aYes,a Kate replied, flashing him a laughing look, aJames Bond.a aYouall have to settle for me tonight.a aI can do that,a she replied unhesitatingly, and he grinned.

aMy original question referred to what game you prefer,a Mitch.e.l.l explained, suppressing the soph.o.m.oric impulse to put his arm around her as they walked.

aI prefer whatever game I can win money playing.a aIn that case, we need to leave now,a he joked.

aIam actually very lucky at cards,a Kate said truthfully. aSlot machines like me, too. And c.r.a.ps tables are often very friendly to me.a aHow is your luck at blackjack?a aIt varies.a They found two seats together at a blackjack table, and although Kate inwardly shuddered at the $100 minimum, she opened her purse and resolutely withdrew five $100 traveleras checks before she sat down. aI need to cash these first.a aI intended to back you or I wouldnat have brought you here.a aI canat gamble with your money. One of the things my father taught me was that a ladyalways gambles with her own money, or she doesnat gamble at all.a aYour father had some very novel notions,a Mitch.e.l.l replied drily as she turned and walked away, heading toward the cashieras window nearby. With an unconscious smile, he watched her walk, admiring her natural grace and the way her flame-colored hair changed from waves into thick curls below her shoulders.

aBelle femme,athe man on Mitch.e.l.las right remarked, his gaze also following Kate.

aYes, she is,a Mitch.e.l.l replied. He signaled to the dealer and signed the usual table form to draw money against his line of credit. aSee that the young lady doesnat run out of chips when she gets low,a Mitch.e.l.l instructed the dealer as he began sliding Mitch.e.l.las chips toward him.

aCertainly, Mr. Wyatt.a An hour later, she was $2,400 ahead, and Mitch.e.l.l had stopped playing so that he could lean over and watch Kate play her hand. It had been obvious from the first that she knew when to ask for another card, when to stay with the hand she had, and when to double-down. When she followed the usual procedure, she won an inordinate amount of times, but what fascinated him was that, on a whim, she would do the opposite of what she shoulda"and she still won. Unfortunately those intuitive whims of hers made it difficult for the other players to antic.i.p.ate her actions, and they were s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up their own hands as a result. He was wondering if she realized that, when she slid her chips toward the dealer and said, aIad like to cash these in, pleasea; then she looked at the four men seated at the table with her and said graciously, aI apologize for disrupting your hands. Itas difficult for me to ignore my hunches when I have them.a The Frenchman whoad spoken to Mitch.e.l.l earlier grinned broadly at her, lifted her hand, and kissed it in sheer grat.i.tude.aElle est une trsbelle femme!ahe said to Mitch.e.l.l. Caught between amus.e.m.e.nt and shock, Kate gathered up her winnings while the man spoke animatedly in French to Mitch.e.l.l, who replied to him in the same language.

aWhat was that all about?a Kate asked as they walked away.

aHe noticed that youare not only very beautiful, but you are also very lucky at blackjack.a aHe said more than that. He asked you a question, too, because you shook your head and answered him in a rather chilly voice.a Mitch.e.l.l grinned at her. aDid I sound achillya? That was rude of me, and Iam rarely rude.a aWhat did he ask you?a Kate persevered.

aHe asked if I would be willing to let you stand beside his chair so that he would have not only the benefit of your beauty but also, perhaps, your good fortune at cards.a Kate gave an indelicate snort and shook her head. aHeas an old letch, and that was a total crock.a Mitch.e.l.las shoulders shook with laughter at her phrasing, and he suppressed another soph.o.m.oric urgea"the urge to s.n.a.t.c.h her up into his arms and indulge in a public display of affection.

aWhat did you say to him?a aItas difficult to translate it accurately.a aGive it a try.a aLoosely translated, I told him that heas an old letch, and what he said was a total crock.a Kate laughed, but she wasnat buying it. aThatas not what you said.a Mitch.e.l.l bent his head and whispered against her cheek, aI told him to get his own girl because I wasnat going to share mine with hima; then he straightened, and continued walking as if having his lips on her cheek had been the farthest thing from his mind.

Kateas heart did a somersault at hearing Mitch.e.l.l refer to her as his agirl,a but she knew it was just a figure of speech, and she tried not to think it meant anything else. She had a wonderful time for the rest of the evening, even though she lost half her winnings.

Mitch.e.l.l gambled with the same effortless competence with which he did everything else, but what particularly fascinated Kate was his reaction to several women who made frank visual overtures to him during the evening: He had no reaction; he simply acted as if the women were invisible. Either he was so accustomed to it that he didnat notice, or else he didnat enjoy being looked at like a delicious s.e.xual feast. Kate preferred to think the latter was true.

