automatically denied the headache. Unfortunately he had spoken without thinking, and by the time he’d realized his tactical error it was too late. If he’d just thought it out beforehand, he could have had her here right now using her wonderful fingertips on his forehead.
Muttering about his failure to think fast enough on his feet, he reached out to switch off the bedside light.
Then he lay staring out at the moonlit darkness beyond the window.
There was no point kidding himself. Tabitha had no idea at all of the kind of man he was. She had given him a fantasy role. To her he was gentle and vulnerable and sensitive. Just the kind of man she wanted. If he kept his head and didn’t make any serious errors during the next couple of days, she would crawl into his lap like a trusting little cat. And then he would find out exactly what it took to make her purr.
With that thought in mind, Dev closed his eyes and went to sleep. He did not stay awake long enough to ask himself just why it was so important to make Tabby purr.
The ship’s itinerary the following day included an afternoon stop at another of the lesser-known islands on the list detailed in the brochure. Tabitha was looking forward to it with great anticipation. She bubbled over at breakfast as she read the description given in the ship’s daily newsletter.
“It says here that a lot of expatriate-artist types have established a colony on the western tip of the island and that passengers from the ship are welcome to visit,” she informed Dev over fresh papaya.
“I take it you’d like to visit the colony?”
“Definitely! No telling what sort of unusual things might be going on there.”
“I’ll bet.” He chuckled.
“I meant in the way of creativity,” she told him repressively.
“So did I. Put a bunch of free-spirited artists together on an island, and there’s no telling what sort of creative endeavors they’ll get up to.”
“You’re teasing me,” she accused, but the knowledge left her feeling remarkably light-hearted. It was the sign of a good relationship when each party felt free to gently tease the other, wasn’t it?
“You’re right. I’ll look forward to seeing the colony as much as you will,” he assured her blandly.
“Another cup of coffee?”
“Please.” Then Tabitha frowned. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to the trip? How are your ribs this morning?”
“A little sore, but nothing that should stop me from accompanying you.”
And they didn’t, apparently. Tabitha double-checked several times during the afternoon to make certain Dev wasn’t overexerting himself, but he seemed able to maintain the pace she set. Together they toured the small shop at the art colony, and Tabitha fell in love with one item after another. A wide variety of work was being done in all sorts of media from woodworking to pottery and weaving.
“Look at this lovely dragon design, Dev,” she exclaimed jubilantly as she examined a woven wall hanging. “He’s going to look great over my fireplace.”
Dev eyed the hanging thoughtfully. “He does appear to be looking for a home. Look at those pathetically pleading eyes. Too bad about the big teeth and the fiery tongue. Who’d want to take a chance on him as a house pet?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I would! He’s gorgeous.” She began rolling up the hanging. “And a perfect copy of a small German bronze figure I have.”
“How did dragons make their way into bestiaries? From fairy tales?”
“The monks weren’t that naive,” she sniffed. “They knew the difference between fairy tales and real life.
No, they probably came from descriptions of large serpents like pythons. And there are some other big reptiles in the world which could have been described as dragons. When you think about it, it’s not hard to imagine some real-life dragons.”
“Well, if you’re going to take him home, I’d very much like to buy him for you,” Dev said. “To replace the little carving
Muttering about his failure to think fast enough on his feet, he reached out to switch off the bedside light.
Then he lay staring out at the moonlit darkness beyond the window.
There was no point kidding himself. Tabitha had no idea at all of the kind of man he was. She had given him a fantasy role. To her he was gentle and vulnerable and sensitive. Just the kind of man she wanted. If he kept his head and didn’t make any serious errors during the next couple of days, she would crawl into his lap like a trusting little cat. And then he would find out exactly what it took to make her purr.
With that thought in mind, Dev closed his eyes and went to sleep. He did not stay awake long enough to ask himself just why it was so important to make Tabby purr.
The ship’s itinerary the following day included an afternoon stop at another of the lesser-known islands on the list detailed in the brochure. Tabitha was looking forward to it with great anticipation. She bubbled over at breakfast as she read the description given in the ship’s daily newsletter.
“It says here that a lot of expatriate-artist types have established a colony on the western tip of the island and that passengers from the ship are welcome to visit,” she informed Dev over fresh papaya.
“I take it you’d like to visit the colony?”
“Definitely! No telling what sort of unusual things might be going on there.”
“I’ll bet.” He chuckled.
“I meant in the way of creativity,” she told him repressively.
“So did I. Put a bunch of free-spirited artists together on an island, and there’s no telling what sort of creative endeavors they’ll get up to.”
“You’re teasing me,” she accused, but the knowledge left her feeling remarkably light-hearted. It was the sign of a good relationship when each party felt free to gently tease the other, wasn’t it?
“You’re right. I’ll look forward to seeing the colony as much as you will,” he assured her blandly.
“Another cup of coffee?”
“Please.” Then Tabitha frowned. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to the trip? How are your ribs this morning?”
“A little sore, but nothing that should stop me from accompanying you.”
And they didn’t, apparently. Tabitha double-checked several times during the afternoon to make certain Dev wasn’t overexerting himself, but he seemed able to maintain the pace she set. Together they toured the small shop at the art colony, and Tabitha fell in love with one item after another. A wide variety of work was being done in all sorts of media from woodworking to pottery and weaving.
“Look at this lovely dragon design, Dev,” she exclaimed jubilantly as she examined a woven wall hanging. “He’s going to look great over my fireplace.”
Dev eyed the hanging thoughtfully. “He does appear to be looking for a home. Look at those pathetically pleading eyes. Too bad about the big teeth and the fiery tongue. Who’d want to take a chance on him as a house pet?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I would! He’s gorgeous.” She began rolling up the hanging. “And a perfect copy of a small German bronze figure I have.”
“How did dragons make their way into bestiaries? From fairy tales?”
“The monks weren’t that naive,” she sniffed. “They knew the difference between fairy tales and real life.
No, they probably came from descriptions of large serpents like pythons. And there are some other big reptiles in the world which could have been described as dragons. When you think about it, it’s not hard to imagine some real-life dragons.”
“Well, if you’re going to take him home, I’d very much like to buy him for you,” Dev said. “To replace the little carving
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