Stormy Passion by Brenda Jernigan Page B

get help here.”
    “ I’ve been out that long?
No wonder my head hurts.” Dani reached for his hand. “Are Angus and
Net--?”
    “ They're fine,” he said
cutting her off. Her warm fingers clasped his, and he smiled at
her. “A few shingles blown off, but everything else seems
intact.”
    “ Can I go with you
tomorrow?”
    He gave her a quizzical look. “Are you sure
you're up to it?”
    “ Of course.” Dani smiled,
rubbing the lump on her forehead. “It's just a slight bump on the
head.” She reached up and felt the egg-sized knot opposite the cut.
“I must look terrible. My head seems to have been through the mill.
What did happen?”
    “ Remember the two windows
where we ran out of plywood?” He watched her shake her head. “The
ocean decided to enter the house, and I had just enough time to get
you into a life jacket. We're both lucky we weren't swept out to
sea.”
    “ I'll say.” Relief washed
over her features. “Is the house still standing?”
    “ Luckily. I think there is
some major water damage, but the repairs to the structure itself
will be fairly minor. Nothing that can’t be fixed.”
    “ Good. I'd like to help you
clean up.”
    “ We'll see. It will be
another day before the ferries start running, but Angus has a
short-wave radio if you need to get a message to someone, or we
could call for a helicopter.” He hesitated, reluctant to ask the
question. “Don't you want to go home?”
    No , Dani wanted to shout, but for some
reason, she didn't. “I can stay another day. Helping you out is the
least I can do to thank for you saving my life. And the owners of
that nice house.”
    “ You don't owe me
anything,” Adrian said with a sigh. What was the matter with him?
Now she wanted to stay, and he wanted her to go.
Couldn’t they get this right?
    “ Well, I really shouldn't
travel until this lump goes down.” Dani groped for excuses. “And I
need to find my things. Besides, I kind of grew fond of this
place,” she finished. “I'd like to do something. Maybe help you
clean up. Something.”
    “ All right,” Adrian agreed.
“But don't you think you should get word to your parents that
you’re okay?”
    “ No. They don't know where
I am, so I better not scare them now.” She thought for a bit. “But
I suppose I should let Susan know.”
    “ Your roommate?”
    “ Susan Cross is my best
friend and the only one I told about the trip.”
    “ Give me the number, and
I'll take care of everything.” Adrian stood. “I'll send Nettie in.
Maybe she can find you something dry to wear.”
    “ Adrian?”
    His shirt was halfway buttoned and his hair
messy when he looked at her. The stubble on his face told her he’d
not shaved.
    “ You look like hell.” Dani
pointed out. “When's the last time you slept?”
    He grinned in such a boyish fashion that her
heart fluttered. “That's my girl. Just as insulting as ever. Now I
know you’re going to be fine. And I was sleeping just fine a few
minutes ago until you so rudely woke me up.” With that, Adrian got
up and headed for the door.
    Cheeks aglow with embarrassment or desire,
Dani didn’t know which, but she felt the heat in her face long
after he'd left the room. Why was she always attacking him?
    Self-preservation?
    Or was she falling in love with a man she
knew absolutely nothing about? Hell, she wasn't even sure if he had
a job.
    One thing she definitely knew: he was a
ladies' man. It was written all over him, from his tall, muscular
physique to his dark, mysterious features. His quiet manner made
him all the more interesting, and Dani suspected she didn't know
all there was to know about him. But then again, she wouldn't be
finding out. She'd go back home and marry someone else.
    And Adrian would surely return to whatever he
did before this weekend . . . the one subject he refused to
discuss.
    “ My goodness, you must be
contemplating something important, lass,” Nettie called cheerfully
as she entered the room.
    Dani shook off