Promises (22 page)

“The Hotel Hermitage in Monte Carlo.”
 
She expected him to start in again, demanding to know more, but he only nodded and flagged down a cab.

The constant jabbering of the cabby, half in Italian, half in English, allowed for little to no conversation.
 
Something for which she was partially grateful.
 
The cabby’s talking rapidly became annoying.
 
If she had to listen to another story about his wife and all his kids, she’d scream.
 

Unable to bear anymore, she sat forward on the seat and explained to the cab driver in fluent Italian that they were in a hurry, and asked if he could go any faster.
 

“Why would one wish to hurry on such a beautiful day?” the driver replied in English, catching her eyes in his rearview mirror.
  

A shiver ran down her spine.
 
There was something about him that wasn’t right.
 
She could feel it.

Travis’ hand slipped around the base of her neck, raising goose bumps all over her body.
 
He tugged, and she let herself be pulled against his chest.
 
Whether or not he sensed her uneasiness about the cab driver didn’t matter.
 
She felt better pressed against him, safer.

“You’re absolutely right,” Travis said to the cabby.
 
“I’m as anxious to get there as you are, sweetheart, but we’ve got all the time in the world.
 
It’s our honeymoon and we should take time to enjoy every minute of it.”
 
He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Somehow, he understood what she was sensing, but did he sense all the other mixed up emotions churning inside her as well?

“You are just married?
 
Congratulations!” the driver said, and began another long-winded story.

Tuning out the annoying cabbie, she lost herself in the comfort of Travis’ arms, even though it was only for show.

Their winding hour-long drive finally came to an end.
 
Stepping out of the cab in front of their hotel, he paid the driver and ushered her inside, his hand at the small of her back.
 
Her spine tingled at his touch as he registered them as Mr. and Mrs. Claymore.
 
Her blissful fantasy of being newlyweds was about to come to an end.
 
The moment they were alone the endearments, the touching, the silly grin would all go away, and they’d be Agent Reid and his best friend’s kid sister once again.
 
But there was one little problem.
 

They were sharing a room.

She eyed the back of the bellhop and wondered if he spoke English.
 
In a light, friendly tone, she asked the young man if there were any social events taking place in town that week.
 
He replied with an obviously memorized apology that he didn’t speak English.
 
She nodded in understanding then turned to Travis.

“I want my own room,” she said sweetly, but with a glowering look.

He looked at the bellhop’s back then turned to her.
 
“You forget, bright eyes.
 
We’re newlyweds.”

“In name only,
dear
.”

“I promise not to hog the covers.”
 
He grinned as he placed his arm across her shoulders.

Her skin tingled again.
 
She cast him a chilly smile.
 
“You bet your sweet life you won’t hog the covers.
 
You’re sleeping on the floor,” she said softly, then shrugged off his arm.

He chuckled and shook his head, a distinct sparkle in his dark eyes.
 
An almost predatory gleam.
 
The rules had changed, only no one had filled her in.
 
What was he up to?

The bellhop led them down the hall and showed them inside their room.
 
She stopped at the foot of one of the twin beds.
 
Travis’ brooding scowl was unmistakable.

With a curt thank you, he shoved some money into the young man’s hand and followed him to the door.
 
The minute the bellhop left, he turned all the locks and stalked back toward his luggage.

Confusion overshadowed her relief.
 
What had him so uptight?
 
Was he perturbed with the twin beds?
 
Had he actually expected her to sleep with him again?
 
No, it had to be something else.
 
If he wanted her, he’d be the kind of man to say so.
     

“It’s really a lovely room, don’t you think?” she said, trying to draw him out.
 
“Make’s you feel kind of like you’re in a palace, doesn’t it?”

With a grumble, he yanked open his suitcase.
 
“It ought to for what they’re charging me.”

He briskly unpacked his things while she wandered around the room, taking in its opulence.
 
The cream and gold colors mingled pleasantly with the French provincial furnishings.
 
Not a honeymoon suite by any means, at least not the kind of suite she’d dreamed of spending her real honeymoon in, but a pleasant room nonetheless.
   

