Free Scout's Honor by Tara Janzen

is
here.” She smiled sweetly.
    “Very good,” Robby said as he jerked his
foot out from under hers.
    He signaled the waiter and ordered another
round of coffee before continuing the conversation in a
less-hazardous vein. “How long are you staying?”
    “Anna and I have some business to attend to
on Friday. Depending on how it goes, I’ll either leave Saturday
morning or spend a few more days sightseeing.”
    “You should have Anna bring you out to
Eleuthera. I own a resort there, and I’ve already offered her one
of the cottages. The two of you could have a wonderful time.
Swaying palms, moonlit beaches . . . We have it all at Sand Bay,
and I was just telling Anna she needed a—”
    Anna aimed a desperate kick at Robby’s shin,
but it was Mitch who winced and grabbed his leg.
    “Excuse me,” she said with a gasp,
thoroughly embarrassed.
    “I’ll live.”
    “Darling,” Robby drawled, “I don’t think
I’ve ever seen you blush.”
    She shot him a “drop dead” glare and turned
to Mitch. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay,” he assured her, still rubbing
his shin.
    “Goodness, look at the time,” Robby said.
“I’ll have to skip lunch or end up on a mailboat. It’s been
delightful meeting you, Mitch.” He held out his hand. “I’ll expect
both of you on Saturday. But if Anna can’t make it,” he added with
a coy smile, “you’re welcome to come on your own.”
    The innuendo of his words wasn’t lost on
Anna, and she was surprised at the fleeting spark of anger she
felt.
    “We have a wonderful cook at Sand Bay,”
Robby continued. “I’ll treat you to a Bahamian feast.” He stood up
and kissed Anna on the cheek, then backed away from the table.
“Remember what I said about life, dear. Some things are worth the
risk.”
    In a flurry of words and waves he was gone,
and Anna and Mitch were left alone at the table. She watched Robby
disappear into the crowd, until politeness insisted she face Mitch
and say something.
    “Looks like you’ve made a conquest,” she
said. “Robby doesn’t offer free rent to every pretty face he
meets.” She meant the remark to embarrass him, but Mitch’s chuckle
didn’t sound embarrassed.
    “Pretty face, huh? Is that a personal
opinion?” He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out
next to hers.
    “You know what I mean,” she said
, snapping her menu open. Taking a deep
breath, she tried to corral her thoughts. Figuring out Mitch
Summers was becoming a full-time job, and one she had yet to
master. Most men would have been offended by Robby’s faintly veiled
proposition. That Mitch wasn’t offended meant one of two things: He
was either very assured about his masculinity or, knowing Mitch, he
didn’t realize he’d been propositioned.
    She peered at him over her menu,
scrutinizing the ageless face with the boyish grin and twinkling
eyes. “Do you even know what was going on?”
    He shrugged. “I think your friend made a
pass at me.”
    Well, at least he got that part right, she
thought. “And you’re not offended?”
    “Jealous?” he asked in a softly teasing
tone.
    “No.” she snapped, knowing he was
uncomfortably close to the truth. “But most men would feel
threatened by Robby’s invitation unless they were . . .” She gave
him a startled glance as the thought went through her mind.
    His grin faded. He leaned forward and cupped
her face with one hand, pulling her toward him with gentle
force.
    Anna didn’t have time to react before his
mouth descended on hers. The clatter of plates and the sound of a
hundred chattering voices disappeared as their lips met and his
tongue trailed across her mouth, caressing and teasing with an easy
pressure. She responded in spite of herself, opening her mouth to
receive the full sweetness of his kiss. The melting feeling he
inspired was too seductive not to explore.
    His fingers tangled in her hair, urging her
closer, as his other hand grasped hers on the table. Their fingers
entwined, and his