. Her brother couldn’t have been so reckless as to arrange this party, could he? Hadn’t he told her his friends, Zach and Eric, had done all the organising?

‘Is that so? Really?’ José raised a dark, sceptical brow. ‘You’re the one who has the house keys. I trusted you. Obviously I was wrong to do that.’

‘But I gave the keys to Zach so we could work on the house,’ Ben protested. ‘He had to bring back some light fittings and cable and so on from the wholesaler when I wasn’t here.’

‘And you weren’t here because …?’

Ben’s cheeks flushed with warm colour and he averted his eyes briefly. ‘I … um … Zach’s an early riser but I’m never too good first thing in the morning … It just seemed better to let him do the wholesaler run. And you had given him the keys one time before you went away, so I didn’t think it would matter.’

José’s jaw flexed. ‘What you mean to say is that you drink too much and can’t get up for work on time.’ His eyes were like flint. ‘So Zach has the keys now?’

‘Well, no … he gave them back to me tonight, just a short time ago. We’ve finished the work here, so he didn’t need to hold on to them any more.’

Jessie’s spirits sank with every word he uttered. Her brother wouldn’t have organised this party, she was sure of it, but he had believed his friend when he’d said it was all right with their boss to use the house. Ben was so naive, so gullible … and now, from the look of sheer disbelief on his employer’s face, she knew he was in trouble because José clearly didn’t know him the way she did.

‘I’ll have the keys back,’ José said, holding out his hand, palm upwards. ‘I shall be changing the locks, of course, and installing a security system.’

Ben handed over the keys. His face was pale. ‘I’m sorry, Dr Benitez,’ he said. ‘Really, I am. Please believe me, I didn’t do this. Honestly, I thought you’d agreed to let us use the house just for tonight.’

‘You seriously think I would do that?’ José’s stare was frosty. ‘You need to start looking around for some other kind of work, Ben. I won’t be needing you any more.’

Ben gave a short gasp, as though he’d been landed a blow in his midriff. ‘But I didn’t—honestly, I didn’t do this … I wouldn’t. I was wrong to let Zach have the keys, I know, but it won’t happen again, I promise. I’ll sort myself out. I’ll be on time—I will, if you’ll just give me another chance …’

José shook his head. ‘You let me down and I’ve no wish to have my trust abused once more.’

Jessie couldn’t bear to see this happening. She had to do what she could to plead her brother’s case.

‘José, please, won’t you reconsider?’ she said quietly. ‘He said he didn’t do this … and I believe him. Won’t you give him a chance to show you that he can be trusted?’

José’s features remained etched as though in stone. ‘He’s your novio, yes? You care so much for him that you would plead for him? I’m afraid your feelings for him are misplaced, mi chica bella.’

‘No, no … you have it all wrong,’ she said anxiously. ‘He isn’t my boyfriend—he’s my brother. I know him. I understand him and I’m certain he’s telling you the truth.’

José pulled in a quick breath, his eyes glittering, and for a second or two as he studied her, she dared to think that he might relent. But instead he shook his head. ‘It’s good that you care for your brother, Jessie, but he let me down and I believe you’re letting your emotions colour your judgement. He can’t be trusted to turn up for work on time and he gave my keys to a third party. He doesn’t deserve your sympathy.’

‘I think that’s for me to decide.’ Her chin jerked upwards. ‘So let me get this straight … if the situation were reversed you would turn your back on a brother or a sister who needed your help?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

She sent him a scathing look. He had been charm itself just a short time ago, yet now he was ready to dismiss her brother without a second glance. How could she have any regard for a man who would treat her brother that way? His swift condemnation had brought all her protective instincts to the fore, and inside she was seething with resentment.

She’d been right to be wary of him. So much for any expectation of good old-fashioned chivalry or plain and simple justice.

‘You haven’t even bothered to check his story,’ she said tartly. ‘How do you know Zach and his friend didn’t organise this?’

‘Perhaps they were all in on it together. I shall have to find out.’

His answer did nothing to appease her. She’d had enough of this. She picked up her clutch bag from the table and turned towards her brother. ‘Come on, Ben. We should go. We’re through here. There’s nothing more to say.’

José’s gaze moved over her. ‘I have no argument with you, Jessie. I would very much like you to stay.’

‘And I would prefer to leave.’

Ben looked anxious, sending her a worried glance. He bent his head towards her and said in a whisper, ‘Don’t you think I should stay and help with the clearing up? I mean, we can’t leave the place like this, can we?’

‘I wouldn’t fret yourself about that,’ she said tersely, fully aware that José was watching them, a host of conflicting emotions written across his face. She was still upset by his perfunctory treatment of her brother. ‘Zach and Eric can see to all that.’

‘But they left half an hour ago,’ Ben muttered under his breath.

‘Did they?’ She gave a short laugh. ‘That was convenient, wasn’t it? I expect they found out that Dr Benitez had turned up. They knew they’d done wrong and they didn’t want to stay and face the consequences.’