Shortly after midnight, when theyad finished gambling, they stopped in an intimate little lounge on the first floor of the casino, where a small band was accompanying a male singer. They found an empty table, and while the singer launched into the familiar lyrics of aThe Way You Look Tonight,a Kate watched Mitch.e.l.l sit down, unb.u.t.ton his jacket, lean back in his chair, and casually stretch his long legs out. That picture of hima"relaxed, handsome, and utterly at ease in an exclusive private casinoa"imprinted itself on Kateas heart while the words to the song entwined around his image, framing it. Trying to hide her admiring smile, she put her elbows on the table and leaned her chin downward on her folded hands, watching him from beneath her lashes.

A moment later, he evidently felt a waiter should have already arrived, so he lifted his head an inch and glanced to his right with the merest trace of a frown. Two waiters materialized from opposite directions, almost colliding with each other in their haste to answer his summons, and Kate swallowed a laugh. In her fatheras restaurant shead observed all the known signals used by male customers to attract the attention of waitersa"from the most boorish signals to the most timida"and she silently gave Mitch.e.l.l the highest score possible, both for astyle employeda and aeffectiveness of style.a aHow does cognac sound?a he asked while the waiter stood beside him.

aFine, thank you,a Kate said, knowing shead have only a sip. Still amused by her observations, she turned her head, watching the singer, a smile hovering at her lips.

Mitch.e.l.l ordered their drinks and then mistook the reason for her smile. aAre you especially fond of that song?a Kate nodded.

aAny particular reason?a Since she couldnat explain her current reason, Kate lowered her eyes and gave him a different one that was equally true. aWhen I was thirteen, Michael Bubl and his grandfather were visiting Chicago and, purely by chance, they had dinner in our restaurant. Michaelas grandfather happened to mention to my fathera"very proudlya"that Michael was about to launch his singing career in Canada, so my father offered to let Michael make his aUnited States debuta in our bar. Michael was only sixteen at the time, but he was so amazing that my father brought me downstairs from the apartment to listen to him.a aAnd?a Mitch.e.l.l prompted when she looked slightly embarra.s.sed.

aAnd Michael sang the song weare listening to now. Actually, he sang it to me.a aShould I be jealous?a aOf course,a Kate joked with a winsome smile. aI fell madly in love with him right then and there. The next time I saw him sing,a Kate finished, ahe was at Carnegie Hall.a Feeling a little foolish because shead told him yet another story about her life when she still knew virtually nothing about his, Kate glanced down at the table and realized Mitch.e.l.las hand was resting beside hers, less than an inch away. The sight of his long fingers lying so close to hers enthralled her. Telling herself that she was being nave and foolish, she finally pulled her gaze away.

Mitch.e.l.las head was bent, his gaze fixed intently on their hands, just as hers had been. Slowly, he lifted his hand, and then he laid it over hers.

Kate felt a thrill run through her entire body. Swallowing, she watched to see if he had any noticeable reaction at all. He tightened his grip on her hand.

Chapter Twenty-one.

SCANNING THE SURFACEof the water for a sign of Mitch.e.l.l, Kate absently brushed sand off her legs and reached for one of the robes theyad brought from their room. The night was balmy, but she was beginning to shiver in her wet bathing suit, more from alarm than cold.

When they left the casino, Mitch.e.l.l had offered to take her to Maho Bay so she could spend her winnings in one of the high-fashion boutiques that stayed open to cater to the nightclub and casino crowd. Kate had suggested they go back to the hotel and go swimming instead. In her mind shead envisioned lazily floating in four feet of buoyant salt water for a half hour. Theyad done that, but when Kate was ready to get out, Mitch.e.l.l said he was going to swim a little longer for some exercise.

As she discovered as soon as he kicked off, when Mitch.e.l.l swam for exercise he did it with ferocious force, driving his body through the water at maximum speed, as if demons were closing in on him. At first, Kate watched him in admiration, but a few minutes after she lost sight of him completely, she began to worry about his safety.

Trying not to let her concern escalate to panic, Kate continued to search the moonlit water as she shoved her arms into the sleeves of her robe and tied the belt. Finally, she made out a speck on the surface and sank onto a lounge chair, weak with relief.

