The Man at Key West (10 page)

They picnicked on the boat with food Jay had bought from the hotel. Sue could imagine the girls on the hotel staff falling over themselves to provide an appetising lunch for him. The wine was very good and the food could not have been better.

They had not dressed to eat their lun
ch
. The sun was hot on their naked shoulders and Sue reached for one of the towels that Jay had hooked to blow in the breeze close by. On deck Jay rolled over on his mat in his casual nonchalant way and gave her his full attention as she poured out coffee from a flask following their delicious meal.

‘Want to go down again later on?’ he asked, accepting his steaming cup of coffee.

‘I’d like to,’ she answered, aware of the sun highlighting his thick dark eyelashes and the glossy wetness of his vibrant dark hair.

His male attractiveness, the sheer force of his personality were all part of this new adventure. The beauty around them, the sense of timelessness, added to the spell.

He smiled at her lazily. ‘You know, my sweet, I brought you here for a full day of activity to be on the safe side where emotions are concerned. I hadn’t reckoned on this tete-a-tete with you.’ He grinned, his teeth startlingly white against the deep bronze of his face. His dark eyes were filled with devilment. ‘I’m behaving myself even though I believe that tale about the sea heightening one’s awareness of one’s physical attractions when with the opposite sex. How do you feel about it?’

Sue could not make up her mind whether he was teasing her or not. She decided that he was. It was surprising how much it helped; surprising how coolly she could, after taking a sip of her coffee, raise eyes which were calm and serene.

‘As you say, my day is too full to allow emotions to enter into it,’ she said evenly.

‘As now?’ he raised a dark brow unbelievingly. ‘I bet your heart is going nineteen to the dozen even while you said that. You’re no iceberg, I can vouch for that, and you are a fast learner.’ He paused, then added, ‘I congratulate you on your performance.’

‘Just now?’ she queried. ‘In the water, I mean?’ Tongue in cheek, he said, ‘What else did you
think I meant? You’re putting ideas into my head, my sweet Sue. I trust they were unintentional?’

Sue made no reply. There was that in his gaze which made an answer unnecessary; more than unnecessary—positively dangerous. It was as if two people were holding out on each other with one of
t
hem wanting the other to make the first move. She was determined that the move would never come from her.

‘More coffee?’ she asked.

Jay held out his cup and to her surprise her hand was perfectly steady as she poured from the flask.

They dozed after lunch, and Sue awakened to blink through sleep-laden lids at the bright burnished blue of sea and sky. The towel she had put around her had kept her limbs from getting too much sun. She was aware of Jay lying on his sunbathing mattress beside her, propped on a bent elbow to study her. She was aware of being without
m
ake-up and also of her state of undress beneath the towel.

‘We’re supposed to be going in the water again, aren’t we?’ she said stiffly.

‘I hadn’t forgotten.’ Jay smiled in the way he would to a peevish child. ‘I’m as eager as you are to fill in every moment of our time here,’ he said. ‘Shall we get ready?’

He rose to his feet with the ease of active muscles in one lithe movement and picked up the air cylinders.

This time when Sue followed him over the side of the boat she was enjoying the simplicity of movement, the flip of her feet that propelled her up or down at will. Jay shot ahead, his breath escaping in a silver shower of bubbles. Sue followed, using her camera to take the beauty of the strange underwater scene with its beautiful grottoes in the brilliant coral reef. Then she forgot all about Jay while she went in search of stranger scenes ... down ... down to a glow of feathery fronds, and suddenly the water chilled her to the marrow.

Tendrils of unidentified plants reached out to grasp her, or so it seemed. She was suddenly afraid in the silence, and there was no sign of Jay. Unknowingly she had dived down among rocks forming a strange kind of roof and she could see no way out above her head. Her heart thumped against her ribs as fear gripped her. Steady now, she assured herself, you’re against a wall of coral—swim away from it and the roof over your head might be left behind. This she did, moving gradually in an upward direction, and there suddenly was Jay.

His face through his mask was thunderous and when they reached the boat he hauled her roughly on board to shake her. He had whipped off his mask and Sue had taken off hers.

‘You idiot!’ he snapped savagely. ‘What were you trying to do—commit suicide? You’re too much of a raw recruit to keep your breathing pipe free of the treacherous coral. It’s as sharp as a razor!’ He drew a finger across his throat, clicking his teeth as he did so. ‘That’s what would have happened to you had I not found you.’

