Then her expression grew serious as she stroked her palm over his unshaven jaw. “I love you, Rafe. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I don’t expect anything in return. But now that I’ve told you I can’t not keep saying it. I look at you and it just bursts out.”

He captured her hand and pulled it to his mouth, his heart thudding against the wall of his chest. “I like you saying it,” he said hoarsely. “It means…It means everything to me right now.”

She pulled away, joy lighting her eyes. Eyes he could drown in. Her eyes were so expressive. They reflected her mood so perfectly. Sad, angry, happy. You only had to look into her eyes to know exactly what she was thinking.

She crawled over him, giving him a good view and feel of her soft curves. It was all he could do not to haul her back and make love to her all over again.

When her feet hit the floor, she turned back and held out her hand. “How about that shower?”

He stared at her profile for a long moment, committing to memory just how she looked bathed in morning sunlight, her gently rounded abdomen, the swell of her breasts and the wild curls that spilled down her back.

This was his. His woman. His child.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

She flushed, her face grew pink, but her eyes lit up until they were as bright as the sunlight pouring into her room.

“I do now.”

He grinned at her cheeky response. “Let’s go hit the shower.”

CHAPTER 17

“You’ve done a good thing, Mr. de Luca,” Silas Taylor said as they stood on the patio of Laura’s house.

Bryony’s grandmother had invited everyone over for tea and lemonade and for some of her famous peanut butter cookies. And by everyone, she meant whomever happened to wander by.

Such a thing baffled Rafael, who was used to strict guest lists and checking invitations at the door. Laura didn’t seem to mind. In fact, the more guests that meandered through, the more delighted she seemed to be.

There was no entertainment. Conversation drifted from one mundane topic to the next or people just stood around, enjoying the day and inquiring as to the health of yet another islander who was either family, friend or both.

“My investors probably wouldn’t agree,” Rafael said dryly as he turned his attention back to the sheriff.

Silas shrugged. “They’ll find something else to invest in. Those kind always do. People are always looking for places to put their money and there are always people willing to take it. Seems to me it wouldn’t be that hard to figure it out.”