Freed at last of her worry about Mitch.e.l.l, she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Tipping her head back, she gazed at a black satin sky encrusted with shimmering stars while a profound sense of her fatheras presence slowly swept over her. It wrapped around her, warm and strong, enfolding her in sweetness, as if it were a huga"a fierce celestial hug. Kate reveled in the sensation, clinging to it while tears stung her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

Finally she reached up to brush them away and glanced at the water to check on Mitch.e.l.l. He was swimming in a straight line directly toward her, his shoulders and arms visible above the surface.

And in that moment, she suddenly understood. She understood it all, just as surely as if her father were sitting next to her on the chaise longue watching Mitch.e.l.l, too, and smiling.

This was meant to be;they were meant to be. Thatas why shead felt such an inexplicable sense of magical closeness with him from the very first. Mitch.e.l.las poignant admission came back to her:I felt all the same things you did last night. They had been destined to meet and fall in love, but capricious fate wasnat pulling the strings.

Wiping away another tear, Kate looked up at the sky and whispered, aThank you, Daddy. I miss you.a The sensation of his nearness had lessened but was still there a few minutes later when Mitch.e.l.l stood up in the water. Raking his hands through the sides of his hair, he waded out of the sea with water streaming from his powerful shoulders and long legs, his dark swimming trunks clinging to his muscular thighs. He was so outrageously beautiful that Kate shook her head. Smiling, she glanced back up at the stars and silently said,What on earth were you thinking when you decided I deserve someone this good-looking?

Mitch.e.l.l reached for the towel she held out to him and suppressed the urge to rumple the springy wet curls framing her face and tumbling over her shoulders. With her hair like that, she looked delectable; in fact, she looked exactly the way she had when he first met her in the restaurant. aHi,a he said with a smile.

She smiled back at him. aHow was Jamaica? Did you pa.s.s any sharks on the way?a Grinning at her quip, Mitch.e.l.l started toweling off his chest and arms. aIave been lying around down here for a week,a he explained. aI needed the exercise.a aDo you normally swim for exercise?a He shook his head. aA man who works for me is a martial arts specialist. I get most of my exercise working out with him.a aWhat sort of work does he do for you?a aHeas my driver.a aYour driver,a Kate repeated, thinking that over. aAs well as your bodyguard?a aHe thinks he is,a Mitch.e.l.l replied, bending over to dry his legs.

Kate waited until he tossed his towel aside and picked up a robe before she asked the question that was bothering her a little: aWhat sort of business are you in that you need a bodyguard?a aIn Europe, itas fairly common for drivers to be bodyguards.a Either by accident or intent, he hadnat told her what sort of business he was in, Kate realized, and he hadnat mentioned a word on that subject last night either. They were sleeping together and she was falling more in love with him every pa.s.sing minute. She was dying to know more about him and to understand him better. As they strolled down the beach toward the terraced steps leading up to the hotel, she said, aWhat sort of business are you in?a aIam in the business of making money,a Mitch.e.l.l replied, automatically giving her the same pat answer he gave to most people who asked him that question; then he felt bad for treating her as if she were a prying stranger.

aI donat run a business,a he clarified. aEven if I had the inclination to run one, I doubt Iad have any talent for it. I invest money in the ideas and genius of other people who do have a talent for running businesses.a Kate shoved her hands into the pockets of her robe and considered her next question.

aHow do you decide which ideas and people you should invest in?a aI rely partly on information and partly on instinct, which amounts to making an educated guess.a He intended that to end the conversation, Kate realized from his tone. Careful to sound as if she was making a wry observation, rather than trying to keep him talking, she said, aWhen someone has an instinctive knack for doing something, I think itas called talent.a aIn my case, itas more of an acquired skill than an actual talent.a aHow did you acquire your skill?a He stopped walking, turned, and studied her with a mildly impatient frown. aI had a mentora"Stavros Konstantatos.a Kateas eyes widened at the mention of the reclusive, self-made Greek tyc.o.o.n who was reportedly one of the richest men in the world. aAre we talking about the man who lives on an island with armed guards posted everywhere and who had his yacht equipped with torpedoes?a Mitch.e.l.las resistance dissolved into amus.e.m.e.nt. aNot torpedoes, antiaircraft guns,a he said, lacing his fingers through hers and holding her hand as they started walking again. aHis son, Alex, was my roommate at boarding school. One year, Alex begged me to spend the winter holiday with him on their island so that he wouldnat adie of boredom alonea while he listened to Stavros talk about business at every meal. Like most wealthy kids, Alex wasnat interested in making money, he was interested in spending it.a Kate noticed that Mitch.e.l.l seemed to have excluded himself from the category of awealthy kid,a but she didnat attempt to pursue that observation. Instead she said conversationally, aDid Alexas father really talk about business at every meal?a aStavros talked about business incessantly,a Mitch.e.l.l said with a chuckle, abut I wasnat bored, I was mesmerized. He realized it, of course, and I think he hoped my att.i.tude would rub off on Alex. The next holiday, he insisted Alex bring me back to the island. I saw a lot of Stavros after that. Over the years, he took me under his wing and coached and prodded me until I grasped his concepts. When I finished college, he gave me a job working directly under him, so that he could acomplete my education.a Eventually he started letting me make my own deals and share in the profitsa"or losses.a aWhat a wonderful man and what a lucky experience for you.a Mitch.e.l.l nodded in agreement. He didnat mention that Stavrosas wife had repeatedly tried to seduce him from the time he was seventeen. Nor did he mention any of his earlier, less awonderfula experiences with some of his cla.s.smatesa wealthy familiesa"the pleasant, well-bred parents he met when their sons invited Mitch.e.l.l home to spend a holiday with them. They asked him the same dreaded questions parents always askeda"questions about where he was from and who his relatives were. Once they realized he was a total outsider without family or connections, they frequently treated him like an opportunist who was trying to insinuate himself into their sonsa lives for reasons they regarded as highly suspicious and undesirable.

