Between the Lines by Jayne Ann Krentz Page A

Ozzie had actually intended to use physical persuasion. Amber frowned as she walked off the airplane. Perhaps nothing would have happened, she told herself. Gray was right; it would have been awkward to go to the police. No real threats had been made, and she had interrupted the proceedings before the two young men could demonstrate how far they meant to go in their efforts to convince Gray to accept the bribe.
    "Do you think Delaney's likely to send Roger and Oz after us?" she asked as Gray led her toward a cab.
    "No. Delaney's too smart to move off his own turf." He deposited Amber into the cab and told the driver to take them to the nearest large hotel.
    "Did you know he was the type to resort to bribery and muscle-bound assistants when you took the Symington job?"
    Gray shook his head. "You never know who will become the 'type' when he gets desperate. Delaney's no fool, though. He made a try and it didn't work. He'll back off now. After all, he'll be traumatized by the thought of having to deal with my 'bodyguard.'"
    "It was a pretty good act, wasn't it?" Amber said with satisfaction. The farther she got from Tucson, the more euphoric she felt. She knew already she wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight. She was far too wound up, far too excited.
    "There was only one small flaw in your act," Gray informed her blandly.
    Amber was offended. "What was that?"
    He looked across the seat at her. "What was all that nonsense about not being my wife?" he asked softly.
    Amber blinked. "Oh, that. I thought it sounded more authentic to say I wasn't your wife. How many men marry their bodyguards?"
    "I have no idea," he retorted dryly.
    "If you want to know the truth," Amber announced recklessly, "I don't feel like much of a wife, anyway. As far as I can tell the only thing that's changed in our relationship is my last name. You were the one who requested the two bedrooms, weren't you? We didn't just happen to get that suite by accident."
    Gray sighed. "No, we didn't just happen to get it by accident. I thought it was for the best."
    Amber turned to stare out the window at the lights of Phoenix in the distance. For a moment she thought Gray might say something else, but the cab turned into the drive of a large chain hotel and there was no further opportunity for conversation.
    A few minutes later she watched Gray pay the cab-driver. She was still riding the wave of restless, adrenaline-induced energy as they walked into the hotel lobby. She was feeling a little nervy, a little reckless. It was then that Amber had what she chose to think of as her second major inspiration of the evening. As soon as the idea struck, she acted on it. She didn't want to give herself a chance to think.
    "I'll check in for us," she announced breezily.
    Gray shot her a swift glance. He was already halfway to the front desk. "Why?"
    "Because I've still got all my identification and charge cards in my own name," she explained with a knowing smile. "If Delaney does decide to track us down, he won't be looking for a couple checked in under the name Langley, will he?"
    "You're really getting into this, aren't you?"
    "It could be I was cut out for a life of action and adventure."
    "Uh-huh." Gray sounded distinctly skeptical. "Just don't get too carried away with that notion. Go ahead and check in for us if you want. I don't think Delaney's likely to look for us, but if it will make you feel any better, I don't mind."
    "Good. You can reimburse me later. This is, after all, a business expense."
    "I'll want itemized receipts" he warned.
    "You'll get them."
    He nodded. "While you're handling that, I'm going to pick up a newspaper from the newsstand. I'll be right back." He walked off.
    Amber sucked in her breath and marched to the front desk. "A room with one double bed," she announced quite clearly to the attendant. "For my husband and myself."
    She almost lost her nerve as the woman behind the front desk quickly assigned her a room. Amber received the keys with an