Chapter 10.1

Twelve o'clock. Gina had decided not to change the clothes she'd dressed herself and Marco in this morning. A picnic was a picnic, and she liked the outfit she'd planned to wear for breakfast at the castle, though ironically enough, there were more butterflies in her stomach right now than there were on the top that went with her denim skirt.

They turned into a wildly fluttering flock when Marco charged down the hall, yelling, "He's here, Mama! He's got a big cruiser like Uncle Danny's."

A four-wheel-drive vehicle, not a flash car. The thought instantly zipped into her mind that he'd undoubtedly driven something else on his dates with Michelle Banks. Stop it! she fiercely berated herself. This was a picnic, not a fancy outing. Besides, she couldn't imagine he'd have a child- safety seat for Marco, so they would have to go in her car anyway.

She picked up the all-purpose bag she had prepared to cover all contingencies for her son—Alex could hardly be expected to know a little child's needs or the accidents that could occur—and took a deep breath as she headed for the front door, pulled along by a highly excited Marco who was determinedly leading her out to "the nice man."

They stepped onto the veranda just as Alex started up the steps to it.

He paused, looking at them both, as though taking a moment to assess what he was doing here. He was dressed in blue jeans and a royal-blue sports shirt, making the blue of his eyes so vivid, Gina couldn't tear her own gaze away from them. All her insides were helplessly aquiver, waiting for his judgement. Then he smiled and the nervous flutters melted in a wave of warm pleasure.

"Hi! It's good to see you again," he declared, including her son in the greeting. "Remember me, Marco? My name is Alex."

"Yes, I 'member. You weren't scared of the cane toad and you showed me the pretty fish," Marco smugly informed him.

Alex laughed, delighted by the recognition given. "Well, maybe we'll find something exciting to do this afternoon. I'll just carry your mother's bag for her and off we'll go." He acted on his words, remarking ironically, "You didn't need to bring anything, Gina."

"It's just stuff for Marco. I wasn't sure..."

"I figured all little boys like barbecued chicken, bananas and ice blocks." His eyes twinkled teasingly. "Right or wrong?"

She had to smile at his forethought. "Right enough." They were down the steps and following the path to the front gate before she remembered the transport problem. "You won't have a car seat for him. I thought..."

"Yes, I have. Got one installed at a hire-car place." She stopped, amazed at the trouble he'd gone to.

"I did ask you both out with me," he gently reminded her. "Yes. Thank you," she mumbled, blushing like a tongue-tied

schoolgirl. Having a man outside her family care about her and her son's needs—a man as sexy and desirable as Alex King—simply hadn't happened to her since she'd become a widow. Up close like this, close and very personal, with the memory of their physical intimacy flooding through her mind, Gina found herself floundering in the situation instead of breezing through it with womanly confidence.

Alex simply took charge, ushering them to his big Land Cruiser, helping Marco into the hired seat and doing up the safety straps with practised ease, putting her bag in the back of the vehicle, then opening the passenger door for her. It was a big step up into the high cabin. Gina was trying to work out how to accomplish getting to her seat gracefully, acutely aware of Alex watching. He took the decision from her, scooping her off her feet and lifting her in.

"There! No problem," he said, the grin on his face tilting slightly as he looked into her eyes and saw she was remembering the passion that had triggered a similar action last night. "Couldn't resist," he murmured, and for an electrifying moment his gaze dropped to her mouth.

"Are you going to do up Mama's strap, too?" Marco asked. Alex's swift intake of breath mirrored Gina's own breathless state.

Her whole body was poised for a kiss, aching for it, but he pulled back and grabbed the safety belt, making much of stretching it across her and clicking it into its slot. "All strapped up now," he directed at Marco. "It's important to follow the rules."

He closed her door, and in the time it took for him to settle in the driver's seat, Gina managed to recover some semblance of composure, though inwardly she was buzzing with the excitement of knowing he was still as affected by her as she was by him.

"You didn't follow the rule of picking up your clothes," Marco stated critically. "Didn't your mama teach you that, Alex, like my mama did?"

Her heart stopped. There could be no mistake about what her son was referring to. No avoiding it, either. She felt Alex glance sharply at her and she rolled her eyes at him, expressively pleading for some innocent reply.

"Yes, my mother did lay down that rule, Marco, but I was so tired last night I forgot. I picked them up when I woke up this morning."

"So you were a good boy," Marco concluded with satisfaction. "I was a bit late getting to it, but better late than never."

A strong hand reached across and squeezed Gina's. She squeezed back, grateful for his discreet and sensitive support. It forged a sense of togetherness again, as did the deliberate physical link. An exultant energy coursed up her arm and danced all the way to her heart.

"Okay?" he murmured.

She smiled at him, impulsively teasing. "You were very good." Wicked pleasure leapt into his eyes. "So were you."

Three little words, delivered with feeling, and Gina's sexual awareness zoomed to a new high, coloured vividly by all she had experienced with Alex last night. She forgot about Marco sitting in the back seat, forgot to give directions to Crystal Cascades, even forgot they were going on a picnic.

Alex drove and she watched him drive, remembering how his hands had felt on her, the very male muscular strength of his thighs, the sheer perfection of his body, the sensations it had aroused in hers. She wanted to feel it all over again, and her mind sang with the certainty ... so did he.

So did he!