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In the meantime, he had to keep Bethany occupied and away from any communication devices.
He sighed.There would be hell to pay when she found out.He had no intention of keeping them from her long-term.Only until he knew he could come clean without jeopardizing her safety.
She sighed in his arms, and his heart turned over.
He fucking adored her.She was the blood in his veins.The light in the darkness that he’d never thought he’d escape.
She was his life.
She stirred and he realized he held her too tightly.Forcing himself to loosen his hold, he listened to her sleep.
Nothing could be allowed to touch her.
Nothing.
* * *
“We’ve organized your chefs to prepare your meals at eight.Please let your hostesses know if you’d prefer to change the time.”
“I hope the chefs make more than just Thai noodles.I’m off carbs for the foreseeable future,” Olga pouted, more than a trace of malice in her eyes as she watched Bethany.
As far as she was concerned, she’d made her point with Olga.So Bethany smiled.“I’ll personally let the chef know to keep the carbs off your menu, Olga.”Keeping her smile professional, she turned her attention to the rest of the guests.“Then we head out for cocktails at the Vertigo Bar before midnight.”
They’d been in Bangkok for half a day.Everyone had had a chance to relax at the exclusive hotel spa and napped for a couple of hours to offset jet lag.
Four hours ago, a designer had arrived to take the female guests’ measurements for evening gowns, which were due back at six.
Once the dresses had arrived, Bethany had personally delivered the gowns and gotten a kick out of seeing each woman’s delight in return.She was trying on her own, after dinner and a quick shower, when Zach walked in.
The red and gold gown was made of heavy silk with a thigh split that showed a whole lot of leg when she moved.The high neck and collar were demure enough, but the severe cut at the shoulders left her arms and most of her back bare.
“You’re looking pretty pleased with yourself, Peaches.”
Her gaze connected with his in the mirror, and her heart did another crazy whirling.“I haven’t fucked up your trip so far.So yes, I’m pleased.”
He stopped behind her, pulled up her zipper and slid his hands over her hips.
“Have a little faith in yourself.I do.”
Her heart skipped several beats as his hands gripped her hips in a possessive hold.“You on a brownie point hunt, Savage?”
His eyes remained serious and intense.“Always.I never want to run out.”His eyes drifted down her body.“That dress looks incredible on you,” he breathed in her ear.
She shivered.“Thank you.You don’t look so bad yourself.”His evening jacket sat perfectly on his broad-shouldered frame, and the open collar of his grey silk shirt gave him an air of urbane sophistication that would most definitely draw female eyes.She tried not to think about that.“I thought you’d gone up to the Krug and cigar bar with the guys?”
“No,” he answered simply.They remained like that for another minute, devouring each other and letting their eyes say the words neither was ready to spill yet.Zach’s hand drifted down to the bracelet he’d given her for her birthday.He raised her wrist and placed a soft kiss on her skin, just below the bracelet.
Again, she sensed that air of restless watchfulness about him that she’d caught occasional glimpses of since they’d left Amalfi.
“Is something wrong, Zach?”She shook her head and corrected herself.“Something else I should know about?”
One corner of his mouth twisted up as he trailed his fingers up her arms.“Would you be satisfied with a same-bullshit-different-day answer?”Despite his offhand remark, a dark emotion throbbed in his voice that made her anxiety escalate.
“General bullshit or specific?”She didn’t think that outside of what was happening with Farrah’s brother and the non-disclosure situation Zach was the sort of man to worry about the outcome of any problem.
He loved challenges.He thrived on the adrenaline rush of tackling the impossible and besting it.It was what had made him the powerful, charismatic man he was today.
The only thing he didn’t relish was tackling the subject of jeopardizing the fragile connection they were building.