When She Was Bad...

H shrugged. “With some time, I’ll get in, but this is a busy weekend. Classified government files are always a challenge. And I didn’t think it was urgent.”

“She’s Renie’s niece. I wouldn’t want her hurt.”

“Henry is escorting Buchanan and Ms. Rossi into the business office,” H said.

Butch glanced at his watch. “At 11:15 on the eve of Valentine’s Day. What kind of business could be that pressing?”

H punched a number into his cell phone.

While Butch waited for the information, he tried to gather his thoughts and plan his next move. That had been his problem all day. Ever since he’d learned that Renie was coming to his island, he’d been on the defensive. And that had never been his best game. It was high time that he took control.

H repocketed his cell. “They sent a fax. Henry got the number, but he didn’t see the message.”

“No matter,” Butch said as he watched the two young people walk out of the lobby. “It can’t be that important.” Turning to H, he said, “I’ve decided I want to see those tapes.”

H pushed a button on the remote, and on the wall to his left, a curtain pulled back from a large plasma screen. He pressed another button and the screen came to life.

Butch stared at the TV as the credits flashed onto the screen, then the title Are You Safe? But he was only vaguely aware of the words. His attention was completely riveted to the tiny figure, dressed in some kind of black ninja outfit as it rappelled down the side of a hotel. Seconds later, the figure landed on the balcony of one of the rooms and pulled off his mask. Her mask.

Renie. He would have known those eyes anywhere. His Renie was a cat burglar?

COLE LEANED HIS ELBOW on a rock ledge and watched Pepper in the moonlight. Irene was fine and on her way. They’d know soon whether she had the Monet, or whether Evan and his friend had indeed stolen it. And then there’d be the task of recovering it. Somehow, he suspected that part was not going to go smoothly. And he wasn’t sure if he could keep his word to Pepper.

One way or the other, he meant to get the Monet back to Althea Atwell, and Pepper might not like him butting in on her territory.

Always a planner, he’d surprised himself by acting on impulse and bringing her here to the same spot on the beach where they’d made love earlier.

He’d intended to take her back to the cove. He’d even had a basket packed to provide ambience—champagne, a tablecloth, a half-dozen candles, chocolate-covered strawberries, grapes, cheese and some caviar.

But as they’d walked out of the hotel, the lagoon had seemed too far, and their time together was running out. Meanwhile, the beach was deserted.

Glancing around, Cole didn’t regret his impulse. He’d spread a cloth and lit candles in a place where the fall of rocks blocked the wind. The surf was up, the waves tumbling into a lacy white froth as they pushed onto the shore. Other than that, the night was quiet.

Watching Pepper sip champagne in the moonlight, he felt something that he’d felt only twice before in his life. The first time was when he’d settled into the home of the man who’d taught him to sail. Then he’d felt the same thing when Luke had invited him to San Francisco for the summer. He’d been eighteen, a college freshman, and walking into Peter Rossi’s house, he’d felt as if he’d come home.

That he was experiencing a similar emotion on a deserted and moonlit beach had little to do with the setting or even the ambience he’d created and everything to do with the woman who was holding her glass out for more champagne.

He topped off her glass. He’d wanted her from the moment he’d first seen her picture. Since that first kiss in the Atwells’ suite, the desire had only escalated. He was coming to realize that he would always want her like this. Always need her.

The thought, the word, stunned him. He hadn’t allowed himself to need anything or anyone for a very long time. But she’d snuck up on him. Oh, he’d known that he wanted more from her than an island fling and he’d set out to sway her feelings in that direction.

Just what had been his agenda? To extend their affair once they got back to San Francisco. But now he realized that he wanted much more than an affair with Pepper Rossi.

Just what was he going to do about it? A decision would have to be made, but not tonight. Right now, he simply decided to give voice to the thought that had filled his mind all evening. “You’re beautiful.”

Her gaze flew to Cole’s. Her hand trembled, spilling a little champagne, and he saw surprise in her eyes.

He suppressed the little flare of anger. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that before?”

She shook her head. “Why should they? I’m not beautiful. My mother was. Luke looks like her, tall and blond, like the Pendletons. Matt’s inherited the best of both worlds—he’s tall like a Pendleton and dark like the Rossis. And as handsome as sin.”

Cole’s lips curved. “He considers it a curse.”

“Right. Unless he’s dealing with a woman and it gets him what he wants.” She tilted her head to one side. “I envy you.”

“Why?”

“You knew them all those years that I didn’t.”

“I envy you too. They’re your brothers. They’re just my friends.”

“They don’t think of me that way. They think of me as the Pepper Problem.”

He set his glass aside. Why was he surprised that she’d heard the phrase? She was a smart woman. “You’re wrong about the fact that they don’t think about you as their sister. That’s the whole problem. They love you and they want to protect you. That’s what brothers do with sisters. If I had one, that’s exactly what I’d do.”

“They want to put me on a shelf and drag me out for family gatherings. That’s what my grandmother wanted. And she wanted me to marry ‘well’ because my mother hadn’t. She wanted a marriage for me that she could put on display for others to admire. I’m not going to allow my father and my brothers to do what they think is good for me. That’s what Irene did forty years ago. She tried to please her parents, and look where it’s gotten her. She’s stolen a Monet, probably lost it, and she’s on a boat somewhere trying to get to a man who thinks it would be best for her if they never got together.”

“You’re not going to end up like your aunt.”

“No.” She met his eyes directly. “I’m not.”

“And you’re wrong about your brothers. I’m not saying that they don’t want to put you on a shelf. They’re proud of you and they want to show you off. They feel guilt for the years you’ve lost. But it’s not all they want. More than anything, they want you to be happy. And you’ve got persistence. It won’t be long before they see that you’re turning into a damn good PI.”

Her eyes widened. “You think so?”

“I do.” He set his glass aside. Then he took her glass and set it next to his. “You never give yourself enough credit. I told you I was impressed by what you did tonight when you grabbed that glass. I was a step behind you there.”

Her lips curved in a smile. “The way I recall it, you weren’t anywhere near a step behind me. You were practically glued to my backside. And your hands were just inches from where I wanted them to be. It’s a wonder I could think at all.”

He leaned close and brushed his mouth over hers. “The point is you thought of getting Jean Claude’s fingerprints, and I didn’t. I think you have the makings of that super sleuth you want so much to be.”

She drew back. “I’m never going to be able to handle the gun part.”

“You did an effective job with Castellano and H earlier today. Ideally, a gun should act as a deterrent. You don’t always have to shoot people with it. Besides, no one is perfect at everything.”

“You are.”

He shot her a quick grin. “My curse.” Then his grin faded. “You have other strengths—not the least of which is the lightning-fast way your mind works. Like it did tonight when you decided to grab that glass. You should capitalize on those strengths and forget worrying about what you can’t do. And now…” He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “Why don’t we concentrate on what we both can do well?”

NERVES. Pepper could feel them knotting in her stomach as Cole leaned down to brush his mouth over hers. She tried to will them away. This was what she wanted, what she’d been looking forward to all evening. The dinner, the dancing—that was all a prelude.

Any second now he would deepen the kiss and her fears would be swept away. But he surprised her by withdrawing and then just touching his mouth to hers again. It wasn’t like any other kiss he’d given her. His lips were feather-light on hers, pressing lightly and then withdrawing as if he were tasting her for the first time.

It was only then that she realized she might have been tasting him for the first time too. His flavor was different. Without the explosion of heat she’d always experienced before, he tasted more complex, more intense. She wanted more.