She glanced at Travis as he continued to unpack his bag with a scowl on his face.
 
Her thoughts traveled down the dangerous path of wishful thinking and hopeful dreams once again.
 
Was he really disappointed in the twin beds?

Determined to put her silly dreams back where they belonged, locked away with more padlocks than she could physically carry, she quietly moved to the small bar size refrigerator and pulled out something to drink.
 
Anything to occupy her unsteady hands.

“I’m not paying five dollars for a lousy Coke.”
 
He stalked across the room, snatched the unopened bottle from her fingers, and shoved it back into the refrigerator. “Stay out of the refrigerator.
 
If you’re thirsty, go get a drink of water.”

“I didn’t realize I’d married a cheapskate.”

No, he didn’t want her, she thought with a weighty sigh.
 
It was his job, and his promise to her brother that had him bugged.
 
He probably missed Sylvia too.
 
All the attention, the innuendoes, the endearments were just an act, she knew that, but her heart couldn’t seem to accept it.

Snatching up her carryon bag, she hurried into the bathroom, slammed the door then slumped down to the edge of the tub.
 
Cradling her face in her hands, she let the silent tears fall.
 
Why did she have to love him so much?
 

“Are you going to stay in there all day?” Travis’ voice boomed through the door.

Disgusted with her bout of self-pity, she swiped at her face and moved to the sink to wash away the evidence of her tears.
 
She wished she had kept her distance.
 
Making love to him had been a big mistake.
 
It only breathed new life into her senseless dreaming of happy endings.

“There is no such thing as happily-ever-after,” she mumbled to her reflection.

“Bobbi?”

She grabbed her mascara, and tried to touchup her lashes, but her hand wouldn’t stop shaking.
 
Gritting her teeth, she held the brush with both hands and carefully applied her makeup.
 
She couldn’t let him see her this way.
 
Pity was the last thing she needed or wanted.

“If you don’t answer me, I’m coming in there if I have to break down the door.”

Hoping she had repaired the damage to her face, she schooled her features and called back to him crisply.
 
“Try turning the knob.
 
It’s much more effective.”

The door flung open, and she caught the look on his face in the mirror.
 
Had he really been worried about her?
 

He crossed the large bathroom in two strides, took her by the shoulders, and spun her around.
 
“Are you all right?”

Caught completely off guard by his behavior, she sputtered and stammered.
 
“I
—
I’m fine.”

He gently held her face in his hands and studied her.
 
“You’ve been crying.”

Why did he have to look at her like that?
 
Why did he have to touch her?
 
“No.
 
I haven’t.
 
I’m just tired, that’s all.
 
It was a long flight.”
 
She pulled away and shoved the cosmetics back into her little bag, wishing he would just leave her alone.

He was acting so strangely.
 
One minute he was teasing her, then the next he was growling like an old bear, and now he seemed genuinely worried about her.
 
How was a girl supposed to handle all these weird signals?

He exhaled deeply.
 
“Be ready to leave in a few minutes.
 
I want to get that disk and get back to the States as soon as possible.”
 
He turned and left the bathroom.

Her shoulders slumped.
 
For a brief moment she had hoped there was something else there, something more, but she knew better.
 
There wasn’t any room in this game for a daydreaming woman in love with a man who was all wrong for her.
 
She had a job to do, and they had to do it together, like it or not.

“No can do, hubby,” she announced, as she stepped out of the bathroom, determined to get through this living nightmare.

“What?”

“Sorry, sweetem’s, but we can’t get the disk until tomorrow because of where it’s hidden.”
 
She casually strolled across the room to her bag and began to unpack.
 
“I’m starving by the way.
 
When can we go get some dinner?”

He flopped down in the chair behind her.
 
“You win.
 
This time.”

She contained her grin.
 
He didn’t like losing battles, but they really couldn’t go get the disk yet.
 
Her friend, Henri, lived a somewhat gigolo lifestyle and was never home in the evenings, nor would he rise until well after ten.
 
