Katie Frasier rolled over uncomfortably on the hard mattress, her back protesting the pain that she should be used to by now after a month without a soft bed. Groaning, she sat up, simply unable to sleep. She couldn’t believe that Simon hadn’t come for her yet. He’d rescued her from that stupid island; you’d think a jail cell in civilization would be a lot easier. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know the way; he’d been here earlier, alerting the authorities to his suspicions. She sighed, shaking her head at his actions. Although she’d never admit it aloud, she couldn’t believe her Simon had done such an idiotic thing. How her darling husband and Lily could complain that she was going to screw things up was frankly baffling – Lily talked it up with every stranger she came into contact with and Simon, well … the less thought about his stupidity, the less guilty she felt.

She stood up and walked over to the bars, shaking at them futilely. Her grunt of frustration didn’t penetrate the sleeping splendor of the guard assigned to the night shift. The guard who wouldn’t let her call Simon and tell him that she knew where Holden and Luke were. Stupid, stupid guard. Glaring at him, she stuck her tongue out and felt a little better. If she had been in the U.S., she would have been allowed a phone call, but no, not here in Malta – where she shouldn’t even be right now. Damnit!

She should be back in Oakdale … in her nice, comfy corner of Lakeview Towers … in bed … having sex with her husband. Her husband. Her shoulders slumped as she thought of him out there while she was stuck in here. “Simon, where are you?” she whispered. Letting go of the bars, she turned back to the lumpy, hard bed, sighing heavily. She knew where Simon was; he was with Lily, probably complaining about her, his wife. “Hah!” She should be so lucky if he was at least doing that, because at least it would mean that he was thinking about his wife. She was no doubt the farthest thing from his mind right now.

Lying down, she plumped the pillow with little effect and closed her eyes. At least she could dream. She could dream … and in her dreams, Lily Snyder meant nothing to him and she was all that mattered.

“Simon, Simon, you’re here. I knew you’d come and save me.” Her eyes took in his black boots and chaps, noting the lasso hooked to his gun holster. Holster? She looked back up at his beloved face, “I didn’t know that there were Australian cowboys.”

Grinning, he tipped his black Stetson back and took a step back as he pulled the silver and pearl revolver out and aimed it at the lock on her jail cell. “Learn something new every day, sweetheart. Now stand back, Katie, my love, I’m going to blast through this thing.”

She stood back, but protested, “the guard might hear you!”

The grin still on his face, he jerked his thumb in the direction of the once-sleeping guard who was now clearly unconscious. “I cold-cocked him,” he waved his gun in the air.

“Oh, good thinking.” Moving back, she plugged her ears as he took aim once more and shot the lock open. Immediately, he was through it and she ran into his arms in an instant, her lips finding his as a rush of love and desire swept through her. “Oh, Simon,” she whispered, the words fading into his kiss as her lips clung to his.

Her hands rose, her fingers catching hold of his black vest and then tightening her grip as his lips parted above hers. Her hand loosened and lifted to encircle his neck, her fingers pulling at his dark hair, knocking his Stetson slightly askew. She moaned softly against his lips as she drove her body closer to his, as his kiss grew more passionate, intense desire capturing hold. He pulled her to him, his arm firm around her waist as their lips meld and clung, parting to allow desperate breaths to emerge, meeting again in need and pleasure, his tongue hungrily exploring the inside of her mouth, entangling with her own.

The loud crack of his pistol falling to the hard floor broke their passionate reverie. Dazed, she pulled away, seeing the same overwhelmed look upon his face. “Katie, Katie, Katie,” he whispered brokenly as he bent down for one more quick kiss before pulling reluctantly away. A small whimper escaped her as his arms withdrew completely, but she knew that they had to leave before the guard awakened. Simon bent down for the fallen gun and as he rose, took her hand, leading her out of the cell. “Snickers is outside.”

“Snickers?” she stopped short. How did Snickers get here?

He glanced back at her, “my horse.”

A smile spread across her face, “you named your horse Snickers?”

Smiling softly, he leaned down close to her, his breath whispering against her face as he brushed a soft kiss once more upon her lips. “I wanted something that reminded me of you.” He grinned, “and he’s snow-white like your bunny rabbit.” Love bursting in her heart, she squeezed his hand and followed him as he led the way to their freedom.

She would follow him anywhere.