Mystery Man

by Diana Palmer

  Her eyes met his and the impact went right through her. Her lips parted. “Oh, glory,” she whispered unsteadily.

  “Oh, glory,” he agreed, bending.

  He kissed her in a way he never had before, his mouth barely touching hers, cherishing instead of demanding. His arms were warm but tender, the pressure of his long, powerful body not at all threatening. When he lifted his mouth, hers followed it, her dazed eyes lingering on his lips.

  His breathing was as ragged as hers. He touched her face with quiet wonder. It was in his eyes, too, the newness of what he was feeling. He looked odd, hesitant, uncertain.

  “I don’t have a dime,” he said slowly. “Maybe I’ll make my fortune back, maybe I won’t. You could end up with a computer programmer working for wages.”

  Her heart jumped. “That sounds like you’re talking about something permanent.”

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  “You mean…as in living together.”

  “No.”

  She blushed. “Sorry, I guess I jumped the gun…”

  His fingers pressed against her lips. He struggled for the right words. “It’s too soon for big decisions,” he said, “but you might start thinking about marriage.”

  She gasped.

  Her reaction hit him right in his pride. Obviously she hadn’t even considered a permanent life with him. He cursed and rolled away from her, getting to his feet. He stared out toward the kids, toward the sea, his hands stuck deep in his pockets.

  She didn’t understand his odd behavior. She got up, too, hesitating.

  He glanced at her uneasily. “I’m thirty-eight,” he said.

  “Yes, I…I know.”

  “You’re twenty-four,” he continued. “I suppose your professor is closer to the right age. He’s got a degree, too, and he fits in with your family.” His eyes went back to the ocean.

  She felt a vulnerability in him that made her move closer. “But I don’t love him, Canton.”

  He turned slowly. “I like the way you say my name,” he said softly.

  She smiled hesitantly. “I like the way you say mine,” she replied shyly. Her eyes fell. “Are you sorry you mentioned marriage?”

  He moved a step closer. “I thought you were.”

  Her eyes came up.

  “You gasped,” he said curtly. “As if it were unthinkable.”

  “You’d only just said a few days ago that you never wanted to get married again,” she explained.

  “A man says a lot of things he doesn’t mean when a woman’s got him tied up in knots,” he murmured. “God in heaven, can’t you see how it is with me? I want you. But I’m not in your league educational-wise, and I’m flat busted. My wife left me for someone who was better in bed. I’m pushing forty…what are you doing?”

  Her hands were busy on the front of his shirt, working at buttons. “Taking your clothes off,” she said simply. She looked up with wide green eyes. “Do you mind?”

  He didn’t seem to be able to speak. His mouth was open.

  She pushed the shirt aside, over the expanse of thick hair and hard muscle. He wasn’t darkly tanned, but he was sexy. He smelled of spices. She smiled and buried her face in his chest, pressing her lips to it.

  He shivered.

  She looked up, still caressing him slowly. “You’ve seen me without any clothes at all, although my head was hurting too much at the time for me to enjoy it. Turnabout is fair play.”

  “It’s a public beach,” he noted, barely able to speak.

  “You proposed.”

  “I didn’t,” he protested huskily. “I said I wanted you to think about it.”

  Her eyes went back to his chest. He was moving helplessly against the slow caress of her fingers. “I’ve thought about it.”

  “And?”

  “I like kids.” She looked up. “I’d like several. I make a good living writing books. I can take care of the bills until you settle on what you want to do, or while you make your fortune back. I’m good at budgeting, and Karie likes me. I like her, too.”

  He couldn’t get his breath. “You’re driving me mad,” he said through his teeth.

  Her eyebrows lifted. Her eyes darted to the movement of her hands on his bare chest and back up again to his stormy eyes. “With this?” she asked, fascinated.

  His chest rose and fell heavily. His hands covered hers and stilled them. “I’ve been more concerned with a failing empire and my employees’ futures lately to pay much attention to women. It’s been a long dry spell,” he added. “You understand?”

  “Sort of.”

