latch. She finger-combed her hair—not doinga thing to change the bed-head look—and emerged just as room service knocked on the door. With an about-face, she disappeared back into the bathroom, leaving the door casually half-closed and making sure she wasn’t visible in the mirror. When she came out again, she attacked dinner with a vengeance. Venison loin over a cinnamon and butternut waffle…heavenly. Halfway through the meal, she looked up at Chandler and, with no premeditation whatsoever, said, “Who was it?”
He gave her a startled glance, as well he might. Placing his fork and its cargo of crispy duck at the side of his plate, he said, “Who was who?” and then winced. “Pretend I didn’t say it that way.”
She grinned at him. He wasn’t so bad when he wasn’t taking himself so seriously. She remembered his words, used them back on him. “What fiery creative type pissed you off so badly that you’re still taking it out on the rest of us?”
“Ah.” Instantly he sobered. He played with the fork a moment and then pushed the plate away. With obvious effort, he kept his voice light. He didn’t fool Beth for an instant. He said, “Someone I was involved with. She made a decision without consulting me. I guess I still wonder…daughter or son? So did she, I gather…she couldn’t face what she’d done, in the end.”
Beth couldn’t help her aghast expression. “She—” and then didn’t finish. There was no point. It was obvious what the woman had done…and what it had done to him. She watched the play of muscle in his cheek and jaw and then said, “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have asked if I’d thought…” If I’d thought I would get such a straight answer.
He managed to look at her. “You owe me one, then.Who was it? Who made you so resentful of us poor schmucks and our rules?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” she said, and smiled beatifically at him. “Everyone. But at some point I figured out it never works when you try to play it someone else’s way. You can’t ever truly fit what it is they have in mind. Much easier to go my own way.”
“Lonely, I should think,” he said.
Okay, that stung a little. “Sometimes, maybe. But the price is too high to do it any other way.” She flexed her bare toes and used a finely controlled foot to snatch the flip-flips from the bed even as she eyed the last item on her plate. Dessert. Mmm, thank you for that.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have savored it so openly…every spoonful of the crème brûlée allowed to melt away in her mouth, relished to the fullest. She knew he watched, but only when she glanced up with the last spoonful in her mouth did she see the intensity of his gaze.
She thought he probably didn’t do much undercover work. Not with his nature, not with the way his feelings showed so clearly on his face and on every line of his body. A second glance confirmed it. Oh, yes, every line.
Beth sighed. Another day, another mission, and she might not be so eager to get out of this room.
Or on the other hand, maybe she would. Spending time with Jason Chandler…she didn’t think it could be just another fling. Not with that face, telling her everything she needed to know. Not with the way she felt herself responding to him, even now. That lovely sweatsuit suddenly seemed just a little too warm, and her pulse pounded in places that took her by surprise.
Lucky for her it was time to run. Not to make a big deal of it, as she put the food tray on the floor and shoved it aside with her foot so she could stand and bend overthe bed, folding the dress away in a neat roll, and looping the heel straps of the shoes through the clip on the sling pack strap meant for keys. The PDA wasn’t charged yet, but she unplugged it and stashed it away in its neat leather wallet. “You’re not asking me questions,” she said, and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth with hotel toothpaste and her finger.
He sounded a little strained, which made her
He gave her a startled glance, as well he might. Placing his fork and its cargo of crispy duck at the side of his plate, he said, “Who was who?” and then winced. “Pretend I didn’t say it that way.”
She grinned at him. He wasn’t so bad when he wasn’t taking himself so seriously. She remembered his words, used them back on him. “What fiery creative type pissed you off so badly that you’re still taking it out on the rest of us?”
“Ah.” Instantly he sobered. He played with the fork a moment and then pushed the plate away. With obvious effort, he kept his voice light. He didn’t fool Beth for an instant. He said, “Someone I was involved with. She made a decision without consulting me. I guess I still wonder…daughter or son? So did she, I gather…she couldn’t face what she’d done, in the end.”
Beth couldn’t help her aghast expression. “She—” and then didn’t finish. There was no point. It was obvious what the woman had done…and what it had done to him. She watched the play of muscle in his cheek and jaw and then said, “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have asked if I’d thought…” If I’d thought I would get such a straight answer.
He managed to look at her. “You owe me one, then.Who was it? Who made you so resentful of us poor schmucks and our rules?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” she said, and smiled beatifically at him. “Everyone. But at some point I figured out it never works when you try to play it someone else’s way. You can’t ever truly fit what it is they have in mind. Much easier to go my own way.”
“Lonely, I should think,” he said.
Okay, that stung a little. “Sometimes, maybe. But the price is too high to do it any other way.” She flexed her bare toes and used a finely controlled foot to snatch the flip-flips from the bed even as she eyed the last item on her plate. Dessert. Mmm, thank you for that.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have savored it so openly…every spoonful of the crème brûlée allowed to melt away in her mouth, relished to the fullest. She knew he watched, but only when she glanced up with the last spoonful in her mouth did she see the intensity of his gaze.
She thought he probably didn’t do much undercover work. Not with his nature, not with the way his feelings showed so clearly on his face and on every line of his body. A second glance confirmed it. Oh, yes, every line.
Beth sighed. Another day, another mission, and she might not be so eager to get out of this room.
Or on the other hand, maybe she would. Spending time with Jason Chandler…she didn’t think it could be just another fling. Not with that face, telling her everything she needed to know. Not with the way she felt herself responding to him, even now. That lovely sweatsuit suddenly seemed just a little too warm, and her pulse pounded in places that took her by surprise.
Lucky for her it was time to run. Not to make a big deal of it, as she put the food tray on the floor and shoved it aside with her foot so she could stand and bend overthe bed, folding the dress away in a neat roll, and looping the heel straps of the shoes through the clip on the sling pack strap meant for keys. The PDA wasn’t charged yet, but she unplugged it and stashed it away in its neat leather wallet. “You’re not asking me questions,” she said, and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth with hotel toothpaste and her finger.
He sounded a little strained, which made her
Similar Books
