The Adventurer

in him that she responded to instantly. She felt the edge of his teeth nibbling on her lower lip and she trembled.
    He held her in a grip of iron, as if he was afraid she would evaporate. One of his hands slid down to her hip, squeezing gently. She splayed her fingers over his broad shoulders, savoring the strong, smoothly muscled contours. The masculine power in him drew her like a magnet. She moved beneath his crushing weight.
    "Sarah?" His voice was ragged.
    She murmured softly, a small, choked cry of delight and need.
    "It's okay, Sarah," Gideon said harshly. "You don't have to fake it."
    Sarah froze as if someone had just poured ice water over her. Frantically she tried to pull her scattered senses back into a coherent pattern of thought.
    "Fake it?" she gasped. "What do you mean, fake it?"
    "I've already said I'll help you look for the earrings. You don't have to pay me off with sex."
    She struggled frantically to wriggle out of his arms. When he didn't release her, she managed to get one hand free. She swung wildly, aiming for the side of his face.
    The blow never landed. Gideon caught her wrist when her palm was less than two inches from the target. "There are limits, lady. I'll be damned if I'll let you slap me."
    "Let me go." She was frightened now, thoroughly aware for the first time of just how vulnerable she was.
    "You started this, remember?"
    "Get away from me, Gideon. Go back to your big, cold house and your cats. I don't need you to help me find those earrings. I'll do just fine on my own."
    He looked down at her as she lay trapped and helpless in his arms. His eyes glittered with dangerous, unreadable emotions. Sarah held her breath.
    Then, very slowly, he released her.
    Sarah didn't hesitate. She scooted rapidly across the seat and yanked at the door handle.
    "Wait." Gideon leaned across the seat and snagged her wrist, effectively chaining her when she tried to get out of the car.
    "Let go of me."
    His hard face tightened. "You're a temperamental little thing, aren't you? Simmer down. I've said I'll help you and I will. What did you expect me to think was going on a few minutes ago when you threw yourself into my arms?"
    "You weren't supposed to think anything sordid or cheap or tacky about me, that's for sure." Sarah stared stonily ahead at the yellow light over her motel door. "I tend to be impulsive when it comes to things like affectionate little hugs."
    "That was no affectionate little hug we had going there."
    "You're the one who tried to turn it into something more. And then you had the nerve to throw it in my face when I… when I… Never mind."
    He swore softly. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry?"
    She slid a sidelong glance at him. "Are you?"
    "Yeah."
    "For kissing me or for what you said afterward?"
    He was silent for a heartbeat. "Not for kissing you."
    "How about for calling me an opportunist and a gold digger earlier?"
    His mouth kicked up wryly at the corner. "I didn't call you those things."
    "You implied them. Are you sorry for that, too?"
    "I guess."
    She wrinkled her nose. "You sound like a five-year-old.
I guess I'm sorry for that, too
. But you aren't. Not really. Because deep down you still wonder if I am just a cheap, hustling bimbo looking for a fast buck. You have sadly disappointed me, Gideon."
    "I can see that," he said dryly. "Obviously I'm not turning out to be heroic material. Let's forget about the personal side of this for a minute. Do we still have a deal?"
    She tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp and got nowhere. "I don't know. Now I'm the one who will have to think about it. Your attitude is changing everything. I'll give you my answer in the morning."
    "You do that. And one other thing. If I go with you on this treasure hunt, it won't be as your employee. I don't work for anyone. We'll be partners. I won't be taking salary from you."
    "What do you want?"
    "I'll want a share of whatever treasure we find."
    She scowled at him. "But you've already said we probably won't find anything."
    "I'll take my chances. Are you willing to split the profits?"
    "Well, I don't know. I hadn't actually planned to sell the earrings. I was going to keep them."
    "Fine. You keep four pairs. I'll take the fifth. My choice of the lot."
    "I'm not sure that's fair. What if one pair turns out to be far more valuable than the others in today's market? The diamond pair, for instance?"
    "That's the risk you take."
    "I don't have to take any risk at all, Gideon. I'm the one with the map,