The Vengeance Affair

‘Time for a coffee break, I think,’ he decided crisply ten minutes later when the rocks were neatly stacked in the greenhouse.

‘Oh, but—’ She broke off her protest as he looked at her down the length of that arrogant nose. No doubt that look had as equal success in silencing the guests on his television programme!

‘Coffee break. Now. In the house,’ he bit out succinctly.

She quirked dark brows derisively. ‘Will Dennis be joining us too?’

Beau’s mouth twisted scathingly. ‘Hardly.’

She shook her head. ‘Then you have no need to worry about me, either. I brought a flask of coffee with me in the van,’ she assured him.

And then felt totally embarrassed by the admission. Although why she should do so she had no idea; she always took a flask of coffee and a packed lunch when she was off working for the day. And thanks to Beau Garrett’s cheque she had been able to put something a little more interesting than jam in the sandwiches!

‘Save it for later,’ he dismissed uninterestedly, not waiting for her reply before striding off towards the house.

Because he was used to being listened to and obeyed, Jaz guessed ruefully as she trailed along reluctantly behind him. She was afraid he would have to get used to a much slower response if he intended remaining in Aberton.

Although not this time, Jaz allowed self-derisively, feeling slightly guilty as she could still hear Dennis working up on the roof, but quite happy to drink a cup of coffee herself if it was the same brew Beau had made for her on Monday.

It was, its delicious aroma quickly filling the warmth of the kitchen. Jaz crossed the room with sock-covered feet to sit at the table, having left her muddy boots outside on the step.

‘Mmm, that smells good,’ she accepted gratefully as Beau placed the steaming mug on the table in front of her. ‘Er—I wasn’t being rude before when I made that remark about you shifting the rocks,’ she began awkwardly. ‘It’s just that the last time I saw you it was on public television, interviewing Catherine what’s-her-name, the Oscar-winner.’

He stiffened, his expression bleak, his eyes glittering hardly. ‘A beautiful lady,’ he allowed tightly as he moved away to get his own coffee.

‘Very.’ Jaz nodded, frowning as he kept the rigidness of his back turned towards her.

She hadn’t intended to annoy him by mentioning his television programme—although from his suddenly frosty manner that’s obviously what she had succeeded in doing!

‘Mr—Beau,’ she amended as he turned that silver glare on her. ‘I’m sorry if I—’

‘Life is going to become extremely tedious over the next few weeks if you keep apologizing every ten minutes!’ he bit out tautly, a humourless smile curving his lips as he looked at her challengingly.

Once again Jaz felt the embarrassed colour in her cheeks. Even if she was completely aware that Beau Garrett had deliberately turned the tables on her…

Beau was giving her a considering look now, further enhancing that blush in her cheeks. ‘You have a look of Catherine yourself, you know,’ he finally murmured slowly.

‘Yeah—right!’ She came back with the same scornful comment she had heard from a friend’s teenage son a couple of weeks ago.

Although her smile wavered, and then disappeared completely as she found no answering humour in Beau Garrett’s face.

She continued to frown at him for several long minutes, and Beau silently returned the steadiness of her gaze. ‘You were just trying to change the subject,’ she finally accused dryly.

‘True,’ he acknowledged unabashedly—nothing in his expression to confirm or deny his reference to her resembling the beautiful actress.

Not that Jaz had taken him seriously for a moment; with her wild dark hair and make-upless face, her clothes ready for the ragbag, she bore absolutely no resemblance to the beautifully elegant actress who appeared so strikingly on the big screen. It had merely been said as a ploy to distract her from her remark concerning Beau’s television programme.

Although she still had no idea what the problem was with her mentioning something that was obviously so successful…

She sighed heavily. ‘I think the Catherine Zeta-Jones remark was a little mean of you,’ she grimaced.

‘Coffee break over,’ Beau decided abruptly. ‘And I wasn’t being in the least “mean” with the Catherine Z J remark,’ he added mockingly, that rapier-sharp gaze narrowed on her flushed face now. ‘It’s your mouth, I think,’ he said slowly—just when Jaz had decided she really couldn’t stand his all-seeing scrutiny a moment longer! ‘The top lip is a perfect bow, the bottom lip sensuously full.’

A perfect bow…? Sensuously full…!

Her next movement was purely instinctive, her tongue moving moistly across that perfect bow and sensuously full bottom lip, her breath catching in her throat as she saw that Beau Garrett’s gaze was riveted on the movement.

She may be twenty-five in years, but in experience she was a mere babe-in-arms. Especially where a man of Beau Garrett’s charisma was concerned! There had been few dates in her teen years, even fewer in her twenties, and she couldn’t remember anyone who had ever looked at her with such frankly male appraisal. It wasn’t comfortable.

She gave a dismissive shake of her head. ‘I think you need to get your eyesight checked!’

The smile he gave at this remark was the most genuine Jaz had ever seen him give, revealing even white teeth, grey eyes gleaming warmly, taking years off him as he looked almost boyish.

Wow! Jaz allowed inwardly, finding herself the mesmerized one now.

Which wasn’t going to do her, or anyone else, any good whatsoever!

Beau gave a rueful shake of his head. ‘Are you suggesting that I’ve become short-sighted in my old age?’ he drawled ruefully.

Old age! When he smiled like that he definitely only looked in his late thirties, and rakishly attractive to boot. Too much so for her peace of mind!

She quickly drank down her cooling coffee before standing up noisily, not quite meeting his gaze now. ‘Time I got back to work,’ she mumbled awkwardly.

‘Jaz…?’ he murmured softly as she hurried across the room to the door.

She paused, drawing in a controlling breath, drawing back her shoulders before turning to face him. ‘Yes?’ she prompted tautly.

He walked softly across the room to stand in front of her, his gaze questioning now. ‘I’m sure I can’t be the first man to tell you how beautiful you are—’

‘Now you’re going too far!’ She frowned in rebuke, disappointment her main emotion.

She had actually been starting to like him, appreciated rather than resented his old-fashioned view that shifting rocks was ‘a man’s work’. But now he was just being deliberately cruel.

‘Thanks for the coffee, Mr Garrett, but the entertainment’s over; I’m going back to work,’ she told him abruptly before turning away.

Strong fingers dug into her upper arms as he reached out to hold her firmly in front of him, his gaze searching as she glared up at him resentfully.

Living in the village had been far from easy since her mother had run off, village people, as Jaz knew to her cost, having long memories. But she had been born here, had no intention of being driven out of her birthright because of the viciousness of some of the gossip. And, with time, it had lessened, finally fading almost completely; she certainly didn’t need Beau Garrett, a complete stranger to the area, coming here and tormenting her in another way!

His frown had turned to puzzlement now. ‘Jaz—’ He broke off as a knock sounded on the back door.

‘Hello? Anyone home?’ Without waiting for an answer to his call, Dennis, the builder, opened the door to look expectantly into the room.

Where, Jaz knew, she and the famous Beau Garrett were standing far too close for two people who were supposed to be relative strangers!

CHAPTER FIVE

BILLS, bills, nothing but— What…?