Deadly Adventure (Hardy Brothers Security Book 19) (2 page)

“
O
h
, this place is so cool,” Mandy enthused the next afternoon, circling the marble lobby and staring at the glass ceiling of their London hotel. “What’s it called again?”

“The Thistle Marble Arch,” James said, smiling as he watched her.

They slept on the plane, agreeing to stay awake for dinner and one drink before sleeping. They didn’t want to lose their first night in London and the five-hour nap did wonders for both of them.

“You have the penthouse room, sir. Am I correct?”

James shifted his attention to the concierge, a middle-aged man in an expensive suit and wire-rimmed glasses. James almost wanted to ask him when tea would be served, but then he realized that was rude and wisely kept his mouth shut.

“That’s right,” James said, jolting when Mandy appeared at his elbow. She was still dressed in her plane clothes – simple track pants, a T-shirt, and a hoodie – but he found her adorable.

“You got us the penthouse?” Mandy asked, her eyes flashing. “That’s ritzy.”

“Well, we only get one first anniversary,” James said. “I want you happy.”

“I’m always happy when you’re around.”

“Good answer,” James said, grinning as he kissed the tip of her nose. “Plus, you would be surprised what a normal hotel room over here looks like, wife. I looked online. I think their idea of a five-star hotel and our idea of a five-star hotel is vastly different.”

“How so?” Mandy loved interesting facts, especially about a place she’d always dreamed of visiting.

“Think … Ramada.”

“Okay,” Mandy said, making a face. “I’m not going to argue with getting the penthouse. I’m so excited to see it.”

“Your bags are already on their way up,” the concierge said, smiling kindly at Mandy as he handed the key cards to James. “The restaurant is open twenty-four hours a day and you also have the option for room service whenever you wish.”

“Thank you for that,” James said, grabbing Mandy’s hand and leading her toward the elevator. “How about we check out our room, take a shower, and then get some food, wife?”

“I can deal with that,” Mandy said. “I’m starving.”

“You and me both, baby.”

M
ANDY
was
a ball of nerves as she impatiently waited for James to open their door, pushing him out of the way so she could be the first inside. Their suitcases sat in the middle of the floor, and Mandy skirted them so she could study the ornate living room.

“Wow.”

James grinned, delighting in her giddiness. His wife had been through so much – and she bounced back better than anyone – but he wanted to make this the trip of a lifetime. He never wanted her to forget it. “So, did I do well?”

“You know it,” Mandy said, pushing the curtains open so she could look out the window. “No balcony? That’s kind of a bummer.”

“Sorry, baby,” James said, dropping the key cards on the table in the living room and grabbing their suitcases. “One of the hotels I looked at had balconies, but the rooms were terrible.”

“I suppose I’ll live,” Mandy said, giggling as she followed James into the main bedroom. She pulled up short when she saw the ornate bed and velvet chaise lounger. “Holy smokes.”

“We’re going to have fun on this chair thing,” James said, dropping the suitcases and running his hand over the extravagant piece of furniture. “I can tell you that right now.”

Mandy snorted. “Pervert.”

“Oh, prepare yourself, wife,” James said. “The British people love a good pervert. I’m going to fit right in here.”

Mandy skipped toward the bathroom, gasping when she flipped the light switch and caught sight of the tub. “Did you know there’s a hot tub in here that’s big enough to fit eight people?”

“That’s another reason I wanted this room,” James said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her neck as he joined her. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Mandy said, doing a little dance as she shifted in his arms and threw her arms around his neck. “I love it almost as much as I love you.”

James pressed his eyes shut as he hugged her. “You will never be able to understand how much I love you, baby.”

They exchanged a sweet kiss before Mandy wiggled free. “Let’s get cleaned up. I’m starving and I want to see the city.”

“We’ve got a week, baby,” James said. “I figured we would eat dinner and maybe catch one of those bus tours before going to bed early.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I think you know what I mean.”

“I think that sounds like a fine idea – with one caveat.”

“Oh, I love it when you negotiate,” James said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Lay it on me.”

“Dinner and a bus tour – and I really want to sit on top and take photographs with the new camera you bought me like a really annoying tourist – and then we take a bath together before going to bed early.”

