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with her once and never see her again, then do things your way.” Angelina started hitting the trail with renewed vigor. “But my bets are on her falling madly in love with you if you take my advice. From that point forward, it will be up to you to keep her on her toes.”
    “How’s he supposed to do that?” Will asked.
    “Easy. Make her play by your rules. And then only give in to her in little ways. Women like Krista, who get everything they want all the time, can only fall in love with a man who is difficult to conquer.”
    Derek was nodding his head with new understanding. “How do you know so much about this?”
    Angelina looked wistful. “Human Nature 101. We all want what we can’t have.”
    When they rounded the corner, she was surprised to see the dinghy. Evidently Krista had been waiting for them to come back for some time, because she practically threw herself at them.
    “What are you doing here?” Angelina asked. “I thought you’d still be out in the kayak with James.”
    Krista snorted. “Not a chance. He got an important call right after you guys left.” She nodded back toward James, who was sitting in the boat, cell phone pressed up to his ear. “I’ve been sitting here all by myself.”
    Angelina felt no sympathy for her friend. She simply gave her a look that said, Maybe you should consider my advice next time.
    Derek, Angelina noted, was playing his role to the hilt, seemingly more interested in the rocks on the beach than anything Krista had to say. In fact, after getting only monosyllabic grunts from Derek for several minutes, Krista started to pout.
    Will was pulling the dinghy back out toward the water when a soccer ball knocked against his legs and two little boys came running up to get it.
    “I’ll kick it back to you,” he said, and quickly got roped into an impromptu soccer match on the beach with a whole horde of little boys.
    A few minutes later, slightly out of breath, Will rejoined them. “Sorry about that,” he said with a grin. “Soccer’s always been a weakness.”
    Angelina grinned back, amazed by this new side of him. “You’re great with kids.”
    Abruptly, Will turned back to the dinghy and pushed it. “Not really.”
    Angelina was confused by his behavior. “Those kids loved playing with you.”
    But it was clear that the conversation was over, because when they got back to the boat, Will started the engine and headed straight back for the marina. “Looks like the wind is picking up and I don’t want too rough a ride back.”
    Angelina looked at the sailboats on either side of them. The sails were barely fluttering and the water looked remarkably like glass. He must really want to get this consultation over and done with, she thought to herself. But, she decided, she wasn’t going to let her feelings be hurt.
    Instead, she was going to milk every last ounce of enjoyment out of floating across the water and sitting under blue skies. She was completely fine maintaining a purely professional relationship with Will.
    No matter what her heart said to the contrary.

    * * *
    Angelina attempted to get involved in a conversation with someone else on board, but between the five of them, they were a mess. Krista was alternately pouting and then trying to get Derek’s attention. Derek was working so hard at ignoring Krista’s advances that he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. And James’s phone kept ringing with hot stock tips.
    By the time Will maneuvered his yacht back into the marina, Angelina was hugely relieved the outing was over. She was going to do a quick Feng Shui consultation and then she and Krista would get the heck out of there.
    But Will seemed to have other plans. “Derek, would you mind taking Krista home?”
    Panic crept up Angelina’s spine at the thought of being alone on the boat with Will. “Krista doesn’t mind waiting for me to finish the consultation, do you, Krista?”
    Krista looked thrilled by the turn of events. “I’d love to