The Vengeance Affair. Кэрол Мортимер

smile he gave at this remark was the most genuine Jaz had ever seen him give, revealing even white teeth, grey eyes gleaming warmly, taking years off him as he looked almost boyish.

      Wow! Jaz allowed inwardly, finding herself the mesmerized one now.

      Which wasn’t going to do her, or anyone else, any good whatsoever!

      Beau gave a rueful shake of his head. ‘Are you suggesting that I’ve become short-sighted in my old age?’ he drawled ruefully.

      Old age! When he smiled like that he definitely only looked in his late thirties, and rakishly attractive to boot. Too much so for her peace of mind!

      She quickly drank down her cooling coffee before standing up noisily, not quite meeting his gaze now. ‘Time I got back to work,’ she mumbled awkwardly.

      ‘Jaz…?’ he murmured softly as she hurried across the room to the door.

      She paused, drawing in a controlling breath, drawing back her shoulders before turning to face him. ‘Yes?’ she prompted tautly.

      He walked softly across the room to stand in front of her, his gaze questioning now. ‘I’m sure I can’t be the first man to tell you how beautiful you are—’

      ‘Now you’re going too far!’ She frowned in rebuke, disappointment her main emotion.

      She had actually been starting to like him, appreciated rather than resented his old-fashioned view that shifting rocks was ‘a man’s work’. But now he was just being deliberately cruel.

      ‘Thanks for the coffee, Mr Garrett, but the entertainment’s over; I’m going back to work,’ she told him abruptly before turning away.

      Strong fingers dug into her upper arms as he reached out to hold her firmly in front of him, his gaze searching as she glared up at him resentfully.

      Living in the village had been far from easy since her mother had run off, village people, as Jaz knew to her cost, having long memories. But she had been born here, had no intention of being driven out of her birthright because of the viciousness of some of the gossip. And, with time, it had lessened, finally fading almost completely; she certainly didn’t need Beau Garrett, a complete stranger to the area, coming here and tormenting her in another way!

      His frown had turned to puzzlement now. ‘Jaz—’ He broke off as a knock sounded on the back door.

      ‘Hello? Anyone home?’ Without waiting for an answer to his call, Dennis, the builder, opened the door to look expectantly into the room.

      Where, Jaz knew, she and the famous Beau Garrett were standing far too close for two people who were supposed to be relative strangers!