“Since you girls were so fascinated by Monte Cristo’s history on your first trip, I figured it might be your destination. Therefore I instructed the pilot to search this area first.”
“Luc and I came across it by accident. Between you and me, the fascination has worn off. It’s just a pile of rocks.”
He grinned. “Where is my cousin?”
“Right here,” came Luc’s deep, grating voice. Olivia looked over her shoulder and found herself trapped by his enigmatic gaze. “The question is, what are we doing out in the middle of the Mediterranean this time around?”
Nic folded his arms, eyeing both of them with speculation. “I found Señorita Olivo rowing the boat for all she was worth with one oar. That’s quite a feat, even for several sailors twice her size and strength.”
“I was looking for help.”
Luc stood there in cutoffs, disheveled and un-shaven, yet hateful as he was, she’d never seen a more attractive man in her life. After being kissed by him last night, after experiencing his embrace if only for a little while, she would never be the same again.
But his grim demeanor reminded her she was a long way from being able to claim victory.
“Well we couldn’t just sit on Monte Cristo and do nothing!”
“I’ll get the rope attached to the tether,” Nic interjected. “We’ll tow the boat back to Vernazza for electrical repairs.”
Olivia smiled at him. “I’ve never been in a seaplane before. Are we riding with you?”
“Of course.”
“Terrific!”
Ignoring Luc, she climbed up on the side and leaped into the water to make her escape from him.
Within a few minutes she and Luc were seated comfortably behind the pilot and Nic. The seaplane fairly skated across the surface of the water with the Gabbiano in tow. While Olivia drank her hot coffee, Nic looked over his shoulder at her.
“What do you think?” No doubt he felt tension emanating from Luc and was trying his best to neutralize it.
“I haven’t had this much fun in years. I feel like I’m at Disneyland on one of those children’s rides.” The two men in front burst into laughter. “This is the only way to see the Riviera. How much would you charge to escort me around on a ten-day trip?”
“More than you could ever afford,” Luc muttered, his tone as black as the stubble on his jaw. She couldn’t understand his grim disposition. They’d been rescued and he was about to be rid of her. What more did he want from life?
“When I’ve made my fortune, I’ll be able to afford anything I want and I’ll buy one of these. In fact I think I’ll take flying lessons so I can do everything myself.”
“You’ll have to sell a lot of rocks first.”
“Your encouragement to one who wasn’t born being fed by a silver spoon with the Falcon coat of arms does you great credit.”
For the rest of the ride back, Olivia pretended Luc hadn’t come along. She concentrated instead on the magnificent view of the coastline. The rain had refreshed everything. The greens of the foliage, the pinks and yellows of the flowers were more vivid than usual.
Vernazza was beginning to look like home. The pilot of the seaplane skimmed the harbor in a circle and came to a stop. He’d brought the Gabbiano close enough to the pier for some local fisherman to secure it at the end of the dock.
Olivia was first out of her seat. “Nic? Luc shouldn’t use his leg anymore today. Last night he strained it unintentionally,” she deliberately stated in order to remind him of those moments he wanted to forget. She hoped he was tortured by them. “I’ll
go aboard and pack up our things.”
Pleased when she heard Luc’s protest overruled by Nic in no uncertain terms, she dove from the open door into the water and swam for the boat. Once on deck she went below and changed into a blouse and skirt.
After packing both suitcases, she went back up the stairs. Nic had come aboard. He stood by and watched as she reopened her bag and put the pouch of rocks on top of her clothes and toiletries. But when she lowered the lid, it wouldn’t close all the way.
He smiled. “Whatever that is, I don’t think it’s going to fit.”
“Yes it will.”
She sat down on the lid and that did the trick. Gathering her purse in one hand, she took hold of her suitcase in the other. It weighed a lot more than before, but she didn’t mind.