  “I suppose I’m not the only one who spends too much time at the computer,” he mused.

  She shifted a little. “I’ve never found men very attractive physically.”

  “Oh?”

  “Well, until now,” she amended. Her searching eyes met his. “I used to dream about traveling. Now I have the most embarrassing dreams about you.”

  He grinned. “Do tell.”

  “I wouldn’t dare.”

  “If you’ll marry me, we can do something about them.”

  “I have to marry you first?”

  He smiled gently. “My mother was Spanish. She raised me very strictly, in an old-world sort of way. I never messed around with virgins. I’m much too old to start now.”

  “In other words, good girls get married before they get…”

  “I’ll wash your mouth out with soap if you say it,” he promised.

  She wrinkled her nose at him. “I’ll bet you’d say it.”

  “And more,” he agreed. “I have a nasty temper.”

  “I noticed.”

  “So you know the worst already. And since you aren’t experienced, and you have no one to compare me with in bed,” he added, tongue-in-cheek, “I’ll seem worldly and wise to you.” He pursed his lips. “Now, that’s an encouraging thought.”

  She looped her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she said softly. “You’ll seem like Don Juan to me.”

  He actually blushed.

  “Shouldn’t I say that I love you?” she asked.

  His arms tightened. “Say it a lot,” he instructed. “Karie says it sometimes, but Marie never did. Funny, I never noticed, either.” He smiled. “I like the way it sounds.”

  “You could say it back,” she pointed out.

  He cleared his throat. “I don’t know.”

  “It’s easy.” She looked briefly worried. “If you mean it.”

  “Oh, I mean it, all right,” he said, and realized with a start that he did. He hadn’t given much thought to the emotional side of his turbulent relationship with her, but the feeling was definitely there. He wanted her, he liked her, he enjoyed being with her. And he most certainly did…love her.

  Her eyes had brightened. “You do?”

  He nodded. He searched her face quietly. “It’s risky, marriage.”

  “No, it isn’t. We’ll love each other and take care of Karie, and Kurt when we need to. We’ll have kids and love them and I’ll never leave you.”

  His jaw tautened. His arms closed around her bruisingly, and he held her for a long time without speaking. His tall body shuddered as he felt the full impact of commitment.

  She closed her eyes and sighed, moving her soft cheek against the thick hair on his chest. “I like hairy men,” she whispered. “It’s like holding a teddy bear.”

  He chuckled, his voice deep at her ear. “Thank God. I’d hate to have to shave my chest every day.”

  Her arms tightened. “When?” she asked dreamily.

  He made the transition without trouble. “Whenever you like,” he said. “We have to get rings and arrange a ceremony. It should be easy in Mexico.” He lifted his head. “I have a town house in Lincoln Park. I’ve divided my time between Chicago and New York, but I only have an apartment in New York. I’ll try to hold onto it. You might want to go shopping in Manhattan from time to time, or visit your publishers.”

  She grinned. “You’re a prince.”<
br />
  “I’m a pauper,” he insisted.

  She sighed. “That’s okay. I like you better poor. You’ll always know that I married you for what you didn’t have.”

  He burst out laughing and lifted her high in his arms. “So I will.”

  The kids, hearing the commotion, came up the beach to see what all the laughter was about.

  “We’re going to get married,” Canton told them, totally forgetting that he’d only asked Janine to think about marriage. He wasn’t about to let her get away. He watched his daughter’s face, and was relieved when he saw it light up.

  “You’re going to marry Janine? She’ll be my stepmom? Cool!” She rushed up and hugged Janine with all her might. “Oh, Janine, that’s just the best present I ever got for my birthday!”

  “Today’s your birthday?” Janine exclaimed. “I didn’t know!”

  “I got her a cake and a present. We were going to have you both over tonight to celebrate,” Canton explained. He grimaced. “I got so wrapped up in what we were talking about, I forgot to mention it.”

  “I have a neat game program for you,” Janine told the girl. “A CD-ROM of Mars. It’s a mystery.”

  “Cool! I love space stuff.”

