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Authors: Elizabeth Lowell
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retreated across the verandah into the relative coolness of the house. He followed her
without waiting to be asked. His sandals made faint slapping sounds just behind her heels.
With his tall, athletic body, quick grin, and rugged Outback blond looks, he went through
women like a home-grown Australian flu.
Hannah found Flynn almost amusing, as long as he wasnt turning those cobalt blue eyes in
her direction. Of course, there could be another, more sinister reason that Flynn was
watching her with predatory interest. Two days ago he had offered to find a buyer for
Pearl Cove. She had refused.
The thought that she might be in danger from the genial Aussie made Hannahs stomach twist,
so she concentrated on doing what she was good at: keeping a man at arms length without
making an enemy of him.
You want your usual mud tea? she asked neutrally, leading Flynn away from the front door
and toward the kitchen. Or are you ready for a beer?
Tea or beer, whatever is cold.
Is something wrong? she asked again. More injuries?
Nothing new. I came to see how you are.
Shes fine, Archer said from behind them. With a smooth, balanced movement, he stepped out
of the shadows by the front door. Anything else on your mind?
Flynn spun around, half crouched in a fighting stance, weight poised on the balls of his
feet. The sight of a big, handsome, confident male in Hannahs house made the Aussies blue
eyes narrow. Who the devil are you?
Hannahs partner, Archer said calmly. He hadnt missed the automatic movements of someone
trained in unarmed combat. Beneath that charming grin and shoulder-length, sun-bleached
hair lurked a fighter. Archer knew how bad his mood was when the thought of testing the
young Aussies fighting skills appealed to him.
Partner! Flynns head snapped around toward Hannah. Did you sell to this bloke?
No. Mr. Donovan has been a partner in Pearl Cove since it was founded. She looked at
Archer. This is Christian Flynn. He manages the water end of Pearl Cove.
Len never mentioned a partner, Flynn said. His voice was even less welcoming than his
expression.
Archer just stood there, taking in the good-looking, angry Australian. He wondered why Len
had put up with having the muscular young stud around Hannah. Len hadnt wanted Archer
within seventeen thousand miles of his wife, and had said so in words that still echoed
bleakly deep in Archers mind.
Get the hell out of my life and stay out. All the way out. You think you can have her now
that I m paralyzed, but youre wrong. You come near her and III get even. Not with you.
With her.
At the time Archer had told himself it was just the drugs, just the fear, just the rage of
a newly paralyzed man speaking. He had tried to get through to Len, to reassure him that
he had no intention of seducing Hannah. All he wanted to do was help his brother.
Len hadnt listened. The harder Archer tried, the more wild Len become. So Archer did as
his brother asked. He got the hell out of Lens life. All the way out.
There was no reason to talk about having a partner, Hannah said warily, sensing the
currents of tension coiling between the two men. Archer wasnt an active partner.
Something shifted in Flynns stance. Archer? Would that be Archer Donovan?
Yes, she said.
Bloody hell, Flynn muttered. Anybody who knew anything about buying pearls had heard of
Archer Donovan. The man was a legend. He had a shrewd understanding of pearls, people, and
the marketplace. Unhappily Flynn kneaded his neck with his left hand while he thought
about how Archers presence changed an already fluid situation. None of the possibilities
made him smile. But he turned to Archer anyway, smiled, and held out his right hand. Sorry
if I was rude, mate. Im short on sleep. After the big wind, things are a right bitch
around here.
Archer smiled from the teeth out and took the other mans hand. No worries. Im short on
sleep,
without waiting to be asked. His sandals made faint slapping sounds just behind her heels.
With his tall, athletic body, quick grin, and rugged Outback blond looks, he went through
women like a home-grown Australian flu.
Hannah found Flynn almost amusing, as long as he wasnt turning those cobalt blue eyes in
her direction. Of course, there could be another, more sinister reason that Flynn was
watching her with predatory interest. Two days ago he had offered to find a buyer for
Pearl Cove. She had refused.
The thought that she might be in danger from the genial Aussie made Hannahs stomach twist,
so she concentrated on doing what she was good at: keeping a man at arms length without
making an enemy of him.
You want your usual mud tea? she asked neutrally, leading Flynn away from the front door
and toward the kitchen. Or are you ready for a beer?
Tea or beer, whatever is cold.
Is something wrong? she asked again. More injuries?
Nothing new. I came to see how you are.
Shes fine, Archer said from behind them. With a smooth, balanced movement, he stepped out
of the shadows by the front door. Anything else on your mind?
Flynn spun around, half crouched in a fighting stance, weight poised on the balls of his
feet. The sight of a big, handsome, confident male in Hannahs house made the Aussies blue
eyes narrow. Who the devil are you?
Hannahs partner, Archer said calmly. He hadnt missed the automatic movements of someone
trained in unarmed combat. Beneath that charming grin and shoulder-length, sun-bleached
hair lurked a fighter. Archer knew how bad his mood was when the thought of testing the
young Aussies fighting skills appealed to him.
Partner! Flynns head snapped around toward Hannah. Did you sell to this bloke?
No. Mr. Donovan has been a partner in Pearl Cove since it was founded. She looked at
Archer. This is Christian Flynn. He manages the water end of Pearl Cove.
Len never mentioned a partner, Flynn said. His voice was even less welcoming than his
expression.
Archer just stood there, taking in the good-looking, angry Australian. He wondered why Len
had put up with having the muscular young stud around Hannah. Len hadnt wanted Archer
within seventeen thousand miles of his wife, and had said so in words that still echoed
bleakly deep in Archers mind.
Get the hell out of my life and stay out. All the way out. You think you can have her now
that I m paralyzed, but youre wrong. You come near her and III get even. Not with you.
With her.
At the time Archer had told himself it was just the drugs, just the fear, just the rage of
a newly paralyzed man speaking. He had tried to get through to Len, to reassure him that
he had no intention of seducing Hannah. All he wanted to do was help his brother.
Len hadnt listened. The harder Archer tried, the more wild Len become. So Archer did as
his brother asked. He got the hell out of Lens life. All the way out.
There was no reason to talk about having a partner, Hannah said warily, sensing the
currents of tension coiling between the two men. Archer wasnt an active partner.
Something shifted in Flynns stance. Archer? Would that be Archer Donovan?
Yes, she said.
Bloody hell, Flynn muttered. Anybody who knew anything about buying pearls had heard of
Archer Donovan. The man was a legend. He had a shrewd understanding of pearls, people, and
the marketplace. Unhappily Flynn kneaded his neck with his left hand while he thought
about how Archers presence changed an already fluid situation. None of the possibilities
made him smile. But he turned to Archer anyway, smiled, and held out his right hand. Sorry
if I was rude, mate. Im short on sleep. After the big wind, things are a right bitch
around here.
Archer smiled from the teeth out and took the other mans hand. No worries. Im short on
sleep,
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