Read Online Jamaica Dreaming (Caribbean Heat) by Eugenia O'Neal - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eugenia O'Neal
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delightful ways.
She turned to look at him, a quizzical expression on her face. “Well?”
Sebastian realized she’d been talking and he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. What a crass idiot she must think him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that.”
She looked amused.
“I was asking if you’d be at the Ocho Rios concert, too.”
“Yes, of course.”
“I was looking over the packet Carly sent me and, I just realized, there was no mention of where I would stay. Will I come back to Kingston the same night?”
Ah, she’d caught that. He’d meant to introduce it into the conversation at some point over the next few days, not so soon, but now he didn’t have a choice.
“I have a property there. It’s got a separate guesthouse. We thought you could stay there. It’ll save the foundation money you see as, of course, there would be no charge.” He wasn’t telling the exact truth. The idea that he’d put her up was all his and it had nothing to do with wanting to save money. If she guessed any of this, she didn’t say. In fact, she didn’t respond at all. “It’s beautiful. In the hills, and very cool. There’s a pool and you won’t have to cook or anything. I have a housekeeper. She’ll look after you.”
“And, if you’re coming to the concert, does that mean you’ll be staying in the main house?”
“Yes, but, if that makes you uncomfortable, I can easily book myself into a hotel. That’ll be no problem.” God, he wished he could tell what she was thinking. Her face was as inscrutable as any mandarin’s.
Julissa started to say something and then changed her mind and stared out of her window. All he could see was her columnar neck and the curve of her ears. His gaze dropped down to where her dress had gapped a little and he could catch a tantalizing glimpse of the swell of her breast.
“It’s no trouble at all, you know,” he said, gently. He had the feeling he was dealing with undercurrents he didn’t understand. “Ochi has lots of great resorts. It might do me good to experience the island as a tourist.”
She shifted in her seat and the movement brought him another whiff of her perfume. Perhaps when he knew her better he’d be able to read what she was thinking in her dark eyes and in the set of her mouth.
“Or, if you prefer, we can book you into the hotel of your choice.”
“No,” she said. “I’d love to stay at your place. I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. I’d be very wrong to force you out. Perhaps you’ll show me some of the sights over there?” She glanced at him and looked away almost as quickly.
Sebastian only barely restrained himself from yelling a loud “yes.” Instead, he contented himself with a broad smile. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve actually got a couple things planned already.”
“You have?”
“I do.”
“You’re not going to tell, are you?”
“One of them is a visit to Dunn’s River Falls. I’d love to take you there but I’ll tell you the others when we’re in Ochi.”
“I saw the Falls in one of the brochures. They’re beautiful but, suppose I don’t like the surprises?”
“What’s not to like about good surprises? These are good. I promise.”
“Some are frightening.” She frowned and gave herself a small shake. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a downer. I don’t know where that came from.”
He would have liked to caress her, squeeze her thigh, show her he cared, but he didn’t want to startle her. Something was wrong. It wasn’t the accident or, at least, it wasn’t the accident alone. She was so fragile, like somebody hiding a deep hurt.
“How did your meetings go today?” she asked in an obvious effort to deflect attention from herself.
“Very well. Did I tell you who I was meeting with?”
“I think you said they had something to do with your coffee business. I’m not sure I really caught who they were.”
Julissa had just changed the conversation, steering it away from dangerous
She turned to look at him, a quizzical expression on her face. “Well?”
Sebastian realized she’d been talking and he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. What a crass idiot she must think him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that.”
She looked amused.
“I was asking if you’d be at the Ocho Rios concert, too.”
“Yes, of course.”
“I was looking over the packet Carly sent me and, I just realized, there was no mention of where I would stay. Will I come back to Kingston the same night?”
Ah, she’d caught that. He’d meant to introduce it into the conversation at some point over the next few days, not so soon, but now he didn’t have a choice.
“I have a property there. It’s got a separate guesthouse. We thought you could stay there. It’ll save the foundation money you see as, of course, there would be no charge.” He wasn’t telling the exact truth. The idea that he’d put her up was all his and it had nothing to do with wanting to save money. If she guessed any of this, she didn’t say. In fact, she didn’t respond at all. “It’s beautiful. In the hills, and very cool. There’s a pool and you won’t have to cook or anything. I have a housekeeper. She’ll look after you.”
“And, if you’re coming to the concert, does that mean you’ll be staying in the main house?”
“Yes, but, if that makes you uncomfortable, I can easily book myself into a hotel. That’ll be no problem.” God, he wished he could tell what she was thinking. Her face was as inscrutable as any mandarin’s.
Julissa started to say something and then changed her mind and stared out of her window. All he could see was her columnar neck and the curve of her ears. His gaze dropped down to where her dress had gapped a little and he could catch a tantalizing glimpse of the swell of her breast.
“It’s no trouble at all, you know,” he said, gently. He had the feeling he was dealing with undercurrents he didn’t understand. “Ochi has lots of great resorts. It might do me good to experience the island as a tourist.”
She shifted in her seat and the movement brought him another whiff of her perfume. Perhaps when he knew her better he’d be able to read what she was thinking in her dark eyes and in the set of her mouth.
“Or, if you prefer, we can book you into the hotel of your choice.”
“No,” she said. “I’d love to stay at your place. I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. I’d be very wrong to force you out. Perhaps you’ll show me some of the sights over there?” She glanced at him and looked away almost as quickly.
Sebastian only barely restrained himself from yelling a loud “yes.” Instead, he contented himself with a broad smile. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve actually got a couple things planned already.”
“You have?”
“I do.”
“You’re not going to tell, are you?”
“One of them is a visit to Dunn’s River Falls. I’d love to take you there but I’ll tell you the others when we’re in Ochi.”
“I saw the Falls in one of the brochures. They’re beautiful but, suppose I don’t like the surprises?”
“What’s not to like about good surprises? These are good. I promise.”
“Some are frightening.” She frowned and gave herself a small shake. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a downer. I don’t know where that came from.”
He would have liked to caress her, squeeze her thigh, show her he cared, but he didn’t want to startle her. Something was wrong. It wasn’t the accident or, at least, it wasn’t the accident alone. She was so fragile, like somebody hiding a deep hurt.
“How did your meetings go today?” she asked in an obvious effort to deflect attention from herself.
“Very well. Did I tell you who I was meeting with?”
“I think you said they had something to do with your coffee business. I’m not sure I really caught who they were.”
Julissa had just changed the conversation, steering it away from dangerous
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