She started to walk towards the side of the house and after a moment’s hesitation and a hasty glance in José’s direction Ben hurried after her.

‘Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?’ he persisted anxiously.

‘Of course,’ she said. She wouldn’t be seeing Dr José Benitez again, so what did it matter? The fact that his brooding stare was burning a hole in her back only served to stiffen her resolve all the more.




CHAPTER TWO (#u89261f58-3574-544a-81be-345925a87952)


‘ARE YOU READY for your first day in the new job?’ Ben refilled his coffee cup and then did the same for Jessie, sliding a mug across the breakfast table towards her.

‘I think so.’ Jessie gave a wry smile. ‘At least, I would be if it weren’t for this throbbing hangover. I knew I shouldn’t have had that last drink at the party. I don’t know what got into me.’ Maybe it had been a nervous reaction after coming face-to-face with a man who had somehow managed to fire up all her defences.

She didn’t want to dwell on the other events of the evening, but the image of the tall, dark stranger insisted on forcing its way into her mind. She’d been upset on Ben’s behalf last night, but perhaps she shouldn’t have reacted the way she had? After all, things might have turned out better for her brother if she’d gone on trying to appease José, instead of challenging him. She’d probably made things much worse, and now it wasn’t very likely he would ever consider taking Ben on again. The pounding at her temples worsened at the thought, and she winced.

Ben helped himself to toast and spread it generously with apricot preserve. ‘It was a touch of the Caribbean getting into you, I guess,’ he said in a soothing tone. ‘It happens to the best of us.’ He watched her drizzle maple syrup on her pancake. ‘Anyway, after the way things have been for you back home lately, breaking up with Lewis and all that, you probably needed to let your hair down a bit.’

‘I suppose so.’ She gritted her teeth, thinking about her cheating ex-boyfriend. How could she have been so blind, so trusting, not to have suspected that while she had been busy working in Accident and Emergency, Lewis had been happily making out with another woman? It had hurt badly when she’d found out the truth, and even now just thinking about it made her whole body tremble.

‘You look good,’ Ben said approvingly, skimming a glance over her. She was wearing a cream blouse teamed with a flower-printed skirt that fell in soft folds over her hips and a short-sleeved, matching jacket completed the ensemble. The colours were soft pastels, easy on the eye.

‘I’m glad you think so.’ She made an effort to pull herself together. Taking her time, she finished off the pancake and drank her coffee, then asked, ‘What are you planning on doing today?’

His expression sobered. ‘I’ll look around for work. I have to find something as soon as possible—I can’t keep sponging off you. You’ve helped me out more than enough already.’

‘Don’t worry about that. Half of the rental income from the house back home is yours by right, so that should keep you going for a bit.’

He smiled. ‘Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Jessie. You’re a lifesaver.’

She left the apartment a short time later and drove her hire car from the village towards the coast on the west side of the island where the hospital was situated. She was a little apprehensive about what lay ahead, starting work in an unfamiliar hospital in a foreign land, but at least for the moment she had the wonderful island scenery to help take her mind off things.

She glanced in the rear-view mirror. Behind her, the dramatic slopes of a dormant volcano dominated the island, with dense green forest carpeting the land as far as the sea’s edge. In the distance a magnificent waterfall cascaded to a deep, wide rock pool and for a dreamy instant she wished she could be there, simply taking in the view.

The sheer beauty of her surroundings helped to calm her and she purposely tried to breathe in deeply. It was all so different from what she had known before … It was awe-inspiring and invigorating, and by the time she’d parked her car outside Mount Saint Helene Hospital, she felt much better able to face up to this new test.

The hospital was a neat, white-painted, two-storey building with a veranda running along one side where patients and their relatives could sit awhile in the warm air. Palm trees provided a modicum of shelter, and the grounds had been planted with yucca and brightly flowering hibiscus.

Jessie pushed open the wide main door and went inside the air-conditioned building, going over to the reception desk.

‘Hello, I’m Dr Heywood,’ she told the clerk. ‘I’m starting work in the paediatric accident and emergency unit this morning.’

‘Oh, hello, there,’ the woman said, with a welcoming smile. ‘It’s good to see you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time here with us. You’ll find everyone very friendly and helpful.’ She called over a young medic who happened to be walking by the desk. ‘Hi, Dr Lombard, do you think you could show Dr Heywood the way to children’s A and E? It’s her first day here with us.’

‘I’d be glad to. I’m headed over there now.’ Dr Lombard was a good-looking young man, olive-skinned, with black hair and grey eyes. He wore tailored trousers topped by a palely striped shirt and a subtly patterned tie.

He smiled and put out a hand to Jessie, grasping her fingers warmly in his. ‘I’m Robert,’ he said. ‘If you have any problems or queries, just ask. I expect it will all feel a bit strange to you for the first few days, but we’ll look after you.’

‘Thanks.’ She introduced herself. ‘I’m Jessie.’

She was hoping there would be time for her to get used to her surroundings and maybe meet up with some of the people she was to work with, but as soon as they arrived in the department, a nurse beckoned Dr Lombard over to one of the treatment bays.

