Margie thought to lose herself in the crowd. Maybe she could slink back toward her car, hopefully unnoticed by the bloodthirsty Jack Ivan.

Not nearly quick enough, she offered a feeble grin when Jack caught her elbow to spin Margie around to face him. "Come on. Let's find out where the next port of call..."

"Miami," she interrupted, trying to cut their relationship quickly.

He eyed her suspiciously. "How do you know?"

"I've sailed on cruise ships before and the boat always docks in Miami."

"Good," Jack responded. "Drive me there."

Margie eyed him like she would a mutant growth in a Tupperware bowl. "Absolutely not." She tried to walk around him.

Jack stepped in front of her. He still had her by the elbow and his dark eyes considered her face and hair. "I really need you to help me, Margie. It's too much to explain right now, but I've got to stop Brittany from marrying Andrew McDonald."

"Jack," she expressed patiently. "You've got to learn when a relationship is over."

"NOTHING IS OVER."

Margie pointed at the ship. "She just gave you the big kiss-off."

"It doesn't matter," he insisted, shaking his head, then with resolve, "Drive me to Miami."

"I don't even know you."

Jack frowned. "What's to know? This isn't a date. We're just going for a drive."

"No, we're not."

"Yes, we are."

The ship's horn blared at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Plainly Jack thought he had wasted time arguing and switched to blackmail. "If you won't drive me to Miami then I'll call the police and my attorney concerning the damage done to my jeep. I'm sure a lawyer can get a little jingle out of a girl who drives a hundred-thousand dollar sports car."

Margie narrowed her eyes. "That's extortion."

"I'm a desperate man," he seethed and then released her arm to stand his full height. "If you'll agree to drive me to Miami then I will pound out the bumper of my jeep with a hammer and we'll call everything equal." He waited for her answer with half-closed, sparkling eyes. "Five hours there and five hours back. Or, five million in damages."

Margie laughed at such boldness. "You know, Mr. Ivan, I thought you were mildly attractive when I first saw you."

He smiled at her confession and shrugged modestly as though she spoke truth and not sarcasm.

"But, I was wrong. You are a mean and ugly man."

Her assessment seemed to surprise him and he shifted his weight.

"You would blackmail me after all I've done for you?"

"What have you done for me besides get in my way?"

"I drove you here," she reminded him and walked toward her car. She pulled the keys from her purse.

Jack followed her. Coming around her left shoulder, he accused, "You only drove me because I threatened to take your car."

She stopped to stare at him. "Right." With puckered brow, she declared, "I don't blame the girl for leaving you, Jack. Any woman in her right mind would leave you."

"You don't know anything about it."

"And I don't want to," she told him, walking around him. "I've got other things to do, you know? I need to find out the difference between Swiss and Italian Butter Cream. My life cannot be put on hold just to drive you to Miami."

Jack trailed her, passed her, and reached the Jaguar first. He blocked the keyhole with his hand. "Margie--Margie," he cooed, trying to catch her eye. "You know I need your help."

She stopped trying to fit her key past his fingers. "I don't want to drive you anywhere, Jack. I don't like you."

He looked wounded then. Grabbing his heart, he proclaimed, "That hurt." Then he straightened. "Okay, I'm over it." He still blocked her path. "So, have you made up you mind about driving me to Miami?"

"I just told you, NO."

Jack leaned closer and dropped his voice. "Then I'll see you in court."

She lifted her eyes and saw his intent. He seriously meant to sue her. Uncle Bonny would burst an artery if she had to seek legal help to keep five million dollars in the bank. Taking a deep breath, Margie spit out, "All right, all right, ALL RIGHT."

Jack grinned showing white teeth. His brown eyes glittered with victory. He moved toward the passenger side before she could change her mind.

Watching him, Margie pointed her keys in a threatening gesture. "Be warned, Jack Ivan. When we reach Miami, you can jump out of the car, because I won't slow down long enough for you to shut the door." She didn't care that he frowned disapprovingly at her outburst. If Jack thought she cared one whit about his curdling love affair with Brianna or Brittany or whatever the girl's name was, then he was sorely mistaken.