It had shaken her to her core, but from the way he’d walked away from her without a second glance, clearly he hadn’t had anywhere the same kind of reaction. Why would he? He was a man well used to women throwing themselves at him. In fact, he’d probably found her kiss boring.
Still, there’d been nothing boring about the erection that had pressed against her. He’d been aroused, of that there had been no doubt. And yet he’d later acted as if nothing had happened between them. Shanal tried to tell herself it was a relief that he’d responded that way and had backed off the instant she’d hesitated. But she was female enough to feel piqued that he’d brushed the whole incident off as nothing special.
“We’ll be at Swan Reach before lunchtime,” Raif said over his shoulder. “We can take a walk around and then have lunch at the pub.”
“That sounds great,” she answered.
It would be good to be away from the cozy confines of the boat. As comfortable as it was, being out and around other people would hopefully provide some relief from this uncomfortable awareness she’d woken with. And even more hopefully, it would steer her mind clear of the completely inappropriate thoughts she was having toward Raif.
After mooring the boat they strolled to the local museum and spent a surprisingly companionable few hours poring over the displays and documented social history of the area.
“I always love to see these little museums, don’t you?” she commented as they headed to the pub overlooking the river for lunch.
“It certainly gives you an insight into how tough people had it and how determined they were to carve out a living with what they had. Makes you realize how lucky we are.”
“True, but your family, particularly, have worked very hard to be that lucky. You lost everything, and now look at you all.”
“Giving up doesn’t come easily to a Masters, that’s for sure.”
Because the sun continued to shine, at the pub they chose to sit outside at one of the picnic tables on a cobbled courtyard. The waitress was quick to bring them each a drink and menus. Shanal was completely relaxed and laughing at some comment Raif had made when she felt her neck prickle uncomfortably with awareness. She turned around, catching a glimpse of a tall man leaving the courtyard and going through the large glass doors that led into the main dining area.
“Someone you know?” Raif asked.
“I don’t know anyone here,” she said, turning back to face him.
But even so, she couldn’t quite shake the uncomfortable feeling that told her the man had been watching her. She was oddly relieved when they returned to the boat and cast off again. She took control of the wheel for the next hour or so before Raif suggested they pull in on the riverside again. After tying off, he put some music on the stereo and challenged her to a game of backgammon. She’d never played before, but she was a quick study, soon grasping the strategy behind the game and beating him soundly several times. Several games in, she realized that Raif was spending more time watching her, and studying her expressions as she analyzed the board, than concentrating on the game. Eventually, he threw up his hands and cried uncle when she beat him once again.
“Remind me not to be such an awesome tutor next time,” he grumbled good-naturedly as she packed up the counters and board.
“Oh dear, was that a blow to your masculinity?” she teased back with mock sympathy.
“Ha, it’d take more than that to knock me down. Now, if you want to challenge me to an arm wrestling match...?”
She laughed aloud. “I think I’ll pass on that. I know where my strengths lie.”
“You hungry?”
She looked at the time and realized how long they’d been playing backgammon. “I could eat,” she admitted, surprised to find it true, even though it hadn’t been all that long since lunch.
But then again, she’d ended up only picking at her lunch after that unsettling feeling she’d had of being watched. It had left a shadow lingering in the back of her mind that even now had a presence. She forced herself to ignore it again.
“Come on then. Time for cooking lesson number two.”
Shanal followed Raif to the kitchen, where he selected a series of ingredients from the vegetable crisper in the fridge and extracted a couple packets she couldn’t identify. Raif began to chop vegetables with an ease that spoke of much practice.
“Now, the key,” he said, chopping swiftly, “to impressing your dinner partner is to deliver food to the table that looks as though you slaved over it all day, when in actual fact it only takes a few minutes to throw together.”