“Not until you apologize, by God. We'll stand here like this all day if that's what it takes.”
She believed him. “All right, I'm sorry I implied Aunt Charlotte was trying to buy you. There. Satisfied?”
For a few seconds it did not look as if he was satisfied in the least. Then, with a short, explicit oath, Hugh released her abruptly. He jammed his fingers through his hair. “You really know how to get to me, don't you? You know all the right buttons to push.”
Mattie stood tensely, watching him. “Hugh, this is crazy. We have got to stop arguing. Who knows how long we're going to be together in this mess?”
He slid her a long glance. “Doesn't it mean a damn thing to you that I've spent the last eight months trying to make up for the stupid mistake I made a year ago?”
She clasped her hands together. “That's just it. You didn't make a mistake last year. You were right to reject my utterly ridiculous offer. We're all wrong for each other, Hugh. I realize that now. What I can't figure out is why you've changed your mind.”
“Well, it sure as hell isn't because Charlotte Vailcourt promised to promote me or give me a fat bonus if I marry you,” he retorted.
Mattie chewed her lower lip. “I know. I'm sorry. It's just that I was so angry. Dear heaven. I never lose my temper. I don't know what got into me.”
Hugh was quiet for a long while. The only sound in the cavern was the hollow echo of water slapping at rock. Then his mouth curved faintly at one corner. “Well, I'll be damned.”
Mattie eyed him suspiciously. “What's so funny?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking that maybe it's a good sign you're trying to stick pins in me whenever you get the chance.”
She blinked. “A good sign?”
“Yeah. Think about it.” His smile broadened into a satisfied grin. “You wouldn't be so prickly about our relationship if you'd really lost interest in me, would you? You wouldn't have gone out of your way to avoid me this past year if you didn't give a damn any longer. You're nervous around me because you're still attracted to me and you're afraid of being hurt again. That's what this jumpy behavior on your part is all about. I'll lay odds on it.”
Mattie's brows rose. This was a whole new side to the man. “Since when did you become an authority on interpersonal relationships?”
“You like to think I'm some sort of Neanderthal in the sensitivity department, don't you, Mattie? Why is that? Because it makes you feel superior?”
“It isn't just my opinion, you know,” she murmured.
“We're talking about Ariel again, I take it? Hell, I already know she thinks I'm something out of the Stone Age. That's why she got interested in me in the first place. She was using me as inspiration for her damned painting. Don't you think I eventually figured that out?”
Mattie flushed and coughed slightly to clear her throat. “I, uh, hadn't realized you were aware of it precisely, no. When the two of you came back from Italy together and announced your engagement, you looked so damned pleased with yourself, Hugh.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was pleased. Ariel's a beautiful woman and the timing was perfect. I was getting set to quit doing odd jobs for Charlotte and start working full time at my own business on St. Gabe. I was looking for a wife to take out to the islands with me, and Charlotte set it up for me to meet her niece while I was on assignment in Italy. Said she thought we'd suit.”
“I see.”
“Hell, there I was looking for a wife and Ariel was just sort of conveniently dropped into my lap. It all seemed to go together into a nice, neat package.”
“I know, I know. Let's just forget about it, Hugh.”
“I'm willing to forget Ariel,” Hugh said. “But not you. I want another chance, Mattie.”
“Why? Because you're still looking for a wife, and you think I'll be more amenable to moving out to the edge of the world than Ariel was?”
He frowned. “A year ago you said you'd follow me anywhere.”
“That,” said Mattie with a bright little smile, “was a year ago. Now, let's stop rehashing the past and start discussing our immediate future. How, exactly, do you plan to find us a boat, and where will we go if we get hold of one?”
Hugh considered her bright smile for a long while. Then he shrugged and smiled back. “Finding the boat is my problem. Don't worry about it. As to where we'll go, that depends on what kind of boat I find and how much fuel I can steal. Don't you worry your pretty little head about such petty details, Miss Mattie.”
She folded her arms beneath her breasts and glowered at him. “Wonderful. I'll leave it all up to you.”
