page4 (1/2)

He was leaner than she reer, well over his collar, although it suited his dark arrogance Those deep blue eyes still mocked and scorned, the cynical twist to those firm lips was more pronounced

He stood facing her, legs apart, are in every muscle and sinew of his powerful body Hazel felt herself stiffen under that challenging gaze So it was to be a fight as before! Well, she wasn't quite the inexperienced teenager she had been before her stay in America

'Hello, Rafe,' she said obediently, tih to show him her newly acquired confidence at a later date

Hisevenafter three years' absence Can't you do better than that, Hazel?'

'What do you want otten 'Get down and grovel at your feet?'

He laughed outright at her outburst, a deep throaty sound that she found attractive even against her will 'Still the little hell-cat,' he drawled softly,with all the stealthy grace of a jungle cat

He was standing directly in front of her now, looking down at her through narrowed considering eyes, the jagged discoloured skin on the left side of his face clearly visible to her 'I think a kisswith our relationship, don't you?'

Hazel wrenched herself away fro effect of the warmth of his body, drawn to hi cheroots that he sed! Rafe still disturbed her with the emotions he evoked in her soft traitorous body that wanted to be crushed against hiotten

She had thought herself over this stupid infatuation she had always had for Rafe, that Josh andthe last three years had wiped out these childish fantasies But they hadn't! One look at Rafe as he stood there, so self-confident, so arrogant, so basicallywas as it had been before Except perhaps that Rafe seemed more withdrawn from her than ever, more distant somehow—if that were humanly possible

'We don't have a relationship,' she answered tautly

Both of theotten Trisha, which was perhaps as well She had quietly escaped out of the schoolroo an unwanted third

Rafe nodded 'Maybe we don't' One long hand htly over his scarred cheek 'Not a pleasant sight, am I?'

It was a statement, not a question, and Hazel's eyes darkened 'I would never have thought you aat him

He smiled at her, a smile completely without humour 'Oh, I'm not, not noay Don't try any of your amateur psychoanalysis on me, little Hazel Stanford keep that sort of rubbish for the people who really need it I've grown quite used to looking at ain the mirror when I shave'

She looked down the length of his strong body 'I thought you had a limp too?'

'Oh, I do, when I'ly 'All I need is the hump on my back and I could stand-in for the Hunchback of Notre Dame'

'Don't be ridiculous! You're certainly not ugly' Far from it!

'Like I said, Hazel, save that sort of thing for the people who need it—or who actually believe it I don't Now, I think we've talked that subject out, let's talk about so less personal to me Is your visit to be a short one?'

She licked her suddenly dry lips 'That depends on you, doesn't it?'

Rafe shrugged his broad shoulders 'In just over a week's tiriet out of here—I never did like school as a child'

'I can believe that You're exactly the type I would expect to have played truant'

'I didat a desk all day'

'And yet you want to keep this school open' Hazel walked at his side back towards the house, the long safe way round this time

'You've found out a bit in the short time you've been back,' he co as possible It's for their own good in the long run'

'Oh, I agree with you, although I'm not sure some of them would'

He turned to face her 'It's important that some of them learn to love the beauty and naturalness of this area And they can't do that living away in the towns If only a few of theh for me I won't be here for ever If I should die toe estate and run it as it is now?' He shook his head 'I know she wouldn't She'd sell out to one of the holiday organisations that have been after this land for years I like to think there would be enough of the local people to fight such a move'