‘There’s a little boy in here, a five-year-old, who’s eaten a death apple, we think.’ She frowned. ‘He’s in a bad way. Will you come and take a look at him? His name’s Tyrell Dacosta.’

‘Of course I will, Amanda. Poor little chap.’ He turned to Jessie. ‘Perhaps it’ll help you get settled in if you shadow me for the next hour or so. The boss is busy with another patient or he would have greeted you himself. He asked me to look out for you.’

‘Okay. That sounds like a good idea.’ Jessie couldn’t help feeling anxious about their small patient. She could only hope the fruit didn’t live up to its awful name. It sounded ominous.

Hastily, she followed Robert and the nurse into the treatment room where a small boy lay wrapped in his mother’s arms. He was whimpering and looked wretched, shaking and tearful, with a film of sweat on his brow and cheeks.

Dr Lombard introduced himself and Jessie, and then, as he carefully examined the child, he asked the mother, ‘So you think he’s eaten a fruit of some sort that’s upset him? Did he eat all of it, or just a little?’

‘Most of it.’ The young woman’s face was pale and etched with worry. ‘The tree was growing near the beach where we were walking. I spoke to my doctor on the phone and she said it sounded like manchineel. She told me to get him to drink a couple of glasses of milk and then to bring him straight here.’

She sniffed unhappily, close to tears, and Jessie could understand why she was so upset. There was some blistering in the boy’s mouth and probably in his throat and stomach, too. ‘Tyrell saw one of the apples lying on the ground,’ the woman went on. ‘It smelled good and he said it tasted sweet. I didn’t know what it was so I told him to spit it out but I was too late, he’d already swallowed some of it.’

‘Okay …’ Robert acknowledged her sympathetically and then spoke to the little boy. ‘Did the milk help take some of the pain away?’

Tyrell nodded warily, tears streaking his cheeks.

‘That’s good … Well, the first thing we’ll do is get you a big white tablet to chew on. It will taste a bit chalky but it should help ease the pain even more. Can you do that for me?’

Again the boy nodded.

Jessie said quietly, ‘This chewable tablet—is it a combination of antacid and proton pump inhibitor?’

Robert nodded. ‘Yes, it’s an anti-ulcer treatment. It should coat the damaged tissues and it’ll help reduce the acid in his stomach.’ He frowned and added under his breath, ‘With this type of caustic ingestion there’s always a danger that his throat might swell up, so we need to be aware of that in case he needs to be intubated. In the meantime, I’ll give him an antihistamine injection.’

‘Are you going to admit him?’

‘Yes, I think we should keep an eye on him in case there are any complications.’ He glanced at the nurse, adding, ‘I don’t want him to drink any water for a few hours—we need to let the medication do its work. Maybe a mild sedative will help. I’ll write a prescription.’

A few minutes later, after making sure he had done everything he could to make Tyrell feel more comfortable, Robert glanced at Jessie and said, ‘I have to go and put my notes on computer and deal with some paperwork in the office for a while. You might want to stay behind and talk to Mrs Dacosta and answer any questions she has. Do you think you’ll be all right with that?’

Jessie nodded. ‘Yes, that’s okay. I can explain things to her if there’s anything she doesn’t understand.’

‘Good. I’ll come and find you as soon as I’m done.’

‘Okay.’

Jessie talked to Tyrell and his mother, and after a while the nurse went away to take lab forms over to Pathology, leaving Jessie to try to put the woman’s mind at rest.

Gradually, the little boy became drowsy. ‘I think the medication’s doing the trick,’ Jessie commented quietly, keying in the settings for the intravenous fluid pump. The woman nodded, looking relieved.

A moment later, the door of the treatment room swished open and a man said quietly, ‘Is everything all right in here?’

Jessie froze. Surely not … It couldn’t be … could it? The softly accented voice came from behind her. It sounded horribly familiar, and she turned around in shock, only to have her worst fears confirmed.

Her breath caught in her chest. José Benitez was framed in the doorway, looking impressively tall and strong, clad in dark trousers and a crisp shirt with sleeves folded back to the elbows to reveal well-muscled, tanned forearms.

‘Dr Benitez …’ Her heart sank. How could this be happening? Why did he have to turn up here, of all places? In fact, what was he doing here?

He inclined his head briefly in acknowledgement. His eyes were dark and impenetrable. ‘Dr Heywood— Amanda told me I would find you here.’ His gaze moved over her, taking in her glossy chestnut hair, pinned back with filigree clips, before flicking down over her slender figure. ‘How’s our patient doing?’

Our patient. She scrambled her thoughts together. That sounded as though he belonged here. ‘He’s a bit better, I think.’ She hoped the little boy was going to be all right, but she was still worried about the possibility of complications and the matter of whether the fruit would live up to its name of the death apple. She’d never heard of it and she’d no idea of the devastation it could cause. ‘His pain level’s gone right down and he seems to be comfortable for the moment.’