“You do that. Us Neanderthals have our uses.”
Mattie realized he was not going to be forthcoming on the subject of the impending plans for engaging in boat theft. She sighed and looked bleakly around the cavern. Then she glanced down at the bloodstains on her silk shirt and trousers.
“I'd give anything for a hot shower and a change of clothes,” she muttered.
“No hot showers, but you're welcome to take a bath. You can use one of those dish towels I found in Cormier's kitchen. Won't take long to dry off in this heat.” Hugh strolled over to the opening in the rock wall and pulled the gun from his belt. He idly checked the cartridge.
“You mean take a bath here in the cavern?” Mattie eyed the saltwater lapping at the edges of the natural basin.
“Why not? I took one this morning. Felt good. You'll be a little sticky afterward because of the salt, but it wears off.”
Mattie looked down into the water. “I can't see the bottom.”
“So don't go diving for pearls.” He thrust the gun back into his belt and pulled a couple of metal packs out of his pocket. “Whoever collected Cormier's body must have picked up that fancy little Beretta he always carried. I found some spare clips but not the pistol. He would have died with that thing in his hand.”
Mattie remembered the gun in her purse. “A big ugly pistol? Kind of a yucky blue color?”
Hugh turned his head, one brow cocked. “Ugly is in the eye of the beholder. Paul loved that gun. You saw it?”
Mattie nodded and went over to where her shoulder bag lay. “I picked it up. I didn't know who or what I might run into on the way back to the airport.” She picked up the purse, opened it, and removed the heavy blue metal gun. “Here. Is this what you're looking for?”
Hugh came toward her and took the weapon from her fingers. “Well, I'll be damned.” He looked genuinely approving. “Nice going, babe. You've just doubled our firepower.”
Mattie gritted her teeth. “That does it. I've had it. Never, under any circumstances, call me babe again. Understand?”
“You really are touchy today, aren't you, babe? I imagine all the recent stress has made you a little high strung.”
“Damn it, Hugh.”
“Going to take that swim?”
“I'm thinking about it.” She glanced at the dark water, torn between wanting to wash off yesterday's blood and sweat and a fear of swimming in that bottomless pool. “Where will you go while I do it?”
“Nowhere.” He shoved a fresh clip into Cormier's pistol. “I'll just sit right here and watch.”
She shot him a disgusted glance. “Then I guess I'll forget the swim.”
Hugh grinned. “Hey, I'm just teasing you. I'll turn my back and stare politely out to sea, if that's what you want. But it's not like I haven't already seen you in the buff.”
“You were too drunk that night to remember anything you saw.”
“Not quite,” he assured her, still grinning and totally unrepentant. “If I'd been that drunk I wouldn't have been able to get it up, and I don't recall any problems in that department. And I remember everything I saw. And touched. Believe me, I've thought about it a lot during the past year, and I don't believe I've forgotten a single thing. You were very tight and very wild. A real surprise, I got to tell you. Looking at you dressed for work, no one would have believed it.”
“Must you be so crude?”
“It's fun to watch you turn that nice bright shade of pink.”
“Well, enjoy it because that's all you're going to see today. I can stand being hot, dirty, and sweaty another day, if you can.”
“Oh, I can stand it. In fact, at the risk of sounding even cruder, there's something real sexy about you the way you are now. I think I like you best when you're not all neat and pressed and ready to sell expensive art to all those suckers you call clients.”
“No wonder Ariel got fed up with you.”
“Ah, ah, ah. We agreed not to talk about the past, remember? Ariel's not here. It's just you and me, babe.”
“Don't call me babe.”
“Oh, right. I forgot. Slipped my mind.”
“How could it slip your mind?” Mattie raged, skating once more on the ragged edge of her self-control. “I don't think you even have one.”
“In that case,” he said with grave logic, “I don't see how you can hold me responsible for a few slips of the tongue.”
Mattie bit off a muttered oath, vaguely aware that for some odd reason she felt better now than she had since she had walked into Cormier's mansion yesterday. Yelling at Hugh was apparently therapeutic. And she really did want a bath.
