Trust was dangerous.

He might find himself actually prepared to forgive her and risk further rejection of an interest he should never have revealed in the first place.

It would be a relief to finish this surgery. He should have sent Sarah away to rest. He was too aware of her standing so close. He could even smell a faint scent of her—an occasional waft of something fresh like a fruit-flavoured shampoo that cut through the clinical smell of the operating theatre.

He could sense every tiny movement she made, and when their hands touched, as they did now, with the passing of a fresh suture needle and thread, Ben could feel the astonishing tingle of her skin even through the gloves.

Or was it just his skin that tingled?

Dear Reader

Stories only work when the characters become real to both the writer and you, the reader. The characters’ pasts strongly influence the way they behave in the present, and some characters can be powerful enough to refuse to stay in the background for long. A MOTHER FOR HIS FAMILY is Sarah Mitchell’s story.

But Sarah’s foster-sister, Tori, refused to say in the background. She demanded a story of her own.

Emergency nurse Tori is just looking for fun! She hopes to have kids of her own one day, but not yet—and the idea of taking on somebody else’s? No way! So, no matter how gorgeous Dr Matthew Buchanan is, his four orphaned nieces and nephews are a big no-no—aren’t they…?

Sarah Mitchell and Tori Preston are foster-sisters, best friends and fellow nurses. They’re as different in personality as they are in looks. These two women shared so much in the past, but have very different issues now, affecting their lives and their relationships with the men they love.

I hope you enjoy their stories and share the happiness they both eventually find.

With love

Alison Roberts

A Mother for His Family
Alison Roberts

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER ONE

‘YES!’

Sarah Mitchell was only on page ten of the romantic saga she had found in the airport bookshop but already she was hooked. Her companion’s exclamation was startling, to say the least, and Sarah’s response was wary.

‘Yes, what?’

‘That’s him.’

‘Who?’

‘The father of my children.’

‘Oh, no!’ Reluctantly, Sarah closed her book. Her eyelids temporarily followed suit as she sighed. ‘Tori, it was your idea to come here for a break, remember?’

‘To have fun,’ Tori agreed happily. ‘Something you don’t get nearly enough of.’

‘A winter escape,’ Sarah continued. ‘Sun, sand and surf. Sex was not on the agenda. We agreed!’

‘That was before it climbed out of that boat.’

‘What climbed out?’ Sarah opened her eyes and pushed herself up on her elbows. It was only 10 a.m. but already hot enough for the turquoise expanse of the sea to look extremely inviting.

‘The most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my life. Look!’

The landing jetty for the Fijian island resort was not too far down the beach. The man who had climbed out of the small boat was now standing in ankle-deep water with several small children hanging onto his hands.

‘He likes kids,’ Tori pronounced gleefully.

‘He’s probably got six of his own. Like Robert.’

‘Robert only had two.’

‘And a wife to go with them. One that he wasn’t going to bother telling you about, remember?’

‘Yeah...’ Tori sighed and then shook her head. ‘That was months ago. I’m over it.’ She flashed a grin at Sarah. ‘Life does go on, you know.’

The sparkle was irresistible and Sarah had to smile back. Heavens, they’d had little enough to smile about over the last year, hadn’t they? What harm could there be in enjoying a little eye candy?

They both watched as the man accepted a large hibiscus flower from an older child. He pushed the stalk of the vibrant orange bloom through thick waves of dark hair to anchor it behind his left ear.

‘The left ear,’ Tori breathed. ‘That’s supposed to signify availability, isn’t it?’

‘I think it only applies to women,’ Sarah countered. ‘And anyway he’s not an islander.’

‘He seems to know everyone. I wonder who he is?’

‘Looks like a pilot.’ Sarah had to admit it was hard to look away from the expanse of lean, tanned limbs showing around the uniform-like pale shorts and an open-necked, short-sleeved shirt that had a tropical pattern to rival the hibiscus bloom. ‘Or maybe he drives one of those tourist launches.’

‘I think we should book a day trip.’

‘We only just got here yesterday! I want to lie on the beach and soak up some sun.’ Sarah rolled to lean on one elbow and reached for the satisfyingly thick paperback beside her towel. ‘I’ll go for a swim every time I get too hot reading my book.’

Tori made a sound that could have been a growl. Then it turned into a squeak. ‘He’s coming this way! Help!’

‘Just smile and bat your eyelashes,’ Sarah muttered. ‘Seems to work for you most times.’

She wasn’t jealous. She loved Tori enough to be thankful that she was young and attractive, vivacious and determined to enjoy life. That courage had pulled Sarah away from some of the bleakness of the last few months. ‘Mum hated to see people unhappy,’ she had reminded Sarah gently. ‘I’ll bet she’s watching you right now and making those “tch-tch” noises.’

Sometimes a little of that bounce even rubbed off onto Sarah and let her do something expensively self-indulgent, like taking a week’s holiday on a tropical island in the middle of winter.

She hoped she hadn’t sounded jealous. Or older-sister crusty. But, for heaven’s sake, Tori needed someone to watch out for her. That romance with Robert had been a total disaster and just too much to handle on top of Mum’s death. The desire to see a little of Tori’s sparkle return had been the deciding factor to her agreeing to this holiday, but a sparkle associated with another man was the last thing Tori needed.

‘Morning, ladies. Lovely day for it.’

It would be too rude to keep pretending to read her book. Sarah peered over the top of her sunglasses and got the full blast of the man at very close quarters as he slowed his progress along the beach to a halt.

‘Perfect!’ Tori was smiling broadly and Sarah knew it wasn’t just the weather she was praising.

‘Just arrived?’

‘Yesterday.’

‘Enjoying yourselves?’

‘It just keeps getting better.’

Sarah disguised the twitch of her lips by smiling at the more serious-looking older boy who seemed to be guarding a large fishing-tackle kit.

‘Bula.’

She was rewarded for using the island greeting by a chorus of responses and gleaming grins on small, dark faces, but the girl holding one of the man’s hands in both of hers buried her face with its halo of fuzzy dark curls against the pale shorts.

Sarah’s smile softened and she glanced up, wondering if the man was aware of his small companion’s shyness. The instant answer she found in a pair of very dark eyes was disconcerting. The way he swung the child up into his arms and kissed her cheek gently as he gave her a cuddle was utterly charming. He settled her onto one hip and there was a slight scuffle as the other children raced to claim his free hand.

‘Better go,’ he said. ‘Have a great holiday.’

‘Thanks, we will,’ Sarah said politely.

‘You, too!’ Tori called after him.

He laughed. ‘Some of us are here to work, not play.’ He turned his head a few steps later and he was still smiling. ‘Tough job,’ he said sternly, ‘but, hey! Someone’s gotta do it.’

* * *

Water slid over her skin like the touch of satin sheets on an overly hot summer’s night. Waves, too lazy to break until they reached the shore, rocked her gently and tiny, brightly coloured fish darted through the crystal clarity of the shallows like jewels.

‘This is bliss,’ Sarah sighed happily. ‘Seven whole days of absolute paradise. I’m so glad you talked me into this, Tori.’

‘We should go and get some lunch.’

‘It’s only eleven o’clock. The restaurant won’t be open yet.’