Some of them went so far as to call the administrators of the boarding schools and complain about the questionable caliber of the boy their sons were a.s.sociating with. In reply they were told that Mitch.e.l.l was a ascholarship studenta and a agifted athletea who was of special interest to a very influential American foundation. Mitch.e.l.l learned about that from the sons of the complaining parents.

Walking beside Kate, he tried to recall how many times during his boarding school years head been asked by a cla.s.smateas family if he was any relation to the aChicago Wyatts.a How ironic that head answered no all those times. Which suddenly explained why he could barely force himself now to acknowledge that the answer was actually yes.

Chapter Twenty-two.

PROPPED UP INbed with Mitch.e.l.las arm around her, Kate watched the night sky giving way to dawn. When theyad returned from swimming, theyad showered and then discovered they were famished. The remnants of their shared feast of strawberry crepes and eggs Benedict were on the coffee table.

Afterward, they went to bed, but sleep was not what Mitch.e.l.l had in mind. The fierce, demanding urgency of his earlier lovemaking was gone, and now he made love to her with slow, torrid sensuality, driving her steadily toward a final climactic destination, while detouring on previously unexplored erotic routes to get her there, whispering directions and encouragements that were as arousing to Kate as the things he was doing with her. By the time he finally let her finish, Kate was writhing wildly in his arms, frantically whispering aPlease,a over and over and over.

When the last spasm had shaken her, he changed the tempo of his strokes and Kateas limp body suddenly arched up like a tightly strung bow, straining toward him of its own volition while he poured himself into her. Kate heard herself moan, and she clung to him, caught up in a moment that was not only tumultuously s.e.xual but almost fiercely spiritual.

Later on, when she looked back on it all, she might have seen herself as a nave student whoad just been tutored by a consummate, perhaps less involved mastera"except that afterward, head gathered her against his full length and kept their bodies clamped tightly together with his face buried in the curve of her neck for a very long time, as if head been profoundly affected by their lovemaking, too.

Even now, as they watched the sunrise, his hand was curved around her arm, his thumb caressing her skin. They were both drowsy, the periods of silence between them growing longer, but as the sky continued to lighten, the dawn of a new day was banishing Kateas quiet euphoria and filling her with worry and fresh guilt about Evan.

Shead waited to return his phone call yesterday until she was getting dressed for the casino, because she knew Evan would be playing tennis at his club by then. Shead left him a voice mail message a.s.suring him that she wasnat at all angry with him, that she was having a lovely time visiting neighboring islands, and that there was absolutely no need for him to worry or feel guilty about anything. Everything she told him was true, but the things she did not tell him made her message a tawdry, unforgivable deception. On the other hand, she couldnat possibly break up with him by phone, not after the years theyad been together, and especially not after head just brought up marriage. There were only four days left of their planned ten-day trip. If his case dragged on another day or two, head surely decide there was no point in flying back down to Anguilla.

