He looked into her eyes and smiled. 'Windy, isn't it?'
She couldn't find the voice to answer him, staring at him. He had come back. The wind whipped through his dark hair, sending it flying in rough peaks.
He ran his hand through it to rake it down. 'What's your name?'
For a moment she could only stare, bewildered and uncomprehending, then her face flooded with colour and her voice said huskily, 'Marina.'
He moved closer, staring down at her. 'Marina,' he murmured. 'Child of the sea. It suits you. Has anyone ever told you that your hair is like moonlight?'
She looked away, her lashes flickering on her cheek. 'I've been warned never to talk to strangers.'
'That's easily remedied,' he told her softly. 'My x name is Gideon.'
'I'm too old for games,' she said in faintly sad protest.
'This is far too serious to be called a game.' He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. 'Love always is, Marina.'
'I thought you'd gone,' she whispered.
'I'll never go. How can I? How far would I get without my heart?'
She laughed involuntarily, but he was staring at her mouth and the expression in the dark eyes ended her laughter. He slowly bent his head and kissed her lightly.
'You're very beautiful.'
Her heart was beating far too fast. She drew back and walked on with Gideon walking beside her, suiting the long strides to her pace. The Wind tossed their hair and bent the trees. The sea rushed up on to the rocky beach below.
'I love you,' Gideon said quietly. 'You're the breath of my life, the beat of my heart. I can't go because I couldn't live without you. I know—I've tried during the past year, and although I may have walked and talked as if I were alive, inside I've been dead. The way I felt about you didn't stop while we were apart, it got stronger. It's got stronger every
day since the day we met. Three years is a long time, Marina. If my feelings weren't deep they wouldn't have lasted three years. I haven't thought of anything but you all the time we've been apart.'
She didn't answer, but she sighed as she accepted that. Three years was a long time.
'Why did you go last night?' she asked without looking at him.
He laughed softly. 'I was tempted to stay, but I didn't want to make another mistake. I wanted you to have time to think.'
'You didn't give me much time,' she pointed out.
'No? It seems like centuries to me,' Gideon said in a husky whisper. 'My God, I wanted to stay, Marina.'
She stopped and their eyes met, then she was in his arms, clinging, their bodies pressed together and their mouths exchanging an abandoned passion which made her heart beat like a metronome.
He moved his mouth softly against her cheek when their lips parted and sighed. 'Tell me one thing, darling. If you loved me why did you stop seeing me and go around with that boy?'
'I didn't want to get hurt,' she said, and felt the harsh intake of breath he gave.
'Oh, God,' he muttered. 'Darling, my darling! I hate myself for what I've done to you. I deserve to lose you.'
She moved her head back and considered him soberly. 'I was too young for you,' she decided wryly.
'No,' he said at once, his face harsh.
'Far too young,' she murmured, a smile coming into her eyes. 'I didn't know what sort of animal I'd caught.'
His eyes relaxed, the lines which had appeared around his mouth softening, and he grinned at her. 'A wild one, I'm afraid.'
'Savage,' she agreed, her eyes teasing him.