The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

out onto the little lagoon bridge. It occurred to her that it was hot today but she didn't mind. The heat no longer seemed to affect her much. Apparently she'd acclimated.

    Two hours later she and her luggage were standing on the tarmac near Hank's twin-engine Cessna. A small group of people who were preparing to leave the island milled around, waiting for Hank to load the bags.

    There was still no sign of Jared.

    She had known this was going to be a risk, Kate reminded herself as she nudged one of her bags toward the pile Hank was assembling. She had gambled and she had known there was a chance she would lose. Betting was a way of life here on Amethyst, but she hadn't had a lot of practice at figuring odds. She wished the stakes weren't quite so high this time.

    "You ready, Ms Inskip?" Hank asked as he started boarding his passengers.

    "Yes."

    Hank looked down the road that led back to the resort. "You know, I kinda thought Jared might show up this time the same way he did last time."

    "He showed up the last time I was preparing to leave?"

    "Yes, ma'am. Showed up and paid me the price of a seat just to make sure I'd say I didn't have room for you on board. In case you showed up here at the strip, that is. Which you didn't."

    Kate smiled briefly. "I guess he didn't want me to go that time."

    "So what about this time?"

    Kate shrugged and walked toward the plane. "Looks like he doesn't care this time."

    "That can't be right. Not from what I hear." Hank scowled. "You sure he knows you're leaving?"

    "If he's paying any attention at all to what's going on around him today, he knows." Kate put one foot on the bottom step.

    The roar of a Jeep engine shattered the serenity of the flight field. Hank grinned in sudden relief and turned his head to look down the road again.

    "Well, well, look who's here," Hank said softly.

    Kate stood on the bottom step and watched the Jeep tear through the gate and race toward the plane and the small group of people clustered around it. Jared was at the wheel. Beside him sat David, looking very fierce.

    Everyone stopped talking abruptly and turned to watch as the Jeep slammed to a halt in a cloud of dust. Jared switched off the engine and vaulted out of the vehicle. He stalked swiftly toward Kate, his expression taut with anger.

    "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

    "Home." Kate braced herself and lifted her chin defiantly. "It's time, Jared."

    "You're not due to leave until tomorrow."

    "Twenty-four hours either way isn't going to make much difference, is it?"

    "Are you out of your mind? It makes a hell of a difference."

    "Why? What was going to happen between today and tomorrow that's so important?"

    " I was going to ask you to marry me !" Jared roared. "That's what was going to happen."

    Kate's heart leaped, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Were you really? How odd. You couldn't even find time to talk to me this morning. And you're going to be swamped with cruise-ship people until late tonight. How were you ever going to find a spare minute in which to ask me to marry you?"

    "That's my business." Jared reached up and took hold of her wrist. "Get out of the way. Hank's trying to load his passengers."

    "I'm one of them."

    "Not anymore you're not." Jared looked over at David, who was sitting on the hood of the Jeep. "Come give me a hand with the luggage, Dave. Kate does not travel light."

    "You bet, Dad." David leaped down and dashed forward. He was wearing a huge grin now. "I knew you'd make her stay."

    Kate dug in her heels at the foot of the steps. "Jared, it isn't going to be this easy. There are one or two matters we have to deal with before any commitments are made."

    "Later, Kate."

    She ignored him. "First, I do not appreciate the cavalier treatment I've been subjected to today. Second, I think it's high time you stopped fooling around and told me flat out that you love me. I'm sick and tired of pussyfooting around the subject."

    "I love you. Dave, get those two flight bags, will you? I'll take these suitcases. Hank, could you give us a hand? We're in kind of a hurry here."

    "No problem." Hank smiled genially and bent to pick up two large suitcases.

    The three males started toward the Jeep with the luggage. Kate stared after them in annoyance and then hurried forward. "Not so fast, dammit."

    "Honey, I've got a resortful of people trying to spend money." Jared tossed her luggage carelessly into the back of the Jeep. "I'm too busy to stand