‘I’m sorry. I was lured down by the beauty of the place, but it was terribly cold down there,’ she admitted in a small chastened voice.

‘Hell, what did you expect—warm springs in the bowels of the sea? How would you have gone on if you’d been caught with cramp through the cold? Why didn’t you come up immediately you felt the
temperature change?’

He was still holding her by the shoulders and Sue felt he was going to do her an injury at any moment. Her eyes were wide and dark with apprehension as he glared down at her.

What he saw in her wide frightened eyes lifted his mouth in a curve of humour and devils danced in his dark eyes. The next instant his mouth fastened on her own. Held close in a bone-cracking
e
mbrace, Sue was crushed beneath the fierce pressure of his mouth. Lips stinging and cool with the tang of sea spray captured hers, it seemed, for ever, and she lost herself in a world of bliss and ecstasy.

Was it true that the tang of the sea heightened sexual awareness? Sue asked herself as her lips parted to Jay’s demands. Her hands stole around
his
neck to move over his beautiful powerful shoulders, loving the feel of the smooth tanned
f
lesh beneath her caressing fingers. She was conscious of the strength of his thighs pressed against her own and she told herself that this was dangerous madness which would only end in her own unhappiness.

Yet it was Jay who drew away, albeit reluctantly. ‘I think we had better get dressed,’ he said thickly. ‘This is our last full day together and we want to make the best of it.’

Sue nodded, unable to trust her voice, as he released her and she made her way to the cabin to dress. She took with her the memory of his kisses and her mouth answering the passionate demands of his. It had been like nothing she had ever experienced before. Every caress, every touch had thrilled her, awakening a response and filling her with delight.

In the small cabin she began to pull herself together. For a few hours she had lost herself in Jay’s personality. Now she was herself again, with a new career waiting for her. Common sense told her that this holiday was a brief respite from everyday life and that from now on things just had to get back to normal again.

CHAPTER NINE

It
had come, their last candlelit dinner and their lust incredible sunset over an aperitif. Sue sat opposite Jay with the awareness that more than one pair of feminine eyes were straying in his direction. His virile good looks drew them like a magnet, and Sue knew that she was no exception.

While his expression teased his eyes mocked her wariness with a cynical gleam in their depths. Radiant happines
s
was hers, with those intense dark eyes fixed upon her making her feel wanted. She thought poignantly, I shall never know moments like these again, and suddenly the thought of returning to the Villa Repose and Connie filled her with apprehension.

As though reading her thoughts, Jay said slowly, ‘This time tomorrow we shall be back among the living again. How do you feel about coming down to earth?’

She said, ‘I’m looking forward to my job.’

He smiled. ‘Keep up the enthusiasm.’ He paused. 'I’m sure you’ll be more than pleased with your photographs,’ he added with a half smile. There was a note of seriousness behind the raillery in his deep voice.

‘I’m more than pleased with everything,’ she answered. ‘I’m sorry about the incident this afternoon. I simply got carried away.’

‘Maybe I was carried away too, in other directions,’ he admitted, and there was a look in his dark eyes which for the moment Sue could not recognise.

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he knew of a flat going spare, but she decided not to in case he misconstrued it as a request to move in with him. All the same, she would feel much happier if she could find a place of her own as long as her job lasted.

They took a stroll along the shore later. Beside Jay’s long economical strides Sue tripped daintily in her ballet-length cotton dress in russet with a bronze chiffon scarf around her hair. With a faint warm breeze blowing the tendrils of hair on her forehead her vivid face was glowing with light—but it was a light which would be short
lived.

Tomorrow they would go their separate ways. Jay seemed strangely quiet, and Sue wondered if he was thankful that things had turned out as they had. He was not the kind of man who wanted to be tied down. As they entered the hotel Jay was approached by a member of the staff to say that he was wanted on the telephone right away.

Gesturing to Sue to stay put, he strode to the; telephone in question and received the call. His face was enigmatic when he joined her again.

‘Gloria and Lee,’ he said laconically. ‘They want me to give them a lift in the plane back to Miami tomorrow.’

Sue did not know whether to be pleased or sorry that they would not be on their own during the flight back to Miami. Was she mistaken, or did Jay look relieved at the thought that they would have company?