So they had to wait.
 
As hard as it would be to spend the idle time with Travis, it was unavoidable.

Yet using their detestable imaginary honeymoon as cover, they could make their way to Henri’s house without attracting attention.
 
She hoped.
 
This was a new facet to the game.
 
Hiding, she had gotten used to, sneaking around was something entirely different.

Travis escorted her to the hotel dinning room after making a stop at the concierge desk to exchange some money.
 
She silently suffered through the meal, furious with herself for secretly hoping he would tease her and use those endearments she liked so much, but he had only made a few idle comments about the cuisine.
 

It was probably for the best.
 
They were not a real couple.
 
A fact she had to get into her demented brain, but it would help if he’d quit looking at her with that goofy grin.

Their waiter returned and asked if they wanted coffee, to which they both replied with a solid no, but opted for an after dinner drink instead.
 
Obviously neither wanted anything to keep them awake all night.
 
The situation was awkward enough having to share a room.

Once their drinks arrived, Travis took several hefty swallows.
 
“So where are we headed tomorrow?”

“To Eze.
 
It’s a picturesque little village situated on top of a cliff not far from here.”
 
She paused and took a sip of her whiskey sour, concentrating on relaxing her taut nerves.
 
“It’s full of artists and craftsmen of all kinds.
 
It’s one of my favorite places,” she added absently.

“You’re going to lead me on a merry chase, aren’t you, bright eyes?”

“Who me?
 
Why would I ever want to do a thing like that?”
 
She added a beatific smile while batting her eyelashes.

He chuckled.
 
“I’ve always liked your smile, but I’d rather have a genuine one.”
 
He paused and let his gaze roam over her lazily.
 
“One like the smile you were wearing last night.”

Her pulse jumped up a notch.
 
She calmly took another sip of her drink to return it to normal.
 
“Eze is where the disk is,” she said, determined to stick to business and put their lovemaking completely from her mind.

He grinned crookedly then looked down at his glass as he twirled the tumbler between his long fingers.
 
“Care to tell me where, exactly?”

“No.
 
But it will be noon before we can retrieve it.”

With a nod, he finished his drink.
 
“Come on then.
 
Let’s get some sleep.
 
It sounds like we have a busy day tomorrow.”
 
He rose and pulled out her chair.

Their mutual silence returned as they made their way back to the room, but she felt as if he was storing up for something.
 
It was unnerving.
 
She preferred the teasing, talkative, often times grumbling Travis to the silent one with that odd look on his face.

Once they’d prepared for bed, he turned out the light with a muttered good night, and she replied in kind.
 
Listening to him slide beneath the covers, she imagined his warm body sliding in next to hers where she lay.
 

Stop thinking like that.
 
Yet her heart constantly whispered that she should hold onto him and never let go.

Henri, you had better be home tomorrow.
 
I can’t take much more of this
.

“Wake up, sleepy head.
 
Your breakfast is getting cold.”

She could smell the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee, but didn’t want to open her eyes yet and snuggled deeper under the covers.
 

“Rise and shine, bright eyes,” Travis said.

His cool fingers brushed her cheek, sending tingles down her neck to curl around her body in a teasing embrace.
 
She wanted to demand he not touch her, and at the same time beg him not to stop.
 

She felt his breath brush her ear.
 

“If you don’t get up, I’m going to lift you out of this bed and hold you under an ice cold shower,” he whispered.
 

“You wouldn’t,” she said groggily.

“Wouldn’t I?”
 
He chuckled softly and nipped at her earlobe.

She popped up in the bed, nearly colliding with his head.
 
“I’m up.
 
I’m up.”
 
Geez, talk about a wakeup call.

Her eyes wide, she looked around the room and found the source of the tantalizing aroma, driving the feel of his teeth on her ear from her mind.
 

A cart with coffee, sweet rolls, and covered dishes sat near one of the tall windows.
 
She glanced at her tormentor then promptly clamped her eyes shut.
 
He wasn’t wearing his shirt again and the top button of his jeans was left undone.
 