‘You can get snacks any time and I’m starving!’

‘Get one of the islanders to knock a coconut down for you. Look, there’s someone near our bure right now.’

Sarah waved towards the thatched hut, set amongst the coconut palms only a stone’s throw from the beach, aware of yet another contented smile pulling at her lips. While the hut looked primitive and totally in keeping with the setting from the outside, the interior could only be described as luxurious. Even the huge gecko attached to their ceiling by its sticky feet hadn’t distracted them from admiring the furnishings and bathroom facilities or enjoying the champagne and basket of tropical fruit awaiting their arrival.

Tori stood up, water flowing from the red bikini that covered her curves. She shook her head, releasing a spray of droplets from her curly blonde hair.

‘He’d know, wouldn’t he?’

‘About coconuts? Sure.’

‘No, about that man. Who he is. He said he worked here, didn’t he?’

‘Well, he said he was here to work. I’m not sure that’s quite the same thing.’

‘Maybe he’s a film director checking out a new location.’

‘Or a novelist, trying to find a quiet spot to finish off his latest bestseller.’

‘Maybe he owns this resort!’ Tori’s eyes widened dramatically as she considered the fabulous possibilities. Then she made a decisive move towards the beach, swooping to collect her towel and sunglasses. ‘I’ll find out,’ she announced. ‘Watch this space!’

The space didn’t stay empty for long. Tori was back within minutes, splashing excitedly through the shallows and then wading in to where Sarah was floating on her back.

‘He’s a doctor!’ she reported breathlessly. ‘“Doctor Ben”, they call him. He’s come to see one of the women in the village. Sounds like she’s having a baby any day now.’

‘So that’s why that boy was carrying the kit. I thought it was a bit odd to have fishing tackle and no rod.’

‘I asked if there was a “Mrs Ben”, but I don’t think he understood.’ Tori was frowning. ‘That was when he started talking about the “missus” in the village who’s having a baby.’

‘Why don’t you sprain your ankle or something? Just in time for when he comes back along the beach.’

Tori appeared to give the tongue-in-cheek suggestion serious thought but then laughed.

‘I think going to the restaurant is a much better idea. We can see the boats from the deck by that pool. He might even have lunch there himself.’ Tori was off again. ‘I’m going to get changed and do something with my hair!’

* * *

It didn’t matter what route they chose to take. Paths that meandered beneath the palms, between accommodation and service bures, past a chapel and even a tiny fire station, eventually all led to the central complex that was the resort’s hub. Neither did it matter how long it took to get there. They were on island time now and Sarah had actually taken off her watch and dropped it into her suitcase when she’d gone inside to shower after her swim.

The sense of escaping more than just a timetable was heady. The atmosphere of this tropical playground offered the promise of finding whatever they might be searching for. They could choose the peace of simply soaking up the sunshine, lazing in water just cool enough to be refreshing or strolling along walkways shaded by exotic trees. Or they could go for the excitement of scuba-diving, windsurfing or parasailing. Right now, peace was something Sarah craved. Time out after a tough year.

The cry that interrupted their ambling progress past the turtle nursery was anything but peaceful.

‘What on earth was that?’

‘Sounds like someone’s been hurt.’

‘Where did it come from?’

‘Just over there.’ Sarah was already moving, heading away from the path and through a thick clump of hibiscus bushes. ‘I think it’s the miniature golf course.’

An elderly woman was lying on the ground. Her companion was holding her hand.

‘Marjorie! Are you all right, darling?’

‘Hi. My name’s Sarah. I’m a nurse. Can I help?’

‘She fell over. Marjorie?’

‘I’m fine, Stanley. Don’t fuss.’ The woman was struggling to sit up.

‘Does anything hurt?’

‘I don’t think so. Help me up, Stanley.’ Marjorie held up her hands but cried out as she tried to stand up. ‘My ankle! Ah-h!’

‘Let’s sit her down,’ Sarah instructed. ‘On that turtle.’ She looked up to engage Tori’s assistance as she helped support the woman, but to her surprise she was alone with the elderly couple. Tori must have gone to find help, she decided. And suddenly her absence wasn’t so surprising. Sarah could guess precisely whose help she would be seeking.

The large concrete turtle crouching over one of the target holes for the golf course made an excellent seat. Sarah was pleased to see some colour returning to Marjorie’s cheeks.

‘Damn and blast!’ the woman exclaimed. ‘I knew these sandals were going to be trouble.’

‘Does anything else hurt?’ Sarah asked. ‘Did you hit your head when you fell?’

‘Would take more than concrete to knock Marj out,’ Stanley said.

Sarah smiled. ‘Can you remember what happened? Were you feeling unwell in any way before you fell?’

‘No, I’m as fit as a fiddle. It was these sandals. I came down that hill too fast and turned my foot.’

‘She was excited,’ Stanley explained. ‘She got a hole in one under that turtle.’

‘I did, didn’t I?’ Marjorie beamed at Stanley. ‘Not so dusty for an old girl, huh?’

Sarah’s smile widened. ‘How old are you, Marjorie?’

‘Seventy-seven.’ Marjorie leaned towards Sarah. ‘Stanley’s only sixty-eight. Take my advice, sweetie. Always go for a younger man.’

‘We’re on our honeymoon,’ Stanley added proudly. ‘We got married here, on the beach.’

‘Oh, how lovely! I’ve always thought that a tropical island wedding would be just perfect.’

‘It was.’ Marjorie nodded. ‘Until now.’ She groaned. ‘Do you think I’ve broken it?’

‘Let’s have a look.’ Sarah eased a sandal with a high cork sole from Marjorie’s foot.

Stanley was holding Marjorie’s hand again and looking very anxious. They both watched as Sarah carefully examined the foot and ankle.

‘Can you wiggle your toes?’

Brightly painted toenails waggled a little feebly.

‘Try moving the whole foot.’

‘Ouch!’ Marjorie exclaimed. Then she tried again. ‘It’s not so bad,’ she decided.

‘I don’t think anything’s broken,’ Sarah told her finally. ‘It looks like a sprain to me. What we need is some ice and a bandage and somewhere for Marjorie to put her foot up for a while.’

Marjorie’s face creased with disappointment. ‘But we were going to go snorkelling this afternoon.’

‘See how it feels a bit later.’ Sarah stood up. ‘I’ll see if I can find someone to help. I believe there’s a doctor on the island at the moment, in fact.’

‘That wouldn’t be him, would it?’

Stanley pointed past her shoulder in the direction of the turtle pond and it didn’t really surprise Sarah at all to see Tori coming towards them with ‘Doctor Ben’ in tow. The boy carrying the kit was still with him but the other children had vanished.

Tori looked very happy. ‘This is Ben Dawson, Sarah. He’s a doctor. Wasn’t it lucky I spotted him after we heard that screaming?’

‘I didn’t scream,’ Marjorie protested. ‘I never scream, do I, Stanley?’

‘You came pretty close the other night,’ Stanley murmured.

‘Stanley!’

‘This is Marjorie, Dr Dawson.’ Sarah was struggling to keep a straight face and Tori’s smothering of a giggle was not entirely successful. ‘She tripped over and turned her ankle. No prior symptoms and she doesn’t appear to have injured anything else.’