“You had me at bath, baby,” James said, grabbing Mandy and dipping her low so he could grace her with a smoldering kiss. “Let’s get the suitcases opened and hop in the shower.”

“If you’re good and promise not to get fancy, I’ll give you a preview of tonight in the shower,” Mandy offered, winking.

“I don’t know. I like being fancy. It’s a tough choice.”

“I’m really starving,” Mandy admitted. “We were in first class so the plane food was good, but it was still plane food.”

James relented. “I’m as hungry as you are,” he said. “We’ll be quick in the shower and save the fancy stuff for the tub.”

“Sold.”

“
H
UH
.”
James was confused as he studied the hotel’s buffet. “What do you make of this?”

“It’s food,” Mandy said, unperturbed as she doled fish and chips onto her plate. “You like this kind of food. We eat it all of the time at that diner right around the corner from us.”

“I do,” James confirmed. “It’s just … I was expecting something more exotic.”

Mandy stilled. She’d changed into simple jeans and a T-shirt, grabbing a hoodie because she expected the bus ride to be breezy. She was more interested in the food than anything else, although James’ befuddled look was so cute she almost couldn’t bear it. “It’s London. We eat most of the same things. It’s not like it’s Greece … or Spain … or even France.”

“Well, I don’t want snails so I’m glad we’re not in France,” James said.

“That’s kind of stereotypical.”

“I’m sorry, wife,” James said. “I just thought we would be eating weird things. I’m perfectly happy with the fish and chips.”

“Me, too,” Mandy said, adding corn to her plate as she reached for the rolls. “Did I mention I’m starving?”

“No,” James replied with a straight face. “The constant growling of your stomach while I was trying to concentrate on being fast in the shower was a dead giveaway, though. It made wowing you … difficult.”

“And yet you came up with fantastic results,” Mandy said, grabbing a huge slice of cake from the end of the table. “Fill a plate with the shrimp cocktail, too, will you?”

James watched her move toward a table, shaking his head as she merrily went on her way. She was thrilled. He hadn’t seen her this happy in months. He would go out and catch the shrimp with his own two hands if he could ensure she would stay this way for the rest of their lives.

By the time James joined his wife half of her plate was empty. He widened his eyes as he sat, situating the shrimp cocktail plate between them. “Breathe, Mandy. I don’t want you choking. The food will still be here five minutes from now.”

“I’m sorry,” Mandy said, flashing a rueful smile. “I’m hungry and excited, and that’s never a good combination. Do you remember the time I ate all that Mexican food before we got to see the new shark movie in theaters a few months ago?”

“Yes, that was lovely,” James deadpanned. “I’ve was never prouder to be your husband than when I had to hold your hair because you got sick during the car ride between the restaurant and theater.”

“You said in sicker and in health when we recited vows together.”

“Yes, well, I would prefer you not getting sicker on our vacation,” James said. “Breathe between bites.”

“Yes, sir!” Mandy offered James a saucy wink.

“You’re so stinking cute, wife.”

“Wait until you see my impersonation of a shark in that bathtub.”

“I can hardly wait,” James said, slathering his fish with tartar sauce and glancing around. “This place is pretty full. Do you think this is the normal dinner hour, or do they just eat early around here?”

Mandy shrugged. “As long as there is food, I will eat it. I don’t care what time it is.” She enthusiastically bit into her roll as she reached for some shrimp. “So, tell me what we’re doing while we’re here. We didn’t get time to chat about things.”

“Oh, I’ve never loved you more,” James said, shaking his head as she conversed with her mouth full. “You’re my dream woman.”

“I know,” Mandy said, unbothered. “Where are we going?”

“Well, I thought we would take the bus ride tonight,” James said. “I thought we could see where Wimbledon is held. They have a wax museum and I know you love those.”

“Do I!”

James grinned. He’d been saving the next part. “We also have a tour of Stonehenge to look forward to.”

Mandy stilled, taking the time to swallow and staring at him until her mouth was clear. “Really?”

James sighed. “Do you really think I would take my geeky wife to London and not let her see Stonehenge?”