‘I’m glad.’ He picked up the boy’s chart and scanned it for a few seconds before hooking it over the bed rail once more. ‘It looks as though we’ve caught this in time,’ he murmured. He spoke to the boy’s mother for a few minutes, reassuring her about her son’s condition, and then said softly, ‘Perhaps you’ll excuse us, Mrs Dacosta. I must speak to Dr Heywood for a while, but I promise you the nurse will be back with you shortly.’

Jessie’s heart made a heavy, staccato beat as she stood up to leave the room with him. Her throat closed in a spasm of disbelief. She’d had no idea he was a medical doctor—all this time she’d understood him to be a marine biologist, concerned only with the conservation of the coral reefs in the area. How wrong that assumption had turned out to be.

He led the way to his office, which turned out to be a large, comfortably furnished room with a wide window that overlooked a pleasant landscaped area. Outside, palm trees stood out amongst giant ferns and flowering shrubs planted around a cobbled courtyard.

‘Please, sit down,’ he said, waving her over to an upholstered chair by the pale beech wood desk. ‘May I get you a coffee?’ It was merely a polite, formal offer, a way of observing the conventions of civility, but he was already standing by the sleek-looking machine, adding fresh grounds to the filter.

She managed to find her voice. ‘Thank you,’ she accepted, pulling in a quick breath and adding, ‘I had no idea you worked here.’

‘No,’ he agreed. ‘I gathered that. Actually, I’m in charge of the accident and emergency unit.’

She sucked in a breath. So he was her boss? Things were getting worse by the minute. ‘You had the advantage over me,’ she said, unable to stop a tinge of indignation from creeping into her voice. ‘You must have known last night that I would be coming to work here today.’

‘I guessed as much.’ His eyes darkened. ‘It was the one thing that reassured me we would be seeing one another again before too long. I didn’t want to lose you so soon after meeting you.’ He switched on the coffee machine. ‘We needed a doctor to cover for our absent colleague, so I knew you must be her replacement. She’s gone over to the mainland on extended leave due to unexpected family circumstances.’

‘Yet you didn’t think to mention this to me last night?’

He turned towards her and raised a dark brow. ‘Perhaps I might have, but regrettably your brother came along and I think you’ll agree things seemed to go downhill fairly soon after that.’

‘Yes, unfortunately, they did.’ She sent him a troubled glance. Was it really too late to sort this out? Perhaps she ought to try to put things right between them, not only for Ben’s sake but because now it looked as though she would have to find some way to work with this man.

She said cautiously, ‘I’ve had some time to think about my reaction last night and … perhaps I was a bit too hasty. Maybe I should have tried to see things from your point of view a little more. After all, it must have come as a huge shock to you to arrive home and find that strangers had invaded your house. You had every right to be angry, I do appreciate that, and I understand how you must have felt … but it really wasn’t Ben’s fault. You have to understand—I love my brother and I know him through and through. I know he can be a bit wild at times and he has his faults, but he told me he hadn’t organised the party and I believe him.’

He made a faint smile. ‘He’s lucky to have a sister who is so ready to defend him. I hope he appreciates you.’ He pressed a switch and steaming hot coffee spilled into porcelain mugs. ‘Do you take your coffee white or black?’ he asked.

‘White, please.’

He used the steam wand to froth milk in a jug, topped up the coffees and then handed her a cup. ‘Help yourself to sugar.’

‘Thanks.’ He’d listened to what she’d said, but he wasn’t giving anything away. He probably still thought her brother was in the wrong.

She spooned golden sugar crystals into the coffee and then sipped the hot brew carefully, unable to look him in the eye just then. She needed to gather her thoughts.

He was being polite to her, but that didn’t mean he was prepared to forgive her for walking out on him last night. For all she knew, she could be out of a job by the end of the day. She wasn’t used to being wrong-footed, but where this man was concerned it was beginning to look as though it might be something of a natural hazard.

Annoyed with herself for being so reticent, she put down her mug and sent him a wary glance. ‘Am I going to lose this job because of what happened yesterday? I’d like to know where I stand.’

He studied her over the rim of his cup. ‘Maybe we should start again and try to forget what went on between your brother and me. After all, as I said to you before, my quarrel is with him, not with you.’

She acknowledged his concession with a slight nod. It was way more than she might have expected and she was thankful for the reprieve, but inside she was still smarting over the unfairness of the situation.

‘I was hoping you might have had second thoughts about keeping him on.’

‘Not so far.’ His tone was abrupt, his jaw clenching. ‘Shall we agree to put that subject aside for now?’

She nodded reluctantly. What choice did she have? He was unrelenting in his attitude, and that was upsetting because she’d hoped to break through his tough exterior and appeal to his sensitivities. Perhaps he didn’t have any where Ben was concerned.

At the same time, this job was important to her. It wasn’t full-time but, even so, her salary had to pay for the rent of the apartment she was sharing with Ben—a place he’d had to find quickly after he’d been turned out of their father’s house, and for the time being it would have to cover his expenses, too, until he managed to find some other work. ‘I suppose we’d better,’ she murmured.

