of no reason for any subterfuge. She faltered for a moment, aware of the clamminess breaking out on the palms of her hands. She felt even more vulnerable and her heart seemed to thud painfully against her ribcage. She swallowed the rising lump of panic in her throat; of all people, she would have to be next to him! she thought indignantly. She knew she couldn’t possibly relax next to such a formidable character.
‘Excuse me, may I get past?’ she said, her voice surprisingly calm and not betraying in the least the turmoil she felt inside. The man lowered his paper slowly, as if each movement was calculated for the fullest impact, and fixed his dark eyes on her. For a moment he did not speak but continued to look at her, his gaze travelling slowly over the subtle contours of her body, till he had made a complete inventory of her. Hayley felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and a frisson of excitement spiralled down her back as she stood waiting for him to move. He then nodded briefly and moved slightly, his muscular body lithe and deceptively languorous.
‘Thank you,’ she managed to stammer, as she squeezed past him. She was all too aware of the hard firmness of his muscular legs as they moved obliquely to let her pass. A soft sweep of heat caressed her as her own legs inadvertently brushed against his. She was about to apologise, but the words died on her lips as she caught the mocking amusement in his eyes at her embarrassment. Once seated, she dived behind a glossy magazine and hid behind the printed matter as if erecting a wall between them, though she doubted there would be any fortress that could keep such a man out; his power and strength were evident in every line of his firm frame. It seemed odd to be seated next to him; there were vacant seats in the aircraft and lone travellers liked to stay alone. She wasn’t really interested in the magazine but concentrated hard on the articles in an attempt to pacify her rapid pulse. The close proximity of the man sent her senses reeling and she was unused to such strong reactions. She had caught the lemony tang of his aftershave and its deep scent seemed to fill her nostrils, teasing her to respond to him.
Hayley dived back into her magazine, mentally trying to shut out his presence—and the thought of take-off. She was so completely immersed in an article on homeopathic medicine that she failed to notice the flashing light above her head informing her to fasten her seat-belt. The announcement that followed alerted her immediately and she became uncharacteristically flustered and— suddenly—frightened. In her haste, she was unable to fasten the clasp; it seemed to take on a mind of its own. Her fingers fumbled hopelessly with the belt, her agitation increasing as she realised he was watching her again. Hayley felt him cast a scornful look at her incompetence.
A stab of hostility stole into her heart when he offered, ‘Can I be of assistance?’ His voice held an unmistakable taunt in its rich tones, a taunt that made her determined to succeed alone, without his help. She continued to struggle, silently cursing the perversity of inanimate objects as the belt seemed to refuse to fasten.
‘I shall do it.’ His voice was very quiet, low yet commanding. Hayley was about to protest; her head shot up and there was a defiant, angry gleam sparkling like icy chips in her pale blue eyes. Then her eyes met his and an involuntary shiver made her slender body tremble slightly. The depths of his dark eyes held an unmistakable harshness as they glinted with unconcealed enjoyment at her confusion. Hayley’s hands froze on her lap and her angry words of self-reliance died on her lips, as his strong, tapering fingers reached over and deftly clicked the buckle shut. He gave her a smile of supreme superiority which infuriated her but, all the same, she was so uneasy that she felt unable to speak. He leant back casually as Hayley nodded her thanks, hating herself for this lapse of weakness that had suddenly manifested itself in his presence. She watched him warily: his cool composure was like a façde, as if he was hiding something. He settled back, closing his eyes, his sooty lashes curled upwards, casting a soft shadow on his olive-tanned skin. He breathed deeply and seemed to relax, his face changing. He looked far less formidable now, his sensuous mouth curling gently with a serene grace and his angular features softening with tranquillity. His dark hair fell effortlessly in a sleek, smart style.
‘Relax, lean back, and breathe slowly and deeply,’ he instructed Hayley, without even opening his eyes. She pushed herself into her seat, her back rigid, and took a sideways glance towards him, but his eyes remained closed. He must have been aware of her studying him and Hayley found the thought mortifying. She was determined not to give him a second glance for the rest of the journey. It was obvious he was the type of man who thought all women found him irresistibly attractive. Well, he would be disappointed this time, thought Hayley, shutting her eyes tightly as well, to block out his forceful image.
‘Breathe deeply,’ he commanded again tersely.
He was obviously used to being obeyed instantly; his speech lacked the usual social pleasantries and, for a moment, Hayley thought she would hold her breath in defiance. But he spoke again. ‘Don’t be childish,’ he said. ‘You’ll feel better.’
His eyes had remained closed the whole time, which was unnerving, but at least he could not see the flood of colour that yet again covered Hayley’s face. The plane began taxiing down the runway, and instinctively Hayley gripped the arm-rests as it soared upwards. She fought the sickening feeling of nausea as her tummy flipped over with the ascent, the engines’ roar filling her ears. She sang nursery rhymes over and over in her head to prevent her from thinking about what was happening. Then there was a sudden uplift, then peace, as the roar lessened and clear blue sky surrounded them.
‘It’s all over now. Take-offs and descents are always the worst.’ His reassuring voice fell like a warm caress on her troubled nerves. Hayley opened her eyes and let out a huge sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging. She stiffened momentarily, unable to think how to react; he’d opened his eyes now and she certainly didn’t want to give him the impression that she was interested in him in any way. She decided to be polite but distant.
‘I haven’t flown very often,’ she confessed quietly, still not daring to look at him. She couldn’t face those eyes: they were too dark, almost black, and they held a sinister gleam that alerted her instincts. His gaze seemed to pierce her soul with a sharpness that belied the new sultry warmth in them.
‘So I gathered.’ Now his voice contained the warm laughter of friendship and Hayley found herself smiling at him, despite herself. ‘But you like to travel, no?’ he asked, his accent suddenly pronounced. Hayley nodded in agree-ment; up until now it had been Melissa who had been allowed the money to travel. Hayley wanted her to have everything she could, and willingly sacrificed her own pleasures for Melissa.
‘Yes, there are so many countries in the world I should like to see,’ she said wistfully, thinking about all the wonderful places she had seen depicted by artists over the years in the gallery.
‘What has prevented you? I see you are not married,’ he stated briefly, casting a glance at her bare left hand.
‘No, but I had other commitments,’ she admitted. Somehow she was secretly pleased he had noticed she was single, though she tried hard to dismiss the thought. She had never been very interested in men—not yet; not till Melissa was settled.
‘Which were?’ he enquired, a questioning frown on his brow. He leant closer and Hayley was even more aware of the attraction she felt for this stranger.
She laughed. ‘Nothing really; I have a younger sister. She has never kept good health, and I felt a holiday abroad once a year was of more value to her than me.’
‘Just a younger sister?’
‘Yes, there are just the two of us. Naturally, as the eldest, I have had to take responsibility,’ she admitted, disliking the dark shadow that crossed his face.
‘How noble of you,’ he said coolly.
‘There’s nothing noble about helping those you love,’ she snapped back at him, suddenly irritated by his aloofness and his taunting voice.
‘Are you sure you were helping?’ he retorted, his words stabbing, and his look deeply probing. Hayley felt herself flush once more; he was far too perceptive. Had she not asked herself the same question so many times, yet been unable to find a satisfactory answer? Melissa, younger by six years, had always been the family’s priority. As