Page 19

Chapter

Seventeen

The next three days were filled with adventure, delight, and all things Robbie. Alice loved the mountain bike rides and hikes, delving into the scenery and being part of it. They also paraglided, soaring down the lush mountainside, which wasn’t quite as inspiring as soaring in Robbie’s arms.

They visited botanical gardens, churches, and castles, soaked in thermal baths, toured medieval old towns, and sauntered along promenades. The manmade architecture, history, and God’s landscape were epic, memories she’d carry with her forever.

She felt safe in this oasis, but especially with Robbie. This time was a world removed from the pain and fear of what her normal life had become since Big Buddha had begun his attacks.

The standouts were the stunning alpine Lake Braies with its gorgeous emerald green water, Bolzano with its vineyards, and Alpe di Siusi with the largest high-altitude alpine meadow in Europe. They were all storybook perfect.

The gorgeous house they were staying in and the nearby town of Brixen were Alice’s absolute favorite spots.

She didn’t think anything could be better than her dreams of Venice, but this was.

If she could shirk her responsibilities back at home, she’d relocate here and never look back.

She treasured each evening with Robbie as they swam in the pool, kissed, and teased.

She wasn’t certain what was happening to her or if she should let it happen, but she couldn’t stop her heart from opening to Robbie and letting him dive right in.

Just like he dove into the pool and swept her into his arms and against his chest while she laughed in delight.

Thursday was Juneteenth, and all the fears and worries crashed into her when she woke that morning. Robbie showed her his friend Ollie’s research. Big Buddha had put another hit out on Robbie, but they didn’t know where they were. Last known location was listed as Venice.

Still, to ease her fears and stay safe, they decided to stay at the house all day with the guards on high alert. They played board games, read books, swam in the pool, and watched a movie in the theater. It was relaxing and fun because of Robbie.

Friday was their last full day. The next morning, Saturday, they would fly home.

Alice pushed that impending deadline away.

She’d been able to escape from Big Buddha, the death surrounding her, work and the stress of building up her own business and clientele, and even the worries over her mother’s health and how her mother would hate hearing that Robbie was back in her life.

In this idyllic paradise and time warp, all that mattered was Robbie and the joy of being together.

After making sure the hit on Robbie had been removed with another holiday behind them, they toured Val Gardena and Corina d’Ampezzo, alpine towns known for their snow-skiing, but on this beautiful June day they were blossoming with flowers, fertile, green, and gorgeous.

After a delicious dinner of wood-fired pizza, every bit as good as the pizza in Venice, they relaxed in the warm swimming pool. They weren’t swimming tonight, simply cuddled close and looking out at the view. Alice savored their closeness and wanted to push tomorrow away as long as they could.

“Alice.” Robbie eased away from her and turned so they were facing each other, one hand on her hip. “How are we going to keep our relationship strong when we go back home? ”

Alice’s eyes widened. He’d gone there. Was it finally time to face tomorrow?

She loved Robbie’s take-charge attitude. In his mind, they would keep their relationship strong. Yet they hadn’t fifteen years ago. He’d walked away, and she’d let him go. She’d lost all trust in him.

Her shoulders sagged, and she bit at her lip. “I don’t know.”

“What are you worried about?”

“What am I not worried about?” She backed into the wall of the swimming pool.

They weren’t touching any longer, and a wall of thicker rock than the unique cave-looking wall between the swimming pool and the theater room instantly sprung up between them.

Their reprieve from real life was over, and it was all crashing down on her head.

“I’m worried about your career, my career, my mother, Big Buddha murdering you, you walking away and not contacting me for fifteen years again, you being killed on an assignment.

” She drew in a sharp breath. “Tell me how I can’t worry about any of those things. ”

Robbie nodded. “They’re all legitimate concerns, but Alice … I can’t lose you again. After almost being killed on Saturday night, I knew I had to fight for us. Thank you for letting us grow close this past week.” He swallowed. “I love you, Alice. I don’t want to be without you.”

Her heart took off at a gallop. She loved him too, but love and real life were at odds. She could only stare at him. “Robbie, you’re a grounded and tough and practical man. Surely you can see that we don’t stand a chance.”

“Please don’t say that.” He eased closer, pinning her next to the wall with his large body.

His firm body made her pulse spike, but she couldn’t let him distract her with kisses that would be heavenly and relieve her fears but wouldn’t solve any of their issues.

“My career is busy and demanding, but I will buy a condo near your place in Atlanta and come home every chance I get.”

She nodded, though she doubted it would be enough.

What if they married and had children? Would she raise them as a single mother with a husband and father who came home for ‘visits’?

After losing her father at an impressionable age, she’d always wanted a partner who would be there for her children .

