“How much longer do you think before they tell you?”
“Not long. Whatever they’re planning has something to do with the Olympics. Or possibly this European tour. It won’t be long now.”
“Oh, Jake, I’m so frightened for you.”
“We’ve got to stay strong, Maggie. We’ve got to hope Daniel can find a way to stop them.”
Maggie nodded and blinked back tears.
More pain,Jake thought.All I’ve ever brought her is pain.
Maggie absently stirred her coffee, which had to be cold by now. He could see how worried she was.
“You’d better go back,” he said. “Before someone sees us together.”
“I don’t want to go back. Isn’t there someplace we’d be safe? Someplace we could go?”
Jake hesitated. The loneliness in her eyes matched the ache in his heart. He wasn’t sure how many more chances they’d have to be together.
“There’s a small hotel just down the street. If we’re lucky, maybe they’ll have a room.”
Maggie smiled so brightly his chest clamped down.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Leaving money for the coffee, Jake grabbed her coat and settled it across her shoulders, then guided her toward the door. It felt good just to be close to her.
Outside the tavern, the streets were wet, reflecting the lights of passing cars. The damp seemed to sink into his bones. Jake guided Maggie down the sidewalk to the hotel, and she waited in the tiny hotel lobby while he signed the registry Mrs. and Mrs. Stevens.
The minute the door to their small upstairs room closed behind them, she turned into his arms, and he felt the coldness of her cheek against his.
“I love you so damned much,” he whispered. “I can’t stand to think of losing you again.”
“Jake....” Maggie kissed him with such yearning his chest clamped down. He ran his fingers through her silky blond hair and kissed her mouth, her eyes, her nose.
“I love you,” she whispered. With trembling hands, they helped each other undress and made love on the lumpy double bed. It didn’t matter where they were. They were always so right for each other.
He shouldn’t have brought her here, but he didn’t regret it.
Jake had never regretted a moment he’d spent with Maggie Delaine.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Since the Hickstead competition started on Thursday, a team dinner was scheduled for Wednesday night. Busy with team problems, Maggie couldn’t go, which suited Jake fine. The less they saw each other, the safer they’d be.
Wanting to keep things simple, Jake chose a moderately priced country inn called The Wellington, only a short distance from the hotel. The service and the quality of food were better than he expected: roast beef, roasted potatoes, horseradish, and Yorkshire pudding. There were scones, crumpets, and a form of gingerbread called parkins, which was served for dessert.
Everyone ate heartily except Ellie, who seemed unusually reserved. Flex and Shep were in rare form, Flex laughing and telling off-color jokes and Shep adding his usual droll humor. The only rider who didn’t attend was Clay. Jake had no idea where he was and figured he probably didn’t want to know.
“How do you size up the competition?” Flex asked him as the conversation turned serious. They were seated at a long narrow table, an old iron chandelier overhead.
“The British team will probably be the toughest to beat,” Jake said. “The French will give us a good run as well.”
Hickstead was another international competition, the rules simple. Each country selected four riders to represent them in a two-round competition. After each round, the worst score was thrown out. The team with the least total faults was the winner.
Jake wondered if Clay would show up, or if he’d have to substitute Ellie in for him. He didn’t really care. The way she had been riding, she’d been giving Clay some tough competition.
His jaw tightened. If the bastard would stop panting after her, keeping her emotions stirred up, she’d ride even better.