  “Yes, I noticed,” Janine chuckled. She sighed. “I’m going to love having you for a stepdaughter. But let’s leave the step off of it, okay?” she added. “How about Mom and daughter?”

  “That suits me,” Karie said warmly.

  “What about me?” Kurt wailed. “Won’t I get to stay with you anymore? I’ll be stuck with…them?” His voice trailed off as he looked past Janine. “What in the world are they doing here?”

  Janine turned, and there were her parents, sweaty and stained with dirt, both wearing khakis and wide-brimmed hats, waving from the deck of the beach house.

  “Something must have happened,” she said. “Come on.” She took Canton by the hand and they all went back down the beach, the stakeout for the would-be kidnappers forgotten for the moment.

  The introductions were made quickly. Professors Dan and Joan Curtis were fascinated by Canton Rourke, whom they’d certainly heard of. To learn that he was marrying their daughter caused them both to be momentarily tongue-tied.

  “You don’t know each other very well,” Joan cautioned worriedly.

  “We have so much in common that discovering each other will be a lifelong pleasure,” Canton said, and won her over on the spot.

  She grinned at him, looking just like Janine, with her dark hair and green eyes. Dan was tall and thin with graying hair and blue eyes. He looked older than ever as he sat sprawled in a chair sipping cold bottled water.

  In the middle of the living room was a huge crate. Dan nodded toward it. “That’s why we’re back.”

  Janine’s eyebrows rose. “Something special?”

  “A few good pieces,” Dan replied. “We’ve tried to contact our man in the Mexican government, but our satellite link was sabotaged.”

  “It was what?” Janine exclaimed. “I knew there had been problems, but I hadn’t realized the extent.”

  “We’ve had a pothunter on our tails,” Dan replied. “A very determined one. He shot at us.”

  Janine sat down, with Canton right behind her, his hand on her shoulder.

  “We’re all right,” Joan said. “But we thought it would be wise to get back to civilization as quickly as possible. We jumped into the Land Rover, with that—” he indicated the crate “—and drove back at top speed. We lost our guide on the way. He was behind us in his truck, but we didn’t see him again. We phoned the police the minute we got in. They should be along momentarily.”

  “If there’s anything I can do, I’ll be glad to help,” Canton volunteered.

  “He got us in touch with you,” Janine added helpfully. “He knows the president of the country personally.”

  The Curtises were impressed. They both stared at Canton with renewed interest.

  “Would the pothunters try anything here in Cancñaun?” Janine asked worriedly.

  “For what’s in that box, they would,” Dan said mournfully. “In a way, I’m sorry we found such a brilliant site. We’ve mapped everything, taken photos, documented every step of the excavation so that nothing was overlooked. That will help future expeditions in their excavations.”

  “Won’t the government send someone to take possession of these pieces?” Janine asked.

  “Certainly,” Joan replied with a smile. “It’s just a matter of getting them down here. And keeping the pothunters away until they can.”

  Dan Curtis took a pistol from his pocket and put it on the table. “This business is getting to be very dangerous.”

  “Archaeology always was,” Janine said pointedly. “Even in the early days. But it’s worthwhile.”

  “We always thought so, didn’t we, dear?” Joan asked her husband, with a loving hand on his shoulder.

  His hand went up to take hers. “We still do. But we’re getting old for this.”

  Dan stared at the crate again. “I hope that isn’t going to get any of us hurt. We almost checked into a hotel instead of coming here, but this seemed wiser.”

  “It is,” Canton said firmly. “I’ve got a man watching my beach house. He can get another man to help him and watch this one, too.”

  Joan frowned. “Why do you have someone watching it?”

  “Because my mom tried to have me kidnapped,” Karie explained. “Janine got kidnapped instead and hit on the head and was in the hospital…”

  “What?” Joan and Dan exclaimed together.

  “I’m fine,” Janine said gently, holding up a hand. “I haven’t forgotten any of my training.”

  “You and detective work,” Joan moaned. “Darling, archaeology would have been so much safer!”

