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leave you to talk yourself out of the situation. Do you understand? You will do as I say, Hannah Prescott, or I'll see to it you wind up explaining everything to the authorities."
    "But I haven't done anything!" she wailed, feeling trapped.
    "You think they'll believe you after I've shown them the goddess?" He clamped his hands around her bare shoulders, giving her a small shake.
    "You…you're threatening me!" she gasped.
    "You're very perceptive!"
    "But I'm innocent!" How could she have gotten herself into such a situation? She'd never come close to a brush with the law in her entire life. Her aqua-green eyes shimmered with bewildered anxiety and her bruised mouth trembled. "I didn't steal that stupid statue! I've never stolen anything in my whole twenty-nine years!"
    "Are you trying to tell me the Clydemores used you? That you had no notion of what was going on?" he rasped.
    "Yes!"
    There was a tense pause as he stared down at her upturned face. Hannah felt as if her whole future was suddenly hanging in the balance. This man held her in the palm of his hand, just as he'd held the statue.
    "Prove it," Jarrett finally whispered.
    She blinked uncomprehendingly. "Prove what?"
    "That you're not involved with the Clydemores."
    "But how?" Her plea was a cry of helpless frustration. How could she prove anything with that damaging bit of evidence in her suitcase?
    "I'll set up a way for you to show me you're not working with the Clydemores," he told her evenly. "But it won't work unless you're telling me the truth."
    "How can I prove anything?"
    "Leave the how of it to me." He stepped away from her, taking her elbow firmly and guiding her back to

    her room.
    Hannah caught her breath as a realization dawned on her. "You don't really want to turn me over to the authorities, do you? You want that statue for yourself!"
    "What I want doesn't come into it at the moment," he retorted coolly. "Believe me, I won't hesitate to hand you over to Customs if you try to escape again. Are we very clear on that point?"
    She slanted him a sullen, seething glance. "You've made yourself very clear, Mr. Blade."
    "Good. With a woman it's always best to have everything on the table, I've found. Never allow any loopholes. Women will find loopholes in a relationship faster than the IRS will find mistakes on a tax form."
    "We don't exactly have a relationship!" Hannah bit back, stung.
    "But that's just exactly what we do have, Hannah," he murmured as he pushed her into her hotel room.
    "Beginning tonight, you and I have a relationship. And after that kiss in the hallway, I'm inclined to think it won't be pia-tonic, either."

Chapter Two
    Don't look so shocked, Hannah." Jarrett dropped lightly back into the chair he had occupied earlier. The little gold goddess sat on the table beside him, light gleaming from its time-smoothed surface. The statue's gaze seemed to be focused on Hannah as she moved uneasily around the small room. "Our 'relationship'
    is the way I'm going to keep track of you while you prove you're not involved with the Clydemores. We have to have some way of accounting for my constant presence in your vicinity, don't we? We'll let John and Alice think you're having a vacation fling. How much longer are you due to stay in Hawaii?"
    "Four more days," she muttered.
    "That doesn't give us much time, does it? You may have to extend your visit."
    "That's impossible. I have responsibilities back in Seattle. 1 can't stay away any longer than the time I originally planned!"
    "What responsibilities? You told me you lost your job just before you left." Jarrett gave her a cold smile.
    "Is there a man waiting for you, Hannah?"
    Angrily she looked away from him. "I have no intention of explaining my whole life to you. Just tell me how I'm supposed to prove I'm innocent of stealing your friend's statue, and let's get on with it."
    Jarrett studied her for a moment as she moved restlessly about the room. "If you're not involved in the theft and if the