The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

did not have to wait long to hear a familiar voice drifting in her direction from the vicinity of the bar. There was no mistaking Jared Hawthorne's deep, dark, amused tones. He was telling a tale and obviously enjoying himself in the process.

    "So she turns her damned purse upside down and dumps everything out on the ground. You shoulda seen Arnie's face. But wait, it gets better. She tells Arnie to come and get the wallet, and the stupid little jerk makes a try for it. Then—get this—she kicks the knife out of his hand."

    "You're joking." The second male voice had the cultured grace of an English accent. "She kicked him?"

    "I swear. Twice. The second time right in the family jewels. Sharp Arnie didn't know what hit him. I wish I'd had a camera. She did, though. She took a couple of pictures of Arnie."

    "My word. If that's her idea of a souvenir photograph, she must have a very interesting album at home."

    "That thought did cross my mind."

    Kate got to her feet as her drink arrived. "Thank you," she said crisply, taking the tall glass out of the waitress's hand. "I'll be right back."

    Drink in hand, Kate marched the short distance to where Jared was lounging on a stool. His back was to her as he sat, elbows folded in front of him, one foot casually propped on the brass rail that ran around the bottom of the bar. He was intent on telling his story to the bartender, a square-jawed, balding man who carried himself with a distinctly military bearing. The crisply ironed khaki shirt with its array of epaulets, buttons and pockets added to the overall effect. He was polishing a glass as he enjoyed Jared's tale.

    "I'd have given a great deal to have seen the entire affair," the bartender mused, shaking his head in wonder. "What's the lady like? She sounds most remarkable."

    "Interesting, but definitely not my type. A real spitfire. Has a tongue that can tear a man to shreds from twenty paces. You should have heard her chewing out Arnie. Took a real strip off him. Even told him he reminded her of her ex-husband, heaven help him."

    "Who? Arnie?"

    "No, the ex-husband. At any rate, after she'd sent Sharp Arnie running, she started talking about filing a complaint."

    "Sam will take care of him."

    "That's what I told her. I don't think she was impressed with our brand of local law enforcement, though. She's one prickly little broad, I can tell you that. Not the kind who'd cook your dinner and then fetch your pipe and slippers for you."

    "You employ three professional chefs, you don't smoke a pipe and I've never seen you wear a pair of slippers in all the time I've known you. I fail to see the problem."

    "Wait until you meet her. You'll see what I mean. A man could get scratched if he wasn't real careful. Ask Sharp Arnie." Jared took a sip from the drink in front of him. "Not bad-looking, though," he added thoughtfully. "I was thinking this afternoon there might be possibilities if you could just figure out a way to get her to close her mouth for thirty seconds or so."

    The bartender suddenly sensed Kate's presence. He glanced over Jared's shoulder and his bushy brows climbed. "Short, light brown hair? About five foot five. Nice eyes?"

    Jared set down his glass in surprise. "How'd you know?" Realization dawned. "Oh, hell." He groaned and swung slowly around on the stool to face Kate. His smile was deliberately charming. "Good evening, Ms Inskip. Feeling rested?"

    "I was feeling much better," Kate murmured, idly stirring her drink with the little parasol that decorated it. "Until I realized I have apparently become a major topic of conversation around here. You folks living on tropical islands must be awfully short of entertainment if you have to resort to gossiping about your paying guests."

    In the glow of the candlelight, Jared's starkly carved features looked taut and strained in spite of the smile. Kate was willing to bet he was probably turning a dull red. She wished the lighting was better so she could be certain.

    "I was just, uh, telling the colonel here how you took on Sharp Arnie this afternoon," Jared said carefully.

    "I was very impressed, Ms Inskip," the bartender said, sounding genuinely admiring. "Very impressed, indeed."

    "In spite of the fact that I'm one prickly little broad?" Kate smiled sweetly and sipped her drink. "In spite of the fact that I can tear a man to shreds with my tongue at twenty paces? In spite of the fact that I can't be relied on to fetch a man his pipe and