Island Heat. Sarah Mayberry

think of what to say because the only idea that popped into his head was so inappropriate and never-going-to-happen that it made him want to shake his head to knock the thought loose from his mind. “If I win, you give me your father’s famous secret recipe for port wine glaze,” he finally said.

      “Still haven’t worked it out, Ben?” she asked mockingly. “It’s very simple, really.”

      Very aware of Helena and Nikolas watching their interplay like spectators at a tennis match, Ben stuck out his hand. “Are we agreed or not?”

      Her hand was warm and firm as it slid into his. “Agreed.”

      Helena cleared her throat. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

      Ben stared at her blankly and was aware of Tory doing the same.

      “Such as?” he asked.

      “Who is to decide the winner?” Nikolas asked.

      “Oh,” Tory said.

      “Of course, Nikolas and I might be available….” Helena hinted with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

      “Perfect,” Ben said. “You two are the judges and your decision is final. We’ll use the cuisine center as a base. How does two day’s time sound, after we’ve departed Grenada?”

      Tory lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. “If you need two days to get your act together, by all means,” she drawled.

      Ben looked down at her, at the flush in her cheeks and the challenge in her blue, blue eyes.

      “It’s a date,” he said.