‘Good.’ He frowned. ‘What exactly were you expecting to get from working here?’ he asked. ‘Yesterday you mentioned you wanted to gain experience before you decide on a specialty—I can see that—but what else? Why here? Were you just hoping to spend some time with your brother and your father?’

He was quizzing her as though this was an interview, but she didn’t see any point in being less than truthful. ‘I was, of course … it means a lot to me to be close to them … but I also wanted to learn something about tropical medicine.’

‘Yet you’re planning to go back to the UK at some point, I expect?’ He looked at her guardedly, as though her answer was important to him. This was only a three-month contract, but perhaps there was a chance it would be extended.

‘Well, yes … but what I learn here will still be useful. With travel opportunities opening up all over the world, it’s probably more important than ever to be able to diagnose unusual illnesses. And who knows, I might decide that I want to stay in the Caribbean.’

‘That’s true.’ He seemed to relax and smiled properly for the first time that morning. ‘I dare say you found yourself treading water in the deep end this morning,’ he remarked. ‘Did you have any idea what kind of poisoning you and Dr Lombard were treating?’

‘None at all,’ she answered. ‘I’d never heard of the manchineel tree—it sounds as though it’s very dangerous.’

‘Oh, it is. That’s why most of the trees are ringed with notices to warn people nowadays. Even touching the leaves can cause blistering, and if you’re unwise enough to park your car near its branches during a rainstorm, you could find the paint stripped from it.’

She looked at him in astonishment. ‘You’re joking!’

He shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not. In the past, the Caribs put their knowledge of the tree’s features to good use. They found a way of dealing with their enemies by poisoning their water supply with leaves from the trees … and they used the sap from the branches to poison their arrows so that their victims would suffer a lingering death.’

Jessie shuddered. ‘I’m glad we’ve managed to become a bit more civilised by now.’

He nodded. ‘So am I. But it wasn’t all bad. If any of the captives managed to escape they might survive if their tribe could treat them soon enough. They used to apply an arrowroot poultice to the wounds to draw out the poison.’

She made a face. ‘I can see how the fruit earned its nickname—but thankfully it looks as though it’s not always fatal. Tyrell will be all right, won’t he?’

‘Yes. He might have some discomfort for up to a couple of weeks, but I’m sure he’ll be fine.’

José put down his cup and became businesslike once more. ‘If you’ve finished your coffee, perhaps I should show you around the unit? It’ll make things easier for you if you get acquainted with the layout of the place from the beginning.’

He laid a hand on her elbow, stirring up all kinds of warring sensations inside her as he gently steered her towards the door. She was all too conscious of his nearness, of his guiding fingers heating her skin. A tingling sensation ran in waves along the length of her arm, leaving her flustered and unsettled. There was no knowing why this man had such a potent effect on her, but after her experience back home, she had to steel herself against him. She couldn’t risk letting herself be ensnared all over again. Besides, the man had sacked her brother. What on earth was wrong with her?

‘You’ve already met Amanda and Robert,’ José murmured, as they walked back into the treatment area. ‘One or other of them will always be around if you need help with anything. I’m usually here, too, unless it’s one of the days, like today, when I leave early to go and help out at the coral reef.’

She frowned. ‘I had it all wrong from the beginning. When Ben mentioned his connection with you and the reef I thought that’s what you did for a living—that you were a marine biologist or some such.’

He smiled. ‘No, nothing like that. I see to the health of the divers and make sure everyone involved in the conservation work is okay. It’s on a part-time basis, but I provide cover whenever I can. We actually need more people to fill in on occasion.’

‘Oh, I see. Ben talks about the conservation sometimes. I know he enjoys helping out at the reef in his spare time.’

He nodded. ‘He’s a good diver and he’s thorough in his research. It’s just a pity he lets things slide in other ways.’

She frowned. ‘He’ll still be able to work with the group, won’t he?’

‘Yes, of course. I’m not in charge of the project.’ His glance moved over her fleetingly. ‘If you were interested, I could show some of the work we do. It would be good to have you come along with me.’

She wasn’t sure how to react to his invitation. Would it be wise to get involved with him outside the hospital? Then again, maybe she could help sort things out for Ben by going along with him? ‘Possibly.’ She made a noncommittal shrug.

José didn’t seem too concerned by her response. Perhaps he felt sure enough of her to bide his time.

By now they had reached the main A and E unit, and he showed her where equipment was stored and where she would find all the necessary forms. Theatre scrubs were kept in the locker rooms, but for the most part the doctors wore their own clothes when treating the children. ‘It’s less frightening for them,’ he said.

Robert joined them a few minutes later as José was telling her about the daily routine in the department and their procedures for admitting patients.

‘Hi.’ He acknowledged José and gave Jessie a quick smile. He seemed preoccupied but said, ‘I have to go and deal with an adult trauma emergency, so I thought you might like to look in on one of my younger patients—she’s a three-year-old and has one of those tropical diseases we have to deal with out here every now and again. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the chikungunya virus?’