Sensing her change in mood, Mitch.e.l.l glanced at the woman who was responsible for the most exhilarating, fulfilling s.e.xual experience of his life. Her red curls were in wild disarray, tumbling over her shoulders and the tops of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and her porcelain cheeks were still slightly flushed from their lovemaking, but her expression had turned very pensive. Mitch.e.l.l a.s.sumed she was probably thinking about her boyfriend and wondering whether he was going to arrive that day. Head been thinking about the same thing.

aTroubling thoughts?a She turned her head on the pillow. aNot really. Not about you, anyway,a she amended. After a moment, she smiled and said, aHave you ever been married?a Ordinarily, that question in this particular location would have evoked a wary reaction in Mitch.e.l.l, but theyad been lying there asking each other desultory questions off and on since they finished making love. They were, after all, two people who had intimate carnal knowledge of each other, and they had feelings for each other, but they had no facts. And since theyad already traded information about favorite pastimes, favorite foods, least favorite politicians, and so forth, her question seemed perfectly reasonable to Mitch.e.l.l. aYes, have you?a aNo,a she said.

This, unlike all their previous questions and answers, she clearly thought required some amplification, because she lifted her brows and looked at him expectantly.

aI was married to Stavrosas daughter, Anastasia, for three years,a Mitch.e.l.l added to satisfy her. It didnat satisfy her. Rolling onto her side facing him, she reached up and pressed her finger across his sealed lips. aIf I die of curiosity in this bed,a she warned, ayou will have a lot of explaining to do to the hotel management.a Mitch.e.l.l tried to scowl, but a lock of her soft hair was brushing his cheek, her finger was brushing his mouth, and her smile was irresistible. aAnastasia was Stavrosas youngest child and only daughter,a he explained in defeat. aHe kept her under his thumb and in his sight by preventing her from having any money of her own to spend.a aI thought Greek heiresses ran wild.a aSo did Stavros,a Mitch.e.l.l replied drily. aBy the time she was twenty-one, she was so desperate to have some freedom and to aexperience lifea that it was almost pitiful. Marriage was her only ticket out of bondage, but Stavros wouldnat let men near hera"except for a couple of them who suited him but not Anastasia.

aWead known each other since we were kids and we understood each other. We also liked each other. So we made a deal. We got married and I allowed her to acc.u.mulate all the life experiences she wanted.a aWhat went wrong?a Kate asked, searching his features.

aAnastasia decided she wanted one life experience that I refused to allow, one that shead expressly agreed to forgo before we ever got married.a aWhat was it?a aMotherhood.a aYou divorced her because she wanted to have your children?a aNo, I let her divorce me.a Warned by his tone that the topic was now closed, Kate dropped her gaze, wondering whether she ought to try to get more information. She decided she wasnat likely to succeed right now, and she didnat want their mood spoiled any more than it had been already.

She sought for an innocuous question to ask and after a moment decided to ask about the tiny scar on his right arm. aWhere did you get this scar?a she asked, touching it with her fingers.

He looked down to see what she was talking about, and his tone lost its edge. aWhen I was fifteen, I b.u.mped into a rapier.a aThat would have been my first guess.a His blue eyes warmed with laughter and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Lifting his hand to her face, he brushed his thumb over what he thought was a cleft in her chin and teasingly asked, aWhere did you get this cute little dent in your chin?a aWhen I was thirteen, I b.u.mped into a U.S. mailbox.a Mitch.e.l.l laughed at the joke and started to kiss her chin, but she shook her head and said, aIam serious.a He pulled back in amused surprise. aHow in the h.e.l.l did that happen?a aJust before my fourteenth birthday, I decided to make an unauthorized trip to Cleveland to visit someone I hadnat seen in a long time. I persuaded a fifteen-year-old boy I knew to give me a ride, so Travis borrowed his brotheras car in the morning, and we cut school at lunchtime and took off. Three miles away, Travis lost control of the car, ran over a curb, and hit a U.S. mailbox. I banged my chin on the dashboard.a aAre fifteen-year-olds allowed to drive?a aNot legally. Which was one of the reasons we got busted when the police arrived on the scene.a aWhat were the other reasons?a aPossession of a stolen vehicle, truancy, possession of marijuana, and destruction of government property.a Mitch.e.l.las guffaw lifted his shoulders clear off the pillows.

