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hours.”
    An exasperated sigh echoed down the phone
line. “It’s damn hard to lie to you, Sis. Yes, I did get them, and
I’d left a message at the flight desk in Brisbane for you to take a
bus up to the penthouse in Maroochydore.”
    “You did what?” Jenna could feel her temper
rising.
    “Before you blow your stack, Sis, will you
please listen? Braden needs you. He’s nearly been going out of his
mind with worry over Caitlin, and I knew if anyone could help the
kid, you could. I’d actually planned to fly up to Brisbane and meet
you and take you up there myself, but I couldn’t get away, so I
hoped if you just turned up and saw Caitlin you’d offer to help. I
was going to phone Braden just before you arrived and tell him
about you and that there’d been a mix-up and -”
    “Hold it right there!” Jenna fought to stay
calm. “I phoned you.”
    “Sorry.” Jeff sounded sheepish. “I had this
... friend ... over and she -”
    “I don’t want to know,” Jenna interrupted.
“Let me get this straight. You plotted to have me arrive here, take
one look at Caitlin and offer my services?”
    “I was going to let Braden know first. I knew
you wouldn’t push yourself on him.”
    Jenna felt a surge of heat at the mental
image those words created. “Why?” she spluttered.
    “Braden’s my friend, but he’s also very
stubborn. If I’d suggested him going down to pick you up from the
Airport he may have thought I was trying to interfere in his
private life and refused, but I knew he wouldn’t leave you at his
front door with nowhere to go.” His voice brightened. “And I was
right, wasn’t I? Do you think you can help Caitlin?”
    Jenna drew in a deep breath. Jeff may have
placed her in an awkward situation, but he’d done it with the best
of intentions. “I’ll try.”
    “Good for you, Sis. Oh, by the way, don’t
tell Braden I planned this, will you? He might not appreciate me
meddling in his private affairs, and I rather like my job.”
    The temptation was too much. “I’ll think
about it,” Jenna replied archly, and hung up. Let him stew on that,
she thought.
     
    The next day Jenna and Caitlin had two
sessions in the pool. That night another phone call from Braden
informed them he would not be returning that evening.
    Late Wednesday afternoon they were starting a
new exercise when Jenna looked up to see Braden standing in the
courtyard, his face like thunder, hands rigid at his sides.
     
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    “Caitlin, honey, pop inside and have a shower
and get dressed.” Braden's tone was deceptively soft.
    She looked questioningly up at Jenna. The
anger was back in Braden’s steely eyes and set jaw as Jenna looked
at him. She realised then it was directed at her. What had she
done? Surely it couldn’t be because of what she was doing with
Caitlin?
    “Do what your Uncle Braden says, Possum. We
don’t want you getting sunburnt, do we,” she smiled. Caitlin gave
her a puzzled look. After all, Jenna had been careful to coat them
both liberally in sun-screen lotion and the shade cover stopped all
but the most slanting of the suns rays, but she obediently made her
way out of the pool. Braden lovingly mussed her hair as she passed
him, but his voice dripped with ice when he turned back to
Jenna.
    “Just what the hell do you think you’re
doing?”
    Jenna walked slowly out of the pool, absently
noting Braden’s quick intake of breath as his gaze travelled over
her bikini-clad figure. She picked up her towel from a patio chair,
aware that Braden’s face had paled slightly as the gesture provided
him with a deep view of her full breasts.
    “I’m doing my job,” she replied.
    He turned and looked out over the river, but
his voice was harsh. “Your job is to keep an eye on Caitlin, not
risk causing further damage to her leg by cavorting her about in
the pool!”
    “Did it ever occur to you, Braden, that what
I was doing with Caitlin just might be beneficial?”
    He whirled back