“So let’s see if I understand this,” he mused, cutting off her stream of consciousness. He sat up straight, then leaned his forearms on the desktop. “Ten years ago, you walked out because I had nothing. Because you wanted ‘security.’ Now, I’ve got all the security you ever dreamed of and more and you’ve got-what? A failing business? A bigamist fiancé? That about sum it up?”

Debbie lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes on him. “Fine. Yes. You’re fabulous and I’m a loser. Is that what you needed to hear? Now are you happy?”

“You have no idea what I’m feeling,” he said quietly.

“So why don’t you tell me, Gabe.” She walked toward the desk, planted both hands on the edge and leaned in. “You’re the one keeping score. You’re the one who keeps dragging our past up to throw it in my face. Why don’t you tell me what you’re feeling right now? Get it said. Then maybe we can both move on.”

There was a slow sizzle of temper in him. That was easy enough to see. His green eyes flashed and his mouth worked as though he were biting back words fighting to get said. For a couple of tension-filled seconds, Debbie was sure he would say exactly what was on his mind.

Then the moment passed and a shutter dropped over his eyes even as he shook his head and said, “I’ve got work. As a ‘businesswoman,’ you should appreciate that.”

“Right.” She nodded and stepped away from the desk. Away from the man who was behaving as if she’d already left his office. “I’ll let you get to that, then.”

She walked to the door and looked back at him. He was ignoring her, but she knew he was still paying attention. “This isn’t over, Gabe. I’m going to get off this island. With or without your help.”

A few hours later Debbie took a seat at the bar, ordered a raspberry martini and while she waited for her drink, let her gaze sweep the crowded casino while her freaked-out mind took a little break. After all, she’d been doing nothing but trying to think of a way out of this situation for hours.

And while she was all tense and tied up in tight little knots, the rest of the crowd gathered at Fantasies looked to be having a great time. Elegant couples in tuxedos and jewel-toned gowns drifted across the glossy floor, sat at gaming tables and fed hungry slot machines. The ceiling was shot through with neon and flashing lights in dizzying bursts of color that pulsed in time with the rock music pumped through stereo speakers high on the walls. The air fairly shimmered with a party atmosphere and Debbie, watching them all through tired eyes, felt like a balloon with a slow leak.

Torn between hurt and anger, she wasn’t sure what her next move should be. She could call Janine or Cait. Involve the police. Heck, call the United Nations or something. The Marines! Do whatever she had to do to get off this stupid island and away from Gabe.

But was she willing to have Gabe arrested to make her escape? “Yes.”

No.

Not really. It wasn’t as though she hated him or something. She loved him. Not that that was doing her any good. The big jerk.

So, she thought, let’s recap. Held prisoner by an ex-lover. Trapped on an island paradise. Suspected of being an international thief. About to go into bankruptcy.

“Yep. Been a hell of a month so far,” she muttered, and somehow managed to keep from banging her forehead on the bar.

“Sounds like you need this,” the bartender said, sliding her drink toward her.

“You have no idea.” Automatically she reached for her purse, but the bartender shook his head. “No charge for you, Ms. Harris. Boss’s orders.”

She smiled, though inside she was quaking. The boss. He did like giving orders. And taking charge. And holding hostages. And…

“Is this seat taken?”

She turned her head and looked up at Grace, Gabe’s almost-fiancée. The woman was gorgeous in a dark-red gown that clung lovingly to generous curves. Even in her own sapphire-blue dress Debbie felt like the ugly stepsister at the ball.

Well, isn’t this a perfect end to a perfect day, she thought.

Grace watched her coolly, as if she knew exactly what Debbie was thinking. And why shouldn’t she?

“No, feel free,” Debbie said with a half smile, and waved a hand at the stool beside her.

Grace slid onto it, signaled the bartender and ordered champagne. While she waited, she turned to Debbie and said, “I thought we should talk.”

Ten

Smiling, Grace nodded at the bartender when he delivered her drink, then she picked up the crystal flute and took a sip. “Ah. That’s better.”

Might’ve been better for her, but Debbie was feeling a little antsy. After all, what could she possibly say to the fiancée of the man she was in love with? Debbie groaned and winced inwardly. She could hardly believe herself that she was still in love with a man who was virtually holding her prisoner. Could there be a more awful moment?

