Free In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin Page A

asphalt. “Lead on.”
    He inched forward, hand still pressed over his eyes. “Sorry. You’ll have to lead.”
    She laughed. “You can look now.”
    “May I? Thank you.” He eyed her from head to bare toes. A smile crept up, and he shook his head. “Mm. Beautiful.”
    She waved him forward and grabbed the picnic basket. Hal headed down the rocks, assisting Kay in spots. Her gazenever strayed from the path. The last thing she needed was to fall and end up in the hospital for a few weeks.
    Hal held out his hand and helped her leap down to the sand.
    Kay drew a deep salty breath and gazed around. Her breath corroded her throat. They were alone in a grotto about a hundred feet square, hemmed in by rocky cliffs on three sides and the sea on the fourth.
    “Isn’t this swell?” Hal spread out the blankets on the sand close to the rocks. “Not a soul in sight. I like to come at high tide. At low tide it opens up, loses its appeal. Nice place to swim when it’s warm.”
    The inside of her mouth felt sticky and grainy. Nonsense. Hal might have wandering hands but he wasn’t dangerous. She could fend him off.
    “Well?” He gave her a puzzled smile. “Bring the basket. I’m hungry.”
    A wave of relief relaxed her, and she joined him. She could stretch out the picnic for an hour or so, then coax him into a scenic walk down the coast road—in full sight of everyone.
    Kay set the basket on the blanket. “What do we have here?”
    Hal embraced her from behind and nuzzled kisses onto her neck. “One luscious woman, and one hungry man.”
    She pried off one arm. “Then we’d better eat lunch.”
    “That’s not what I’m hungry for.” He turned her to face him, his eyes glazed, and he covered her mouth with his.
    All right, all right, she could handle this. She’d fended off advances for over a decade. She returned his kiss, circling her arms around his waist rather than his neck to block him better. Every time his hands worked too low or too far forward, she edged them back into place.
    When he let out a soft moan, she pulled back and gave him a saucy smile. “That was a nice appetizer. Let’s have lunch.”
    Hal drew her close again and burrowed in her neck. “Yeah, time for the main course.”
    Despite her hammering pulse, she forced a laugh. “That’s not what I meant.”
    He kissed her—insistent, deep, dark with desire. One hand wormed between their bodies and fumbled with the buttons of her service jacket.
    “Hal.” She pushed on his chest, but he didn’t budge. With effort, she yanked away his hand, but then his other hand worked on the button at the back of her skirt.
    Panic quickened her breath. She planted both hands on his chest and pushed back, breaking his grip. “Stop it! You have the wrong idea about me.”
    His bleary eyes took a moment to focus on her. “Wrong idea?”
    “Yes.” She straightened her jacket and stood tall. “I don’t know you well enough yet. A man has to be special, has to earn the right.”
    “Is that so?” He smiled and moved closer. “Aren’t you cute, playing hard to get?”
    “I’m not playing.” She stepped back. Her bare foot banged against a rock, and she stumbled.
    Hal caught her in his arms, kissed her even harder. “You don’t have to play, baby. I saw the way you looked at me on the ride down here. I know you want this as much as I do.”
    “I don’t.” She struggled in his slithery grasp. How could he make his hands go in so many directions at once? “Take me home.”
    He chuckled. “Aren’t you the little minx? Your words say no, but your body says yes.”
    “My body says no!” She slapped his cheek, not as hard as she wanted.
    With one arm firm around her waist, he rubbed his cheekand raised a sly smile. “There. Now you can tell your girlfriends you tried to stop me.”
    “Leave me alone!” She stomped hard, but her heel slid off the side of his shoe.
    “So that’s how you like it.” He smiled, his grip tightened, and he backed