The Adventurer

treasure, don't you? You think that once we've found it, I'll give up courting you."
    "I think I'd assign a high probability to that scenario."
    "Is it so hard for you to develop a little faith in me?"
    "I'm supposed to have faith in you after knowing you for all of three days?"
    "Stop saying that. We've known each other for four whole months."
    "We were pen pals for four months, not lovers."
    Without any warning, Sarah found herself very close to losing her temper. "Pen pals. Yes, that's what we were and you liked it that way, didn't you? In fact, I'll bet you preferred it that way because you didn't have to take any risks or make any commitments. Letter writing is a very safe way to conduct an affair, isn't it?"
    "It has a few advantages," he agreed, obviously satisfied at having provoked her. "But it also has a few distinct disadvantages." He leered cheerfully at her. "Now that I've met you in the flesh, I can see what I was missing when all I was getting were recipes."
    With a supreme act of willpower, Sarah pulled herself back from the brink. She had been on the verge of flying into a genuine rage, she realized, shaken. Gideon had done this deliberately.
    "Stop teasing me, Gideon."
    "I'm not teasing you. I mean every word. What do you say we make a deal? You've had your four months of letters. Let me have four months of you in bed, regardless of whether or not we find your earrings. Then we'll decide what sort of relationship we've got."
    Sarah refolded the sandwich wrapper with shaking fingers. "Don't talk like that, Gideon."
    "You don't like the terms?" he asked, voice hardening. "That doesn't surprise me. You don't get much out of it under those conditions, do you? All right, I'll make the deal contingent on finding the earrings. If we do turn them up, I get my four months."
    "I said stop it damn you." She threw the unfinished portion of her sandwich back into the basket and leaped to her feet. The sunlight still poured into the clearing but the warmth had gone out of the day. She was suddenly feeling very cold.
    There was a long silence during which Sarah stood with her back to Gideon, her hands thrust into the pockets of her jeans. A lazy breeze ruffled the delicate wildflowers scattered around her feet. She could not bring herself to turn around for fear Gideon would see the hint of tears in her eyes.
    The sound of another sandwich being unwrapped behind her finally broke the spell.
    "Sorry," Gideon growled. "I was pushing it, wasn't I?"
    "Yes, you were." Sarah turned back to watch as he wolfed down another of her sandwiches. "Why?"
    "Why?" He looked momentarily blank. "Because I want to take you to bed. Why else?"
    "You're going about it the wrong way."
    "Yeah, I got that feeling. Sit down and eat the rest of your lunch, Sarah. I'll work on keeping my mouth shut."
    Moodily she dropped back down onto the ground, folding her legs tailor-fashion. Her appetite was gone. "I was so sure this was going to work, but I'm not getting anywhere."
    "You've only been looking for the earrings for two days. There's a lot of territory left to cover around here."
    "I didn't mean the treasure hunt."
    "I see. You meant our famous relationship. Well, don't get impatient about that, either. You haven't given it any more time than you've given the treasure hunt."
    "I've given it four whole months."
    "More like three whole days."
    She dropped her forehead down onto her updrawn knees and took ten deep breaths. When she raised her head again, her emotions were calmer once more. "Let's talk about the treasure, since we don't seem to be able to discuss our relationship."
    "That'a girl. Stick to the real stuff. The stuff you can count on. Nothing like knowing you're sitting somewhere near a cache of jewels to take your mind off a courtship, is there?"
    Sarah lost it then. All the self-control she had been practicing for the past few minutes disintegrated in a
    flash. "You sarcastic, hateful, son of a… Don't you dare talk to me like that. Do you hear me? Not ever. I won't tolerate it. I'm trying to give you a proper courtship—trying to give you time to catch up with me in this relationship. The least you could do is be polite."
    Gideon narrowed his eyes, his expression suddenly fierce. He reached for her, caught her arm and dragged her across his lap to cradle her in a grip of steel.
    "I'm sorry," he muttered over and over again as his big hands stroked her. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm not used to trusting people and I'm not any