‘Call me Ben.’ Dark eyes were twinkling as Ben made no serious attempt to hide his enjoyment of this scene. ‘You got married the other day, didn’t you, Marjorie?’

‘Sure did, Doctor. Best thing that’s happened to me in a few decades.’

‘I saw the wedding from a distance,’ Ben said. ‘Gorgeous dress.’ He smiled at Stanley. ‘I liked the white suit, too. Perfect choice for a beach wedding.’

‘We’ve only got two days of our honeymoon left,’ Marjorie told him. ‘Sarah says my ankle’s not broken and she’s a nurse so she should know, shouldn’t she?’

‘Absolutely.’ Ben smiled at Sarah and then turned to include Tori in the group. ‘This is Sarah’s friend, Tori, and she’s a nurse as well. You’ve just about got a whole emergency department here. Isn’t that lucky?’

Marjorie didn’t seem overly impressed. ‘I don’t need a department. I need to know that I can go snorkelling this afternoon.

‘I suggested ice,’ Sarah said. ‘And a bandage and elevation—at least for a while.’

‘Sounds like good advice to me. How ’bout I check that ankle out?’ His glance at Sarah looked suspiciously like a wink. ‘A second opinion can’t hurt, can it?’

Oh, he was charming all right. How many doctors would be prepared to simply back up the diagnosis of a nurse? He was doing exactly what he should be doing as a more highly qualified professional but he was managing to make it seem like an unnecessary formality.

‘RICE,’ he pronounced a short time later. ‘Rest, ice, compression and elevation.’

‘Exactly what Sarah said.’ Stanley nodded. ‘Except for that compression bit.’

‘That’s the bandage,’ Ben told him. ‘And I expect my assistant, Josefa, knows just where to find one.’

The lanky teenager’s face lit up in a grin. The kit was open in a flash and three sizes of bandage were produced for Ben to choose from. Josefa ran off just as eagerly when Ben explained the need for an ice pack. Tori supported Marjorie’s ankle while Ben did an expert job of the bandaging. Sarah wondered if he noticed, as she did, how often Tori’s hand seemed to get just a little in the way.

‘Now, let’s get you back to your bure for a rest,’ Ben declared finally. To Marjorie’s evident delight, he effortlessly picked the elderly woman up in his arms.

‘I’ve been swept off my feet,’ she cried happily.

‘I thought I did that,’ Stanley grumbled.

‘It’s OK, Stanley.’ Ben grinned. ‘I’m not half as handsome as you and I promise I’ll give her back. Now, which direction is your bure?’

‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Marjorie said firmly. ‘I might have to sit but I’m not going to waste the rest of my day. I want to sit by the pool where I can look at something more interesting than my foot.’

‘We could have some lunch.’

‘And champagne, Stanley. Don’t forget we’re on our honeymoon.’

‘Lunch sounds like an excellent idea,’ Ben said. ‘I’m heading that way myself so I’ll be able to keep an eye on you, Marjorie. I don’t want to see you dancing on any of those tables.’

Marjorie actually giggled and Sarah fell back behind the group as she shook her head imperceptibly. Ben Dawson was clearly a hit with ladies of all ages. If she had been feeling unkind she would have labelled him a flirt but it was hard to feel unkind with the sunshine and warmth and laughter all around her.

Tori fell back to keep step with Sarah. ‘Lunch,’ she murmured. ‘Told you my idea was the best.’

‘It was the sprained ankle that worked,’ Sarah whispered back. ‘Just lucky it didn’t have to be yours.’

‘Yeah.’ Tori laughed and her voice rose unconsciously. ‘Nothing to stop me dancing on a table or two, is there?’

Stanley and Ben both turned. Both men had an identical appreciative expression and Sarah almost groaned aloud.

‘I sincerely hope you won’t,’ she muttered.

‘Don’t worry.’ Tori ducked to sweep up some hibiscus blooms lying beneath a nearby bush. ‘I’m far too hungry.’ She handed one of the flowers to Sarah and then poked another behind her ear.

‘Is it the left ear if you’re single?’ she asked nobody in particular.

‘Couldn’t say for sure,’ Ben responded. ‘But I think that’s how it goes.’

‘You’ve lost yours,’ Tori told him. ‘Would you like another?’

‘Sure.’ Ben’s pause allowed Tori to stand on tiptoe and position the flower.

‘On the left for you, too?’

‘Absolutely.’

He turned to cast a meaningful look at the flower Sarah held. She blushed, trying to wipe off any ‘here we go again’ expression she had been unconsciously adopting as she watched Tori. She poked the stalk of her bloom through a buttonhole on her soft shirt, the tails of which she had knotted loosely around her waist.

‘Ah...a woman of mystery,’ Ben said.

‘Keep it that way, honey,’ Marjorie piped up from his arms. ‘Keep ’em guessing and you’ll keep ’em interested.’

The laughter covered what could have been an embarrassing moment and then they were in the main complex. Josefa was waiting, having gathered a bag of ice from the bar. A lounge chair was found, as well as cushions to raise Marjorie’s foot, a matching chair for Stanley and a bottle of complimentary champagne from a resort manager who was upset to learn of the accident.

Finally Sarah and Tori were settled at a table shaded by a bougainvillea-draped pergola, plates piled high with samples of the chargrilled chicken and fish from the outdoor barbecues and a range of the most delicious-looking salads. The view was just as enticing, with the pergola framing a section of the lagoon where a group of new arrivals was being welcomed with necklaces of tropical flowers and a traditional song with a guitar accompaniment.

‘Mind if I join you?’

Tori, her mouth full of chicken, kicked Sarah under the table.

‘Please, do,’ she said politely to Ben.

He sat down, immediately spearing a mouthful of perfectly grilled fish from his plate. ‘Mmm,’ he said, seconds later. ‘You made the right choice of resort. They have the best cooks here.’

‘Do you cover all the resorts?’ Tori queried.

Ben shook his head. ‘I happen to live quite close to this one so I’ve become a kind of honorary GP. I do visit a few islands that have larger villages to run the occasional clinic and I’m on call for emergencies, of course.’

‘Like sunburn?’ Sarah wished she had kept her mouth shut as Ben flicked her a surprised glance.

‘It’s quite easy to get seriously burnt in this climate,’ he said. ‘I hope you’re both being careful.’

‘You weren’t here for an emergency today, though, were you?’ Tori was clearly making an effort to distract Ben from any acidity Sarah’s comment might have contained.

‘No. I’m popping in every day to keep an eye on a patient whose blood pressure needs monitoring.’

‘The one due to have the baby?’

Ben looked surprised again. ‘How did you know that?’

‘We heard about you.’ Tori sounded perfectly innocent but her smile suggested that the information had all been good.

Ben returned the smile. ‘You have an advantage over me, then.’ He ate in silence for a minute. ‘So...tell me about you.’

The glance was intended to draw Sarah into the conversation and she was happy to comply.

‘We’re both nurses,’ she reminded him. ‘I’m in paediatrics and Tori’s in the emergency department at the moment.’

‘Where are you from?’

‘New Zealand. Auckland.’

‘The largest city, right?’

