Escape to Paradise

Chapter 1

She sighed, returning her eyes to the sand and the indentations made by her bare feet as she walked. A sense of unease washed over her and she looked over her shoulder, sure some guy was giving her one of those looks. It didn't bother her anymore, but her radar went off regardless. Weird. The few people enjoying the beach were oblivious of her. Must be her mood. She changed direction and headed down the path to Villa Chanson des Palmiers. She needed to see how Papa was doing.

The girl wasn't more than five feet away when she finally saw him leaning against the palm tree. Though he hid it, her shock when she noticed him was amusing. Though, now he thought about it, he did present a rather frightening picture. His loosely curling, dark hair was pulled into a short ponytail at the back of his neck and he hadn't shaved in at least three days. He hadn't slept much lately either so all in all he presented a rather haggard appearance. Piratical even. Not that his adoring fans cared how he looked. It was all good to them.

"Monsieur!" she gasped. "Qu'est ce que c'est? Qui êtes-vous?"

The soft, soothing voice fell on his ears like music. He was so bemused it took him a moment to realize she spoke in French and he didn't understand a word. Well, he was in the French West Indies, so he should've been prepared.

"I'm sorry. I don't speak French. The best I can do is 'bonjour' and maybe a few other words here and there." His deep, gravelly voice, which normally had more than his fair share of the female population melting at his feet, apparently wasn't having any effect on her. She merely looked at him inquiringly.

Her voice, on the other hand, had him wishing he did speak French, because he would've paid a lot to hear her say something else. However, as his eyes appreciatively raked her figure he concluded the view more than compensated. When they returned to her face, he decided they needed to stay there. Though she didn't appear bothered by his perusal, he didn't like what it was doing to him. He clenched his fists for a moment in an effort to keep his hands to himself. What the hell? They actually ached with the need to follow the path of his eyes.

A disconcerted look crossed her face. "That's okay I speak English. Who are you? This is private property. You shouldn't be here."

She pulled the sun-streaked hair hanging down her back to the front, effectively and modestly covering all that exposed golden flesh. And yes, it made him look again before he could stop himself. Her action, though, didn't strike him as a result of embarrassment, more of a habit. Was she aware how distracting her attributes were? Damn! Now he wanted to feel her golden tresses running through his fingers before relishing the heat and softness of her skin.

He gave himself a mental slap. Get a grip. He was here to get away from females. All females, not just one in particular. Besides, this one was too young. He hardened his heart. He needed to take control of the situation before things got out of hand. Something he had far more experience with than any person should.

"I might ask you the same."

He braced himself and wondered how creative this one was going to be. Been there done that. Though usually not without a bodyguard or two. She was doing a good job pretending she didn't know who he was, but he'd seen crazy fans pull all sorts of things, so he was prepared for anything. Well, mostly, as long as she didn't draw too much attention from the people enjoying the beach. A mob of crazy fans rather than one was more than he could cope with, all things considered. He glanced around and his tense muscles relaxed. Not too many people nearby, thank goodness.

"It's the private path to my family's villa, so I suggest you continue your journey down the beach and be glad I'm not calling the authorities. And I don't want to see you around here again. Your attempt to attract my attention wearing almost nothing failed, Sweetheart. Go find someone else. It shouldn't be too hard."