She drew in a deep breath, letting it out slow. “So, here I am, a year later, still serving drinks to rowdy travelers and businessmen.”
He pressed his lips to her hair. “You made the right choice. Getting to know you, I don’t think you would have been able to live with yourself if you compromised your morals.”
She nodded but continued to lean against his strength. Mist from the ocean swirled around them cooling the air. He threw his arm over her shoulder as they continued walking.Change the subject. Make her forget what she might have done.
“But we’re not talking about Moreno today. Did you forget that little rule? What’s the first thing you plan on doing once you get home?”
He wanted to keep her mind on positive things.
“Besides begging my family’s forgiveness?”
He pressed a kiss to her hair.
“I need to finish my last two classes. Once I get my degree I can start looking for a job; hopefully something other than waitressing. Not that there’s anything wrong with waitressing. My mom’s a waitress; just not at a nightclub where you need to walk around practically naked to serve drinks.”
“You know I haven’t heard any of the customers complain about the uniform,” he teased. She stiffened and elbowed him in the ribs. A breeze blew in from the ocean and she shivered. Slipping off his suit coat, he draped it over her shoulders. “Better?”
She turned her head into the lapel of his coat. Her eyes closed, a soft smile growing on her face as she inhaled. Was she breathing in his scent? Did she like it? He thought about the scent of her shampoo that permeated the towels in the bathroom and knew he liked how she smelled. Was her aroma even now seeping into his coat, mingling with his soap and after shave? God, he never realized how sexy that was; a woman taking in his scent.
“What made you want to be a teacher?” he asked. She’d mentioned it during their daily chats. He wanted to know about this incredible woman he’d been living with for almost a month and more than what was in her file. He also needed something to take his mind off how sexy she looked right now.
He listened as she talked about a teacher she’d had in school that she’d looked up to and how she wanted to be admired also. He did admire her. With all she’d been through she still didn’t want any freebies or handouts. She stood by her word even when she was given a way out of her promises. And she kept her chin up and smiled through her teeth even when she must be screaming inside. Not many people were as strong.
She talked for a while asking him questions about his profession. He didn’t mind sharing with her, certain parts of his job anyway. He could trust her. She’d certainly proven herself to him. She could have turned him over to Moreno for her freedom or screwed him in a million other ways. It’s not like other informants hadn’t tried.
“I work out of the Baltimore field office. The Bureau wasn’t sure if Moreno had enough contacts to be familiar with the agents in the Miami field office so they asked for us to come down. My department sent about a dozen men. We’re all in different positions to keep an eye on a variety of Moreno’s activities. I happened to luck out and get the plum assignment.”
“And you got me,” she teased, her nose wrinkling as she gave a big grin. “That makes you the luckiest of them all.”
He couldn’t argue with her, though he might have done it for no other reason than to be contrary and get a rise out of her. But it was her birthday today so he’d back off on the sarcasm.
“That’s right. The luckiest of them all getting the fairest of them all.”
She actually blushed then ducked her head into his arm, squeezing it tight. Had he embarrassed her?
When she stumbled again he knew it was time to return.
“Are we driving back tonight?” she asked as they entered the hotel room.
“No, it’s too late. There are two beds so you’ll be safe. I promised you no shenanigans.”
She looked almost disappointed. Was she? Did she want shenanigans? No, it didn’t matter what she wanted. First, she could just be feeling grateful, and he never wanted someone to have sex with him as payback for a debt. Second, she was his informant. Remaining professional was key. You didn’t have a casual fling with someone like Meg. She was a keeper; a forever after kind of lady. He wasn’t looking for that in his life. Right? Some days it was harder to remember than others. Today was one of those days.
She glanced down at her dress and said, “I don’t have anything to sleep in except the clothes I had on earlier.”
He pointed to a few bags on the floor. “I told the ladies at the boutique to throw in a pair of pajamas. They should be in one of these.”
She started going through the bags, her face growing puzzled. “Why are all these outfits in here?”
“So you can go home in style,” he told her. Tears filled her eyes and her face crumpled. He was baffled. What was wrong?
She took the few steps to where he stood wrapping her arms around him. “I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me but I appreciate it.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Happy tears? Those are good. I can handle happy tears.” Returning the hug, he eased her back. He didn’t need her body so close right before he tried to sleep. “Go get in those pajamas. It’s late. You know I won’t allow you to sleep until noon tomorrow. Check out time is eleven.”
Meg reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek warming him inside. How did she do that to him with something as chaste as that? Dangerous. He’d said that from the beginning.
She turned around grabbing one of the bags then went into the bathroom. He used the sink in the room to clean up and brush his teeth then hung up his suit and slipped on sleep pants and a gray t-shirt. The bathroom door opened while he was deciding which bed he should use. That’s what was great about her; she wasn’t one to take forever to get ready.