Sarah nodded. ‘And you? You sound English.’

Ben mirrored her nod. ‘I’m a Londoner through and through.’

‘Bit of a change working here, then.’

‘A dream job,’ Tori declared. ‘Do you need any nurses?’

Ben laughed. ‘It’s not all free lunches at luxury resorts. I do work a couple of days a week at a hospital in Suva.’

‘But you don’t live on the main island?’

‘No. I have my own little beach.’ For an instant, Ben’s face was shuttered. Then he smiled at Tori. ‘How long are you here for?’

‘Only a week.’ Tori wrinkled her nose. ‘I have a feeling it’s not going to be nearly long enough.’

‘You’ll just have to make the most of every minute.’

‘Oh, I intend to.’

Sarah ate her way through a wonderful salad that combined mango and pawpaw with rice and some flavours she couldn’t identify. She felt shut out already but she wasn’t going to spoil Tori’s fun. If she needed a holiday romance to make her happy, why not? Maybe the gorgeous Ben would actually turn out to be the love of her life and they would settle in their island paradise and live happily ever after.

Tuning back into the conservation at the table became unavoidable as Sarah realised that Tori was beginning to cover some rather personal ground.

‘It was Sarah that mostly nursed Mum through the last few weeks after the second stroke,’ she was saying. ‘So it was even harder on her.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ Ben sounded very sincere but then his tone changed. ‘You two are sisters?’

Sarah met the curious glance defensively. Yes, she was taller than Tori, her hair long, straight and dark in contrast to bouncy blonde curls and her body lean and lacking any attractive curves. And, yes, their personalities were just as different and Sarah was not about to bare her soul or anything else to a stranger.

‘Foster-sisters.’ Tori seemed unaware of any warning signals Sarah was emanating. ‘But it’s been the real thing for ever as far as I’m concerned. Sas came to live with us when she was fourteen and I was eight.’ Tori’s smile at Sarah was loving. ‘I’d always wanted an older sister I could annoy.’ She laughed. ‘I’m twenty-four now and I still manage to annoy her.’

‘Only sometimes,’ Sarah said mildly. ‘But I’m sure Ben isn’t interested in hearing the details of our family history.’

Her disapproval of sharing personal information hadn’t been masked as well as she’d thought but the slightly awkward silence that fell was broken only seconds later as a woman wearing a silky white sarong paused by their table.

‘Ben! How lovely to see you again.’ She laughed at his obvious mental scramble. ‘Lisa,’ she supplied. ‘I was here this time last year.’

‘Ah...’ Ben’s face cleared. ‘Sunburn.’

Lisa smiled. ‘I hope I thanked you properly for taking such good care of me.’

‘Of course.’ Ben cleared his throat, looking vaguely uncomfortable.

Lisa was looking over the top of her sunglasses at Tori, and Sarah had a wild desire to laugh aloud. Was this one of last year’s conquests eyeing up the competition?

She put down her fork, her appetite suddenly sated. OK, she probably couldn’t stop Tori if she wanted to have a fling but she would have to make sure Tori didn’t have any dreams about it being the real thing. Ben Dawson might be incredibly good looking and charming but he was a flirt. A playboy. A complete lightweight who had set himself up in a perfect playground with an enticingly large field of probably very willing playmates.

Sarah wanted no part of it. She especially didn’t want someone like this knowing too much about her. Sympathy, however sincere it might be, concerning her appalling childhood would not be welcome. At least even Tori’s trusting openness couldn’t reveal everything. There had only ever been one person who had known all there was to know about her and sadly she had taken Sarah’s secrets with her to her grave only six months ago.

The woman in the sarong had moved on now. Ben stood up.

‘I’ve got a bit of housekeeping to do at the medical centre,’ he excused himself. ‘I’d better get on with it.’

‘You’ve got a medical centre here?’

‘Just a small one,’ he responded to Tori. ‘Would you like to see it?’

She nodded, pushing her chair back. ‘Coming, Sas?’

Sarah shook her head. ‘I might go and have a chat to Marjorie and see how her ankle is doing. Then I intend to go and flop on the beach with my book.’

Tori turned back and Sarah knew that if she wanted company she only had to say so. However attracted Tori was to Ben Dawson, at present it was simply intended as fun. If Sarah needed her, there was no question of where her loyalties would lie.

So Sarah smiled encouragingly. ‘You go,’ she told Tori. ‘You’ll know where to find me later.’

‘Are you sure you don’t want to come?’

‘Absolutely.’ Sarah’s use of the affirmation Ben seemed to prefer was deliberate.

Dark eyes regarded her with a quizzical expression but his smile was more than simply courteous. ‘Nice meeting you, Sarah. And thanks for your help with Marjorie.’

‘It was a pleasure.’

‘Let’s hope the rest of your holiday isn’t interrupted by further medical dramas.’

‘Or any other sort,’ Sarah murmured.

‘Indeed.’ Ben held her gaze just long enough to let her know he had received her message. Then he turned to Tori and his easy grin surfaced again. He crooked his elbow. ‘Shall we?’

‘Absolutely.’ Tori slid her arm through his, turned to give Sarah a gleeful glance and then they were gone, screened by the palms lining the pathway to the main building complex.

Sarah stood up slowly, oddly disappointed that her suspicions regarding Ben’s integrity had been so readily confirmed. Then she shrugged inwardly. What business of hers was it, anyway? She wasn’t her sister’s keeper and spending some time alone would not detract in any way from her enjoyment of these surroundings. Sarah Mitchell had learned very early in life that her own company could be preferable at times.

She didn’t have to be by herself right now, anyway. Shading her eyes, she gazed towards the pool.

‘Yoohoo!’ Marjorie raised a champagne flute in her direction. ‘Over here, darling! We’ve saved a glass for you.’

CHAPTER TWO

‘IT’S you he’s interested in.’

Sarah snorted. ‘Yeah, sure.’

‘I’m serious.’ Tori buried her spoon into the bowl of fruit salad she had chosen for dessert. ‘Is that mango or pawpaw, do you think?’ She popped it into her mouth without waiting for Sarah’s opinion and sighed with pleasure. ‘Mmm. Whatever it is, it’s delicious.’

The dance floor of the resort’s main restaurant was being taken over by a group of islanders as Sarah and Tori finished their dinner. Men crouched to one side, holding small drums, and the women lined up, barefoot. Grass skirts swirled and rustled as they moved and the garlands of tropical flowers in their hair and around their wrists and necks added vibrant colour to the scene. Sarah turned her chair so she could watch the performance and from the first unaccompanied notes of rich harmony as the group started singing she was utterly captivated.

The song was joyous, the faces smiling, but somewhere in the layers of harmony there was a poignant sound that recognised how suffering could contribute to happiness. Sarah had never heard anything like it and was moved almost to tears. Then the mood changed and the women stamped their feet to the beat of the drums. The music soared with the new tempo and it was impossible not to tap her feet and clap along with it.

It wasn’t until she was clapping until her hands hurt at the end of the performance that Sarah noticed Tori’s face.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘You were practically dancing on the table, Sas.’

‘I was not!’