Jessie thought about it. ‘Isn’t it spread by the Asian tiger mosquito? It can cause some nasty, flu-like symptoms and a lot of joint pain but, as I understand it, so far there’s no cure.’

‘You’re right.’ Robert’s mouth curved. ‘You’ve obviously been reading up on it.’

‘Well, I thought I ought to do some research if I was going to come out here to work,’ she said quietly. ‘I hope there’s something we can do for the child?’

‘We’ll give her supportive treatment,’ José commented. There was a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. ‘It’s good that you’ve made an effort to get to grips with tropical medicine from the outset. Let’s go and see how she’s doing, shall we?’

‘Okay.’

Robert hurried away to go in search of his trauma patient while Jessie went with José to the paediatric treatment room, where a nurse was looking after the crying infant.

‘Perhaps you’d like to take the lead on this one?’ José suggested, and Jessie gave a cautious nod. This would be a testing time for her, and maybe he meant it to be that way. No matter that he was attracted to her, he was putting her through her paces to make sure he’d hired the right person for the job.

She’d heard of the virus, but she’d never treated anyone who had it, and certainly not a small child.

She spoke quietly to the child’s mother and then attempted to examine the little girl, conscious all the while of José looking on. The toddler was obviously poorly, breathing fast, feverish and irritable, and it took a while to persuade her to let her check her over. Jessie looked at her eyes and mouth, felt her glands and listened to her chest with the stethoscope.

‘She says her arms and legs hurt,’ the mother said, ‘even her hands … and she’s burning up. Her brother has the same virus, but he’s not ill like Marisha. She’s really tired, and short of breath.’

‘It can affect people in different ways,’ Jessie explained, pushing her stethoscope down into the pocket of her cotton jacket, ‘and Marisha does seem to have been unfortunate in her response. We can prescribe anti-inflammatory medication for the pain, though, and it should help to bring down her temperature.’ She turned to the nurse. ‘Would you set up an ECG, please? I’d like to see a printout of her heart rhythm.’

‘Yes, of course.’ The nurse quickly applied pads to Marisha’s chest and started the trace while Jessie took advantage of the distraction to take blood samples from the little girl.

José studied the printout with Jessie. ‘What’s the verdict?’ he asked in a low voice. He was assessing her, she was sure.

‘Her heart rate is too fast—we need to slow that down and that in turn should help slow down her breathing. I suspect the virus has inflamed her heart muscle, causing congestion, so I want to prescribe a cardiac glycoside to regulate the heartbeat, along with a diuretic to control her blood pressure. And she’ll need to have a low-sodium diet until she’s managed to fight off the virus. She needs to rest and build her strength, so with luck she won’t suffer any long-term effects.’

‘Excelente.’ José looked at her with renewed respect. ‘I’ll leave you to see to all that, then,’ he said. ‘She’s obviously in good hands.’ He started to walk away, but gave her a questioning glance. ‘Perhaps we should meet up at lunchtime in the hospital restaurant and you can tell me how things have been going? About one o’clock?’

It sounded like more of a request than a suggestion, and she nodded, watching as he left the room a moment or two later. It seemed she’d passed the test … and relief flowed through her.

‘How has the morning gone for you?’ Robert asked when she ventured into the upper-storey restaurant a couple of hours later. It was a little before one o’clock. He stood alongside her in the queue at the food counter, loading his tray with a dish of curry and rice, and adding a dessert of passion fruit.

‘Fairly well, on the whole, I think,’ she told him with a smile. ‘Amanda’s been helping me out by showing me where equipment is stored, and so on. José showed me a fair amount, but there were bound to be gaps.’

They found a table by a window and Jessie was overwhelmed by the stunning view. Beyond the rolling, green-clad hills away from the town, she glimpsed the glorious deep blue of the sea.

José came to join them after a minute or two. ‘I’m glad to see you’re eating a hearty meal,’ he said, looking with approval at Jessie’s chicken ragout. ‘You need to keep up your energy level in this job.’

He tucked into pork tenderloin with potatoes and root vegetables, listening as Robert and Jessie compared notes on the morning’s work and interjecting occasionally to add a comment.

‘How did you get on with our small patients?’ Robert asked. ‘I know you’ve had some experience in paediatrics.’

‘Oh, the children are lovely,’ she answered. ‘Even the little girl who pushed a bead up her nose and didn’t want to let me touch her.’

Robert chuckled. ‘That’s the only problem with treating youngsters—you need to get their cooperation or you’re stymied.’

‘I saw the girl who had the bead up her nose,’ José said. ‘I looked in on her as her mother was talking to the nurse. Her little brother pulled a pearl from the girl’s hair ornament and tried to copy what she had done. I managed to stop him in the nick of time.’

They chuckled, and the conversation turned to the wonderful view of the harbour and coastline. ‘Have you had a chance to explore any of the island yet?’ Robert asked.

