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laugh, “ my parents are away, as they are most of the time”.
    “Oh”, she said nonplussed.
    He looked at her quizzically, “What about your parents? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you speak of them”.
    The color drained from her face and she began to finger the locket at her throat that housed a photo of her parents. She had never spoken of them since she had been told of their deaths when she was four years old. Even Anna had heard of their deaths from another girl at school who lived in the same neighborhood as Lauren.
    “I’m sorry”, Jordan was saying, “I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business”.
    “No it’s fine”, she said forcing a smile, “my mother died three months after I was born from pneumonia and my father two years later in a train wreck in London”.
    “My goodness”, he exclaimed, massaging her palms comfortingly, “that's horrible”.
    The familiar tightening in her chest when she thought of her parents surfaced with a vengeance and against her best efforts a tear slid down her ashen cheeks. Big warm hands pulled her gentle to a solid chest, as a sob broke free from her compressed lips, he stroked her hair soothingly.
    “Shh”, he crooned, “it must have been very difficult for you. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without my parents, even though they were away so much”.
    He was big and warm and she couldn’t resist snuggling into him. Gradually the remnants of grief melted away, replaced by a warm glow of awareness and contentment. This had to be right, despite what Nana had said. She felt safe and warm in his arms and at that moment she wished she could stay there forever.
    “I’m fine now”, she muttered softly, lifting her head away from his chest only to collide with the glowing embers of his eyes.
    She was transfixed, she couldn’t move if her life depended on it as his head descended towards hers.
     
    JORDAN WATCHED AS EXPRESSIONS of shock, curiosity and desire warred across her face as his lips captured hers. He nearly lost his head when he tasted the sweet nectar of her lips but the memory of her scurrying away from him on the beach cooled his ardor slightly. He caressed her lips slowly until she sighed and melted into him, he took the opportunity to stroke her tongue and his hands explored her tentatively through her sun dress.
    He had to stop this, he told himself, or he was going to ravish her, right here, right now; the rock hard bulge in his pants was evidence enough of this. He pulled away and stared into eyes filled with need and that ever present innocence. Her lips were slightly parted and kissed swollen, her hair a little tousled and her breast rising and falling with her ragged breathing; the fire in his blood escalated; he had to move.
    “Shall we go for a walk along the river?” he asked huskily.
    “Yes”, she muttered breathlessly allowing him to pull her to her feet.
    They strolled up the narrow walkway beside the river; admiring the ethereal scenery and flowing river. His hands found hers and she squeezed it and smiled up at him; his heart soared at her response and the familiar heat unfurled in him, he stomped it down and smiled back.
    They continued on their journey hand in hand while he told her of his love for horses and his tour business. He talked a little of his parents and for some strange reason he decided that when they visited he wanted her to meet them. He took pictures on the slope with his iphone; mostly pictures of her smiling, with the sun shimmering on her beautiful hair or just staring at the beauty before them.
    They reluctantly retraced their steps when they realized that it would soon be nightfall, retrieved the basket and headed for the car. The electric lights were on by the time they got to the car and Daniel was waiting.
    “Who is he?”
    “That’s Daniel, my driver slash bodyguard when the need arises”, he said.
    “But you drive yourself most of the time”, she