to Thailand after this fiasco? Plus, when will I get another month off work?”
Jack shrugged. “For your next honeymoon – you’re real one.”
Brushing the bangs over my forehead wouldn’t hide the blush that crept up my cheeks. “I’d have to find a husband first.”
“That might be easier than you think.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the waitress approached right on time.
My old engagement ring sparkled on my finger, and I frowned at the golden band and the little diamond centered in the middle. Jack loved me and I loved him, but if we didn’t survive this I never would get married. Plus, he never said he wanted to marry anyone.
Way to cheer yourself up, Tilda!
“What are you thinking about?” he asked and took my hand in his. His large palm engulfed mine.
I shook my head and forced myself to smile. “Nothing important. But I want this to last, Jack. Let’s stay here as long as we can. And you have to tell me what you had in store for me. I doubt I’d agree to most of it.”
He flashed white teeth. “You didn’t want to swim naked on the coast?”
Fire seared over my cheeks. “What? No! Even if you like me naked, I don’t think the other people on the beach would.”
“Nonsense. Plus, it’s a private beach. Oh, and we were going to ride an elephant through the jungle. You’d have liked that.”
I laughed. “An elephant? I can’t even ride a horse!”
“Bigger animal—bigger saddle. It’s easy, love. Oh, and then there was the boat ride.”
Shaking my head, I smiled. “I’ve had enough boats to last me a lifetime.”
“Fair enough.” He brought my hand to his lips, kissing it. Then the cheerful smile slipped away.
My heart pounded. Just when everything felt normal for once life had to mess it up again.
I glanced behind me. Did the bad guys find us? “What?”
“You can’t tell them the truth at the consulate, Mattie. At least not the whole truth.”
Yanking my hand from his grip, I frowned. “You want me to lie to the U.S. government?”
The lines around his eyes pinched, and he ran his hand through his hair. “A little, yes. They can’t know I’m here – just trust me on this. You can tell them the men were human traffickers but not about me. All right?”
No. It wasn’t all right, but I couldn’t say that. His mission was more important that a little lie. “What should I tell them?”
We spent the rest of breakfast discussing a good cover story and working out the details. So much for our perfect last meal in Thailand together .
With that settled we took a tuk-tuk to the consulate. The squat building sat at the corner of a busy road surrounded by larger, more impressive neighbors. An armed guard stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette.
I frowned from across the street. “That’s it?”
“What did you expect?” Jack asked and raised an eyebrow.
“Something bigger. How are they supposed to protect me? What if those bad guys see me go inside?” I didn’t know why I kept arguing. I’d have to leave him eventually, but my stomach clenched every time I thought about it.
“They won’t. We haven’t been followed, as far as I can tell. You just have to tell them the story we worked out. They’ll take care of you.”
Shielding my eyes from the sun, I glanced at his handsome face. “You won’t even walk me to the door?”
Frowning, he shook his head. “This is as far as I go, Mattie.”
He couldn’t tell me anyway so I didn’t ask why. “What if they don’t believe me? I don’t have any ID and my phone’s almost dead.”
Tears threatened my eyes again, but I held them back.
“They’ll believe you. You’re a wonderful actress. And you’ll be safe in their hands – I wouldn’t release you to them otherwise.”
His words didn’t make me feel better, but what more could I do? I gripped his biceps and stood on my toes, leaning into him for one last kiss. Our lips sizzled as they met, my heart aching
Jack shrugged. “For your next honeymoon – you’re real one.”
Brushing the bangs over my forehead wouldn’t hide the blush that crept up my cheeks. “I’d have to find a husband first.”
“That might be easier than you think.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the waitress approached right on time.
My old engagement ring sparkled on my finger, and I frowned at the golden band and the little diamond centered in the middle. Jack loved me and I loved him, but if we didn’t survive this I never would get married. Plus, he never said he wanted to marry anyone.
Way to cheer yourself up, Tilda!
“What are you thinking about?” he asked and took my hand in his. His large palm engulfed mine.
I shook my head and forced myself to smile. “Nothing important. But I want this to last, Jack. Let’s stay here as long as we can. And you have to tell me what you had in store for me. I doubt I’d agree to most of it.”
He flashed white teeth. “You didn’t want to swim naked on the coast?”
Fire seared over my cheeks. “What? No! Even if you like me naked, I don’t think the other people on the beach would.”
“Nonsense. Plus, it’s a private beach. Oh, and we were going to ride an elephant through the jungle. You’d have liked that.”
I laughed. “An elephant? I can’t even ride a horse!”
“Bigger animal—bigger saddle. It’s easy, love. Oh, and then there was the boat ride.”
Shaking my head, I smiled. “I’ve had enough boats to last me a lifetime.”
“Fair enough.” He brought my hand to his lips, kissing it. Then the cheerful smile slipped away.
My heart pounded. Just when everything felt normal for once life had to mess it up again.
I glanced behind me. Did the bad guys find us? “What?”
“You can’t tell them the truth at the consulate, Mattie. At least not the whole truth.”
Yanking my hand from his grip, I frowned. “You want me to lie to the U.S. government?”
The lines around his eyes pinched, and he ran his hand through his hair. “A little, yes. They can’t know I’m here – just trust me on this. You can tell them the men were human traffickers but not about me. All right?”
No. It wasn’t all right, but I couldn’t say that. His mission was more important that a little lie. “What should I tell them?”
We spent the rest of breakfast discussing a good cover story and working out the details. So much for our perfect last meal in Thailand together .
With that settled we took a tuk-tuk to the consulate. The squat building sat at the corner of a busy road surrounded by larger, more impressive neighbors. An armed guard stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette.
I frowned from across the street. “That’s it?”
“What did you expect?” Jack asked and raised an eyebrow.
“Something bigger. How are they supposed to protect me? What if those bad guys see me go inside?” I didn’t know why I kept arguing. I’d have to leave him eventually, but my stomach clenched every time I thought about it.
“They won’t. We haven’t been followed, as far as I can tell. You just have to tell them the story we worked out. They’ll take care of you.”
Shielding my eyes from the sun, I glanced at his handsome face. “You won’t even walk me to the door?”
Frowning, he shook his head. “This is as far as I go, Mattie.”
He couldn’t tell me anyway so I didn’t ask why. “What if they don’t believe me? I don’t have any ID and my phone’s almost dead.”
Tears threatened my eyes again, but I held them back.
“They’ll believe you. You’re a wonderful actress. And you’ll be safe in their hands – I wouldn’t release you to them otherwise.”
His words didn’t make me feel better, but what more could I do? I gripped his biceps and stood on my toes, leaning into him for one last kiss. Our lips sizzled as they met, my heart aching
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