“Sounds like a plan,” she leaned in and kissed him softly. “But won’t you need to get back to work on your next opera?”
“I can work from anywhere.”
“But your family is in D.C. and I’m not leaving Hawaii, Harrison. Are you sure you want to make long term plans here?”
He laughed. “Yeah, my family,” he chuckled again. “My mom and sister are in prison for trying to kill Geneva. Who happens to be more of a whole than a half sister to me…but that doesn’t matter,” he said. “My dad, he’s changed some because of his health scare. Almost dying, or thinking he did for that matter, made him a slightly better man. I still love him, but I don’t have any need to stay in D.C. because of him. I have siblings but we’re scattered. And while Geneva would be enough to keep me locked to D.C., she’s rarely there now. And I have a feeling once Drake officially retires from whatever it is he does they’ll move on to someplace else.” He ran his hand along his clean shaven chin. “Seriously, you’d be worth the change, Valencia.”
She smiled. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“I can keep them. Like I said, I can work from anywhere. Why not do it from paradise with a hot woman to boot.”
“Hot eh?”
“Scorching,” he took her hand in his. “How do you know Drake?”
“I don’t really. I know a friend of his.”
“Oh. I see. So you don’t know who he works for huh?”
“If he wanted you to know he would tell you.”
“So you do know.”
She grinned. “I know what I need to know.”
“Which is?” He was sure she knew. She probably knew everything about everybody and she just held it in. She was like some super computer of knowledge, but she refused to share.
“I know he’s trustworthy. I know he loves your sister more than life itself. I know he’d give his life for the people he loves. That is far more important than who the man works for. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I agree,” he admitted reluctantly. While he wanted more details about Drake Daniels, he couldn’t deny that knowing how much he loved Geneva set him at ease around the man. Or more like, knowing how much she loved Drake set him at ease. One thing he had deduced from his time spent with Geneva was that the goodness in her heart would always be blessed with good people in her life. Sure, she had a few weeds pop up in her garden of life along the way, but she had some good people connected to her too. Drake was definitely one of those in the “good people” category. He was just curious as to who the man with the green eyes and silver hair was. He owned property all over the place; traveled constantly. Harrison knew about men and their travels. His father traveled a lot too, and from those travels came Geneva. Drake was nothing like his father. He was sure of that. There was no way Drake would pull a Remington Sinclair and start cheating on the most precious woman in his life.
“He loves her,” she said as if reading his mind. “You can’t fake that kind of devotion—at least he can’t.”
Did she think he could? He wasn’t faking anything. He really wanted to be with her. “I wouldn’t fake it either,” he assured her. “I don’t see the point. If you want out you leave, you don’t cheat.”
“I agree.”
“I was young, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t know why my mom cried herself to sleep at night. I won’t be him,” he promised himself more than anything. “I won’t be the man he was. I’d rather die first.” And he meant every word. He couldn’t be like his father. He prayed every day that he wouldn’t be like his father. Sure, he had his talent for the opera arts, his business skills and the charm and uninhibited Sinclair draw that pulled people in like a whirlpool, but he didn’t want the man’s inability to be loyal to his family. He didn’t want to father a child to a woman who wasn’t his wife and then abandon that child for decades. Family was the one area of his life where he didn’t want to be anything like Remington Sinclair.
“Sometimes our paths are chosen for us, but who we become is entirely up to us. How we let the choices we make shape us is within our control—mostly,” she admitted. “In your situation I would say it’s entirely within your control. Fidelity is not something that’s genetically transmitted just as infidelity isn’t genetically transmitted. If you want to honor your promise then you will.”
“I want to,” he squeezed her hand in his.
“Then you’ll do it.” She turned her head to look out the window. “It’s always so peaceful up here.”
He leaned in closer so that he could hear her over the hum of chatter throughout first class.
“So high above everything, all the cares of the world are down there, but up here there’s just blue sky, fluffy clouds and peace. Like everything just melts away and you’re lost in the moment.”
He was amazed at her words, at the softness in her voice and character that she seemed to be showing him now. In that moment he realized that the Valencia he thought he knew was so much more than the tough woman image she showed him.
