Heart Of The Tiger

Layne’s chin tilted. She heard carefully shielded pain in his voice. “You sound as if…I mean, are you divorced or something?” He had stated it as if she were a part of his past.

Matt tore his gaze from her concerned expression. His mouth tightened. “Jenny died three years ago from leukemia, Layne.” Three years. Some days it felt like three months ago; others, three lifetimes.

Automatically, Layne reached out, her hand resting on his forearm. “I’m sorry…I had no right to pry.”

Matt lifted his chin, giving her a slight smile meant to reassure her. “With you, I don’t mind talking about it. Jenny and I shared six wonderful years together. We had a good marriage. She was a good woman.”

And you’re a good man, Layne added silently. Her heart wrenched in her breast as she saw the pensiveness in Matt’s features. Her fingers closed comfortingly on his arm.

“At least you had six years of happiness, Matt,” she whispered. “Most of the people in this world would give anything to have what you shared with Jenny.” Layne removed her hand and gave him a rueful shake of her head. “I’d have given a lot to have one day of that kind of happiness in my five years of marriage.”

Matt roused himself. “Hey, we’re getting maudlin, kitten. Come on, let’s get something to eat. There’s something I want to discuss with you before we call it a night.”

Chapter 5

Layne said little during their light lunch. She bypassed the heavier meat and starchy foods in favor of a salad and fruit.

“Want some dessert?” Matt asked, offering her the tempting chocolate cake.

“No, thank you.”

His blue eyes crinkled as he placed the porcelain plate bearing the cake slice on her tray. “Go on, you look like a gal who loves chocolate. Besides, you need to put on some more weight.”

The dessert did look delicious. Layne hesitated. “How could you know I like chocolate? Is that in my file, too?”

“No. Just a lucky guess.”

Layne gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him. “Somehow, Matt, I doubt if you leave anything to chance or luck.”

He placed his tray on an empty recliner and leaned back, stretching like a satiated lion after a satisfying meal. “Meeting you was pure luck, lady. Good luck.”

She picked up the fork, taking a tentative bite of the cake. It literally melted in her mouth. “Since when do test pilots rely on luck for anything?”

“I’m the first to admit that I don’t have full control over the universe. There’s an unseen element of luck or fate at work in everything.” He laughed pleasantly, relaxing by placing his hands behind his head. His blue eyes sparkled with warmth. “Fate outdid herself this time, though. I couldn’t have had a better partner on this assignment.”

Layne’s eyes flashed. “And just a few days ago you were saying I was little more than excess baggage on this trip. Get your story straight.”

Matt smiled good-naturedly. The petulant set of Layne’s lips did nothing but remind him of their earlier kiss. Matt groaned inwardly, remembering her softness, her responsiveness. Tucking those passionate memories away, he focused on her rebellious attitude toward him. “I never referred to you as excess baggage. I felt and still feel that you aren’t capable of defending yourself if it becomes necessary. What I meant was that I enjoy your company.”

Layne stabbed at the cake. “Well, I don’t like the idea of having you as a babysitter. But we each lack something that the other compensates for.”

He saw the stain of crimson coming to her cheeks and felt the urge to reach out and reassure her. But in her present feisty mood, Matt knew she wouldn’t stand for it, so he resigned himself to some more teasing. “This is one time I’m glad I don’t know a language.”

“You know, the Chinese are right—we are foreign devils.”

Matt laughed. “Foreign devils?”

Layne finished the cake, satisfied that she now had him off balance, and she was in control of the situation, for once. Placing the tray on another recliner, she stood up. Smoothing out the wrinkles gathering on her jeans, Layne paced around the large, enclosed area. “What did they tell you about the Chinese, Matt? Anything?”

He lost some of his humor and sobered. “Let’s put it this way: The lao-pan isn’t a very nice guy. If the pirates don’t like you, they get rid of you. They don’t have many morals.”

“Oh, they have morals; it’s just that you wouldn’t agree with them—or with how they see the rest of us.”

“I get the feeling the Chinese don’t like Americans.”

Layne did a few minor stretching exercises to loosen her muscles. “It extends beyond Americans, Matt, so don’t feel alone. The Chinese feel no one but their own kind can understand them. And anyone invading their country is considered a ‘foreign devil.’”

“Is that stigma ever erased?”

Layne shook her head. “No. As much as the lao-pan respects me, I’m sure he still distrusts and dislikes me because I’m not Chinese.”

“And yet, he made you part of their clan.”

“It’s an honor, to be sure.”

“The alternative isn’t particularly inviting.”

“Yes, they’d lop off my head.” She rubbed her arm, feeling goose pimples forming. “Kang is very clear about his rights as leader of his clan. They don’t regard killing someone with the same horror or outrage that an American would.”

“I suppose that’s all tied up with their Far Eastern philosophy of reincarnation?”

“Partly.”

Matt sat up and folded his hands between his thighs, a serious look on his face. “Are you sure they won’t hurt you, Layne?”

Layne stopped her pacing, giving him a startled look. His voice held a depth of worry and protectiveness that sent her heart reeling. “As long as I play by their code and laws, the lao-pan wouldn’t harm me. Why?”

He cocked his head, a cobalt darkness in his narrowing eyes. “Because there’s no way in the world I’m going to lose you, Layne. This mission is dangerous at every turn.” He briefly clenched his hands together, the knuckles whitening.

“I’ll be okay,” she assured him. “But it would help to know something about the mission, Matt. Can you tell me anything?”

His features became closed and unreadable. “Believe me, Layne, I’d tell you if I could.”

“Don’t give me that compartmentalized policy!” Her eyes grew amber with fury. “If I’m sticking my neck out on the same line as you, I should know what I’m walking into!”

Matt nodded. “Under any other circumstance, I’d agree with you, Layne.” He motioned for her to come and sit down next to him. At first, she just stared at him, then finally acquiesced. “Look,” he began in a quiet voice, “British Special Intelligence is in on this. And so is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Not to mention the other side of the coin, which consists of KGB and People’s Republic of China agents. Then we have the unknown entity in the guise of the pirates. As you said before, they live by their own codes and laws. They owe allegiance to no one.”

“Except to themselves. You’re sure that People’s Republic of China has agents trying to find whatever we’re after?” Layne asked.

“Positive.” He leaned back, closing his eyes momentarily. “Right now we’re walking into the biggest game in football.”

Layne tilted her head. “The Super Bowl?”

Matt opened his eyes, staring directly at her. A wry smile surfaced. “I’ll be the quarterback and you be my wide receiver. We’ll win this game.”

Her returning laugh was soft and lilting, stroking him like the delicate brush of a flower petal against his flesh. “Remember, I grew up in the Orient. I’m afraid I never liked football. Mind telling me what it’s about so that I have a more complete picture of what we’re getting into?”

Matt warmed to her team spirit. Layne could have said “what I’m getting into,” instead, she’d automatically included him. That was good. It might save their lives at some point in the future. “As a kid I played football. I was a quarterback in high school.”