Hours to Cherish Read Online Free PDF

accused him of being a liar.
    The man hoisted himself onto the Hobie Cat and gripped her wrists to pull her up. “I’ll take us back in,” he murmured. “Seems a couple of your friends are already on their way out for the other Hobie.”
    Cat remained silent, watching the tall man steer their craft. She was fascinated by his well-shaped legs, which stretched dripping and glistening not a foot from her face. They were legs like many she had seen, powerful from swimming, from striding a deck. … Nicely covered with that golden brown hair, tanned, deeply, deeply tanned. …
    He glanced down to where she leaned over the craft. “Seems like I won, Mrs. Miller.”
    It was amazing how the spurt of pure rage could instantly return strength to her body. “What?” Cat shrieked. She almost bolted to her feet but controlled the motion when the craft took a hard keel.
    “I won,” the stranger repeated firmly.
    “You did not! The race was interrupted!”
    “Un-unh,” the stranger said firmly. “The sea is not a predictable critter, Mrs. Miller. You have to be prepared for her idiosyncrasies—even when caused by man. I held my craft.”
    “You must be twice my weight!” Cat snapped.
    She saw a brow lift in a high arch above the rimof the glasses. “Mrs. Miller—we all enter the game with no handicaps decreed. You have the advantage of harbor knowledge. I didn’t see you give your previous contenders any quarter because of that point in your favor.”
    “I freely acknowledge that I know the harbor!”
    He tilted back his head and laughed. “I’ll be happy to freely acknowledge my weight.” His tone suddenly grew hard and serious. “You wanted to play the game, Mrs. Miller. Well, you’ve lost. I’m sure Sam will assure you that I shot the finish line. You owe me five hundred thousand dollars.”
    “You’re crazy!” Cat protested hotly. “I spilled.”
    “That’s your misfortune. According to the rules, I won.”
    “You’re all heart and sportsmanship,” Cat said scornfully, determined that she shame him into a rematch. But could she win a rematch?
    It didn’t seem to matter if there was a possibility of her winning another race or not. “I’m not interested in sportsmanship at the moment, Mrs. Miller. Like you, I played to win.”
    “Tremendous,” Cat muttered with hostility. “Well—sir—” she continued, placing as much disdain as she could manage upon the title, “I’m afraid you’re out of luck. My sportsmanship is as poor as yours. I haven’t got five hundred thousand dollars.”
    “I know that.”
    Cat’s eyes shot to his, trying to fathom his expression beneath the glasses.
    “If you know it,” she demanded with high irritation, “then what the hell are you getting at?”
    “We’ll work something out,” he told her complacently, laughing as he saw the firm tightening of her jaw. “In private, of course. I promise no one will know that Cat Miller has to bargain to pay her debts.”
    Damn, did she hate this man, Cat thought viciously. Still, she returned his stare, a spark of hope rising within her. Perhaps those on the shore would proclaim the race aborted. They would demand that she be given a rematch.
    He laughed again, and Cat had to clench her jaw tightly to keep from jumping up and attempting to strangle him. “Cool down, Mrs. Miller,” he warned lightly. “I was laughing simply because the wheels turning in your head were visible. You think someone is going to rush nobly to your cause. You’re wrong. Every man up there is going to leap to your side—to make sure you’re okay. But I’m willing to bet another half a million that all of them—even your Sam—will proclaim me the winner.”
    They were nearing the dock. Heedless of the Hobie’s balance, Cat came to her feet, ready to spring to the planking. “We’ll see about that,” she muttered ominously before leaving him.
    But a half hour later she was having to bitterly accept defeat. Just as he had said, her