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His laugh came from deep in his throat. ‘Really.’
‘I thought maybe I was the only one fighting this.’
He shook his head and moved forward again, pinning her with his body so that she could be in no doubt as to how he felt.
‘I have been like this since we swam, yesterday.’
Her cheeks suffused with colour. ‘Oh...’
He grinned. ‘Yes. Oh.’
She bit down on her lip and forced herself to meet his gaze. ‘So...?’
‘I am not often surprised,’ he said, and it was a thick admission. ‘But you surprise me. I like that.’
/> It did little to clear up her feelings, but she nodded. ‘I... I guess I’ll get dressed, then.’
* * *
If Tilly had thought her nerves stretched tight before, they were now at breaking point. A bumpy boat ride to Capri hadn’t helped. Nor had the sight of Rio at the helm, his shirtsleeves pushed up to his elbows, exposing tanned forearms and capable hands, his strong body braced as they crested the waves.
By the time they arrived she was parched, and just about ready to beg him to relent, to find some place where they could be together and see if that cured her desperate state of longing.
He pulled the boat directly into a cove, bringing it to a stop beside a wooden jetty. He stood up and tossed out a thick rope, catching a hook which he used to bring the boat in closer. He jumped up, in an impressive display of athleticism, looping the rope several times and then putting a hand down to her.
Tilly eyed it suspiciously, but his smile made her laugh. ‘Yeah, okay. I’ve learned my lesson.’
Still, she was tentative as she reached up and placed her fingers in his palm.
It was like being electrocuted. Her whole body was quivering with it. Her eyes met his helplessly. She was lost.
From what she could tell, Rio was focussed only on getting her out of the boat safely. She climbed up, knowing that she must look ridiculous as she scrambled onto the jetty. She went to thank him and pull away, but he shifted his fingers, lacing them through hers, holding on to her hand.
Emotion caught at her throat.
It was just about the sweetest gesture she’d ever known. A simple touch, an innocent closeness, and yet it filled her with pleasure.
The shore of Capri was dotted with colourful homes built right into the sheer cliff face. Shops and restaurants dotted the shoreline, and in the small bay bright boats bobbed gently on the water.
‘What do you need?’ she asked, her eyes taking in the picturesque scene.
‘Apart from the obvious?’ He grinned. ‘I have to pick up a few things.’
‘That’s cryptic,’ she teased.
‘Uh-huh. That is me. International man of mystery.’
She laughed. ‘Okay, mystery man. Where to first?’
The marina at which Rio had moored the boat was small, but a short stroll away there was a market.
It turned out that grocery items seemed to be the sum total of what was required. He paused to pick up a baguette, some tomatoes, olives, oil and cheese. While Rio shopped, Tilly followed, pausing to admire the stalls that caught her attention, wondering at the artful displays and delicious-looking treats.
He paused to speak to a man selling grapes and she spied a little shop across the cobbled path. ‘I’m just going to have a look in there,’ she murmured, moving away before he could speak.
She slipped inside and breathed in the familiar scent of second-hand books. Dust and imagination swirled around her.
‘Buongiorno.’ the woman behind the counter smiled, her wiry frame shifting forward a little in acknowledgement of Tilly’s arrival.