She said on a dry throat, ‘Are they going just for the ride?’

He smiled sardonically. ‘They’re going to be m
arr
ied and they want us as their witnesses.’

'No kidding?’ Sue’s eyes were wide with surprise.

‘None,’ he replied with a twinkle. ‘Gloria has
been
baiting Lee for a long time. He’s had three wives already.’

’Really?’ Sue’s eyes were enormous. ‘I wonder who divorced whom? Gloria obviously knows what kind of performance he gives in...’

She broke off hurriedly as a vision of Gloria c
a
vorting under the sheets that night at the party
floated b
efore her.

'You were saying?’ Jay prompted dryly.

She said hurriedly with a deepening of colour in
he
r face,

‘Nothing really, only ... I thought ... they appeared to be well matched.’

Jay raised a brow. ‘Let’s go to the bar for a nightcap, then you can define well matched for
me
.’

H
e took her elbow and they were in a corner of
the
dimly lit bar where he seated her.

‘Now,’ he said returning with two drinks, ‘define well matched for me.’

Sue laughed, a sweet husky sound that brought
a
gleam to his dark eyes.

‘It’s something you can’t describe. You just know when two are made for each other.’

‘Would you say that you and I are made ... for each other?’ he challenged over the rim of his
g
lass.

The heat rose to her cheeks. ‘Not in my opinion,’ she answered. ‘You’re too much like Daddy, in the way that you’re seldom at home in one place for long.’

‘Is that bad?’ he teased.

‘If the woman wants roots, yes.’

‘And you do?’

‘Every woman does.’

‘Then I’m right in not getting married?’

‘I suppose so,’ she answered.

Still holding her gaze, Jay took a small packet from his pocket an
d pushed it across the table to her
.

‘A small present,’ he said.

Sue made no attempt to touch it. ‘For me? Why?’

‘Because I wanted to give you one.’

She pushed it back across the table. ‘Keep it until tomorrow,’ she said.

‘Why tomorrow?’

She shrugged. ‘Because I want it that way!’

‘Are you serious?’ he asked incredulously.

‘Quite serious.’

He drained his glass and put it down. His smile belonged only to his mouth; his dark eyes were cold and unsmiling. Sue quelled an overwhelming desire to fling herself into his arms, to bring back the searching tenderness in him which could mould her emotions at will. But she checked the desire.

‘We’d better turn in,’ Jay said abruptly.

On the way to their rooms Sue was fighting the urge to make it up with him, to get back to the warm feel of his arms around her. All too soon he would be no longer the Jay she knew but a stranger in the future of her life.

At her room door, she asked, ‘What time do we go in the morning?’

‘Midday. The plane won’t be ready before then. There are one or two minor adjustments to be
made.’

He was playing with her large hoop ear-rings and Sue felt he was waiting for her to speak.

‘You mean we have the morning free?’

That’s right.’

She was finding it almost impossible to remain so near to him. On the other hand she marvelled at how much in command of any situation
he
appeared to be. She doubted if any situation
had
ever arisen when he had not been in complete
c
ommand of his own emotions.

She studied the well cut mouth that could be
ha
rd and cold or soft and warm, sometimes sensuous, sometimes aggravatingly tantalising, but never
bori
ng.

‘Let’s go shopping after breakfast,’ she said.

He paused, avoided her eyes and dropped his lingers from the
hoop ear-rings.

‘We’ll go shopping,’ he said.

They enjoyed their early morning swim and their breakfast. But neither of them was completely
re
laxed. Jay teased a little with a guarded look in
hi
s eyes.

'Any special reason for shopping?’ he asked as
t
hey finished their last cup of coffee.

‘Just presents,’ Sue replied offhandedly.

Thank goodness Jay was not like her father, who
had
always shirked any kind of shopping even for himself. Jay approved the presents Sue bought for her father and Connie, and he was surprised when
sh
e bought him one. He stared at the beautifully made leather driving gloves, and Sue was smiling up at him impishly.

‘Do you like them?’ she asked.

‘Very much. Is that why you refused my present
last
evening, because you wanted to give me one in
ret
urn?’ he asked slowly.

‘Why not?’ she answered.

H
e stared for several moments at her face and its soft luminous beauty.

‘Thank you,’ he said.

