too, she told herself.
But she didn't understand fully why she was going, except that everyone was expecting her to be away, and she would undoubtedly have to explain why she was still around. Either that, or she would have to take one of the trips to Spain or Greece that she was supposed to be contemplating.
It appeared that she was bound to go somewhere—so it might as well be the Caribbean, she told herself, and if a warning voice in her head suggested that she should enquire more closely into her reasoning, she crushed it down.
But as she approached the flight desk at the airport and saw Matt's tall figure, her nerve almost faltered. Panic settled like a leaden ball in her throat, and she was sorely tempted to turn and run before he saw her.
Yet even as the thought crossed her mind, he had turned and was lifting his hand in greeting.
Kate gripped the handle of her case more tightly and walked slowly forward, trying to appear composed. She had a score or two to settle, she reminded herself. Wasn't that worth a little aggro?
She was aware she was looking her best in a cream, figure-skimming dress buttoning from neck to hem down the front, her chestnut hair drawn chastely back from her face by tortoiseshell combs, and Matt Lincoln's smile was frankly appreciative as he came forward to take her case from her.
'Beautiful and punctual,' he said softly. 'I can hardly believe my good fortune.'
Patronising pig! Kate thought, lowering her lashes demurely. Make the most of it while you can.
She waited passively while the formalities of their trip were completed. Eventually Matt came across to her.
'We have some time before our flight is called,' he said, glancing at his watch. 'Shall we have a drink?'
'Coffee would be fine.' While she was anywhere near Matt Lincoln, she intended to keep her consumption of alcohol to an absolute minimum.
His brows rose, and he was laughing. 'Are you going to drink it or throw it, this time?'
'Drink it.' She permitted herself a small smile in response. That was a pretty silly thing to do, wasn't it? My only excuse is that—well, I suppose I was knocked sideways a little by your sudden appearance.'
'I know what you mean.' His glance was dry. 'I felt exactly the same the previous night. However, everything turns out for the best in this best of all possible worlds.'
'Yes,' Kate hesitated. 'You must have been surprised to get my call...'
'Amazed,' he said. 'And naturally delighted. Some time you can tell me what caused the change of heart.'
'That's quite simple,' she said swiftly. 'You wanted to know how deeply committed I was to helping Jon and Alison—well, this is the answer.'
'The only one?' He smiled suddenly, the blue eyes caressing her, and she felt the breath catch in her throat at the sheer force of his attraction.
She said, 'That's a leading question,' and looked away hurriedly.
'I specialise in them,' said Matt. 'Here's the coffee-shop, but I can't guarantee what the liquid they serve here will taste like.'
The place was crowded and heads were turning as they walked to the counter. Kate didn't kid herself that the people were looking at her, either. Matt was instantly recognisable, she realised.
She sat at a table and watched him fetch the coffee. While he was paying, two young girls came up and asked for his autograph, and he coped with the request with courteous patience.
'Sorry about that,' he said as he put the cups down on the table. 'It doesn't really go with maintaining a low profile. And that is what you wanted.'
'Yes.' Kate stared down at the surface of the table, tracing a meaningless pattern on it with her forefinger. 'This—this hasn't been easy for me. I mean—we're strangers.'
'That's something this trip is designed to cure.' He sounded faintly amused.
'Isn't it rather a drastic way of getting acquainted?' she murmured, still not meeting his eyes.
'I didn't have a great deal of luck with the more conventional methods,' he reminded her silkily.
And
But she didn't understand fully why she was going, except that everyone was expecting her to be away, and she would undoubtedly have to explain why she was still around. Either that, or she would have to take one of the trips to Spain or Greece that she was supposed to be contemplating.
It appeared that she was bound to go somewhere—so it might as well be the Caribbean, she told herself, and if a warning voice in her head suggested that she should enquire more closely into her reasoning, she crushed it down.
But as she approached the flight desk at the airport and saw Matt's tall figure, her nerve almost faltered. Panic settled like a leaden ball in her throat, and she was sorely tempted to turn and run before he saw her.
Yet even as the thought crossed her mind, he had turned and was lifting his hand in greeting.
Kate gripped the handle of her case more tightly and walked slowly forward, trying to appear composed. She had a score or two to settle, she reminded herself. Wasn't that worth a little aggro?
She was aware she was looking her best in a cream, figure-skimming dress buttoning from neck to hem down the front, her chestnut hair drawn chastely back from her face by tortoiseshell combs, and Matt Lincoln's smile was frankly appreciative as he came forward to take her case from her.
'Beautiful and punctual,' he said softly. 'I can hardly believe my good fortune.'
Patronising pig! Kate thought, lowering her lashes demurely. Make the most of it while you can.
She waited passively while the formalities of their trip were completed. Eventually Matt came across to her.
'We have some time before our flight is called,' he said, glancing at his watch. 'Shall we have a drink?'
'Coffee would be fine.' While she was anywhere near Matt Lincoln, she intended to keep her consumption of alcohol to an absolute minimum.
His brows rose, and he was laughing. 'Are you going to drink it or throw it, this time?'
'Drink it.' She permitted herself a small smile in response. That was a pretty silly thing to do, wasn't it? My only excuse is that—well, I suppose I was knocked sideways a little by your sudden appearance.'
'I know what you mean.' His glance was dry. 'I felt exactly the same the previous night. However, everything turns out for the best in this best of all possible worlds.'
'Yes,' Kate hesitated. 'You must have been surprised to get my call...'
'Amazed,' he said. 'And naturally delighted. Some time you can tell me what caused the change of heart.'
'That's quite simple,' she said swiftly. 'You wanted to know how deeply committed I was to helping Jon and Alison—well, this is the answer.'
'The only one?' He smiled suddenly, the blue eyes caressing her, and she felt the breath catch in her throat at the sheer force of his attraction.
She said, 'That's a leading question,' and looked away hurriedly.
'I specialise in them,' said Matt. 'Here's the coffee-shop, but I can't guarantee what the liquid they serve here will taste like.'
The place was crowded and heads were turning as they walked to the counter. Kate didn't kid herself that the people were looking at her, either. Matt was instantly recognisable, she realised.
She sat at a table and watched him fetch the coffee. While he was paying, two young girls came up and asked for his autograph, and he coped with the request with courteous patience.
'Sorry about that,' he said as he put the cups down on the table. 'It doesn't really go with maintaining a low profile. And that is what you wanted.'
'Yes.' Kate stared down at the surface of the table, tracing a meaningless pattern on it with her forefinger. 'This—this hasn't been easy for me. I mean—we're strangers.'
'That's something this trip is designed to cure.' He sounded faintly amused.
'Isn't it rather a drastic way of getting acquainted?' she murmured, still not meeting his eyes.
'I didn't have a great deal of luck with the more conventional methods,' he reminded her silkily.
And
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