The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

of the cabinet. She stared longingly down at the aging volumes.

    "Take a look." Jared opened the glass doors, smiling with satisfaction as Kate reached carefully inside for one of the journals.

    She stroked the cracked leather cover lovingly. "Do you realize what you have here? A pirate's personal journals. What an incredible thought. And the diary of the bride he kidnapped. I would sell my soul for these volumes."

    "I wasn't planning to ask such a high price, but if you insist, I won't turn you down."

    Her head came up swiftly as she sensed the sensual meaning in his softly spoken words. The expression in his eyes made her catch her breath, and she forgot about the treasure she held in her hands.

    "Jared?"

    "You can examine the journals any time you like while you're here on Amethyst."

    "Thank you." She was breathless. The heat in his gaze was warming her from the inside out, "Thank you very much." Kate put the old volume carefully back into the glass cabinet and stood very still.

    After a long, shuddering moment of silence, Jared reached out to touch her cheek. "Whatever else it will be, Kate, it won't be just a fling. You know that, don't you?"

    She felt his fingers tremble slightly on her skin. When he dropped his hand, she was trapped by the molten silver of his eyes. Surely she had known this man all her life. "Yes," she said. "I know."

    He picked up a blanket that lay folded on the end of the sofa, took Kate's hand again and led her out of the study onto the shadowy veranda that overlooked the sea.

FIVE

    « ^ »

    T he night was heavy and warm. Kate fell silent as Jared led her out into the darkness. She was back under the same spell that had captured her the night of the masquerade ball, she realized. But tonight there would be no escape. Jared's hand wrapped hers in a strong, sure grip, and she had no desire to be freed.

    Without an explanation he tugged her down the steps of the veranda to a path that led toward the water. They walked through a grove of shadowy palms and out into a small, secluded moonlit cove. This was not Crystal Cove, the main hotel beach, but a private, hidden place that Kate sensed was not open to the public. Wavelets foamed softly on the shore, glistening in the pale light.

    "Where are you taking me?" she asked, not particularly concerned with the answer.

    "To a special place I know. And, no, before you ask, I don't take a lot of female guests there."

    "I wasn't going to ask."

    "Starting to trust me?"

    "I just don't feel like asking too many questions tonight," she said.

    His hand tightened around hers. "Good. It's probably better that way."

    At the edge of the sand they stopped and took off their shoes. Then they walked to the end of the beach. There Jared drew Kate into the shadows of a palm. He spread the blanket on the ground and stood looking at her, his face taut with controlled hunger. When he made no further move, Kate knew he was waiting for her to make the final decision.

    She hesitated a moment and then walked into his arms. They closed around her, safe, strong and wonderfully familiar, wonderfully right.

    "Promise me you won't regret this in the morning," Jared said into her ear, his fingers tangling in her hair. "I want this to be right for both of us. No recriminations, no reprisals, no apologies."

    "I wouldn't have come this far with you if I had any more doubts."

    "The other night I thought you knew what you wanted, but you still left without a word."

    "I told you, the other night there were other complications. Things were happening too fast. Nothing felt real. Then I realized your friend Letty was matchmaking and I really got nervous. I needed time to think."

    "No more thinking. I've tried to think this through for the past couple of days. It got me nowhere." Jared groaned and pulled her close. Kate's body reacted instinctively to the hard, demanding male strength in him. His kiss was a heavy, drugging caress that intoxicated her with emotion and sensual excitement. His mouth moved on hers as his hands moved on her body—slowly, intimately, hungrily.

    Kate felt the zipper of her sheath slide down the length of her spine to her waist, and the dress crumpled to her hips. Her small, lacy bra fell away under his touch. Jared leaned his forehead against hers and looked down at her breasts.

    "I knew you would be this lovely. I want you so much. I haven't been able to think of anything else since I saw you in that alley on Ruby." He touched her