aIt was a b.u.m rap,a Kate protested, rearing up on her elbows, and he guffawed again. aWell, it was. Travis simply aforgota to tell his brother he was taking his car, so his brother reported it stolen. And the marijuana wasnat ours; it was his.a aMy choir-girl image of you is undergoing a radical change.a aThose were my wild-child days. Anyway, they came to an end that same day.a aWhy?a aI had to be taken to the hospital for st.i.tches in my chin, and naturally, the hospital called my father. He was so scared and so furious that he ranted at me all the way back to the restaurant. When we got there, he sent me upstairs and told me I was grounded for two months. He said he was going to cancel my surprise party for my fourteenth birthday that week, and that there would be more punishment to come when he was calm enough to think straight. Then he walked into his office and slammed the door so hard that it popped back open.a aPoor little wild child,a Mitch.e.l.l teased, his thumb touching the dent in her chin. aGrounded for two whole months.a aI didnat intend to be grounded for two whole hours. I was just as furious with him for grounding me and yelling at me when Iad just had st.i.tches. I hung around upstairs for a few minutes, and then I snuck downstairs, intending to go to a girlfriendas house for a little while. As I tiptoed around the stairwell toward the back door, I heard a sound coming from his office, a sound that froze me in my tracks.a aWhat was it?a aSobbing,a she said. aI could see his reflection in a wall mirror outside his office. He was sitting at his desk with his hands over his face, crying his heart out. He was such a strong, indomitable man that it never occurred to me that anything could make him cry. It was the most wrenching moment of my life.a aWhat did you do?a aI went back upstairs and grounded myself for two months. I never cut school again, and I stayed out of troublea"at least big troublea"from that day forward.a Mitch.e.l.l fell silent, a.s.similating what shead told him, trying to get a three-dimensional picture of her life, but head never known anyone from a background even remotely like hers.

aYou never mention your mother,a he said finally.

Lifting her brows, Kate said, aYou never mention your mother either.a aIs she alive?a Mitch.e.l.l persisted.

aI refuse to tell you, unless you tell me about yours first.a aI think youall tell me anyway.a aYou couldnat pry it out of me with a crowbar.a aI can pry it out of you with two fingers,a he promised with absolute certainty, sliding his hand under the sheet.

aDonat you darea"a Kate warned, clamping her legs together. Suddenly it was important that he not be able to keep his secrets while manipulating her so easily into divulging hers.

His fingers slid through the triangle at her thighs. aOpen your legs, Kate.a aNo.a It hit her then that her logic was totally wrong and that she was silly to resist. She relaxed the tension in her legs, gasping when he slid one finger deep inside of her and rubbed his thumb against the curly hair above it; then she relaxed and let him spread pleasure and warmth through her.

aIs there something you want to tell me?a he asked, slowly increasing the pressure and altering the movements of his fingers.

aNot yet,a Kate whispered faintly, putting her arms around his shoulders and closing her eyes. He was getting her so close she could barely stop herself from moving with him.

aIsnat there something you want to tell me now?a She was clinging to him, her heart racing, her nails digging into his back.

aNo,a she gasped, but her body was on the verge of convulsing.

He stopped. aHow about now?a She was hanging on a cliff, desperate, and he knew it; head intended to deprive her of a climax just when she was on the verge and withhold it from her until she yielded. Somehow shead mistakenly thought he believed he could get an answer out of her by giving her pleasure. While he intended to do it by depriving her of pleasure.

Her body was begging her to give in; her heart wouldnat let her. She let go of his shoulders and dropped back onto the pillows, looking up at him with wounded eyes, silent and disappointed.

He stared back at her, his blue eyes heavy-lidded, his expression unreadable. Suddenly, he scooped her into his arms, his fingers seeking the same places head touched and left, driving her all the way to the climax head deprived her of before.

Kate clung to him while shudders shook through her, and when they pa.s.sed, she lay back on the pillows and lifted her hand, sliding it across his hard jaw, tenderly smoothing back his thick black hair. aMy mother lives in Cleveland,a she whispered, conceding victory to hima"but a victory that was won on her terms, not his.

Unfamiliar emotions swelled in Mitch.e.l.las chest, unfolding and unfurling. She was meant for him; they were meant for each other. But later today, or tomorrow, another man was going to come for her; a man who had more right to her than Mitch.e.l.l did. . . .

In his mind, Mitch.e.l.l heard the trumpets blast and the heralds calling out his name, summoning him to appear in the Coliseum of Commitments and present himself before the roaring crowda"a gladiator, without sword or shield, armed with only his secrets and fragile hopes. The horns were already blaring, and he was already striding toward his fate, defenseless but fearless.

Kateas hand was lying against his cheek, her fingers caressing his jaw while her green eyes beckoned him. Smiling, Mitch.e.l.l turned his face into her hand, kissed her palm, and whispered, aWe who are about to die salute you.a

Chapter Twenty-three.

SEATED ON Achair in front of the windows in room 102, with his feet propped up on the windowsill and a pair of binoculars in his lap, MacNeil yawned and stretched and watched in weary boredom as rosy pink streaks appeared in the sky above the sparkling waters of the Caribbean. He and Childress were sleeping in shifts, and Macas shift had just begun.