They hit a pocket of turbulence and she laughed. “And then something like that happens and you realize it’s not so peaceful up here after all.”
The seatbelt symbol illuminated once again, letting everybody know the captain was expecting more turbulence ahead. “Oh well,” she turned her head so her eyes could meet his gaze. “One should never get too comfortable.”
“Yes one should,” he said and then captured her lips with his. He tasted her lips with his before slipping his tongue inside her mouth and exploring the warm cavernous place that beckoned him.
He leaned in deeper, kissing her harder. Desire took over him and he just couldn’t go deep enough, get close enough. He wanted more, much more.
“Sir,” he vaguely heard but he had no plans of stopping. Not even the clearing of the man’s throat could take him out of his moment of pleasure and passion. The only thing that snapped him out of the haze was when Valencia placed one hand against his cheek and slowly eased back to look in his eyes.
He growled low in his throat before turning his attention to the flight attendant in front of him. “Yes,” he said in a measurably clipped tone.
“Um…the other passengers are getting uncomfortable.”
“That’s not my problem,” he said seriously.
“Well no sir it’s not, but um…well um…”
Valencia laughed. “We’ll keep it conversational,” she smiled at the overly nervous attendant. He looked like a kid out of community college, not a head flight attendant which meant he probably drew the short end of the stick on this duty.
“I was rather enjoying myself.” Harrison turned his attention back to Valencia.
“You can enjoy yourself more thoroughly when we get to the hotel.”
He smiled. “Promise?”
“I promise,” she ran one finger across his lips. “Of course you have to resolve some work issues first so it might take a while. Provided you still have the energy to do it right, you may explore my body tonight.”
“Oh I’ll have the energy.” He assured her. “Now, just so I’m clear here. Do I get to explore your entire body, or am I limited to just your lips?”
She leaned in so close to his lips he could feel her breath on his skin. She looked into his eyes, dangerously arousing him to do something more than just sit there and wait for her. “While my lips would be happy with your exploration, Harrison, I believe my body would be disappointed if you neglected it.”
“I wouldn’t want to disappoint such a beautiful body now would I?”
“No, you wouldn’t.” She shifted her position and rubbed her lips against his cheek before pulling back enough to give him some breathing room. “My body desires much exploration, Harrison. It is in need of a very in-depth exploration that requires a highly skilled explorer. Are you that explorer Harrison Sinclair?”
He felt every muscle in his body tense with arousal. The soft seductive tone of her voice was weaving a spell so tight he didn’t think he w
ould ever escape—not that he wanted to escape. He was supposed to be seducing her yet she was sitting here seducing him and arousing a torturous need within his body. When he did get her back to the hotel they weren’t going to make the bedroom. He was going to rip that baby blue silk blouse from her body, strip off the form fitting black pants and remove whatever fabrics lie beneath the outer shell before sliding so deep inside her and drawing her to an unforgettable orgasm that would leave her breathless and drunk with ecstasy. Then, just when she thought it was over he was going to build her to the heights of pleasure again and push her over the edge. Good Lord he couldn’t wait to get her some place where he could do all the things he had been dreaming of doing with her. He grinned and placed his hand on her neck before letting his long, strong fingers caress her delicate skin. “Absolutely,” he affirmed. He was the explorer she sought, and he planned to prove it to her all night long.
“What’s going on here,” Harrison’s tone was short and direct.
Jeremiah hunched up his shoulder and tossed his hand in direction of the dressing rooms. “Diva in dressing room one,” he stated with a hint of annoyance. Chastity pulled the same stunt yesterday and the day before that, which is why they called him and he booked the first flight he could to get back to Scottsdale.
“Chester,” Harrison exhaled sharply. “What has her panties in a bunch this time?”
“As if she wears any,” Chester grumbled. “She is upset because I apparently haven’t been giving her enough attention. She is the star, so she says, and she should have my full attention.” He gestured wildly with anger. “She is apparently a big baby who can’t hit her mark without me holding her freakin’ hand and I’m sick of it. Can’t you talk your sister into coming back to finish out the last leg of the show? At least she had talent, brains and civility.”