  “Ha! You’re the ones who got shot at, remember?” Janine replied. “Anyway, we saved Karie from kidnappers, but we’re not sure that they’ve given up. It’s been sort of hectic around here for the past week.”

  “And here we come with more trouble,” Dan groaned.

  Janine patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Dad. There are enough of us to guard the crate and Karie. We’ll be fine.”

  “Of course we will,” Canton agreed.

  Dan and Joan exchanged wan smiles, but they didn’t look convinced.

  “Just out of idle curiosity, what have you got in the box?” Janine asked.

  “Several Mayan funerary statues, some pottery, a few tablets with glyphs on them and some gold jewelry with precious stones inlaid. Oh, and a jeweled funeral mask.”

  Janine’s eyes widened. “A king’s ransom,” she said.

  “And all the property of the Mexican government, as soon as we can turn it over,” Dan added. “We’re hoping to keep at least one or two of the pots for our own collection at the university, but that’s up to the powers-that-be.”

  “Considering what you’ve gone through to get it, I imagine they won’t begrudge you a piece or two,” Canton said. He moved forward. “It’s been nice to meet you. I have to get Karie home and make a couple of business calls. We’ll see you later.”

  “I’ll walk out with you,” Janine said after the Curtises had made their goodbyes.

  Karie went ahead of them. Canton slid his arm around Janine’s shoulders and held her close. “Complications,” he murmured.

  “More and more. Maybe the kidnappers will back off, with so many people around.”

  “Maybe they’ll join forces with the pothunters,” he murmured.

  She poked him in the side with her elbow. “Stop being pessimistic. This is all going to work out. It has to, and soon. I want to get married.”

  “What a coincidence, so do I!” he murmured facetiously.

  She laughed, turning her face up to his. “The sooner the better,” she added.

  He nodded. “The sooner, the better.” He bent and kissed her gently. “Go home.”

  “Be careful.”

  “You, too. I’ll phone
you later. Lock your doors. I’m going to make a few telephone calls and see what I can do to help things along.”

  “Have your ex-wife arrested,” she suggested.

  “Nice sentiment, but not practical.” He chuckled. “All the same, there may be some way to discourage her. I’ll find one.” He winked. “Stay out of trouble.”

  “You do the same.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I can’t believe this,” Joan Curtis said heavily. “My daughter is marrying Mr. Software. Do you have any idea how famous he is, how much money he’s made in his life?”

  “He’s broke right now,” Janine stated.

  “He’ll never be broke, not with a mind like his,” Dan said with a grin. “He’s one smart guy. He’ll make it all back, with interest.”

  “Even if he doesn’t, it won’t matter. I’m crazy about him,” Janine confessed.

  “It seems to be mutual. And here I thought you were going to wait around forever for Quentin to propose,” Joan teased. “I’m glad that never happened, Janine,” she added. “Quentin was never the man for you.”

  “I know that, now. I just drifted along until I met Canton.”

  “Listen,” Joan called suddenly, her eyes on the television. “They’re tracking a hurricane. They say it’s coming this way!”

  “A hurricane?” Dan groaned. “Just what we need!” He glanced at his daughter. “You didn’t mention this.”

  “I didn’t know,” she said. “I don’t speak Spanish!”

  “It’s in English now,” Joan observed.

  Janine looked sheepish. “Well, I’ve been rather out of things for several days, and I haven’t been watching television.”

  “No wonder,” Dan mused.

  “You must have noticed the wind picking up, and the clouds,” Joan said, sighing. “They’ve just said that they may have to evacuate the coast if it comes any closer. And it looks as if it’s going to.”

  “I had hoped to get a plane back to the States,” Dan said, glancing worriedly at the crate. “Now what do we do?”

  “We go further inland,” Janine said at once. “Canton has a rental car. We need a van, so that we can take your cargo with us.”

  “With pothunters and potential kidnappers two steps behind.” Dan Curtis sighed. “Remember the old days in graduate school, when the most dangerous thing we did was set off a cherry bomb in the dean’s car?”