Chapter 2.7

Realizing that she had reached the end of the beach where a jumble of rocks jutted out into the bay, Selena stopped walking and wandered down to the edge of the water. The little waves lapped her bare feet. Across the wide expanse of the bay, lights twinkled from the houses of the village. Behind her, leaves rustled. All was quiet and peaceful. No wonder tired business people came to such places to relax for a week or so and to forget for a while the stressed and strains of city life. And yet, Heather has told her that if she didn't find someone to invest in the Pelican's Roost, it would go bankrupt.

"Thinking of going skinny dipping?" asked a slightly drawling voice behind her. "I'll keep you company if you like. Best not to swim alone."

Although her nerves leapt with a sudden warm pleasure at the sound of Keith's voice, she turned towards him slowly. He was standing a few feet away from her, a tall, shapely figure, his white shirt gleaming in the moonlight, his face silvered and shadowed.

"You've been following me?" she asked.

"I have."

"But how did you know I'd come this way?"

"When I realized you weren't going to put in an appearance in the bar, I decided to go back to the ship. I saw you stop off the jetty and on to the beach." He stepped towards her until he was very close to her. "This is some coincidence, us meeting again like this," he said softly.

"Have we met before?" she partied defensively and he laughed, a pleasant infectious sound, a familiar beloved sound.

"How like you to play it cool," he scoffed. "You know damn well we've met before."

"I don't remember," she said, persisting in her presence of not knowing him.

"Then perhaps this will remind you," he retorted, no longer gently mocking, his voice roughened by some disturbance of feeling and taking hold of her shoulders, he jerked her forward and kissed her.

She made no attempt to avoid his lips but let their hot hardness press against the cool softness of hers until response flickered into life deep within her, a small flame that blazed up fiercely and suddenly when his arms slid around her and his tongue forced its way between her lips. For a long time they kissed, indulging in the familiar erotic sensations that they were able to around in each other until Keith lifted his mouth from hers, but the lobe of her ear gently and whispered, "Remember now?"

She stepped away from him, reluctantly withdrawing from the temptation of his embrace, disciplining her excited senses, refusing as always to let him see how he could penetrate to the secret core of her being, take over and dominate the inner passionate person who hid behind the cool facade she presented to the world as a rule.

"Perhaps a vague memory stirs," she replied coolly. "About four years ago, wasn't it? In Nassau? We met at a party at a house in Lyford Cay."

He stood still and silent. The little waves splashed gently about her feet. The night wind sighed in the palms. The sickle moon shone down out of the dark blue tropical sky, and the air was warm, scented with unseen blossoms. It was a night of romance, for love, like many of the nights they had walked together on similar beaches on other islands. But there was no romance tonight. She had destroyed any romance there might have been by speaking coldly and purposefully, thinking of his marriage to Sora and her own promise to Ben.

At last Keith moved, folding his arms across his chest. He said rather harshly, "Are you trying to tell me you don't remember the months we lived together?"

"I...I'm trying to tell you that I would prefer to forget that episode in my life," she replied. "I'm really surprised you remember and I would prefer it if you forgot about it too. You see," she drew a deep breath to control her voice, to prevent it expressing the turmoil which had stirred up within her when he had kissed her. "You see," she went on steadily and coolly, "when this little underwater expedition is over and we return to England, Ben and I are going to be married."