“Look, I'll make a deal with you,” Mattie said, her hands on her hips.
“Sounds interesting.” He was examining the Beretta. “What kind of deal?”
“Promise me you'll go sit by the entrance and keep your back turned while I take a short swim, and I'll give you my word that I won't mention our unfortunate, extremely embarrassing one-night stand last year again. Okay?”
Hugh appeared to turn the terms over in his mind. Then he gave a decisive nod. He never took long to make up his mind about anything. “Deal.”
Mattie did not trust the too-innocent expression in his eyes. “Go sit out there on the ledge and watch sea gulls or something.” Her fingers went to the buttons of her silk blouse.
“Right. Sea gulls.” Hugh obediently ambled toward the cavern entrance and sat down on the rock ledge that lined the opening. He lounged there, one booted foot drawn up, his back to Mattie. “Yell when you're done.”
Mattie kept her eye on him as she quickly slipped out of the sadly wrinkled shirt and trousers. When she was down to her bra and panties she hesitated again, making certain Hugh wasn't going to spin around.
She stepped over to the edge of the cavern pool and dipped a toe into the dark water. It felt comfortably cool and inviting. She sat down on the edge and dangled her feet in the seawater. Then she unhooked her prim little bra and slipped it off.
Once into the water she bobbed for a moment, sliding the wet scrap of her modest cotton briefs down over her hips. She lifted them out of the water, squeezed them tightly and placed them on the rocky edge to dry. They would be damp when she put them back on but would no doubt dry quickly against her skin.
She stroked hesitantly toward the far end of the dark pool, letting herself get accustomed to the feel of endless black depths beneath her. It certainly was not as pleasant as swimming in a sunny cove where one could see the white sand below the waves, but it did feel good. The exercise, itself, was soothing, of course. Exercise was very good for stress.
Mattie swam almost to the entrance where Hugh was still sitting with his back to her, turned around, and swam back. It felt so invigorating, she did several more laps.
And then something lightly brushed her leg under the surface.
“Hugh!” Mattie's scream bounced off the cavern ceiling.
Hugh uncoiled from the ledge and was at the edge of the pool nearest her before Mattie, splashing furiously, reached the side. He bent down, holding out his large, strong hands, and Mattie instinctively reached up to grasp his fingers. He lifted her straight up and out of the water in one swift, easy motion. She came out of the sea with a whoosh, naked, wet, and glistening.
“Something…something in the water.” Shivering, Mattie pushed her dripping hair out of her face and stared wildly at the evil-looking pool. “I felt it. It touched my leg.”
“Probably just a bit of seaweed. Or maybe a school of little fish.”
“It could have been a shark or something. Damn, I hate swimming in places where you can't see the bottom.” Mattie trembled again and hugged herself. Belatedly she realized she was standing stark naked on the rock. Her head came up abruptly and she realized Hugh was staring down at her with open admiration. There was a sexy glint in his eye.
“I doubt if it was a shark, babe,” he said gently. “Don't get nightmares over it. Up there at the front of the cave the sunlight is bright enough to show the bottom of the pool. I'd have seen something as big as a shark swimming around down there.”
“Turn around,” she ordered through her teeth.
“Why? The damage is done. Besides, I was going to peek anyway. I was just waiting until you climbed out.”
“You,” Mattie announced as she stalked quickly over to where she had put the linen dish towel, “are a low-down, sneaky, lying, two-faced, yellow-bellied snake.”
“I know,” Hugh said sadly. “But I mean well. Most of the time.”
“Where did Aunt Charlotte find you, anyway?” Mattie yanked on her trousers and shirt as quickly as possible, aware that he was watching every move with a regretful, hungry look.
“Under a rock.”
She frowned at the casual way he said that. She looked back over her shoulder. “What on earth do you mean by that?”
Hugh shrugged. “Where else would you find a low-down, sneaky, lying, two-faced, yellow-bellied snake?”