Grace sat on her bar stool, crossed her legs and took another sip of champagne while watching Debbie over the rim of her glass. There was something very like amusement flickering in the woman’s dark eyes and Debbie took a slightly less flustered breath before speaking.

“So, this is awkward.”

“Not as much as you might think,” Grace said, still holding her champagne flute in one graceful hand. “I understand that you and Gabriel have become quite the item.”

“I didn’t know about you,” Debbie told her.

Grace shrugged. “Nor I you. But I did speak with Gabriel.”

“Really?” Debbie watched the other woman and wondered out loud, “What’d he have to say?”

“That you two are old…friends.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Debbie sipped at her martini, paused a moment and said, “I want you to know something. Before I came here, I hadn’t seen Gabe in ten years. I don’t want you thinking that we’ve been having an affair or something right under your nose.” She took a deep breath, then a long drink of her raspberry-flavored liquor. “A. I would never do something like that, I’m just not that kind of person, though I guess from your perspective, you might not believe me on that. But Gabe wouldn’t do it, either, and you probably know him well enough to believe that, because you are going to marry him, so of course you know him, though not me, at all, I mean. I’m a stranger who can’t seem to stop talking…”

“Is there a ‘B’?” Grace asked when she paused for breath.

“I can’t remember.”

“Doesn’t matter, really. I only came to see you to let you know I’m leaving.”

“Because of me?”

“Please.” The woman chuckled and shook her head. “No. While Gabriel is certainly a diverting man…”

Oh, diverting was a good word for it.

“I’ve decided to marry someone else. I only came here because I wanted to tell him my decision in person.”

Yikes. “How’d he take it?”

“Quite well.” She gave Debbie a quick but thorough up and down look. “With you here, he’s obviously otherwise occupied, anyway.”

“Look, Gabe and I…”

“Are none of my business,” Grace said, taking another sip of her drink. “I’m going to be married in three months.”

“Congratulations.” Debbie had one fleeting thought, wondering what kind of man would be interested in tying himself forever to a woman who seemed chillingly cold. And then wondered if Gabe realized what a lucky escape he’d had.

She couldn’t imagine Gabe married to this woman. He was so easygoing, so, enjoy-life-every-minute. Well, he used to be. As she’d found out all too recently, she really didn’t know this new Gabe very well at all. From what she’d seen of the man Gabe had become over the last few days, maybe Grace was exactly the kind of woman he wanted.

“Thank you.” Sliding off her bar stool, Grace stood, smoothed one hand down the front of her gown and gave Debbie a brief smile. “Now, I’ll say good-night. Oh,” she added as she turned to leave, “good luck with Gabriel.”

While the crowded casino hummed with activity and sound, it was as if a small bubble of silence had been erected around the two women. Neither of them was aware of anything going on in the background. Each of them was instead focused on the odd situation they found themselves in.

“I don’t have Gabe,” Debbie pointed out.

Grace quirked her head to one side and said, “Well, good heavens. You love him, don’t you?”

Debbie stiffened. “Oh, let’s not go there.”

“This is surprising.”

“You’re telling me.” Seriously, could there be a weirder conversation? How hideous it was to be in love alone. Even with all she and Gabe had said to each other in the last few days, she knew that a part of her would always miss him. Ten years ago, she’d walked away, thinking she had known what was best-for both of them.

Leaving Gabe then had nearly killed her-but now it was going to be so much worse. She was older now. Knew more about herself and what she wanted-needed. And she knew that losing Gabe this time was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. Yet there was nothing to be done about it.

“You got a gorgeous women you’re holding captive on this island and you’re sitting here having a drink with me,” Victor said on a short laugh. “What’s wrong with this picture?”

Gabe scowled at his friend, tossed back the last of the Scotch in his glass and asked, “Don’t like my company?”

Victor leaned back into the sofa in his suite of rooms and stared at his boss. “Didn’t say I was complaining, just wondering why you’re here instead of with your blonde?”

“She’s not my blonde.”

“What about Ms. Madison?”

“Gone,” Gabe said, and didn’t want to admit even to himself that he was relieved about Grace leaving the island. Hell, until he’d found Debbie again, he’d been willing to settle for a loveless “arrangement” of a marriage. But once he’d felt the fire again, the thought of marrying Grace had become an impossible one.