An Exception to His Rule by Lindsay Armstrong Read Free Book Online Page B

up her towel and wrap it around her. Perhaps then she could say something along the lines of You’re home early! or Welcome home! I have enjoyed Heathcote— Stop it! she commanded herself. Just do it...!
    It was a nerve-racking trudge up the beach but, when she was halfway there, Tottie came prancing back to her with delight written into her movements and a smile on her doggy face.
    In fact Harriet had to grin in spite of herself, so infectious was the dog’s enthusiasm.
    ‘Hello, Damien,’ she said as she reached him, almost confident that Tottie had eased the situation for her. She certainly didn’t trip or fall as she picked up her towel and wrapped it around her sarong-wise but then she glanced up at him and things changed.
    He wore a grey suit with a white shirt and a dark blue tie but he’d loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. His hands were shoved into his trouser pockets.
    And it struck Harriet like a blow to her heart that she’d fooled herself over the past weeks. Fooled herself into believing she’d completely rationalised the effect Damien had had on her.
    More than that; she’d buried herself in his mother’s treasures and convinced herself she wasn’t even thinking of him. Only to know now that he’d been there on the back roads of her mind all the time; he must have been because every intimate detail of the passionate encounter they’d shared came back to her.
    Not only did they come back to her but they trapped her into immobility, with her breathing growing ragged and her senses stirring as she stared at him and thought of the feel of his tall body against hers, the delight his hands had wrought on her.
    Trapped her staring at him as a sea breeze lifted his dark hair off his forehead and brought her out in goose bumps—was it the breeze or was it part of the effect he was having on her, so she couldn’t speak, she couldn’t tear her eyes away?
    Then she noticed he was watching her just as intently and there was a muscle flickering in his jaw that told a tale of its own as his gaze slid down to her legs, barely hidden under the towel.
    Tottie came to the rescue. She bunted them both playfully, as if to say— Come on, you two, don’t just stand there!
    Harriet had to relax a little and smile. So did Damien.
    He also said, ‘I hope my dog has been taking good care of you?’
    ‘She’s been a very faithful friend these last couple of weeks.’ Harriet squeezed out her hair. ‘I didn’t know you were coming home.’
    ‘No.’ His dark eyes lingered on her figure and her legs again below the towel. ‘Something came up unexpectedly. You look...well.’
    Harriet smoothed the towel. ‘Thanks.’ Her voice was husky and she cleared her throat. ‘So do you.’
    A smile appeared fleetingly in his eyes. ‘We sound like a mutual admiration society, a stilted one at that. But anyway, how’s your brother?’
    He turned and indicated they walk up to the house.
    ‘He’s making good progress and I’ve enrolled him as an external student at the Southern Cross University in Lismore.’
    ‘What subject?’
    She grimaced. ‘Sports Psychology. I was hoping to wean him away from that kind of thing but—no go.’
    ‘Better than nothing—a lot better,’ Damien commented.
    ‘Yes—ouch.’ Harriet stopped walking as she stepped on a stone in her bare feet.
    He stopped immediately. ‘All right?’
    ‘Yes!’ She stood on one leg and awkwardly tried to examine the sole of her other foot. ‘Oh, it’s nothing, I’ll be fine.’
    ‘Here.’ And, before she knew what he was about, he’d picked her up and was carrying her towards the studio.
    ‘You don’t have to do this,’ she protested after a silent, shocked couple of seconds.
    ‘Too good an opportunity to allow to pass, on the other hand.’
    ‘Mr Wyatt—’
    ‘Ms Livingstone?’ he parried. ‘Surely we can go one step further—upstairs?’ he asked as they arrived at the studio.
    ‘Well, yes,