Chain of Love Read Online Free Page B

hesitated, wishing
    irrationally that he would take off those shielding sunglasses, at the same time maintaining her own for protection from his all-seeing eyes.
    “Afraid to tell me?” he taunted gently. “I know enough about you already to be certain you’ve made some very arbitrary judgments
    about me. I’d be interested in seeing how astute you really are. Not that I think I’d have a snowball’s chance in hell of changing your
    mind once you make it up.”
    “You’re quite right.” She sat up straighter, curling her legs up underneath her to put even more distance between his overwhelming
    masculinity and her own frailty. “You strike me as someone who’s very sure of himself.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Overly so?” he inquired pleasantly.
    “Bordering on it,” she shot back. “You’re used to being found attractive by women, and can’t quite comprehend that any poor
    female would be immune to your charms. You spend a lot of money on your pleasures, like your boat and the wine. You’re probably quite vain, indolent,
    and you’ve already proven yourself to be sexist...”
    He took this litany in quite good part, reaching into the cooler by his side and retrieving a beer. An imported German one, of course, Cathy noticed as
    further proof of his sybaritic tendencies. “I sound like quite a worthless fellow,” he observed easily. “Haven’t you anything good
    to say about me? No redeeming qualities?”
    She considered this. “Since Charles and Meg like you, you can’t be all bad.”
    “Dogs and children like me too,” he offered meekly.
    “You sail well,” she continued sternly, ignoring his interruption. “And you have excellent taste in your expensive wines and such.”
    She hesitated for a moment. For some reason Sin seemed to be waiting for more. Determined to be frank and bold and take the wind from his sails, she added,
    “And you’re not bad on the eyes, either.”
    Whatever he had been expecting, that obviously wasn’t it. A slow smile creased his tanned face. “High praise, indeed. You, however, are staying
    immune to my overwhelming physical attractions?”
    “Completely!” she replied, edging slightly farther away from him. No matter how far she moved, he still seemed too close. She supposed he
    couldn’t help being intimidating, he was so damned huge. “Just as you are to mine.”
    He pushed the sunglasses up to his forehead, surveying her through half-closed eyes, that smile still playing on his lips. “What makes you think
    I’m immune to you, Cathy?” he asked softly, and the caressing sound of his voice sent a small shiver down her back, despite the heavy sweater.
    “You assured me I was completely safe from—from ravishment, I believe was the word you used.” She could feel the color come up in her
    face once more.
    “That wasn’t exactly what I said. I said you were safe, ‘right now.’“ He rose in one fluid, graceful movement, towering over
    her. “That doesn’t mean I’ll wait forever.” And before she could reply with more than a gasp of outrage, he had made his way
    forward to join Charles and Meg.
    Cathy stared after him for a long moment, awash with conflicting emotions. Emotions that couldn’t be completely defined as outrage. There was
    something akin to excitement at the thought of Sin MacDonald directing all that tightly leashed masculine energy in her direction. Aghast at her own
    wayward thoughts, she hastily got to her feet, gathering up the debris of their luncheon and carrying it below. She couldn’t tell whether it was the
    effect of the hot sun, or that intense look Sin MacDonald was giving her from across the boat, but she suddenly felt it imperative to have a few moments to
    compose herself before subjecting herself again to that piercing, hazel stare. And her sister was far too knowledgeable, besides.
    She delayed as long as she could, cleaning up the remains from their picnic, straightening the tiny galley and removing every last