She was speeding away with her thoughts.

“I’ll support you in your career,” he said. “With the hundred thousand you earn this week, the savings I’ve built up over the past fifteen years, and the million dollars I’ll earn when you tell Brandon and Madelyne how you fell in love with me…” He paused and smirked.

She smacked her palm against his warm chest. “Don’t be too confident about that one.”

He only smiled, wrapping his hand around hers and holding it against his chest. “You’ll have plenty of money to get your firm going, and we both know you’ll excel with your talent and work ethic.”

“Thank you,” Alice managed. She had all kinds of ideas and visions from these two weeks surrounded by beauty created by heaven and man.

If money for office space, employees, and advertising wasn’t a factor, she could soar with her business.

“But I don’t need your savings or that million dollars. The hundred thousand will be plenty.”

“I want you to have it.” His blue eyes seared into her. “It’s just another way for me to show that I’m supporting you and want to be united in every way.”

Her pulse spiked and her stomach gave a happy flip. Money wasn’t close to the top of her priority list, but she wanted to be united in every way as well.

“I’ll find a way to win your mom over too,” he said, though he looked uncertain for the first time.

Alice prayed that could happen, but she didn’t hold out a lot of hope.

Her mother was stubborn. The only people she liked were Alice, Priscilla Lavity, her son Preston, and sometimes Emeline.

She’d reserved a special kind of loathing for Robbie, stronger even than her dislike for Jack, Natalie, Ruby, and Odie.

Alice hated to admit it, but Robbie had probable cause to suspect her mother for their deaths.

Though she knew her mother adored her and would never hurt her so deeply or murder anyone, she definitely had more motivation than anyone else.

“Big Buddha will make a mistake and we’ll catch him,” Robbie said. “I’ll have Aiden’s people surround me on July Fourth. His tech expert, Ollie, is using all his skills to track who put the hit out on the web. ”

“Could he really find him?”

“I think so. If not that way, he’s exploring other money trails.”

She drew in a breath and pushed it out. “Robbie … I want to be with you, every minute, but the safest path, at least until your friend finds a way to track Big Buddha or the police or FBI capture him, is to not let anyone know we’re back together.

Can we meet in secret until I know you’re safe?

” And it would give her time to get her mother used to the idea so she wouldn’t be horrible to him when Alice brought him around.

“I couldn’t live with myself if he killed you too. ”

Robbie released her hand and stepped back.

He leaned slightly forward and flexed his chest and arm muscles.

“Alice.” His serious tone contradicted the smirk on his lips and the teasing flex.

“You have no idea how well-trained I am. I have no fear of some wraith who hides behind hired hit men. I’m stronger and better equipped to fight than most men on the earth.

We’ve stayed safe with me unarmed and unprepared here in Europe. I’ll easily protect you at home.”

“Robbie. Stop,” she begged. She fully appreciated how strong he was, but it was terrifying that he thought he could stay safe. “This isn’t about protecting me. The guy isn’t after me. He’s after anyone I love.”

Hope flared in his gaze. “You … love me?”

“Robbie.” She shook her head, turning to climb out of the pool and run from the searching look in his bright blue eyes.

She didn’t move fast enough. It wasn’t a surprise with how quick Robbie could move. He swooped her against his chest, and she felt weightless in the pool water and being held by him.

“Alice, please say we have a chance. I told you I wouldn’t let the beard come between us. I won’t let a killer or my work come between us either. We’ll find a way. Please say you love me like I love you.”

“Robbie, I want to be with you, love you, build a future together. But you devastated me when you left fifteen years ago. Even if you can stay safe, how do we know that won’t happen again?”

“We won’t let it happen,” he promised. “We’re mature adults now, with experience and pain that has taught us lessons. I won’t walk away, and we won’t let anything come between us.”

Alice stared at him. Anything? Did he think her mother wouldn’t try to come between them?

How would she manage that sticky relationship?

Her mother would be furious to find out Robbie was back in her life.

What about his demanding and perilous career?

How could that not come between them when he flew to some dangerous third-world country to infiltrate traffickers, drug lords, and crime bosses?

What about Big Buddha wanting to kill him?

It would only take one bullet from a hit man or asphyxiation like poor Odie or some other awful method of death.

Robbie didn’t wait for her to agree. He bent his head and claimed her lips with his.

Alice arched up into the kiss, deepening it and clinging to this man she loved.

For this moment, all the worries and risks floated away. She savored his kiss in their sanctuary and hoped her response conveyed how deeply she loved him. She did love him, but tomorrow all the pain, and the fears, and real life would rear its ugly head.

She kissed him more fiercely, pushing tomorrow away. For now.