Gloria and Lee were waiting for them at the airport with their suitcases. Gloria was wearing a sleeveless pure silk cheetah print trouser suit. Bracelets were piled up her slender arms and the words, ‘I love Lee,’ were in inch-high letters across her breast. Her dark hair was frizzed out with a band around her forehead.

‘Ye gods!’ murmured Jay, and proceeded to put their luggage on board the aircraft.

Maybe Gloria’s high spirits were what they needed on the short journey back. Sue thought that however their forthcoming marriage turned out; Lee would never be bored with his prospective brides They were to be married in Miami in three days, time, and Jay promised to attend as witness along with Sue. Jay had invited them to stay at his plac
e
until the ceremony, and when the plane touched down he insisted upon Sue going along with the
m
for a meal before taking her home.

But Sue wanted to get away from Gloria’s incessant chatter and most of all Jay. He had not given her his present again. Perhaps she had hurt him too much by refusing it in the first place
.
However, she decided to think no more about it.

While Jay was getting the luggage out of the plane she took her own weekend case and hailed a taxi. She knew that Jay would not like her going off so abruptly, but he would soon get over it.

The Villa Repose was strangely quiet when she used her key to go in. She called out, but only silence greeted her. Strange, there was no sign of Vera or her husband either. What was going on? Sue went up to her room and there was a note o
n
her bed. It was from her father to say that they had
gone
away for a holi
day and that she was in good hand
s with Jay.

Sue stared down at the few words with mixed
feelings
and shivered. There was an atmosphere in
the
house of throbbing, ominous undertones
. Sudden
ly she gave a small cry and spun round at a movement by the door.

It was Vera. She was obviously ready to go out.

‘I’m
glad you’ve come before we leave,’ Vera said
unsmiling
.

‘Leave
?’ Sue echoed in astonishment. ‘You mean
for
good?’

‘Yes.’

‘B
ut why? According to this note from my father
, he
and my stepmother are only going away on holiday.’

Vera shrugged. ‘They won’t need us if they’re
sell
ing the house, will they?’

‘Selling the house?’ Sue stared at the poker-faced Vera in astonishment. ‘Are you sure?’

'That’s what Mrs
.
Blake told us when she gave
us
a month’s pay in lieu of notice.’

'My stepmother did? Not my father?’ Sue’s voice w
a
s almost a croak.

‘Mr. Blake never had much to do with the running of the house. All our orders came from Mrs
. B
l
a
ke,’ Vera said without expression.

‘
I see.’ But Sue knew that she did not see anything. It was all beyond her. ‘Have you got another
j
ob?’

‘Yes, but it isn’t here in Miami. Goodbye, Miss
B
lake.’

Sue was not even aware that Vera had gone. She nut down on the bed in an effort to try and sort things out. Then it occurred to her that Connie
c
ould also have left a note somewhere in the house.

It was on the hall table, along with the house key
.
The note was brief. It read: ‘It is up to you, Su
e
how soon we can see you again. We’re going awa
y
for a time. Keep in with Jay. He’s our only salv
a
tion. Connie.’

S
ue stood transfixed with the second note in her hand. Whatever did Connie mean? It was up to her and Jay? A cold shiver ran down her spine and the shrill ring of the telephone gave her quite start.

‘Sue,’ said Jay. ‘Are you all right?’

‘I’m fine,’ she answered, pulling herself togeth
er.

‘Then why the blazes did you run off like that?
’

‘I wanted to get home.’

‘Is that all? Then you can dine with me thi
s
evening. I’ll call for you.’

Sue closed her eyes. Her senses seemed blurre
d
at the edges.

‘I can’t see you this evening. I’m too tired,’ she managed.

‘Then get into a warm bath and soak the tiredness away,’ he sounded impatient. ‘See you eight.’

‘I can’t—I’m having an early night. I’m a working girl, remember?’

Sue clenched her hands as she spoke. She fe
e
l strung up and horribly alone. She needed advice but there was no one to turn to, least of all Jay,
if
he was mixed up in whatever was happening to he
r
father and Connie. Those happy moments on th
e
boat, swimming underwater, staring up from mattress on the deck of the boat to the eye-waterin
g
sky with Jay beside her, his arms around her, hi lips in the hollow of her neck ... all had bee
n
spoiled by the sudden unnerving mystery of wh
y
her father and Connie had gone away so suddenly
without letting her know.