‘Yes, you were!’ Tori was still grinning. ‘If Ben had seen you just now he wouldn’t think you were so uptight.’ She stood up. ‘Let’s go for a walk on the beach. I want to see the last of that sunset.’

Sarah followed but she wasn’t thinking about any sunsets. She had been ignoring Tori’s odd comments about Ben ever since she had come back from her tour of the medical centre, but this one had touched a real nerve.

‘Did he actually say he thought I was uptight?’

Tori nodded. ‘He asked what your problem was—and if it was all men you didn’t trust or just him in particular?’

Sarah chuckled. ‘Both.’ But her amusement faded rapidly. How could he have seen so much in such a short space of time? Especially when she knew how good she was at keeping things hidden. ‘I hope you didn’t spend your whole time together talking about me.’

‘Enough to give me the distinct impression that it’s not my company he would prefer. I’m happy to back off, Sas. Why don’t you give him a chance?’

‘Even if I was desperate for a man—which I’m not—he’d be the last one I’d choose.’

‘Why?’

‘He’s not attractive.’ If she said it firmly enough, she would believe it. Wouldn’t she?

Tori certainly didn’t. ‘Oh, come on! He’s gorgeous! Kind of halfway between Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson, I thought.’

‘Looks aren’t everything. You should have learned that much from Robert.’ Sarah stooped to pick up the sandals she had just kicked off. She wiggled her toes in the sand appreciatively. ‘A cute body and a killer smile are purely surface attributes. They don’t really count much as far as I’m concerned.’

‘What does really count, then?’

‘Kindness,’ Sarah answered after a thoughtful pause. ‘And intelligence.’

‘Ben’s kind. Look at how much those kids love him. And he’s a doctor, for heaven’s sake. He can’t be stupid.’

‘He’s not a real doctor.’ Sarah shook her head dismissively. ‘Looking after sunburnt tourists at holiday resorts? It’s a cop-out. Like working on a cruise ship or for a drug company. Doctors like that don’t really want a career. They’re in it for the social life and the status. Oh...look!’

Sarah was more than ready to change the subject. That odd feeling of being somehow let down returned every time she thought about Ben and his tropical island dream job. She was pointing now to make sure Tori turned her attention seawards. The final throes of a dramatic blood-red sunset were gilding the water and highlighting the silhouettes of smaller, surrounding islands. The perfect finishing touch was a replica sailing ship, just beginning to furl some of the huge sails as it made its way towards the jetty.

Tori sank down on the sand to sit beside Sarah, but she could enjoy the view and talk at the same time.

‘I think you’re wrong about Ben, Sas. I like him, I really do.’

‘He’s all yours, then,’ Sarah said lightly. ‘Think of him as part of the holiday package. An extra treat.’

‘I’d rather you had the treat.’

‘Why?’ Sarah forgot the sunset for a moment as she caught the unspoken message. ‘I’m OK, Tori. Maybe it has been two years since anyone’s been interested in me but I’m not burning up with frustration here.’

‘There’s plenty of interest. There always has been. You just chase everyone away.’

Sarah was silent for a few seconds. This wasn’t the kind of indignant ‘all men are bastards’ support she had come to rely on from Tori. She always started any relationship with the hope that this was going to be it, but she had clocked up enough experience now to know that they always turned to custard. The only variation was how long it took. Maybe Tori was right and it was her attitude that was at fault. It wasn’t the kind of thought conducive to a happy holiday, however, so Sarah tried to make a joke about it.

‘I only do that to save time,’ she said. ‘And pride. If I wait too long, they end up dumping me.’

‘Maybe that’s because they think you don’t trust them.’

‘I don’t trust them.’

Tori reached out to touch Sarah’s hand. ‘I know you had some awful stuff to deal with when you were a kid and I know you’ve never wanted to talk about it—’

‘It’s in the past,’ Sarah interrupted. ‘I’m over it.’

Tori’s blue eyes had darkened in the fading light. ‘It might still be doing damage, you know. All men aren’t really bastards, Sas. There’s some really good ones out there, too.’

‘I know that.’

‘I want you to find one.’

‘I will. One day.’

‘I worry about you.’

‘There’s no need. Honestly. I’m fine.’

Tori sighed, her gaze on the horizon again. ‘Mum always said that out of all the kids she fostered after Dad died, you were the one that had the most special place in her heart. She said it was you that made us into a whole family, not her.’

Sarah had to swallow the lump in her throat. She was going to miss Carol so much.

‘A wee while ago,’ Tori continued softly, ‘while Mum could still talk, she told me to watch out for you. To try and help you find the person who could help you create a family of your own. She said you had so much love to share it would be a terrible waste if you shut yourself away again.’

The sunset was forgotten, too blurred by tears to be enjoyed any more. Tori squeezed Sarah’s hand and they sat there in silence until the crimson faded to a soft peach and then pearl grey before the swift descent of darkness.

‘I love it here,’ Sarah said finally. By mutual consent they started walking back towards their bure. Their closeness allowed them to move on from a sad topic and cheer each other up with a perfect understanding of what had been shared and acknowledged. ‘It’s like stepping into a postcard. A little bit of fantasy.’

‘Speaking of fantasy...’ Tori smiled. ‘Haven’t yours ever included someone like Ben?’

‘Of course they have.’

‘Ooh. Do tell.’

‘No way. Fantasies are strictly private. And they’re never real...they can’t be.’

‘They could be,’ Tori said persuasively.

Sarah shook her head. ‘Reality never measures up. Sex is overrated.’

‘You’ve never been in love properly, that’s all.’

‘Nobody ever hangs around long enough for that to happen.’

It was Tori’s turn to do the head-shaking. ‘If you have to wait that long, or try and force it, then it’s not going to happen. You’re trying the wrong person. I think it—or at least the definite possibility of it—happens right from the first moment you see them.’

‘Like Ben?’

‘Oh, yes. He’d be very easy to fall in love with. That’s why I think he’d be good for you.’

‘Why would I want to fall in love with someone I’m only going to be around for a week?’

‘Practice.’ Tori grinned. ‘That way, when you get those funny butterfly flutters in your tummy next time, you’ll recognise them.’

Sarah laughed. ‘It would take a darn sight more than a twinge of lust to convince me. If you want to play with Dr Dawson, you go right ahead. Just leave me out of it.’

‘But he’s expecting you to come on this visit to the village tomorrow. He was most insistent that I persuade you to come with us.’

‘He’ll get over it.’

‘But what are you going to do while I’m gone?’

‘Swim,’ Sarah said decisively. ‘A real swim, not just splashing around on the shoreline. I might head for one of the other islands. Some of them are only a kilometre or two away.’

‘But what about sharks?’

‘I’ll try not to bleed in the water and attract them.’

Tori shuddered visibly. ‘Rather you than me. I’d stay close enough to the shore to get to safety if I were you.’

‘You’re not me. That’s the whole point. While you’re away doing something you want to do, I can do things I want to do that don’t interest you. It’s perfect. We’ll both enjoy ourselves. And we’ll both survive, I promise.’

Tori turned, her face a picture of enlightenment. ‘Ben is your shark,’ she said. ‘Isn’t he?’

Sarah just smiled. ‘Shall we have a quick swim in the dark before we go to bed?’