‘Not really.’ She shook her head. ‘I stepped off the plane a couple of days ago and my brother showed me a beach nearby, but apart from that and a quick look around the area close by the apartment I haven’t had much of a chance to do anything more. I can’t wait, though. What I’ve seen is so lovely. I’m really looking forward to visiting different parts of the island.’

‘There’s a small cove not far from here. Perhaps I could show it to you after we finish work here?’ Robert suggested. ‘Unless you’ve made other plans, of course?’

Jessie opened her mouth to answer, but José intervened smoothly, ‘Actually, I was hoping Jessie might want to come along with me to the reef later this afternoon.’ He sent her a quick glance. ‘I thought you might be interested in the work I’m doing—you mentioned you might need to look for some other source of income to keep you going. This would perhaps be ideal for you.’

‘Oh … yes, that’s true, I did. I didn’t realize …’ So there was the chance of working at the reef? That hadn’t occurred to her. She’d been too busy worrying about the pitfalls of spending time with José outside work to see that there might be an advantage in it. ‘Perhaps …’ She looked at Robert. ‘I’d love to go to the cove with you some time,’ she said awkwardly, ‘but maybe I should take this opportunity to see if I would be able to do this? I could really do with the extra income it would bring in.’

‘Of course. I understand. Don’t worry about it,’ Robert said. It was clear he was disappointed, but he put on a cheerful face. ‘We’ll do it some other time.’

José frowned and Jessie sent him a thoughtful look from under her lashes. Had he hoped to stop her from spending time with Robert? Perhaps he had an ulterior motive in getting her to go with him?

Well, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Wouldn’t this be the perfect chance for her to plead Ben’s case once more? After all, the man wasn’t made of stone, was he? ‘After work, then,’ she murmured.

José smiled. ‘Muy bien,’ he said.




CHAPTER THREE (#u89261f58-3574-544a-81be-345925a87952)


LATER THAT SAME DAY, José turned his open-topped car onto the winding coast road, heading towards the harbour. It wasn’t a long journey, but Jessie found herself loving every minute of it, watching the landscape change from the town with its pleasant market squares shaded by tamarind trees and palms, through forest-clad slopes and the gentle, undulating hills that led down to the clear blue waters of the marina. The sun was warm on her face and the soft breeze lifted her hair.

‘Is it far to the reef?’ she asked, after they’d reached their destination and he’d parked the car.

‘Just a few minutes once we’re on the boat,’ he murmured. He lifted a case from the boot and they started to walk along the quayside. There were boats of all sizes in the yacht basin, their paintwork gleaming in the bright afternoon sunshine.

They followed a wooden mooring platform until José came to a halt by a large yacht, the Bella Rosa, white painted, with glittering steel guard rails all around the deck. Jessie stared at it. She was stunned.

‘Is this yours?’

He nodded. ‘I bought it about three years ago so that I could cruise around the islands and travel to the reef whenever I wanted. She’s beautifully kitted out. I think you’ll like her. I hope you do. Come on board and see what you think.’ He opened up the deck gate and put out a hand to help her on board.

His grasp was strong and firm as he drew her along the ramp, keeping her close to him. He was long and lean, full of lithe energy, and as he helped her onto the deck, he was so near her that she could feel the warmth coming from his body. She felt the brush of his thigh against hers and her pulse quickened, heat rising in her. When he finally released her she felt almost disappointed.

She did her best to shake off those feelings. He was her boss and there was trouble between him and her brother—surely it was extremely unwise to be seduced into having such a strong awareness of him? She had to stop herself from being enticed into any kind of emotional attachment—she’d been hurt before, and who was to say José wouldn’t turn out to be exactly the same kind of man?

Now, though, she looked around the yacht in openmouthed wonder. Sun glinted on the polished, golden timbers of the deck, and glazed doors opened into a spacious salon that had been fitted out with sleek upholstered sofas and a low table. Wide, deep windows provided a panoramic view of the harbour.

Everything here was perfection, and she could imagine sitting here, taking in the air with an aperitif in hand. ‘Wow,’ she said, and couldn’t resist smiling. ‘Just … wow!’

He chuckled at her bemused expression. ‘Let me show you around below deck.’

They went down into the galley, where pale oak exteriors housed a variety of equipment. ‘There’s a cooker, microwave, fridge and freezer,’ he told her. ‘Pretty much everything you might need.’

The boat housed two cabins as well as the master suite, each one beautifully fitted out with the same pale oak that was the recurring theme throughout the boat. This was repeated in the main salon, where the woodwork gleamed faintly and luxurious fabrics added to the feeling of opulence. The room opened out into a dining area, and light poured in through windows all around.

‘It’s fantastic,’ she said. ‘I’m very impressed. I must say, this is a novel way to travel to work.’

He smiled. ‘I guess it’s the best there is.’

He took a bottle from the fridge in the galley before they went back on to the upper deck, and once there he produced a couple of long-stemmed glasses from a glazed unit in the cockpit.

