Free Trading Secrets by Jayne Castle Page B

Sabrina's hair. "I'm
     afraid I'm not available for employment at the moment, Coyne."
    Coyne paused. "May I ask why not?"
    "Sure. I'm not available because I have other things to do. You
     see, Coyne, I think I'm in love." Matt smiled whimsically and
     raised his glass in a careless salute to the other man before
     taking another swallow of whiskey. "Either that or I'm horny as
     hell. Amount to the same thing, doesn't it?"
     
    ***
     
    On the morning of her third day in Acapulco, Sabrina sat lounging
     at the poolside bar, sipping a fruit punch and deciding that
     Javier Reyes was definitely one of Mexico's national treasures.
     The man was blessed with sultry Spanish good looks, all liquid
     brown eyes, long black lashes, and a matador's slimness. He had
     that marvelous Latin quality of being able to make a woman to whom
     he was talking believe that she was the only woman in the world.
     Charming. He also spoke excellent English, but that was probably
     because he managed the hotel in which she was staying.
    "Another punch, senorita?" he asked as she siphoned up the last
     through her straw.
    "Sounds great. Remember to tell the bartender to leave out the
     rum, though. It's a bit early in the morning." Sabrina smiled. She
     perched on a padded rattan stool, her bare leg swinging idly
     beneath the colorful yellow-and-green sundress she wore. Her hair
     was anchored in its usual casual knot and held with a huge, carved
     wooden comb that she had picked up in the local market. It was one
     of those ornaments that would look ridiculous outside of Acapulco
     and therefore made a perfect souvenir. Tendrils of hair were
     already fraying lightly around her shoulders. Javier appeared to
     be mildly fascinated by those fluttering wisps of hair.
    "You aren't going to swim today?" Javier asked, indicating the
     huge pool that meandered in an architect's version of a jungle
     stream through the thickly landscaped gardens of the hotel.
    "I don't think so. At least not this morning. I went snorkeling
     yesterday."
    "Perhaps you will try the para-sailing then, hmm? I enjoy it
     occasionally myself. I would be more than happy to show you how
     it's done."
    Sabrina glanced out over the bay, taking in the sight of the
     multicolored parachutes with water-skiers dangling beneath them.
     The skiers became airborne with the aid of fast boats, and once
     aloft the parachutes acted as sails. When the ski boats slowed,
     the chutes gently allowed the airborne skiers to descend. It was
     supposedly all very safe, but somehow it didn't look like anything
     Sabrina wanted to try that morning.
    "I think that's something I'll have to work up to," she decided.
     "When I'm back in Dallas I'll practice on a mechanical bull."
    "Mechanical bull?" Javier looked handsomely perplexed.
    "A little Texas invention which, for sheer creativity, is right
     up there with putting a set of horns on a Cadillac," Sabrina
     explained.
    "I see."
    He didn't, but Sabrina excused him because he was so terribly
     attractive. "I think I'm just going to spend the day relaxing,
     Javier. This afternoon I'll probably take a taxi to the market and
     do some more shopping."
    Javier nodded pleasantly. "By all means. I will give you the
     names of the vendors I have found most reliable."
    "You're very helpful."
    "It is my job," he protested cheerfully, and then broke off as a
     large shadow fell across Sabrina. "Ah, good morning, Matt. I'd ask
     you to join us in a fruit punch but I imagine you are on your way
     to open the bookshop, no?"
    "Don't look so hopeful." Matt took the stool next to Sabrina. "I
     have plenty of time. I put Elena in charge of the shop. Hello,
     Sabrina. Isn't it a bit early to be starting in on Manuel's rum
     punches? Just orange juice for me, Manuel," he added, speaking to
     the young man behind the bar.
    "I thought I'd be daring. Put a little excitement into my life."
     Sabrina noisily siphoned up a sip of punch.
    "There are more intelligent ways of doing