‘You can’t see sharks in the dark.’

‘We’ll stay very close to the shore.’

Tori giggled. ‘And we won’t bleed.’

‘Definitely not.’

‘OK. On one condition.’

‘What’s that?’

‘If I’m prepared to risk my shark then you have to risk yours. The next time Ben asks you to spend some time with him, you have to say yes.’

‘Not tomorrow. I really want a proper swim.’

‘The time after that, then.’

‘Sure.’ It was a safe enough agreement. Sarah would bet Ben Dawson had more than enough experience to know where any pay-off was likely to be. After she refused to accompany them to the village tomorrow, he would get the message she wasn’t interested and focus on Tori. And that way Sarah would be free to focus on enjoying every moment of the paradise she was discovering.

* * *

It just didn’t get any better than this.

The sea was calm enough to be masquerading as the world’s biggest swimming pool. Cool enough to be refreshing and allow the best physical workout Sarah had had in a long time. Treading water for a minute, Sarah shaded her eyes over the snorkelling mask she was wearing and took her bearings again to make sure she was still heading in the right direction.

It was just as well she had discussed her intentions with Nasoya, the man who looked after the diving equipment at the resort, when she had gone to borrow a mask and flippers. Her first choice of island was out of bounds, being the ‘honeymoon’ island. A tiny dot in the Pacific Ocean, it boasted an acre of palm forest and a single beach. Honeymooners could be dropped off, along with a luxury picnic, to spend the day in total privacy on an island of their own, and no one else could visit when it was being used.

So Sarah was heading for a larger island a little further away. This had a small village on it that supported itself growing sugar cane, and while Nasoya was impressed with Sarah’s energy he was much happier knowing that there would be a boat available to bring her back if she changed her mind about swimming. He would let the village know she was coming, he told her, and she could have something to eat and drink there if she wished.

The invitation was becoming more attractive after the effort of nearly an hour’s swimming. Sarah could see waves breaking near the entrance to the lagoon of the new island. There were fishing boats dotted sparsely nearby and Sarah could finally see the white strip of sand that marked her finishing point. A rest in the sun and maybe a fresh coconut with the top lopped off so she could drink the milk would be heaven.

The small, canoe-like boat with three children on board was on the sea side of the lagoon entrance and Sarah watched the boy in charge gauging which wave to catch to carry them through. He looked about nine or ten years old and seemed far too young for such a responsibility, but maybe island children grew up fast. There was another boy on board and a little girl who looked barely more than a toddler. Sarah trod water again briefly, looking over her shoulder as she wondered whether there was a parent in one of the nearby fishing boats, but they were all too far away to seem associated with the children.

The older boy chose a wave and paddled furiously to get ahead of it. The water surged behind the boat, lifting it up and pushing it forward. The small girl shrieked with delight as their speed increased but Sarah could feel her heart miss a beat. Sure enough, the boy’s paddling wasn’t strong enough to keep the boat in a straight line. It tipped sideways as the wave broke and to Sarah’s horror the boat overturned and the three children vanished beneath a layer of white foam.

For several heartbeats she could see nothing. The wave was spent. The fishing boats were still bobbing at a distance. The island backdrop looked like paradise and the lagoon was still. And empty. Sarah could almost think she had imagined the whole scene. Then an object surfaced from the still water beyond the waves. A smooth object.

The hull of an overturned boat.

There was no time or breath to waste on exclamations of dismay. Sarah was swimming for all she was worth now. She needed to catch a wave at the right point herself so that she didn’t end up on the dangerous coral reef that bordered the lagoon. Using the powerful overarm stroke that had won competitions in her school days, Sarah got ahead of the next wave forming and stayed with it as it carried her through the gap. The breaking surf pushed her below the surface for what seemed far too long and she shot up finally to catch her breath and start a frantic visual sweep of the calm water around her.

The older boy was still in the water, trying to help the younger one climb on top of the slippery boat hull. He was shouting and someone must have heard over the sound of the surf because more than one fishing boat was now heading in their direction. But where was the other child?

Sarah swam towards the boat. ‘Where is she?’ she called.

The boys both turned. Both looked frightened and neither answered her. Maybe they couldn’t understand her. She took just another second to check that both these children were clinging onto the boat well enough to keep themselves safe and then she turned, desperately searching the surface of the lagoon for any sign of the small girl. She would be floating...unless she was drowning, in which case she would be under the water and not on top of it.

Sarah dived and swam using a rapid breaststroke. Thank goodness the water was so clear. She could see the colours of the coral bed, the startling shapes of sea anemones and the astonishing diversity of the swarms of fish. There were so many fish it made it difficult to see anything else, in fact. Forced to surface, Sarah dragged in a huge gulp of air and then used her flippers to push down and reach the depths of the lagoon again.

It was harder to hold her breath this time. Looking ahead as far as she could, Sarah swam doggedly forward, unaware of the extraordinary beauty of her surroundings, totally focussed on finding something she couldn’t see. The burning in her lungs forced her upwards again and this time she had to take several painful gasps of air.

A fishing boat had reached the boys now and they were being pulled aboard. Another boat was riding the crest of a wave into the lagoon and Sarah could hear shouting from the shore. Islanders were gathering and some were running into the water. They would find the child with such numbers searching but it could well be too late by then. Sarah dragged in as much air as she could and went under the water again.

She didn’t swim forward this time. She stayed in one spot and turned slowly, scanning a full three hundred and sixty degrees, concentrating on areas that were obscured by the tendrils of sea plants.

And there she was. The little girl was floating just above the coral, looking for all the world as though she was peacefully asleep except that her eyes were wide open. Sarah’s heart lurched painfully enough to compete with the agony of lungs screaming for air but the surge of adrenaline was enough to propel her towards the small body. It was no real effort to take hold of the limp form and drag it towards the surface. Please, God, she cried silently, don’t let me be too late.

It wasn’t possible to do more than try a couple of breaths while she was in the water but somehow Sarah summoned the energy to swim rapidly to shore, towing the child under one arm. The villagers fell silent as she ran through the shallows and they stepped back when she laid the girl on the damp sand, opened her airway and felt for a pulse. A woman wailed—a high keening sound that conveyed the very clear message that they knew it was too late.

But it wasn’t. Sarah could feel a faint carotid pulse. She covered the girl’s mouth and nose with her own and transferred a breath. And then another. Her fingers searched the small neck for a pulse again and were rewarded with a stronger beat. And then the limp form of the child twitched. A dark tangle of eyelashes fluttered and her mouth opened. Sarah turned her onto her side at the gagging sound she made and then held the little girl as her body convulsed, expelling the astonishing amount of water that had been swallowed, until the vomiting gave way to a distressed crying.

Sarah had never been happier to hear the sound of a miserable child. She rocked the girl in her arms, knowing that she had tears on her face and a stupidly wide grin as she looked up to find someone better able to give comfort.

There was more than comfort to be found. Both Sarah and the children were whisked back to the village to be fussed over in an atmosphere of having been part of a miracle. Once the small girl was wrapped in a blanket and happily asleep in her mother’s arms, Sarah became the total focus of the islanders’ attention. She could understand very little of what was being said but it was obvious she had made friends for life on this island.

