Free Savage Land by Janet Dailey

the broad, tanned cheat to lean on. ‘Why di-did you let go of me?'
    'Because you didn't need me. You were floating all by yourself and I was in the way,’ he answered patiently, smiling comfortingly into her face.
    'I really did?’ Coley asked, warming to his praise, in spite of her previous scare.
    'Yes, you did.’ His smile was so gentle and unexpected that she could only stare at his lips, growing slowly more conscious of the few inches that separated them and the suddenly burning touch of his hand on her bare midriff. His head began to bend towards hers as her eyes remained hypnotized by his mouth.
    'What have we here? An early morning rendezvous?’ came a teasing voice from the pool side.
    Almost roughly Jase pushed Coley away from him, yet not letting her go, as they both turned towards the mocking face of Tony.
    'I was just giving Coley a swimming lesson,’ Jase retorted sharply at Tony's raised eyebrows. ‘She had a scare in the deep water.'
    'And Daddy was going to kiss her little fears away,’ Tony finished in mock-adult baby talk. Colour rose high in Coley's cheeks as she left the protection of Jason's arm and edged her way along the side of the pool to the shallow end. The scar on his cheek stood out whitely as Jase glowered at Tony before moving after the retreating Coley.
    'If that's the way these little swimming lessons are turning out,’ Tony said, ‘I'd like to stand in for you one of these days, cousin dear.'
    He grinned widely at the pair before striding off jauntily towards the ranch-yard, whistling merrily as he went. Coley watched him leave, wondering how she could look Jason in the face after what almost happened. She knew he was standing just a few feet from her in the shallow water, his piercing blue eyes watching her.
    'Had enough for today?’ His voice rang harshly in her ears as she nodded her assent.
    He was waiting by the ladder, one arm gripping the rung and the other resting impatiently on his waist. She longed to run past him, but the water raging at her legs reduced her pace to an ungainly waddle. Coley kept her head lowered, hiding as best she could the red flush on her cheeks and the misting of her eyes as she groped blindly for the ladder. As his hand gripped her arm steady her when she stumbled on one of the rungs, she almost ripped it away from him in her shame. Somehow she made it one of the lounge chairs and began drying herself off with the little dignity she could muster. She silently wished he would grab his towel and leave as he usually did. This time he hovered above her like a hawk over his kill. She tried to ignore him. She had to, she couldn't face him, not in the state she was in.
    His hand reached out and imprisoned her twisting her face upward to his. She could feel him studying her intently, but Coley couldn't look in his face. Just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let her go, walking a few paces to her right where his towel lay. Involuntarily her ears followed his movements, hearing the crackle of paper and the striking of a match. Her nose smelled the aroma of the little cigars he always smoked. Again she felt his eyes on her.
    'I told you you were too sensitive,’ Jase said briskly. ‘If you're going to last around here, your skin's going to have to toughen.'
    Then he was gone. She clutched the towel tightly around her shoulders, hugging it close to her. He was right, she was too sensitive. What a silly thing to get so upset about! It was Tony's fault for teasing them, that was what had embarrassed her so, not the thought that Jase might have been going to kiss her. Heavens, she didn't even know if that was what he was going to do. Suddenly Coley realized that she had wanted him to. Momentarily stunned by her discovery, she stared blankly into the pool.
    She had always shied away from any close contact with the opposite sex, especially after that repulsive episode with Carl, but a few minutes ago when Jase had held her, it had seemed almost instinctive.