Free One Touch of Topaz by Iris Johansen

be your court jester and help you fight your personal dragons. Get that pack of cards, Samantha.”
    ________
    The whir of the helicopter’s rotors broke the stillness, and Samantha’s hands slowly closed into fists at her sides. It was almost over. In another few minutes the helicopter would be on the ground and Fletch would be climbing into the passenger seat. She would probably never see him again. Pain twisted through her, and she closed her eyes to block out the sight of the slowly descending helicopter. She’d had many partings in her life and this was just another. It wasn’t reasonable this one should hurt so much more than the ones that had gone before.
    “Samantha?”
    She opened her eyes to see Fletch gazing down at her, his expression tense in the moonlight filtering through the trees. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine.” She smiled. “I guess we’d better get out there and meet your pilot.”
    “In a minute.” His gaze was fixed onher face. “It’s your last chance, Samantha. Change your mind and come with me.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t. Not while Paco is still here.” She held out her hand. “Good-bye, Fletch. Thank you again for all you’ve done.”
    He took her hand. “Just like that?” His voice was suddenly savage. “Good-bye, good luck, have a nice life?”
    “What else?” She blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling. “I doubt if we’ll ever run into each other again even if I—” She stopped and wearily shook her head. “We hardly move in the same circles.”
    “No, we don’t.” His hand tightened on hers with crushing force. “I can’t say I number any martyrs among my acquaintances.”
    “Don’t be angry,” she whispered. “You gave me something very special. I don’t want to remember you like this.”
    “How do you want to remember me?” he asked. “The man who stole your last bite of food, not to mention your virginity?”
    She flinched. “You stole nothing. Everything was given freely.”
    “I forgot. Your peculiar ideas of hospitality.”
    “I didn’t realize this would be so difficult.” She tried to draw her hand away from his, glancing at the helicopter, which was now hovering only a few feet above the ground. “I think I’d better leave you.”
    “No!” Fletch’s voice was suddenly sharp, and his grasp tightened on her hand. “Come with me to the helicopter.” He drew a deep breath, and his tone took on a mocking lightness. “You’re so fanatical on the issue of hospitality that at least you can see a guest to the door.”
    She gazed at him in bewilderment. His demeanor had changed from biting anger to mocking lightness in the flicker of a heartbeat, but she could still sense the disturbance swirling beneath that controlled facade. “If that’s what you want.”
    “That’s what I want.” His hand released its grip on hers, and he took a step back.“It’s not all that I want, but it will do for a start. I’m learning to do without quite a few things I want since I met you.”
    She turned away and started across the glade. “Has it been that bad? I know conditions in the cavern were pretty Spartan, but I’d hoped I’d made you comfortable. And we did have a good time this afternoon.” During those hours playing cards Fletch had revealed an entirely new facet of his personality. He had been witty, outrageous, even whimsical. She almost wished he hadn’t shown her how charming he could be beneath that rough exterior. It made this parting even more difficult. She glanced back over her shoulder. “And you have to admit I did give you something you wanted—those statues in your backpack. They don’t have any real value, but you said—”
    “They have value,” Fletch said, interrupting.
    “I’m glad you like them.” She smiled. “I like to think of them displayed in one ofthose fine houses you own. Don’t stuff them in a closet somewhere, will you?”
    “No, I won’t do that.”
    “Good. Then I’ll feel much