An hour later, with wreaths of flowers crowding her neck, a pile of gifts at her feet and an array of food and drink she couldn’t possibly have coped with, Sarah was relieved to see a new arrival at the village. Somebody had contacted Nasoya, from the dive centre at the resort, and he had come with a boat to collect her. There was no way she could have managed the return swim, quite apart from the pile of gifts. The rescue had been physically exhausting and the emotional aftermath had left her simply wanting to curl up and sleep.

Nasoya wasn’t the only arrival, however. Just behind him came two figures that Sarah had certainly not expected to see.

‘News travels fast in these parts,’ Ben told her. ‘How does it feel to be a heroine?’

Sarah extracted herself from Tori’s hug. ‘Tiring.’ She smiled. ‘Can you check on little Milika? She seems OK but she came very close to drowning and she may well have some fluid in her lungs.’

‘That’s what I’m here for.’ Ben held up the kit he was carrying. ‘I just wanted to check that you were all right first.’

‘I’m fine,’ Sarah assured them both. ‘All I need is a quiet spot in the sun to rest.’

A short time later the boat sped back to the resort island over a calm sea that gave no hint of the kind of horror it had engendered only a short time ago. Sarah sat quietly, still exhausted but very happy. Ben had examined Milika thoroughly and pronounced her none the worse for her ordeal.

‘It was a dry drowning, thank goodness. First hint of cold water gave her laryngeal spasm. I doubt that even a drop got into her lungs. She must have swallowed a fair bit, though.’

‘She did. I’ve never seen such a small child throw up such a large quantity of fluid.’

‘All she needs now is a good rest. As you do.’ Ben’s glance had only been that of a concerned physician, so why did it feel like so much more? ‘Are you sure you don’t need a check-up?’

Sarah turned away, flushing with something rather more than embarrassment. ‘I’m sure. I’ll spend the afternoon resting and I’ll be absolutely fine.’

When they arrived back at the resort’s landing jetty, Tori helped to gather up the gifts, which included a traditional grass skirt.

‘I can just see you in this,’ she told Sarah. ‘It’s gorgeous.’

‘You’ll be able to wear it tonight,’ Ben added.

Sarah turned at his confident tone. ‘Why?’

‘Didn’t you hear all the planning going on around you? There’s going to be a huge party to celebrate. There’ll be two or three villages involved by the time all the friends and relatives get the news.’

‘I can’t go to something like that,’ Sarah protested. ‘It’s their celebration.’

‘They’re doing it to honour you,’ Ben said. His dark eyes caught and held Sarah’s. ‘You saved the life of a child, Sarah. They’re doing this to thank you.’

‘But—’

‘They’ve already killed a pig,’ Tori put in. She shuddered. ‘I saw them choosing the fattest one they could find and then leading it away.’

‘They’ll roast the pig,’ Ben said. ‘But most of the food will be cooked in a traditional underground oven. A lovo. It’s an experience not everyone gets.’

‘But—’

‘I’ll come and collect you at seven o’clock.’ Ben was still holding Sarah’s gaze.

‘You’re coming, too?’ Suddenly, the invitation was much less daunting.

‘Of course.’ Ben’s smile looked almost smug. ‘I’ve been delegated to accompany you so, please, don’t embarrass me by refusing to come.’

Tori aimed a gentle kick at Sarah’s ankle. ‘Sharks,’ she murmured.

Ben looked nonplussed. ‘You don’t have to worry about sharks,’ he said. ‘There’ll be a lot of boats going over.’ His grin was disarming. ‘We don’t expect you to swim.’

‘Am I invited?’ Tori asked.

‘Of course.’ But Ben was still watching Sarah. ‘It won’t be much of a party without a guest of honour, though. How ’bout it, Sarah?’

‘Were you serious? About me wearing the grass skirt?’

‘It’s up to you. You’re an honorary member of that village for the rest of your life and they’ll be dressed up. They’d be very proud if you did wear it.’

Ben’s gaze suggested he would be proud as well and Sarah found herself nodding.

‘OK, then. We’ll see you at seven o’clock.’

* * *

‘You’re not really going to wear it, are you?’ Tori eyed the wrap-around skirt dubiously. ‘It’s awfully see-through when you move.’

‘I’ll wear something underneath.’ The deep sleep Sarah had had for several hours that afternoon had revived her completely. Now showered, with her hair washed and gleaming softly as she brushed it dry in the sun, she was ready for the new experience that the evening promised to offer. Not only ready, she was going to embrace it completely. ‘I’ll wear it over that red skirt I’ve got.’

The mid-calf-length, soft muslin skirt was perfect. Cut in flared panels, it fitted closely around Sarah’s hips and widened to drape in folds that did nothing to interfere with the fall of the dried grass of the island skirt she fastened on top. The flash of colour that showed when she moved was pleasing and Sarah chose a simple white halter-neck top to go with it.

‘Sandals?’ Tori was fishing around in the bottom of their wardrobe. ‘Do you want the dressy ones or your flipflops?’

‘I’m going barefoot,’ Sarah told her.

‘Cool. I will, too, then. Just as well we painted our toenails.’

Sarah pushed a headband into place to hold her hair back from her face. Then she tucked a large crimson flower to one side. The left side. She hung one of the many garlands she had been given that morning around her neck.

‘You look like you were born here,’ Tori exclaimed in delight. ‘Especially with your hair loose like that. You should wear it down more often—it’s gorgeous!’

‘It’s much easier to handle if it’s tied up. I couldn’t wear it loose at work.’

‘You don’t spend your whole life at work, you know.’

‘I know. It just feels like it sometimes.’ Sarah grinned as she did a twirl in front of the mirror. Her naturally olive skin had darkened to a rich brown with only a couple of days of the Fijian sun, and amazingly she did look almost like a child of the islands. ‘This doesn’t feel like me at all. It’s dressing up. Part of the fantasy. And I intend to enjoy every minute of it.’

* * *

She had no choice but to enjoy herself. The look on Ben’s face when he arrived to collect them made any effort to look as though she belonged more than worthwhile. He might be a practised flirt and utterly insincere but the admiration was still something that could be appreciated as part of this whole experience. Sarah was made to feel totally desirable with that one glance and it went to her head like a glass of champagne.

The cheer that went up from the islanders waiting in the fleet of small boats added more bubbles to this new effervescent sensation, and when they were gliding over early sunset-gilded waters towards the neighbouring island and a song broke out and spread between the boats, Sarah closed her eyes and sighed from the sheer pleasure of it all.

Just to have been an observer would have made it a magic night, but Sarah was at the centre of it all. She was carried into the village and given a place of honour on a flower-strewn mat where little Milika and her mother were waiting to sit beside her. Plied with the most delicious food, from spit-roasted pork, steamed fish and vegetables from the underground oven to fruit that needed no tampering with to provide the sweetest dessert, Sarah was entertained with song, dance and even fire-walking as villagers competed to put on the best show. Bowl after bowl of kava came her way and Sarah sipped at each one, hoping that they weren’t alcoholic enough to cause regret in the morning.

