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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
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  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
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  20. 16
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  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
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  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

She laughed at him. She seemed to do that a lot, too.

“I want to do this.” Gripping the front of his shirt in both hands, she pulled him close and kissed him, an openmouthed, tongue-seeking kiss that knocked him off-balance.

Then a wave hit, and it did knock him off-balance. Her, too, and they fell over. The water tumbled over them, shoving them up on the beach, then began its retreat and sucked them toward the ocean’s maw.

Stupid! He knew better. He should have been watching. Never turn your back on danger. Never disregard the ocean.

But she was already on her feet, grabbing his shoulders and dragging him up on the sand. She wasn’t big, but she was strong, and she was determined. And laughing. Again.

He staggered to his feet.

She pushed him toward the hollow against the cliffs where he’d placed their blanket and their lunch.

He had a faint glimmer of her intentions.

Okay, a huge glimmer.

Okay, what she wanted tumbled out of her in words and deeds.

She tugged at his belt. “Come on, Adam. I have plans for you!”

57

Elle wiggled around on the blanket as if she was scratching her back. “The old saying is true.”

“What saying is that?” Adam watched the white wisps of clouds race by against the deep blue backdrop of sky.

She lifted one bare leg and brushed at her thigh. “The damned sand gets into everything.” She chuckled.

He watched the edge of the cliff and wondered if they should move out from beneath its shadow and farther onto the beach. Storms such as the recent events loosened rocks and boulders, and here they were in danger of being crushed. Of course, here they were safer from any possible onlooker or shooter...

“I thought it was funny. And apropos. What’s wrong?” She rolled over and propped herself on his chest. She did that a lot these days. “Did we hurt your arm?”

“No. Why?”

“You look like you’ve got indigestion.” She lifted herself to look in his face. “Which, let me tell you, is not at all flattering.”

Slowly he disentangled himself and sat up. “Each time I’ve made love to you is a shining moment, the best of my life.”

She sat up just as slowly. “But?”

“What?”

“I heard it. But. The best moment of your life, but...?”

“Life is uncertain. Love is treacherous. Believe me. I know.” He looked down at the blanket. All that bouncing had encouraged the arrival of sand, and he absentmindedly brushed at the wool. “I have seen the world in all its cruelty and terror, disease and peril.”

“Yes, but you went looking for the cruelty and terror, disease and peril.” She gestured like an opera singer projecting a famous aria. “Look around. The world is beautiful.” She slid her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “And some parts of this life are glorious.”