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“This cut should be washed,” she said briskly, “and disinfected”
“It is not necessary” His voice was low and throaty; it made her pulse quicken “Laurel”
“Really, Danore it”
“I agree A thing like this nored”
Her eyes met his and a soft sound escaped her throat “Damian,” she whispered, “please”
“What?” he said thickly He lifted his uncut hand and pushed her hair back from her face “What do you want of me, kati mou? Tell me, and I will do it”
Kiss ht, and touch me, and let me admit the truth to myself, that I don’t hate you, don’t despise you, that I—that I
She let go of his hand and stepped back
“I want you to let e it,” she said briskly “You’ve seen to it that we’re aIf you developed an infection, I wouldn’t even kno to get help”
Damian’s mouth twisted
“You are right” He wound the handkerchief around his hand and smiled politely “You would be stranded, not just with an unwanted husband but with a disabled one How selfish of me, Laurel Please, serve yourself some lemonade Eleni prepared it especially for you I will tend to this cut, and then we shall have our dinner You will excuse me?”
Laurel nodded “Of course,” she said, just as politely, and she turned and stared out over the sea, watching as aback tears that had risen, inexplicably, in her eyes
She woke early the next
The sa alto of a songbird It wasn’t the saht with a s of horns and the sound of Mr Lieberman’s footsteps overhead
Dressed in a yellow sundress, she wandered through the house to the kitchen Eleni greeted her with a s lift of the eyebrows that seemed to be the equivalent of, “What would you like for breakfast?”
A bit of sign language, sohter, and Laurel sat down at the urt and sliced strawberries She ate hungrily—the doors leading out to the terrace were open, and the air, fragrant with the led scents of flowers and of the sea, had piqued her appetite She poured herself a second cup of coffee and sipped it outdoors, on the terrace, and then she wandered down the steps and onto the grass
It was strange, how a night’s sleep and the clear light of s Yesterday, the house had seely austere but now she could see that it blended perfectly with its surroundings The location didn’t see to be said for being on the very top of a mountain, with the world laid out before you
Impulsively she kicked off her sandals and l
ooped the straps over her fingers Then she set off toward the rear of the house, where she could hear so hat sounded like a hammer
But it wasn’t the old loves, beat-up sneakers and absolutely nothing else He ielding what she assuainst a huge gray boulder
His swings were rhythmic; his attention was completely focused on the boulder She knew he had no idea she was there and a part of her whispered that it rong to stand in the shadow of a cypress and watch hi in the world could have made her turn away or take her eyes off her husband
How nificent he was! The sun blazed down on his naked shoulders; she could alold as he worked His body glistened under a fine layer of sweat that delineated itsthe ha, holding it until he brought the haainst the rock
Her thoughts flashed two years back, to Kirk, and to the hours he’d spent working out in the elaborate gy Island home Two hours a day, seven days a week, and he’d still not looked as beautifully ht now
She thought of how strong Daht they’d made love, of how his muscles had rippled under her hands
“Laurel”
She blinked Damian had turned around He smiled, put down the hammer and wiped his face and throat with a towel that had been lying in the grass
“Sorry,” he said, tossing the towel aside and co toward her “I didn’t mean to wake you”
“You didn’t I’ve always been an early riser”
He stripped off his gloves and tucked them into a rear pocket
“I aet any work done in the suh in the sky or you end up broiled to a crisp Did you sleep well?”