The party showed no signs of letting up, even well after Milika had fallen asleep in Sarah’s lap and been carried away to her own bed. It was Sarah’s turn to dance then, and there were any number of willing young men and women ready to teach her and Tori the movements. If Sarah felt a bit wobbly on her feet to start with, thanks to all the kava, the positive side was a lack of any inhibition. She could turn and stamp and sway her hips with the best of them, her arms tracing graceful arcs in the flickering firelight, her skirt and her curtain of shining dark hair swirling ever more joyously to the insistent beat of the drums.

It was at the height of the revelry when Sarah twirled a little too fast, or too many times in succession, lost her balance and then stumbled. Fortunately, she had been on the edge of the large group of people and a hibiscus bush screened her fall so it went unnoticed.

Almost unnoticed. The hands that reached to help her to her feet were Ben’s, and when Sarah found herself pulled into his arms as she tried to regain her balance, she didn’t protest. It was part of the fantasy of the night. Here she was, giddy from all the attention and the kava and the joy of the celebration—in the arms of admittedly the most gorgeous man she had ever met. And nobody could see them thanks to the screen of foliage, so it didn’t matter that Sarah leaned into those arms just a little closer and raised her face to catch Ben’s gaze.

But it wasn’t his eyes that caught her attention first. It was his lips. Serious-looking, unsmiling lips.

Soft, inviting lips.

Was she willing them to come closer...to seek out her own? If so, it was working a treat and it was also so much part of the fantasy that Sarah didn’t bother even questioning it. She closed her eyes and waited for their touch. Knowing that this would be the most exciting kiss she had ever received.

She wasn’t disappointed. The caress was as soft as a butterfly’s kiss to start with but the shock wave reverberated through every cell of her body. The shock was enough to make her gasp softly, parting her lips to do so, and because there was no air between her lips and Ben’s, it was an invitation to explore further. An invitation that Ben didn’t hesitate to accept.

She would never know how long that kiss lasted. Time ceased to exist. Nothing existed but the taste of Ben’s mouth, the pressure of his lips and the exquisite slide of his tongue sending spirals of pleasure sharp enough to seem like pain coursing through her body. The background harmony of voices raised in song faded but the beat of the drums matched that of Sarah’s heart and only fed the sensation of utter bliss.

Ben’s arms tightened around her and Sarah could feel the whole hard length of his body pressed against hers. This was crazy. One kiss, and Sarah was ready to abandon any rules she had about men. Ready to step over a brink she had never crossed before—to hurl herself headlong into a pleasure she had never believed actually existed. She couldn’t stop and it didn’t matter because she couldn’t conceive of wanting to stop.

It was just as well that Ben could. He pulled away and the time that had passed couldn’t have been an eternity because they were still alone and unnoticed. He didn’t let her go immediately, however. Sarah felt his arms still tight around her.

‘Well, I never,’ Ben murmured. ‘You do have something special you like to keep hidden, don’t you, Sarah?’

The jolt back to reality was harsh. Had Ben kissed her to check out whether she was really as ‘uptight’ as he had supposed?

Sarah pulled away from his arms. ‘Oh, my God,’ she whispered. ‘That should not have happened.’

‘Why not?’ Ben sounded amused.

‘What’s Tori going to think?’

‘I’m sure she’d think it was all part of the fun.’

‘She would, if it was her that you were kissing.’ Sarah shook her head, stepping back and smoothing the ruffled grass of her skirt. ‘I just hope she didn’t see that.’

‘It really doesn’t have anything to do with her, does it?’ Ben was watching Sarah as she pushed stray tresses of hair behind her shoulders. He was still close enough to be heard easily over the sounds of the party continuing behind them and he looked puzzled. ‘I think I’m allowed to choose whom I want to kiss, aren’t I?’

Sarah felt a little confused herself. ‘But Tori likes you.’

‘Don’t you like me, Sarah?’ Ben’s voice was teasing. As soft and seductive as his lips had been only seconds ago. He was pulling her back, turning her convictions upside down, making her want things she had never thought she could want this much.

‘No...not like that.’ Sarah needed to escape. To get to shore and get away from any possible nibbles from a shark. Any more nibbles, anyway. ‘Tori’s my sister, or as good as. She’s also my best friend. I’m not going to poach a man she’s interested in.’

‘But I’m not interested in Tori,’ Ben said. ‘I’m not interested in any woman, for that matter. Not seriously, anyway.’ He was clearly withdrawing. Scared off maybe? A branch of hibiscus was being held back so that Sarah could rejoin the party. ‘If it’s not fun, it’s not worth bothering with,’ he said tersely. ‘Let’s forget it, shall we?’

‘Good idea.’ Sarah straightened her back and walked past Ben. The statement had summed him up perfectly and Sarah knew her initial impression of the man had been the genuine one. Disappointment that could easily become anger was chasing away the confusion that kiss had caused. Ben Dawson was dangerous. He couldn’t give a damn how other people felt or whether they would be hurt by his actions. He couldn’t be part of any fun as far as Sarah was concerned, and for that purpose she would have to agree with him. He wasn’t worth bothering with.

She would just have to make sure Tori realised that as well.

CHAPTER THREE

HOW could she have been so gullible?

Tori had agreed readily, as they had finally prepared for bed last night, that Ben Dawson was a low-life, ready to take advantage of any woman stupid enough to fall for his surface charm. The resigned twist of her face had suggested that the revelation was only to be expected, and she had sighed, indicating that she may have surrendered any notion of being one of those women.

‘Well, at least you kissed him, Sas.’

Sarah’s brush had caught on a tangle somewhere in the length of her hair. Had the knot been caused by Ben’s fingers as they had burrowed for a better grip on her head in order to angle her lips to meet his? She’d welcomed the pain of forcing the bristles through the obstruction.

‘I wish I hadn’t.’

‘Why?’ Tori had pulled up the sheet on her bed to cover her bare shoulders. ‘Was he no good?’

Sarah snorted. ‘I wouldn’t say that exactly.’ She’d known she would never forget that kiss. She’d had a horrible feeling she would never experience anything that had the chance of competing with it again, and that was why she wished it had never happened. But how could he not have been good...with the amount of practice he’d had?

‘Hmm.’

* * *

That murmur of agreement took on a whole new tone in hindsight as Sarah balanced the paddle on her canoe and watched Tori glide further ahead. It had been an interested ‘hmm’, not one of agreement. All she had done had been to fuel Tori’s curiosity, hadn’t she? And in her usual determined style, her foster-sister had gone right ahead planning her next move, cunningly avoiding telling Sarah because she knew jolly well she shouldn’t be doing it.

‘I’m not going to do this, Tori,’ she called. ‘It’s a bad idea. I don’t want any part of it.’

‘OK.’ Tori was still paddling. ‘I’ll go by myself.’

She would, too. How many times had she got Sarah into trouble by pulling exactly this kind of stunt? The first time had been only a week after Sarah had moved in with the Prestons. Tori had wanted to play in the ‘out of bounds’ area of bush near the house and had tearfully convinced Sarah that she’d lost her favourite toy there the week before. And Sarah had taken the flak for the small adventure because eight-year-old Tori had already managed to creep past the barrier around her heart with her ready acceptance of her new ‘big sister’ and the stream of small gifts and notes that had been under her pillow every night.

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