His Bride In Paradise. Joanna Neil

keen to help you get settled in.’

      ‘No. He rang to tell me he’d be along a little later. He had a meeting with the director so that they could iron out a few things before filming starts tomorrow.’

      Alyssa stopped to listen for a moment as a faint creaking sound caught her attention, like a footfall on the steps leading to the deck. Was someone walking around outside? Could it be that there was a change of plan and Ross was coming home earlier than expected? Then one of the voile curtains fluttered on a light current of air, distracting her, and she shook her head. Ross had stressed the importance of the meeting. It must have been the door that was creaking, that would be it.

      ‘Well, he’ll make sure that everything goes smoothly for you, I’m sure,’ Carys murmured. ‘You can put all your troubles behind you now, and forget about your awful ex. I’ve known Ross for ages, and he has a heart of gold. He’ll take good care of you. I know he was besotted with you from the moment he set eyes on you.’

      Alyssa sat up against the pillows. ‘Oh, no … surely that can’t be true … At least, I hope it isn’t.’ Ross knew how she felt. She’d come here to get away from all the mess that relationships involved, clutching at the chance Ross had given her to make her escape. This was her sanctuary.

      Her work back in the UK had proved to be a stumbling block, too, and she’d reluctantly decided to put what had once been a promising medical career temporarily on hold. At least, she hoped it was only a relatively short-term move. In the end, things had proved too much for her, and she’d had to accept that she needed to take time out to recover from the burnout that had crept up on her and caught her unawares.

      Somehow, she had to try to get herself back together again and she was pinning her hopes on the healing qualities of these next few months. As to the rest …

      ‘I’ve finished with romance,’ she said, her tone quiet and restrained. ‘I’m done with all that.’

      ‘So you say.’ Carys laughed. ‘Anyway, your ex is finally out of the picture, so with a bit of luck you can relax now and look forward to a few months of sheer luxury and self-indulgence.’

      ‘Well, of course,’ Alyssa answered, tongue in cheek. ‘How could I not enjoy all this? I’ve got it made, haven’t I? Nothing much to do but enjoy the sunshine and surf and thank my lucky stars. I’ll take money and all these rich trappings over love any time. Who wouldn’t?’

      ‘Sure you will,’ Carys murmured drily. She knew full well that Alyssa was joking. ‘Look, I have to go. I’ll call you again. You take care. Love you.’

      ‘And you.’

      Alyssa cut the call and put down the phone, listening once more as the creaking grew louder. Was someone or something out there? It couldn’t be Ross, surely? He’d said he would be delayed for at least an hour. Frowning, she went over to the doors and stepped out onto the deck.

      A white ibis caught her attention in the distance, wandering along the shoreline, dipping his long red bill into the shallows in search of any tasty morsels that might have been washed up by the sea. She watched him for a moment or two.

      ‘We see those birds quite often around here,’ a male voice said, catching her completely unawares. The deep, resonant tones smoothed over her, making her swivel around in startled surprise.

      The man moved from the shelter of the open sitting-room door and came to stand just a couple of feet away from her. He leaned negligently against the rail, making himself completely at home.

      ‘Who—who are you …? What are you doing here?’ She stared at him, shocked, wide-eyed, a little afraid and uncertain as to what to do. She was completely alone out here. He was at least six feet tall, long limbed, broad shouldered, definitely a force to be reckoned with.

      She quickly thought through her options. The neighbours were too distant to hear if she were to shout out, and for an instant she floundered, before self-preservation took hold. Maybe he was a neighbour, and she was simply jumping to conclusions. Just because he was standing on Ross’s veranda, it didn’t have to mean he was some kind of would-be felon … did it?

      ‘I was originally planning on helping myself to a cool drink and something to eat,’ he answered with a faint shrug. ‘I thought the place was empty, but then I heard a woman’s voice and thought maybe I’d better find out who was here.’

      His glance travelled over her, gliding along the creamy slope of her bare shoulders, moving down across the brief white towel that clung to her curves and coming to linger for a while on the golden expanse of her shapely legs. His gaze shifted downwards. Her feet were bare, her toenails painted a delicate shade of pink, and there were tiny gemstones embedded in the pearly nail varnish. A faint smile touched his mouth. ‘I certainly hadn’t expected to find anyone quite so lovely here to greet me.’

      Alyssa felt warm colour invade her cheeks and her fingers tightened on the towel, clutching it to her breasts. He seemed to be quite at ease here, yet he still hadn’t explained who he was.

      ‘Well, whoever you are, you shouldn’t be here,’ she said. What kind of person would have the gall to calmly walk in and help himself to a drink? Ross had insisted she would have the place to herself. Her green eyes flashed a warning. ‘You’d better go before I call the police.’

      Belatedly, she remembered that she’d left her phone on the bedside table. Could she sidle back into the room and dial the number without alerting him to her actions? Hardly. Still, a bit of bravado wouldn’t come amiss, would it?

      He’d made no attempt to move. ‘I can’t think why you’re still standing there,’ she said in a terse voice. ‘I meant what I said.’

      ‘Yes, I realise that … I just don’t think it’s a very good idea.’

      ‘Of course you don’t. You wouldn’t, would you? Even so …’ She took a couple of steps backwards into the bedroom, not taking her eyes off him for a second. The smooth, Italian-tiled floor was cool beneath her feet, soothing to her ragged nerves. Her heart was pounding, her pulse thumping out an erratic beat.

      He didn’t look the least bit put out. He was dressed in cool, expensive-looking chinos and a loose cotton shirt. His hair was dark, the perfect styling framing an angular face, but it was his eyes that held her most of all … They were narrowed on her now, grey, like the sea on a stormy night, and compelling, a hint of something unknown glimmering in their depths as he studied her.

      Slowly, he pushed himself away from the rail and began to move towards her, and her insides lurched in fearful acknowledgement. Instinctively, she recognised that this was a man who knew what he wanted and who was used to getting his own way. He wasn’t going anywhere, and it certainly didn’t look as though he intended to heed her warning.

      She felt behind her for the mobile phone on the bedside table.

      ‘As I said, I really wouldn’t advise you do that,’ he murmured, his gaze following her actions. ‘You might find yourself having to explain to them what exactly you’re doing in my house.’

      Her jaw dropped a fraction. ‘Your house?’ She frowned, then shot him a steely glance. ‘No … no, that can’t be right. You’re the intruder, not me. I’ll tell them so.’

      There was a glint in his dark eyes. ‘Okay, let’s get this straight—I’m Connor Blakeley, and this has actually been my home for a number of years. My brother lives here too, from time to time, but it’s a fact that it’s my name on the deeds of the property.’ He studied her. ‘So, would you like to tell me who you are and what you’re doing here?’ His mouth moved in a wry smile. ‘Or perhaps I can hazard a guess. This is bound to be something to do with Ross. You must be his latest girlfriend.’

      She stiffened. He made it sound as though there had been a stream of them. Deciding to ignore his comment, she shook her head so that her bright curls tumbled about her shoulders. This man had to be an imposter, surely? Doubts were beginning to creep in, but she said cautiously, ‘Connor’s