In that moment he finally admitted what he had known deep down all along: Liza was no more a thief than he was. It wasn’t in her nature. She was the same impulsive, easy to anger and easy to forgive, beautiful person she had always been from the first time he had set eyes on her at the tender age of eight, when she had cried and he had comforted her.
She was incapable of deceit. She hadn’t a dishonest bone in her body. Her expressive features revealed every emotion with a dazzling honesty she could not hide, and when they made love she gave everything of herself with a wild generosity, a freedom of spirit not even the greatest actress in the world could aspire to.
Nick expelled a long breath, and leapt out of the Land-Rover. Even while trying to protect her, he had wanted to believe the worst of her. When had he become such a cynic? He moved around the Land-Rover, and, opening the passenger door, lifted a hand to her. ‘Let me help you.’
Grinning, Liza took his outstretched hand and jumped down. ‘Ever the gentleman,’ she teased, and, glancing up, she stilled. His strong face was taut and his eyes were fixed on her with an intensity that shocked her.
‘Nick.’ His hand gripped hers so tightly it hurt. ‘Nick, are you OK?’
Shaking his head, Nick let go of her hand. ‘Fine.’ He slung a long arm around her slender shoulders and hugged her. He knew the truth now, always had, he thought wryly, and led her into the lodge.
‘No, Nick,’ Liza remonstrated as Nick asked the assistant to add an exquisite cashmere twin-set to the ski-suit and sweater she had already picked. ‘I don’t need anything else. Anyway, I have to be back in Lanzarote soon,’ she reminded him. ‘And at these prices I can’t afford any more.’
Nick surveyed her with exasperated dark eyes. ‘Don’t be difficult, Liza.’ He needed no reminding that their time together was limited, or that she wasn’t the money-hungry thief he had thought. He felt bad enough as it was. ‘I brought you here, and I am paying.’
Liza clashed with Nick’s arrogant, intent gaze, and drew in a deep, steadying breath. ‘It is not necessary.’ And for a long moment their eyes locked, something indefinable passing between them.
‘Maybe not for you, Liza, but it is for me. Let me do this for you, please,’ Nick said softly.
Nick, less than his arrogant best and saying please! But what really stopped the refusal forming in Liza’s throat was the unmistakable glimmer of vulnerability in the depths of his black eyes that she had never seen before. ‘OK,’ she agreed and was rewarded with a blinding smile, plus half an hour later enough clothes to keep her warm through a dozen winters.
Lunch was a thick meat soup with crusty bread, and Liza was surprised by the number of people who came up to speak to Nick. ‘You seem to be well-known here,’ she remarked as she ate the last mouthful of bread. ‘I had no idea there was a ski resort of this size in Spain.’ She looked out of the plate-glass window at the people dotted on the slopes. Nick had pointed out the different runs when they had sat down.
‘The whole place was upgraded when the world championships were scheduled to be held here a few years back.’ A wry smile twisted his lips. ‘Unfortunately it was the one year there was not enough snow.’
Liza laughed. ‘How terrible.’
‘For business, yes. But for the regular clientele all the new facilities are quite a godsend. There is a great viewing terrace above here with state-of-the-art telescopes if you want to watch the action close up.’
Later, covered head to toe in a red ski suit, Liza whooshed down the intermediate run at Nick’s side for the third time. Reaching the bottom, breathless, her face glowing, she pulled off her goggles and looked up at Nick. He wasn’t even breathing heavily. His black ski suit fitted him like a glove and she caught her breath at the magnificent figure he cut against the blinding white background. ‘You don’t have to stick with me, Nick; anyway, I have had enough. But I know you’re itching to take the harder run.’
Shoving his glasses to the back of his head, Nick looked down into her eyes. ‘Yes, I do, Liza.’ Until the crooks were caught he was sticking to her side like glue, but he couldn’t tell her that. And he would not put it past her to run away if the opportunity arose. ‘You might disappear if I leave you on your own.’ Liza saw he was deadly serious, and realised he thought she might just hitch a lift back to the nearest town, and his concern touched something deep inside her.
‘I won’t.’ She placed a hand on his chest, and his fingers curled around hers.
Hearing her admission, Nick desperately wanted to take her in his arms. ‘I believe you.’ But he had virtually promised to wait until she asked, and she was worth waiting for. ‘But it is time we left; you don’t want to overdo the exercise on your first day.’ Plus he needed to call Carl and find out if the two sailors had been caught yet.
Standing under the shower spray in the tiny bathroom, Liza hummed a popular tune as she rinsed the soap from her body. It had been a brilliant afternoon; she loved the skiing—it was so invigorating—and Nick had been the perfect companion…the hours had simply flown by. They had eaten an early dinner at the resort and returned to the cabin in companionable silence. Much b
etter than sitting around a beach, she concluded, and, drying herself off, she slipped her nightie over her head and pulled on the short blue silk gown she used for travelling. Walking back into the living room, she smiled at Nick reclining in the armchair, a glass of wine in his hand.
‘Have you one of those for me?’ She flopped down on the sofa and yawned wildly. ‘I think all this fresh air has made me tired. I need a pick-me-up.’ Her gaze strayed to the logs blazing in the hearth and for a long moment she was fascinated by the flickering flames; this was cosy, and she let her head fall back against the soft cushions and closed her eyes.
Nick stood in front of her, holding out a glass of cool white wine. ‘Liza.’
She opened her eyes, glanced up, smiled and took the glass. ‘The shower is all yours,’ she murmured, for once totally relaxed in his company.
‘Thank you, ma’am.’ He bowed, and she threw a cushion at his head, and watched him disappear into the bathroom with a grin on her face.
Liza finished the wine, and placed the glass on the table. She wasn’t sure what the future held but for now she was going to live for the moment, and her holiday romance might just work out after all, she thought lazily, her long lashes flickering down over her eyes.
Nick walked out of the bathroom and stilled, transfixed by the picture of Liza asleep on the sofa. His dark eyes travelled from the shining mass of her hair to the soft curve of her cheek, the lush bow of her mouth, and the outline of her body beneath the soft silk wrap she was wearing. He took a step forward, hungry to hold her, to kiss that luscious mouth, to lose himself in that exquisite body. His eyes darkened, and his body stirred. She was all his, he thought possessively, and stopped.
Not yet. He tightened the towel around his hips, and quietly moved into the kitchen. His jacket hung on the back of the chair, and, fishing his mobile phone from the pocket, he punched in the relevant number. Five minutes later he switched it off, his hard face dark with frustrated anger; the news was not good. Carl had informed him the two men were still at liberty.
Nick walked silently back into the living room, and this time he did not stop.
Liza stirred restlessly and opened her eyes. ‘Nick.’ He was leaning over her, his black hair falling over his brow, and the only illumination in the room was coming from a small table-lamp.