The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

instead."

    "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

    Kate allowed the waitress's parting remark to warm her as she sat gazing out at the darkening sea. But the good feeling didn't last long. It was obvious everyone at Crystal Cove was finding the situation between herself and Jared vastly entertaining, but Kate knew better. There was nothing funny about her quarrel with Jared; this was no amusing battle of the sexes. The stakes were too high.

    She went cold whenever she allowed herself to speculate on what Jared might be involved in up at HawthorneCastle.

    Jared had the natural authority and innate arrogance of a man who was accustomed to running his own domain, but she knew him well enough by now to know he was neither vicious nor totally unreasonable. Vicious, unreasonable men did not build thriving resorts capable of supporting the economy of an entire island. Vicious, unreasonable men did not incur the kind of loyalty and friendship Jared had locally.

    Or did they?

    Something serious was going on up at HawthorneCastle, and Jared was deeply involved. He did not want her anywhere near the place and as far as Kate could tell, there could be only one reason for forbidding her to take the castle path: Kate was very much afraid Jared was following in the footsteps of Roger Hawthorne, and because she was also very much afraid she was in love with him, she knew she had to stop him.

    She was lost in thought when a shadow fell across the table. She looked up, half expecting to see Jared standing there, but it was Jeff Taylor who was smiling hopefully down at her.

    "I see you're alone tonight. Mind if I join you?" He was dressed in a pair of slacks and a flower-printed aloha shirt. His red hair was still damp from a shower.

    Kate smiled. "Not at all."

    Jeff's smile widened with satisfaction. "Thanks." He took the chair across from her and lifted a hand to catch the waitress's attention. "Haven't been able to catch you alone since the night of the masquerade ball. You been hanging out with the local boss man, I hear. How come he's left you on your own tonight?"

    "I'm on vacation," Kate said. "I hang out with whoever I want to hang out with."

    "Hope that means me tonight."

    Out of the corner of her eye, Kate saw Jared saunter through the door and head for the bar. She tensed, preparing for a scene. "Why not?" she said, smiling brilliantly.

    Several hours later Kate finally decided Jared was not going to make a scene, after all. She told herself she was glad, but some small, very primitive part of her was hurt, she had to admit.

    It was not that she didn't enjoy herself with Jeff Taylor. They had dinner together and danced afterward. Jeff was charming, funny and more than willing to follow her lead. When she eventually pleaded weariness and said she wanted to go to her room, he quickly volunteered to walk her back through the gardens. She wondered briefly if she would have trouble with him at the door, but when she dismissed him gently, he went with good grace.

    "Maybe we can do this again," he murmured, brushing a quick, light kiss across her cheek.

    "Maybe." She smiled a good-night sort of smile that made no promises. Behind her the room was shrouded in darkness.

    "Say, you want to go snorkeling in the cove tomorrow morning?"

    She hesitated and then asked herself why not. She was supposed to be on vacation, after all. "Sounds great."

    Jeff grinned. "I'll meet you right after breakfast."

    "That will be fine."

    Kate smiled again and then closed the door gently but firmly in his face. She turned around and walked into the room without bothering to switch on the light. She went to the screened wall and stood looking out at the silvered sea. She was learning to love the island night. The fragrant, velvet air drifted through the open windows, caressing her and bringing back poignant memories of the nights she had spent in Jared's arms.

    The familiar feeling of awareness went through her and she hugged herself. It was ridiculous, but she could almost feel him nearby. There was that curious tingling at the back of her neck…Kate gasped and whirled around.

    "Lucky for all of us you didn't invite Taylor into the room," Jared said from the shadows of the bed. "Could have been a little awkward trying to explain the crowd in here."

    " Jared ." Kate took hold of herself immediately. "What are you doing here?"

    "What do you think I'm doing here?" His hand moved negligently, and the pale moonlight glinted off the brandy snifter