Read Online Follow the Sun by Deborah Smith - Free Book Online Page B

the shaman, the man had looked into his eyes for a long time and said, “You will be your own destruction.”
    That prediction had upset Jeopard more than he’d ever admitted. It came back to him even today, in the midst of a breezy, sun-soaked California afternoon while the ocean shushed peacefully outside the open windows of his cabin and sea gulls floated in the sky like small angels.
    Jeopard knew the cause of his depression. He was going to make a phone call to Kyle while Tess took care of some minor chores aboard her boat. He felt sneaky, confused, and reluctant to tell Kyle anything ugly about Tess. All bad signs.
    He was doing his job, doing it exactly as planned, and with any luck he’d get his hands on the Kara diamond in time for Olaf, pompous little ass and Duke of Kara, to unveil it for his subjects before his coronation ceremony. Olaf, who was the opposite of hispopular aunt, the recently deceased Queen Isabella, apparently considered the diamond some sort of Holy Grail.
    Olaf thought that getting the diamond back into the royal collection would improve his image. Jeopard smiled grimly. True. Everyone in Kara would then think of Olaf as a pompous little
ingenious
ass.
    Jeopard tucked the phone into the crook of his neck and watched Tess come out of the
Lady
’s cabin. It was impossible to look at her without aching to hold her. Even thinking about her put him into hyper-arousal.
    She’d changed from her black swimsuit into a peach-colored sundress with a halter top. Her skirt swung fluidly around her bare legs as she moved about the sailboat, polishing bits of its trim with an old rag. Her dark hair fluttered like curtains about her face and neck.
    She turned toward the
Irresistible
as if she felt his gaze, though Jeopard knew that she couldn’t see into the dark interior of his cabin from where she stood. She smiled, raised a slender, honey-dark hand to her lips, and blew him a kiss.
    Then she went back to her chores.
    I could watch you for the rest of my life
.
    His phone connection went through, and Kyle answered.
    “Hey. Kyle. It’s me, the brother you idolize.”
    Kyle, a colorful talker, began a detailed and bawdy analysis of Jeopard’s faults. The point seemed to be that he’d expected a phone call long before.
    “How’s it going with the seduction of the sea witch?” Kyle finally asked.
    Distracted, Jeopard thought for a moment, then said, “She’s having me to tea tomorrow.” He cleared his throat. “Did you find out where the duke’s people got their information on her?”
    “They’re vague. Kept saying they’d interviewed people who know her, but they wouldn’t say who. But I double-checked the background on the diamond, and that’s legit. It belonged to Queen Isabella, and itwas stolen twenty years ago while she was visiting England.
    “It was a hell of an embarrassment for the Brits, Jep. I talked to Edwards at Scotland Yard. He remembers the case. Royce Benedict was the prime suspect, but he had an alibi. They couldn’t nail him, though they felt sure he was responsible.”
    Kyle laughed. “He was cocky. He’d stolen a million dollars in jewelry from Queen Isabella a few years before that. Served time in prison for it. The gems were recovered.”
    “What was this guy—the royal thief of Kara?”
    “Sounds that way.”
    “Kyle, doesn’t it strike you as odd that nobody wanted the Blue Princess back until now?”
    “Look, the thing’s not worth that much, as royal trinkets go. Apparently the Queen just wanted to forget the whole incident. After she died last year, Olaf decided somebody ought to settle the old score with Benedict. He’s the vengeful type, from what I’ve learned.”
    “Good work, kid. I’ll remember You at Christmas.”
    “Jep, Olafs people want the diamond before the end of the week. The duke needs a public-relations victory real bad right now.”
    “Oh?”
    “To put it simply, his future subjects think he’s a dirt-sucking scum bag. There’s