Why did he have to be so blasted gorgeous?
 
Why did her body have to crave him so much?
 
Why did her heart feel like it wouldn’t be able to beat again without him in her life?
 

The bed dipped as he sat on the bed beside her.

“Hey.”
 
He took her face in his hands.
 
“You okay?”

She pulled away, unable to bear his touch.
 
The memory of his hands against her skin, loving and caressing her body, tore at her heart.
 
She had to get control over her emotions.
 
“I’m fine.
 
I just a little tired is all.”

He sat silently for a moment, staring at her.
 
She steeled her nerves against his intense gaze.
 
Breakdown was not an option.
 
After another agonizing moment, he finally moved across the room to the breakfast cart.

“Maybe you’ll feel better after you eat.”
 
He lifted a carafe and poured two cups of coffee.

“Yes.
 
I’m sure I will.”

She slid out from under the covers and wrapped the large white bathrobe provided by the hotel around her like a cocoon.
 

He sat down and lifted the covers from the dishes.
 
“Looks pretty good, even though I didn’t prepare it,” he said with a grin.

“We wouldn’t be a little conceited, would we?”

“Nope.
 
Only observant.
 
A man in my profession learns to notice everything.
 
Now, eat up.
 
We have work to do.”

Everything?
 
Did he already suspect how she felt about him?
 
Was that why he kept looking at her so strangely, tiptoeing around her like a time bomb waiting to go off?
 

She forced a smile to her lips as she sat down to eat.
 
Whether he knew or not, didn’t matter, regardless of how humiliating it was.
 
When the job was done, they would go their separate ways, and she could put this episode of her life out of her mind.
 
Or at least try to.

After breakfast, they caught a cab to Eze.
 
The winding mountain road did nothing to ease her queasy stomach.
 
And to make matters worse, Travis found every opportunity to touch her and use those heart-wrenching endearments.
 
Her blasted nerves were knotted up tighter than ever before.
 
Every touch, every sweet word, deepened the fissure in her heart.
 
She wished he would go back to that goofy grin.
 

“So what’s the camera for?” she asked, not really caring one way or the other.
 
She needed a distraction.

“Don’t you want pictures of our honeymoon, sweetheart?”

Her stomach performed a fancy little two-step in time with her heart.
 
So much for distractions
.

The cab finally stopped in front of the two lookout towers at the entrance to the city.
 
She bolted from the taxi and took several deep, cleansing breaths.
 

Travis paid the cab driver then snatched up her hand.

“Must you hold my hand?” she mumbled out of the corner of her mouth.

“I must.”
 
With a sparkle of mischief in his eyes, he pressed a light kiss to the back of her fingers.

“Don’t you think you’re taking your role a little too seriously?” she asked grouchily, hoping to mask the flush of desire washing over her.
 

All humor vanished from his face.
 
He slipped his other hand to the nape of her neck and pulled her against his broad chest.
 
“Not as seriously as I would like.”

Her lips parted in shock as she stared into his heated gaze then dropped her attention to his wonderful lips, clearly remembering what they could do to her.
 
Before she could catch the breath he had stolen, his mouth descended upon hers in a searing kiss.
 
A kiss that was over entirely too soon.

She swallowed hard, trying to understand what was happening and at the same time wishing it was real.
 

As coolly as possible, she said, “I don’t think that was necessary.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.
 
And anyway, you asked me to kiss you.”
 
He ran his thumb across her bottom lip.

She tried to shake her head to deny his claim, but she couldn’t move.
 
Only the faintest squeak of protest escaped her trembling lips.

“Yes, you did.
 
Believe me,” he murmured huskily then brushed his lips against hers.
 
“But I think we should start walking before we cause a scene.”
 

He pulled her in step beside him and strolled between the towers.
 
Her body went numbly along while her mind was left in total chaos.
 
Why was he doing this to her?
 
What could he possibly hope to gain?
 
A quick little romance and a see-you-later?
 
She didn’t want those things.
 
She didn’t want the teasing taste of forever only to have it ripped away again.