Hotel employees were already moving around at the beach, setting up for breakfast and wiping down chaise longues, and several taxis were in line at the front entrance, ready to take early risers to destinations of their choice. If Wyatt decided to leave the hotel, he had to pa.s.s by MacNeilas window to get a taxi. From this same vantage point, Mac had been able to use the binoculars to watch Wyatt and the Donovan woman last night until they finally went up to their room.

At eleven, Childress and he switched places at the window, and Childress poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe that room service had delivered while MacNeil was on watch. aIave been here too long,a Childress remarked, spooning sugar into his cup. aLast night I read the hotel brochure, and I started thinking that my toenails really need attention, and I canat go another day without aromatherapy.a He put his coffee cup on the table beside his chair and picked up the binoculars Mac had laid aside. Lifting them to his eyes, he slowly scanned the beach, looking for a particular blonde. aThere she is, lying on her favorite lounge chair. Iam falling in love. Look at that . . . sheas got a little tattoo on her b.u.t.t on the left cheek. How did I miss that yesterday? He paused to zoom in closer and adjust the focus. aItas a ladybuga"is that cute, or what?a aIam going to take a shower,a Mac replied, then quoting from the same brochure as he started toward the bathroom, aand drown myself in the luxury of frangipani shampoo.a Childress looked sharply over his shoulder and called, aLeave some for me.a MacNeil chuckled, stopped at the closet to take out a fresh shirt and pair of pants, and then laid them on the bed, because his cell phone began vibrating on the dresser.

Gray Elliottas voice was grim and brisk. aWe just found William Wyattas body, with a shotgun hole in the chest, in an old well on a neighboring farm that was owned by the Udall family. Actually,a he corrected, awedidnat find it; the developer who bought the farm a few months ago found it when he tripped over a rusty well cover underneath an inch of snow. While he was picking himself up, he noticed something wedged under the cover that struck him as odd. He knew William had disappeared when he was supposed to be at the farm next door, so he dragged the cover aside to have a look. The local cops responded to his call, and theyave handed the whole thing over to us. Williamas body and the shotgun that undoubtedly killed him arrived by helicopter a little while ago. Ballistics is going over the gun now.a aAny prints left on it?a aNot a one,a Gray replied, sounding surprisingly unconcerned.

MacNeil immediately guessed at the reason: aWhat was wedged under the cover?a aA black leather b.u.t.ton, about the size of a b.u.t.ton from a manas overcoat, with the thread still attached.a aA b.u.t.ton?a MacNeil repeated, frowning, and sat down on the edge of his bed.

aA very distinctive, handmade leather b.u.t.ton,a Gray amplified, awith an interesting design stamped on the front and a symbol on the back, identifying its creator.a aI take it you think you can trace it back to whoever made it?a aWe should be able to do better than that. It turns out that b.u.t.tons like these are ordered exclusively by European tailors who keep careful records so that matching b.u.t.tons can be obtained for their clients as needed.a aEurope is a big place. How long do you think it will take to track down the tailor or the b.u.t.ton maker?a aForensics says the leather and dye used on the b.u.t.ton are British, so weare focusing first on London tailors. Right now, my problem is time. Itas only a matter of hours before the media gets wind that weave recovered Williamas body, and if Wyatt hears about it, that jet of his will take off from St. Maarten, heading as far away from U.S. jurisdiction as it can take him.

aIf I can lure him back to Chicago, I have enough grounds to detain him for questioning and force him to surrender his pa.s.sport. That will give us time to locate the tailor who made the overcoat for him, or better yet, the overcoat itself. Once we have either one, I can get a warrant signed for his arrest. Iave already arranged with NYPD to search his New York apartment later today when I give them the go-ahead. He also has apartments in Rome, London, and Paris, and Iam trying to arrange for a simultaneous search of them, but the authorities in Europe wonat play ball with me yet. Iam going to start pulling some personal strings after we hang up.a aYouare going to need a h.e.l.l of a big lure to tear him away from the Donovan woman.a aI have a plan,a Gray said. aIall get back to you in a little while. In the meantime, just donat lose him, and donat worry about tailing Kate Donovan if they split up. Iall deal with her myself as soon as I get Wyatt into our jurisdiction.a aWeall stay on him,a MacNeil said.

aMac?a aYeah?a aI also have a witness who has seen Wyatt wearing an overcoat with a b.u.t.ton just like the one found at the well.a

Chapter Twenty-four.

