Midnight Jewels

If I weren't behaving, know what I'd be doing now?"
    "I don't think I want to hear this," she muttered as she pulled and prodded him to the top step. Out of the water Croft was a lot harder to maneuver.
    He was leering cheerfully at her. "If I weren't such a perfect gentleman I'd drag you off into the middle of this phony tropical garden, take off your clothes and make love to you until you couldn't scold me or swear at me or yell at me. By the time I was finished with you you wouldn't even be able to glare at me the way you're doing now. You'd just lie there under me, clinging to me, pleading with me, whispering my name until you went up in flames. I'm getting hot just thinking about it."
    It was his eyes that seemed to be turning into flames. Mercy felt herself growing warm beneath the hungry, anticipatory expression in Croft's hazel eyes. She wasn't sure if her uncomfortable flush was a reaction to the softly voiced sexual threat or if it was merely the result of sheer outrage. "I can't believe you allowed yourself to get into this condition," she muttered, releasing him to look for her shoes. "I just can't believe it. It's disgusting."
    He reached out to touch her breast, which was clearly outlined by the wet dress. "I didn't do it on purpose, you know."
    She brushed his hand away. "That's not exactly reassuring."
    He glanced around, apparently looking for something. "Where is it?"
    "Where's what? A towel? Taking a swim was an impromptu decision on your part. You didn't bring a towel with you. Next time plan ahead." Water was dripping off her in long rivulets. "Wait a second. There's one on that lounger over there. One of the guests must have left it behind this afternoon." She picked it up and thrust it at him.
    Croft's brows came together in a heavy line as he stared at the towel in his hand. He shook his head impatiently. "Not a towel. The book."
    Mercy went still, her fingers pausing over the second shoe. She looked up at him. "Croft," she said as gently and clearly as possible, "did you get into the vault?"
    He blinked owlishly down at her. "Sure. It's what I came down here to do, remember? I always finish what I start."
    Mercy rose slowly to her feet, automatically wringing water out of her skirt. The water had been warm and the garden room was even warmer but she was suddenly experiencing a genuine chill. "Did you bring a book out of the vault?"
    "Meant to." He frowned again. "Wanted to take another look at it."
    "Was it
Valley
, Croft?" Mercy grasped his damp sleeve, trying to get him to focus his attention on her. "Did you take
Valley
out of the vault? Damn it, why am I trying to carry on a coherent conversation with you while you're in this condition?"
    His mood shifted again. The frown disappeared and the cheerful, blatantly sexual invitation was back in his eyes. "You want to look at the pictures with me, Mercy? We could look at
Valley
together and see if you get hot."
    "Women," she informed him sharply, "do not respond to visual sexual stimuli nearly as much as men do."
    "Is that right?" He appeared fascinated. "You'd rather have the real thing, huh? That's okay by me."
    "Croft, stop it. You've got to get hold of yourself."
    "No need to do it that way. Very lonely that way. Now I've got you to hold. Much better." He draped a heavy, wet arm around her shoulder. Some of his cheeriness faded again as he stumbled against her. It was obvious that the unfamiliar lack of coordination was puzzling to him, even in his present condition. "What's the matter with me?"
    "You're drunk. Come on, O Great Ninja Master, time for you to go to bed."
    He shook his head but didn't pull away when she wrapped an arm around his waist and started to guide him down the path. "Not ninja. That ninja stuff is for television."
    "Yeah, well, that's about your speed tonight. If you get real lucky, you might be able to kick in a picture tube."
    "The book," he said abruptly.
    "The book is safe." She sensed the lightning shift of his mood. It was disturbing having him switch from a state of silly, stupid inebriation to one of clear concern about
Valley
.
    "Safe? You got it?"
    His head came around quickly and for just a few seconds Mercy thought she saw the spark of normal reasoning in his eyes. Then she decided it was more likely a trick of the poor light.
    "I don't have the book. It's in the vault," she reminded him patiently.
    "Get it."
    "What?" Mercy came to a halt on the path. "Are you crazy? How can I get into the vault?"
    Croft