Part 10 (1/2)

When Angel glanced up to see if Hawk understood, his clear, dark eyes were watching her with unusual intensity.

Suddenly she felt the heat of him reaching through his clothing, through her clothing, spreading through her in waves that made her dizzy. Her heart beat raggedly. Her breath caught in the back of her throat and stayed there.

She was incredibly aware of her breast brus.h.i.+ng against Hawkas arm, her nipple tightening until it ached. Her eyes darkened as her pupils expanded, all but eclipsing the blue-green iris.

Angel was too inexperienced to recognize the symptoms of sudden, pa.s.sionate arousal. Hawk wasnat. Every one of his senses was fully alert, quivering with the signals that radiated from Angel.

He wanted to put his hands on her, all of her, and then take her completely, finis.h.i.+ng what her touch on his wrist had started. But Derry could come into the kitchen at any moment. Or in the next breath Angel could remember where she was, and draw back.

Hawk had waited this long for the right moment, for the last sudden turn, the cry, the capture. He could wait longer. He could wait until Angel walked into the open, all pretense of innocence and retreat gone.

Slowly Hawk turned back to the counter. As he moved, his arm brushed slowly over Angelas breast.

Her breath came in swiftly, brokenly. She stared at Hawk for an instant, wondering if he felt even a small part of what she was feeling.

No expression showed beneath his dark features. For all that Angel could see, Hawk hadnat noticed her reaction to his closeness. Nor had he reacted to being close to her.

The realization should have comforted Angel, but it didnat. It made her feel lost, lonely, almost afraid. Sadness and pa.s.sion ached in her.

Is Hawk so used to being alone that he canat respond to me?

Or is it simply that I survived Grantas death only to find myself wanting a man who neither needs nor wants me?

Angel stood motionless in the kitchen, seeing nothing, not even Hawk. The thoughts turning in her mind consumed her.

She realized that it was not merely eagerness to go fis.h.i.+ng that had made her blood race when she had awakened today. It was the knowledge that she was going to have Hawk to herself.

No Derry. No phone calls from New York and Texas and Tokyo to delay sightseeing trips and picnics. Nothing but Hawk and Angel and the restless, island-studded sea. Five days alone. Perhaps more.

Anything could happen in that time.

Even love.

The thought shocked Angel for an instant. Then she accepted it the same way she had finally accepted the automobile accident that had so brutally changed her life.

Running from the truth doesnat change anything, certainly not reality, Angel reminded herself. Running just weakens you.

And I will have to be very strong with Hawk.

Quietly, standing in the kitchen not an armas length from Hawk, Angel admitted to herself that if she spent much more time with him, she ran the risk of caring for him too much. She was powerfully drawn to the lonely reaches of his mind, the intelligence and power of him, the rare gentleness that spoke so movingly of the emotions hidden beneath his harshness.

Hawk was like a stained gla.s.s window in a black night, mystery and brooding hints of color. So much darkness, so little life. Yet when bathed in sunlight, the beauty inherent in the gla.s.s would leap into silent, overwhelming life, all the colors of love pouring forth where only darkness had been before.

Angel didnat know if she was strong enough to be the sunlight to Hawkas stained gla.s.s.

She only knew she had to try.

11.

Angel looked at the clock on the boatas control panel and swore silently. Everything seemed to conspire against getting Hawk out on the water at the best time for some decent fis.h.i.+ng.

It was five oaclock, and they had barely cleared Campbell River.

For a moment Angel considered slowing and trolling along the floating rafts of logs waiting to be picked up by a towboat and hauled to Vancouver Bay. Some good-sized salmon had been known to school up under the rafts.

aSomething wrong?a asked Hawk, his voice pitched above the sound of the engines.

His eyes raked quickly over the gauges. He saw nothing to account for Angelas sudden frown.

aIam tempted to fish here,a Angel said, disgusted.

aFine with me.a ad.a.m.n it, I was looking forward to drift fis.h.i.+ng off Indian Head.a A corner of Hawkas mouth turned up slightly.

aSorry,a he said. aI didnat know the Honorable Mr. Yokagamo would have insomnia and decide to call me. I got rid of him as soon as I could without insulting him.a aAnd then London called.a aParis, actually. London was the next call.a aThen Tokyo again.a Angel shook her head. Having to look at a globe and have a clock that kept time in every world zone before you even answered the phone struck her as an unnerving way to do business.

It seemed to come easily to Hawk, though. She could see his quick intelligence a.s.sessing every possibility and lining up arguments even as he reached for the phone. His concentration, memory, and patience were phenomenal.

He would make an excellent fisherman if she ever got him out on the water long enough to teach him anything. As it was, they were only going to get a short distance up the coast before dark.

aWell, as long as weare late anyway, we might as well stop in at Brownas Bay,a Angel said. aWeall top off the tanks, catch up on the fis.h.i.+ng gossip, and then head over to Deepwater Bay for the night. If weare in luck, we might even get in some salmon fis.h.i.+ng.a aYou donat sound hopeful.a aItas early for salmon to be there, but,a Angel shrugged eloquently, awe have to get our lines wet somewhere.a aOr youall go crazy.a aThat is a distinct possibility.a She gave Hawk a sideways look out of green eyes. aHave you ever considered taking a vow of silence for a few days?a The left corner of Hawkas mouth curled slightly.

aTired of my phone calls?a he asked.

aYou could say that. And then you could say it again.a aIave been meaning to break this to you gently.a aWhat?a aI have to check in with Tokyo tomorrow evening.a Hawk saw the combination of disappointment and irritation that crossed Angelas features.

aWe donat have to go back to Campbell River,a Hawk added. aI can patch through on the radio.a aDo you mind if I fish while you talk?a Angel asked crisply, exasperated by the unending demands of Hawkas business.

aItas not always this bad.a The corner of Hawkas mouth lifted again. aSometimes itas worse.a Angel shook her head in despair.

aMost of the time itas better,a added Hawk.

He measured Angelas disappointment and wished he could be sure that it was his company rather than the chance to fish that she was missing.

aThe deal Iam working on is rather complex,a Hawk said. aTomorrowas call should be that last major hump for a few weeks.a Angel made a neutral sound. She had heard that before. Yesterday, to be exact.

Automatically, Angel cut back the speed as she turned into Brownas Bay. The first thing she saw was the black, long-line troller tied at the dock. Her hand tightened on the throttle.

aCarlson!a Angel said, delighted.

As she guided the boat into a berth near the fuel pumps, Hawk watched her intently. Anger turned deep inside him when he saw the clear light of pleasure erase for a moment the haunting sadness that was so much a part of Angelas eyes.

Hawk looked away from her, raking the marina with his dark glance until he spotted the battered troller tied opposite the pleasure boats. Black Moon was painted on the trolleras side. Men were unloading fish from the s.h.i.+pas hold into wheelbarrows and pus.h.i.+ng them up the dock to a scale. There the fish were weighed and put into a refrigerated truck to be hauled to market.