KATEaS CELL PHONEbegan ringing on the bar just as Mitch.e.l.l picked up a can of shaving cream in the bathroom. Absently shaking the can, he watched from the corner of his eye as she walked in from the balcony and picked up the phone to look at the calleras number. She hesitated, biting her lip; then she raised the phone to her ear and answered the call.

With the hot water running in the sink, he couldnat hear what she was saying, but her shoulders were stiff, her head was bent, and she was rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand. Her body language spoke of tension and apprehension. From that, Mitch.e.l.l deduced the lawyer was either telling her he was planning to leave for St. Maarten, or else giving her h.e.l.l for not taking his other calls. A few moments after the call began, it ended, and she put the phone down.

The call hadnat lasted long enough for any sort of temperamental outbursta"not from a lawyer. Lawyers made a career out of haranguing, and that phone call wasnat long enough for a lawyer to even start getting wound up. The only remaining logical conclusion was that Kateas lawyer-boyfriend had simply told her he was coming to Anguilla and, also based on the brevity of the call, Kate hadnat attempted to discourage him. That was not the behavior Mitch.e.l.l had expected from her.

When Kate walked into the bathroom, Mitch.e.l.l was standing at the sink with a towel around his hips, shaving. Surprised by the sweet intimacy of the moment, she leaned against the vanity and watched in the mirror as he finished shaving his throat. His face was covered in lather, with nothing visible except black eyebrows, long-lashed deep blue eyes, and a finely sculpted, sensual mouth.

He rinsed the razor under running water and glanced at her in the mirror, his mouth quirking in a half smile at her fascinated interest; then he resumed his task. Stroke by deft stroke of the razor, his tanned face, with its chiseled jawline and strongly molded cheekbones, began to emerge from beneath the lather.

Kate watched, but thoughts of the phone call shead just received from Evanas secretary soon furrowed her forehead into an apprehensive frown. According to Patricia, she and Evan had worked late into Sunday night, and Evan had finally hammered out a satisfactory out-of-court settlement with the opposing counsel. Head tried to call Kate from his office to tell her he was catching a 2:30AM flight, arriving at 12:35PM , St. Maarten time, but all head gotten was a voice mail message at the villa and on her cell phone. Refusing to leave a voice mail message, head slammed his phone down and instructed Patricia to start calling Kate on Monday morning and to keep trying until Patricia actually heard Kateas voice. aIf I were you,a Patricia had laughingly warned, aIad meet him at the door with a soothing smile and a martini this afternoon. Heas p.i.s.sed off over not being able to get through to you for two days.a Evan was going to be feeling a lot worse, Kate knew, when she met him at the door with her luggage packed.

Mitch.e.l.l noted her expression in the mirror. aYou look like a woman with a problem,a he observed conversationally.

aHeas on his way to Anguilla.a aYou definitely have a problem.a aIall have to meet him at the villa and try to explain things there. I donat know what I should do or saya"a aThatas a much bigger problem.a Surprised and a little hurt by his glib responses and seemingly cavalier att.i.tude toward a situation that was going to be very difficult for her, Kate said quietly, aYou seem to have all the answers. Do you have any guidance to offer in a situation like this?a aSince heas already on his way here, the scenario is set and itas too late to alter it,a he replied, rinsing off the razor again. aa.s.suming he and I are both gentlemen, our roles are now fixed and there are prescribed rules to follow. a.s.suming you plan to be with me from now on, rather than staying with him, the same is true for you.a Vaguely surprised by his use of an indefinite phrase like aa.s.suming you plan,a Kate watched him shave his upper lip, and then she said, aExactly what is your agentlemanlya role?a aI am obliged to express a willingness to bow out temporarily so that he can have whatever is left of his vacation with you, along with the opportunity to fight for you during that time.a aWhatas his role?a Pa.s.sing the razor from jaw to cheekbone on the left side of his face, he said, aAs soon as he understands youare serious about wanting to be with someone else, he is obliged to accept defeat gracefully and wish you wella"thus impressing you with what a prince youare losing while drowning you in guilt and doubta"and then to get the h.e.l.l out of my way.a aAnd my role is?a aTo convince him youare serious in the shortest possible timea"measured in hours, not daysa"and to avoid letting him get you near that nice big bed while youare doing your explaining and convincing.a The reason for his curt tone and his reference to the bed hit her, and Kate stared at him. aAre youjealous ?a aNot yet, but Iam heading in that direction,a he said, making short, quick razor strokes beneath his left ear.