Silver Linings, стр. 37

Hugh halted and turned around to confront Silk, who had emerged from the center of the brawl to reclaim his departing victim.

“Sorry, Silk. A slight misunderstanding here. Mattie belongs to me. Brought her with me from Purgatory.”

Silk's eyes widened in outrage as he glared at Mattie. “The hell you say.”

“Afraid so. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're out of here.”

“Now, see here, this just ain't fair, Abbott.”

“I know, Silk, but that's the way it goes. Finders keepers.”

Mattie was incensed. “Will you two kindly stop discussing me as if I were a side of beef?” A glass whizzed past her head and she ducked instinctively. A split second later it shattered against the wall behind her.

Silk's massive hand closed around Mattie's free wrist. “Don't you worry none, Mattie Sharpe. I'll be glad to teach Abbott here some manners. He gets kinda uppity at times.”

“Oh, my God,” Mattie said.

“Let her go, Silk. You've got business to attend to.” Hugh sidestepped a chair as it went skidding past his booted foot.

“But the whole point of this here business is so me and Mattie Sharpe can go screw…umph.”

Silk lost his balance and toppled to the floor like a felled oak as Hugh did something very fast and very efficient with his foot and one hand.

“I said, let her go, Silk.” Hugh spoke with surprising gentleness. “You know I always mean what I say.”

Silk propped himself up on his elbows and eyed Mattie through slitted eyes. “You said you brought her with you from Purgatory?”

“Yeah. I'm going to marry her as soon as I can get things arranged.”

Silk looked up at him in open astonishment. “No fooling? Hey, can I come to the party? I haven't been to a real live wedding party in years.”

Mattie sighed.

“Sure,” Hugh said easily. “You can come to the party.”

Silk staggered to his feet, dusted himself off, and gave Mattie a huge grin. “Don't you worry none, Mattie Sharpe. I'll make sure it's a real wingding of a party. It'll be a party to remember, that's for sure. We'll invite the whole damn island.”

He turned and waded back into the fray.

“Let's just hope he doesn't do any damage to his hands,” Mattie said as Hugh hauled her out the door and into the street.

“Damn it to hell.” Hugh shoved her into the passenger seat of the Jeep and got in beside her. “Is that all you can think about?”

“Talent is where you find it. I'd hate to see his artistic career ruined because his hands got injured in a barroom brawl.”

“Silk hasn't got an artistic career. He works for me when he works at all, and the rest of the time he just sits around in his boat painting or else he sits in the Hellfire drinking.” Hugh sent the Jeep roaring out of town. “Once in a while he gets real lucky when some stray lady tourist wanders in and decides he's picturesque.”

“I see.”

Hugh slid her a dangerous sidelong glance. “Can't really blame the guy for thinking he'd gotten lucky this afternoon, can I? The way you behaved, it's no wonder.”

“For heaven's sake. You make it sound like I went in there to pick him up,” Mattie said tightly.

“Well, didn't you?”

“No, I did not. I went in there to do business with the man.”

“What the hell did you think you were doing wandering into a waterfront bar all by yourself and sitting down at the table of a complete stranger?” Hugh snapped. “Where's your common sense, Mattie?”

“Stop acting as if what happened back there was all my fault.”

“It was your fault. I told you that.”

“Hugh, I don't want to hear another word about it, understand? I've told you before, I don't like listening to your little lectures. And while we're on the subject, there's something else I'd better mention. I'd rather you stopped telling everyone we're going to get married.”

“Why? It's the truth.”

“It is not the truth. We have no plans for marriage. You're only going to embarrass yourself if you go around telling everyone you're about to become a groom.”

He took his attention off the narrow road just long enough to shoot her a searing look. “What the hell do you mean, we're not getting married? We got that all settled last night, damn it.”

“We did not settle anything last night!” Mattie yelled back. “All we did last night was have sex together. If you will recall, we did that once before and it didn't end in marriage.”

“Christ, woman, are you going to throw that in my face again?”

“Yes, I am. You deserve it.” She braced herself on the window frame of the Jeep as Hugh slammed the vehicle to a halt. “Why are we stopping?”

“Because we're in the middle of an argument and I want to give it my full attention.” Hugh swung around in the seat to confront her, one arm draped over the wheel, the other lying along the back of the seat. “Mattie, what's gotten into you? You knew I figured everything was okay between us this morning.”

“I knew you were probably making some assumptions, but who am I to try to set you straight? You never listen to me.”

“Give me a chance. Talk to me. Tell me why you won't marry me,” he said roughly.

“Try it the other way, Hugh. Why should I marry you?”

“Because you love me.”

“Is that right?” She faced him with fury and passion now. “How do you know that for certain?”

“I've always known it.” He looked exasperated and helpless in the way only a man can when caught in the middle of a dreaded relationship discussion. “Since that night we spent together a year ago. Before that, if you want to know the truth. I wasn't completely blind to the way you acted around me. You were always sort of anxious and uneasy.”

“Stress.”

“Don't give me the stress excuses. If I wasn't sure how you felt about me back then, I got a damn good idea during the past eight months when you deliberately avoided me every