Raven's Prey

hopeless it was going to be to convince him to believe her story she had immediately begun to wonder if he would grow impatient with the promise he had made. Two days wasn’t much time but it was all she had.
    “I told you I’d spend the two days here and I will. I don’t break my promises, Honor.”
    For some reason Honor found herself believing him. He was a hard, cold man, she thought, but he was honorable in his own way. If only she could get him on her side! She had the distinct impression that, as an ally, Judd Raven would prove invaluable.
    During the next hour and a half most of the population of the village took turns sitting in the Cessna, listening intently while Judd explained the instruments and controls, and generally playing make-believe. Judd was right, Honor decided as she watched the children as well as the adults thoroughly enjoying the small treat. It would have been nice to have been able to give everyone a ride.
    It surprised her that he should even have mentioned the idea, though. Altruism didn’t seem to have much place in the life of a loner like Judd Raven. The hour and a half spent guiding people through the plane wasn’t easy on him, Honor realized. If she had been feeling in a more cheerful frame of mind she might even have found his controlled tension rather amusing.
    The Cessna, as she had guessed the previous evening, occupied a very important place in his life and every time one of the children touched the controls with an overeager hand or clambered over the seats she could almost see Judd wince in pain. But he hid his anxiety well and he didn’t cut the time short for anyone, not even the youngest. Still, when everyone had had his or her chance to play pilot and the door to the Cessna was firmly locked again, Honor could see the relief in Judd’s face.
    “Are you sure you don’t want to sit in the pilot’s seat, too?” he murmured as he double-checked the plane.
    “No, thanks. I hate small planes and this one especially.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “How about sitting in the pilot’s lap, then?”
    Honor blinked, taken aback by the hint of teasing in his voice. “If that’s another attempt at a heavy-handed pass, forget it. I’m not interested in going to bed with the man who’s going to get me killed.”
    He sobered at once, the faint trace of humor gone as if it had never been. “You are the most obstinate female I’ve ever met.” He pocketed the keys and took her arm, following the rest of the crowd back into the village. “What would it take to make you quit playing this weird game, Honor?”
    “A little trust on your part might do the trick.”
    “Can you blame me for being a bit short on trust? Your story is ludicrous, Honor. What I can’t figure out is why you’re sticking to it. The longer I know you the less I can buy the possibility that you’re genuinely mentally ill.”
    “Well, that’s a step in the right direction* I suppose.” She sighed. “Is it going to change anything, though?”
    “The fact that I’m more confused than ever by you? No, probably not in the long run.” He hesitated and then said slowly, “But I might be willing to make one more compromise.”
    Stunned, Honor dug in her heels in the dusty road and tugged at his arm until he turned to look down at her. “What kind of compromise? What are you talking about?” The hope in her eyes was painfully evident. Judd couldn’t have missed it if he’d tried.
    “I might be willing to give you another day or two here in Mexico, Honor, on one condition.”
    “What condition?” she demanded suspiciously.
    “That you’ll stop fighting me every inch of the way. If you’ll give me your word I won’t have to tie your hands at night to avoid getting beaned with the frying pan. If you’ll promise you’ll stop accusing me of wanting to get you killed. Little things like that. How about it? Can you agree to those strenuous terms?” he growled.
    “I’d probably agree to anything that delayed your efforts to get me back to Arizona,” she admitted candidly. “Yes, I’ll agree to your terms. How long do I have?”
    “Say to the end of the week? We’ll fly back on Saturday.”
    Saturday. He was adding two more days on to the original number for which she had bargained. Four days in which to try and establish some kind of trust between them. Honor smiled, her gratitude plain in her wide, hazel eyes. “Thank you, Judd.”
    He stared at her for an instant longer and then took