Pirate's Gold by Lisa Jackson Page A

him. He noticed the hesitation in her eyes. “You are having second thoughts.”
    â€œMaybe. I’d prefer to think of it as considering all of the alternatives and carefully deciding what’s the best course of action.”
    â€œBoardroom double-talk,” he muttered as he motioned her inside the house. “Are you always so…poised and careful, Ms. McClure?” he asked as he followed her inside the hacienda and closed the door behind him. That single action seemed to cut the two of them off from the rest of the world.
    Maren managed to hide her unease with a composed smile. “I’d like to think that I am,” she replied, ignoring the sarcastic bite to his words. “And I would think that you, above all people, would understand my caution, and appreciate it.”
    â€œThat’s the problem. I don’t understand, not at all.”
    She paused for a moment, waiting until her eyes had adjusted to the dim light of the interior, and hoping that she could somehow convey her feelings to him. It seemed important that he understand her.
    Once inside the plushly carpeted sunken living room, Maren turned to face the solitary man who made this estate his home. “I don’t know you very well,” Maren conceded, cocking her head and letting her hair fall away from her face. “In fact, I wasn’t sure that you would be here, alone…or that you would meet me at the door. I really didn’t know what to expect.” The expression on Kyle’s face was still puzzled, and Maren realized that she wasn’t making much sense. She started over.
    â€œLook, Kyle, I know that you run with a pretty fast crowd.” His thick brow quirked, indicating that he had heard her. The rest of his face was set in an intent expression as he regarded her silently, patiently waiting for her to continue with her explanation. Fascinating slate-colored eyes held her stare.
    â€œAnd you don’t…run with a fast crowd?”
    â€œRight. I’m a little…no, make that very uneasy with the idea of spending a weekend with a man whom I barely know, and a business associate to boot. I’m not like Mitzi Danner or any of those other glamorous Hollywood types who change lovers as easily as they change shampoos.” She shook her head and held her palms skyward in a supplicating gesture. “I’m not apologizing for my sense of values, but I thought you should know that this sort of thing is just too casual for me—not my style…”
    â€œThank God,” he murmured, obviously relieved and slightly amused. The laughter in his eyes fueled her unexpected anger.
    â€œI don’t even really know what I’m doing here,” she admitted. “I shouldn’t have agreed to come and should have told you to put the briefcase in the mail!”
    â€œWhat is it that you’re afraid of? Is it me—or men in general?” he asked.
    â€œFear has nothing to do with this—”
    â€œI think it has everything to do with it,” he argued, his eyes darkening dangerously. “The conflicting signals I get from you lead me to believe that something about me scares you—more than just a little. Now it could be that I intimidate you because I own Sterling Records and Festival strongly depends on its relationship with my company,” he suggested calmly. “Or, it might be that you’re afraid of any kind of relationship with a man, because you let yourself get involved in a bad relationship in the past.”
    â€œOr it could be,” she said loftily, “that all my instincts tell me that spending a weekend with you might end up to be one monumental mistake!” Unwanted scarlet crept up her neck. “I’m not afraid of you…but I’m not…easy, either, and I’m not comfortable with the idea of spending a weekend with a man I don’t know. Is that so hard to understand?”
    Impatience flashed in