“I … no,” Mandy said. “I almost forgot about it, though. That’s … amazing.”

“It is,” James agreed. “I figure I’m going to get some amazing loving that night.”

“You have no idea,” Mandy said, reaching for more shrimp. “Eat up, husband! I’m ready for the bus ride and then I’m dying to reward you in that tub.” She hummed the theme from
Jaws
as she happily munched on her shrimp. “This is going to be the best vacation ever.”

“No, baby,” James corrected. “This is going to be the best life ever.”

“
H
OLY CRAP
,
this is great,” Mandy said, settling on the bus seat closest to the edge of the railing. The couple hopped on the first red bus they found for a tour of downtown London, Mandy securing her camera around her neck as James rested his hand on her thigh.

Traffic was terrible, and the roundabouts blew James’ mind. He was used to traffic in the Detroit area – and it was bad – but this was something else entirely. He never considered himself much of a tourist, but Mandy’s enthusiasm convinced him that he would happily sit on the bus until she was completely sated.

“Do you know anything about the geography?” James asked.

Mandy shook her head. “Do you?”

“I have no clue how things are set up,” James admitted, pointing to his right as they passed a large building with a huge sign. “There’s the wax museum.”

“When are we going there?”

“I didn’t schedule that,” James replied. “It rains in London. A lot. I figured we could go there on a rainy day.”

“Can we go to Harrods, too?”

“What’s that?”

“I’m kind of afraid to tell you,” Mandy admitted, biting her lip. “We don’t have to go to Harrods.”

“We’ll go,” James said, hating that she appeared fearful to tell him. “I just don’t know what it is.”

“It’s the best shopping place in the world,” a man intoned from the other side of the aisle, making a face as his wife snapped photographs. “My wife is making me go tomorrow.”

The man had an American accent – and a flannel shirt – so James was convinced he was from the Midwest.

“Thank you,” James said. “We can definitely go shopping, wife.”

“But … you hate shopping.”

“I love you, though,” James said. “I promised gifts for everyone when I left them with all the work for a week. We’re going to have to shop regardless.”

“We need to get something for the baby, too,” Mandy said.

“And for Avery,” James confirmed, nodding as he scanned the scenery. “It’s kind of cool here. A lot of it is modern and yet they also have all the really cool older buildings.”

“Only a man would talk about architecture,” Mandy teased, leaning her head against his shoulder. “You hear horror stories about the weather in London. It’s sunny and nice, though. I hope it stays this way.”

“I don’t think it will, but enjoy it,” James said. “We’ll have fun even if it rains.”

“Like at Stonehenge.”

“Definitely at Stonehenge,” James said, squeezing Mandy’s knee. “We’re also seeing the Roman Baths that day, so I hope you’re not too disappointed. They were part of the same tour.”

“I’m fine with that,” Mandy said. “They’re supposed to be cool and great for photos.”

“Are you going to add photography to your list of artistic endeavors?”

“Only when you get naked in the bathtub later tonight,” Mandy replied. “These are for me. I want to make a cool book when we get back. We’ll have something to remember our first anniversary with forever.”

“I’m pretty sure we’ll remember our first anniversary no matter what,” James said. “We’ll technically be celebrating our anniversary at home. I have something special planned for that, too.”

“No, you don’t.”

James frowned. “Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t,” Mandy replied. “I have something special planned for that. You need to let me handle that situation.”

“But … that’s my thing,” James whined.

“What’s your thing? Planning surprises?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re going to let me plan the surprise on this one,” Mandy said. “I’ve earned it. You planned an entire vacation and didn’t even get yelled at for going behind my back to secure time off work.”

“Oh, you don’t play fair, baby,” James said, shaking his head. “Fine. You can plan the anniversary celebration. It had better involve nudity, though.”

Mandy risked a glance at the man across the aisle and found him smirking. “It will involve nudity, wine, and a special meal.”

James stilled. “You’re not cooking for me, right? I mean … I love you dearly, but I don’t think food poisoning is romantic.”

Mandy frowned, her dislike of the man across the aisle growing as he burst into hysterical laughter. “I’m not cooking. I’m having a special meal made.”