“Good question.” She was not going to apologize. She glared at him as she finally finished dressing. “Thank you for pulling me out of the water so quickly.”
He grinned. “That's one of the things I like about you, babe. You always remember your manners, no matter how pissed off you are. And for the record, you look even better naked now than you did a year ago. Stronger in the shoulders and a nice tight, high little ass. Not that it wasn't real cute a year ago, mind you. But it's definitely firmer now. You must be working out or something, huh?”
“Go to hell, Hugh.”
He waved a hand to include the entire island of Purgatory. “Haven't you noticed, babe? We're already there. You and me together.”
It was still a couple hours before dawn when Hugh materialized in the cavern. Mattie, who had been waiting anxiously for his return from the scouting foray, tried to read his expression in the backglow of the flashlight. He looked cold and savage, she thought uneasily. Back to normal. All the sexy, teasing humor that had lit his eyes earlier the day before was long gone. Hugh Abbott was working now.
Aunt Charlotte had once said that no one worked quite like Hugh Abbott.
“Did you find a boat?” Mattie asked.
“I found one.” He crouched beside the string bags, checking to see that they were securely packed. “Good, sturdy, fast-looking cruiser. Full tanks. She'll get us out of here, but we're only going to get one crack at her.” He glanced up. “You understand what I'm saying? You do exactly what I tell you and you don't make a sound.”
“Yes. I understand.” Mattie felt her fingers trembling on the flashlight she was holding. Hugh was telling her this was going to be a dangerous piece of work.
“Right.” He stood up and hoisted one of the string bags. He handed her the other one. “First sign of trouble, we drop these. They might come in useful once we're off the island, but we can survive without sun-dried tomatoes and brie if we have to. Ready?”
She glanced at the pistols he was carrying. One was stuck in his belt. the other was in his hand. Aunt Charlotte's pet wolf was ready for the hunt.
“Yes,” Mattie said, her pulse thudding in her veins. “I'm ready.”
“You going to be okay in the tunnels?”
“I think so. If we hurry.”
“We'll hurry,” he promised her. “Come on, babe. Stick close to me.”
Mattie closed her eyes briefly as the
y stepped back into the tortured passageways. It was not going to be any easier this time than it had been the first time, she realized instantly. She bit her lip and concentrated on Hugh's moving form ahead of her. She struggled desperately not to think about old dreams, old failures, and old fears.
There was only Hugh and right now he was the sole point of focus in her narrow, confined world.
Hugh glanced back once or twice during the endless journey, but he said nothing. Mattie was grateful. It was difficult enough dealing with the feeling of being trapped inside the mountain. She did not think she could have handled sympathy from Hugh on top of it.
She was bathed in sweat by the time they reached the twin waterfalls that marked the entrance to the maze of caves. But she had managed to refrain from screaming, she thought, not without pride.
Hugh edged out from behind the waterfalls and plunged into the jungle.
It seemed to Mattie that they walked for hours through the dense, alien green world, but in reality it probably was not more than forty minutes before they emerged into a wide, sandy, picture-perfect cove.
A shaft of moonlight revealed a handsome, powerful-looking boat bobbing languidly beside an old run-down wooden dock.
Hugh stopped at the edge of the jungle, surveying the cove and its surroundings. He leaned down to whisper into Mattie's ear. “Straight to the boat. Get on board. Lie down on the bottom and stay there. Got it?”
“Got it.”
And she did have it, Mattie thought as she obediently started forward out into the open. In fact, she was doing just fine until Hugh whirled around, grabbed her, and yanked her back into the dense undergrowth.
“Shit,” he muttered.
The next thing she knew she was being shoved face down into the warm, humid earth.
In that same instant gunfire crackled across the beautiful moonlit cove.
CHAPTER
Four
Silence.
Unnatural, terrifying silence.
Too much silence.
Mattie lay motionless, unable to breathe, her face buried in a pile of decayed vegetation. She was crushed under Hugh's weight as he sprawled on top of her, gun in hand. She could feel the battle-ready tension in him.