contented sigh and opened her
eyes. “You’ve got two more days on your vacation. Wait and see how much they
increase your challenge before thinking we’ve got anyone scared.”
“Maybe three days,” he said. “I
should hear from my agent this morning as to whether or not they’re going to
add the extra day.”
An extra day with him would give
her less time to think about what it was going to be like when he was gone.
“How are your bruises?” she asked.
“A little tender, but the
bionanobots did a great job.”
“It didn’t seem to bother you
last night.” Butterflies flitted inside her stomach at the memory of their
quick shower while they’d waited for a new pair of trousers to be sent up.
Brent knew how to get wet…how to get her wet.
“Neither did your wrist.” He
winked.
She raised her champagne glass.
“You’re good medicine.”
He did the same. “As you are.”
They clinked glasses, and Fontana
lifted the glass to her lips. She slowed in washing down the chocolate and
croissant, startled by the contented warmth that rippled through her. The
uncertainty of whether or not the cartel had found her and the unknown identity
of their attacker had her worried. But she couldn’t deny that Brent made her
happy. How much fallout would there be when they parted company? Did they have
to part company?
Guilt surfaced. Could she so
easily forget Jenny? No. She would stop the Track Cartel from intercepting
Jenny’s remains before she reached Earth—which meant her time here on
Sagitariun with Brent would be all they had.
“Maybe we should make the first
move.” Brent’s voice broke into her thoughts.
Fontana nodded and took another
bite of her chocolate croissant. “What do you mean?”
“Why not pay the Bull another
visit?”
“The code probably isn’t there
anymore.”
A waiter-bot trundled up to the
table. “A message arrived for you, sir.”
“I’ll view it here,” Brent said.
The table surface glowed under his plate. He slid the plate aside and read.
“It’s from my agent.” His eyes moved across the screen another moment; then he
looked up. “She wants to see me. That’s never happened before. Do you think
they’ll cancel my contract because we’re working together?”
“If she does, we can lie around
in bed for the rest of your vacation.” She could use the memories to warm her
on her next assignment.
His eyes darkened. “True. Then
start all over again when we get back home.”
When we got back home?
Fontana reached for her glass,
then cursed the tremble in her hand. She willed her fingers into submission and
lifted the glass to her mouth. “Where’s home?”
“New Mexico, Santa Fe, when I’m
on Earth. I just finished a contract on a Coalition outpost out in the Minor
Magellanic Cloud, so I don’t know where I’ll be next. How about you?”
Her heart squeezed. Wherever they
sent her, she would be far from New Mexico. Fontana set the glass back on the
table. “I’m between jobs too.” Technically, not a lie. She wouldn’t know where
she was going to live when she got her next assignment.
“You can spend some time at my
place until one of us has to take off.” He stuffed the last of his croissant
into his mouth and finished off his mimosa. “I better go. You want to share a
cab?” He waggled his brows.
Fontana laughed. “At the rate
we’re going, we’ll have tourists watching for our every cab ride.” She waved
him off. “You go. I’m going to finish these croissants. Beep me at my room.”
“Sure thing.” He dropped a kiss
on her forehead, then headed for the street.
Fontana watched as he hailed a
cab, then poured himself into the backseat. He grinned at her and then was
gone. Just like he would be in three days.
Chapter Twelve
In her hotel room, Fontana stared
at the screen of her videophone. An hour ago, she’d been sitting with Brent in
the French Quarter contemplating home. Five minutes ago, she’d been giddy
eyes. “You’ve got two more days on your vacation. Wait and see how much they
increase your challenge before thinking we’ve got anyone scared.”
“Maybe three days,” he said. “I
should hear from my agent this morning as to whether or not they’re going to
add the extra day.”
An extra day with him would give
her less time to think about what it was going to be like when he was gone.
“How are your bruises?” she asked.
“A little tender, but the
bionanobots did a great job.”
“It didn’t seem to bother you
last night.” Butterflies flitted inside her stomach at the memory of their
quick shower while they’d waited for a new pair of trousers to be sent up.
Brent knew how to get wet…how to get her wet.
“Neither did your wrist.” He
winked.
She raised her champagne glass.
“You’re good medicine.”
He did the same. “As you are.”
They clinked glasses, and Fontana
lifted the glass to her lips. She slowed in washing down the chocolate and
croissant, startled by the contented warmth that rippled through her. The
uncertainty of whether or not the cartel had found her and the unknown identity
of their attacker had her worried. But she couldn’t deny that Brent made her
happy. How much fallout would there be when they parted company? Did they have
to part company?
Guilt surfaced. Could she so
easily forget Jenny? No. She would stop the Track Cartel from intercepting
Jenny’s remains before she reached Earth—which meant her time here on
Sagitariun with Brent would be all they had.
“Maybe we should make the first
move.” Brent’s voice broke into her thoughts.
Fontana nodded and took another
bite of her chocolate croissant. “What do you mean?”
“Why not pay the Bull another
visit?”
“The code probably isn’t there
anymore.”
A waiter-bot trundled up to the
table. “A message arrived for you, sir.”
“I’ll view it here,” Brent said.
The table surface glowed under his plate. He slid the plate aside and read.
“It’s from my agent.” His eyes moved across the screen another moment; then he
looked up. “She wants to see me. That’s never happened before. Do you think
they’ll cancel my contract because we’re working together?”
“If she does, we can lie around
in bed for the rest of your vacation.” She could use the memories to warm her
on her next assignment.
His eyes darkened. “True. Then
start all over again when we get back home.”
When we got back home?
Fontana reached for her glass,
then cursed the tremble in her hand. She willed her fingers into submission and
lifted the glass to her mouth. “Where’s home?”
“New Mexico, Santa Fe, when I’m
on Earth. I just finished a contract on a Coalition outpost out in the Minor
Magellanic Cloud, so I don’t know where I’ll be next. How about you?”
Her heart squeezed. Wherever they
sent her, she would be far from New Mexico. Fontana set the glass back on the
table. “I’m between jobs too.” Technically, not a lie. She wouldn’t know where
she was going to live when she got her next assignment.
“You can spend some time at my
place until one of us has to take off.” He stuffed the last of his croissant
into his mouth and finished off his mimosa. “I better go. You want to share a
cab?” He waggled his brows.
Fontana laughed. “At the rate
we’re going, we’ll have tourists watching for our every cab ride.” She waved
him off. “You go. I’m going to finish these croissants. Beep me at my room.”
“Sure thing.” He dropped a kiss
on her forehead, then headed for the street.
Fontana watched as he hailed a
cab, then poured himself into the backseat. He grinned at her and then was
gone. Just like he would be in three days.
Chapter Twelve
In her hotel room, Fontana stared
at the screen of her videophone. An hour ago, she’d been sitting with Brent in
the French Quarter contemplating home. Five minutes ago, she’d been giddy
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