‘This isn’t alcoholic, I’m afraid,’ he murmured, pouring sparkling wine into the champagne flutes, ‘as I have to pilot the boat and then be fit for work, but it’s refreshing … and you can drink as much of it as you like.’ He handed her a glass, then lifted his to hers with a gentle clink. His smoky gaze met hers over the rim. ‘Salud!’

‘Salud!’ she echoed in a quiet voice, and then began to waver under that intense, heated stare. She sipped her drink slowly, breaking off that eye contact.

He didn’t say anything more but downed his wine and then, almost reluctantly, turned his attention to setting the boat in motion. She was relieved the moment had passed.

They sped across the water, heading towards a green outcrop some half a mile away, and after a few minutes José brought the boat to a halt at the dive site. Several men milled about on board another boat that was moored there. They were wearing wetsuits or shorts, and they were helping each other with equipment, compressed air tanks and masks and so on.

‘Holà! Is everyone all right?’ José called out, and they nodded. ‘That’s good. Permission to come aboard?’

‘Aye, come on over.’ The skipper grinned.

José retrieved his case and pulled out a large medical bag from one of the storage units on board, and then helped Jessie off the yacht and onto the dive boat. ‘Let’s hope the dive goes smoothly,’ he said.

They stood on the open deck and watched as the men took to the water. ‘What are they looking for down there?’ Jessie asked. ‘I mean, this is a conservation project—so what does that involve?’

‘A few of the reefs in the Caribbean have been damaged over the years, for a number of reasons,’ José explained. ‘If the sea warms up too much because of climate changes, for instance, it can cause the coral to die off, or certain species of fish can cause problems by overfeeding. In time, algae and seaweed cover the reefs and block out the light.’

‘Can something be done about that?’

He nodded. ‘We reseed the reef with fast-growing coral species—we’re having some success out here, and with luck we’ve managed to turn things around.’

He waved her to a chair on the deck by the guardrail. ‘Please, sit down.’ He took a seat next to her and opened the case he had brought with him, revealing a hamper full of mouth-watering food. ‘I thought you might be getting hungry by now,’ he said, ‘so I stopped off at the restaurant and put together a hamper. Help yourself.’ He handed her a plate and serviette, along with some cutlery.

‘That was very thoughtful of you,’ she said. It was totally unexpected, too, and she warmed to him even more. She’d been wondering when she might get to eat again. ‘It looks delicious.’ Her eyes widened at the variety of the contents—tortilla wraps filled with chicken, peppers, red onion and salad greens, along with potato salad and what turned out to be spicy corn bread. ‘Mmm, this is good,’ she murmured appreciatively, biting into a tortilla a moment later. ‘I didn’t realize I was quite so hungry.’

He opened a bottle of wine, filled a glass with the sparkling liquid and then passed it to her. ‘There’s coleslaw, as well,’ he said, searching in the case and bringing out a container. ‘And a tropical fruit salad for afterwards, as well as some fruit tarts.’

‘You’ve thought of everything,’ she said, smiling. ‘This is wonderful.’ She sent him an impish look. ‘Is this how you spend all your working days out at the reef?’

He laughed. ‘Not exactly. But today is rather different.’ He looked her over, smiling. ‘Today you are here.’ The look he gave her made her insides tingle.

She blinked and swallowed hard. To bring things back on to an even keel, she asked quietly, ‘So what does the work involve?’

He spooned black bean and rice salad onto his plate. ‘I have to check the general health of the divers on a regular basis, and sort out any problems they might have. I need to keep up-to-date records, and I have to be here in case they get into difficulties. Mostly, the problems we see are to do with ear troubles and pressure injuries, as well as the occasional graze or scrape. These men are experienced divers, so on the whole they know how to avoid trouble. Even so, diving is a dangerous activity and we have to be constantly alert to things that might go wrong.’

She sipped her wine and looked out over the glittering blue water. A glint of silver caught her eye and she gave a small gasp of excitement as a flying fish leaped from the water and glided through the air on wing-like fins for a few moments before descending once more.

‘That’s one way to avoid being caught by underwater prey, I suppose,’ José said with a smile.

‘It’s amazing, so sleek and graceful. I’ve never seen anything like that before.’

She peered into the clear water and was rewarded by the passing of a shoal of exotic, brightly coloured parrotfish. She could see how they got their name—the external teeth formed what looked like a beak.

‘Ben tells me about his dives sometimes,’ she said, animated by everything around her. ‘He says there are pinnacles down there, draped in seaweed, that look like trees and sway about in the water. And he showed me an underwater video he’d made of the reef, where you can see giant clams, sea anemones and sea fans—there was even a turtle trying to eat a sponge. It made it look as though diving down there is a wonderful experience.’

‘It is. You could try a dive yourself one day, or maybe look at the reef by spending some time on a glass-bottomed boat.’

‘Yes, I might do that.’ She picked up an apricot-glazed fruit tart and bit into it, savouring the sweet taste on her tongue. ‘Oh, I think I’m in heaven,’ she murmured, closing her eyes briefly.




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