Harrison shook his head. “Geneva’s on to other things now. Sorry men, but that ship has sailed. I wish I could fire Chastity, but we need her. Go talk to her.”
“She won’t talk to me. She won’t even open the door.” He nearly barked. “She has spent the last few days coming in here only to storm off the stage and go sit in her dressing room all day. Today isn’t any different. I swear I wish she would just chill with the drama already. I have too much to do for this shi—stuff,” he curtailed his words when he looked at Valencia standing off to the side of Harrison. “Sorry,” he blushed.
“I’ve heard worse,” she smiled at him. Harrison could tell she was trying to ease the tension in the room.
“I’ll go talk to her.”
“Take reinforcements because you’ll need them,” Chester mumbled.
“Valencia,” Harrison gestured for her to come with him. He didn’t plan on taking her inside the room with him, but he knew she wouldn’t let him go down to the dressing rooms without her. At least this way it looked as if maybe she was following him because he asked her to and not for any other suspicious reason.
When he arrived at Chastity’s dressing room he had no problem getting her to open the door. She even let Valencia inside. “What’s going on Chastity? This show is important to all of us and we can’t do it without you.”
“That man,” she huffed. “He’s much better when you’re here.”
“He’s the best stage manager around.”
“He ignores me,” she pouted. “You know how it is,” she looked at Valencia.
“It has been my experience,” Valencia said with a calm tone in her voice. “That men like Chester tend to like a little less high maintenance. He’s stressed right now. He needs your help. It would go a long way in convincing him to give you more attention.”
“Oh,” she sat down on the bench. “She makes sense. Nothing else has really worked. I keep trying, but it’s not working. He always gets you to fix his mistakes.” She looked at Harrison so seriously that he was starting to realize she really did believe she was right and Chester was wrong. “She makes sense,” she admitted again.
“She usually does,” Harrison smiled with appreciation.
“I guess I should be less of a handful then.”
Handful was not the word he would use to describe what she was, but then again, he didn’t want to set off another bomb that would have this woman throwing yet another show stopping tantrum. “Why don’t you go back out there and give him your best.”
“Yeah. I don’t know why it always takes you to get us back on track. You’re the best.” She patted his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. “Oh, by the way, I told Latricia you were going to be in today. She’s been by here non-stop waiting on you. I didn’t think you would mind if I told her you were coming back today.” She left the room and he threw his head back and sighed. “Why me, God? Why me?” He shook his head.
“We can sneak out the back,” Valencia assured him.
“I wish I could. Unfortunately I need to see what’s going on with the show. When I got the call Chester told me she’s been pulling the diva in the dressing room routine for a few days now. I need to see what we’ve missed because of it.”
“I know. I guess that means you’ll have to put up with Latricia then.”
“I must have done something wrong. I’m being punished.”
She laughed. “Don’t dramatize it. You’ll be fine. And if you need, or want, to make a quick getaway you can blame it on me. Call it jetlag.”
“You don’t have jetlag.”
“True. I never get it, but they don’t know that. So if you need to blame things on me feel free to do so.”
He laughed and shook his head. “I’m a man, not a little boy. I won’t cower behind a woman—especially not one I’m trying to prove myself to.”
She shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She turned toward the door before turning back and looking at him. “But if you exhaust all of your energy trying to fend off Latricia you might not have enough for our little exploration tonight.”
He grinned. “Oh, I’ll find the energy. And trust me honey; there won’t be anything little about our exploration.”
She laughed. “We should get back out there.”
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “God forbid I go away for a couple days. The entire show might fall apart.”
“You’re the glue,” she said. “I know you wish you didn’t have to be, and honestly if it weren’t for your star there I don’t think you would have to be here this much, but you do what you have to do for your show, for your art. You’re too passionate about the operas you create to let one fall apart.”
“You like my operas.”
She shrugged. “I don’t like opera at all,” she stated and he gasped. “Don’t take it personally. It’s just not my scene. I’ve seen a lot of them, and I do have to say your opera is the best I have experienced so far.”
“But you still don’t like opera?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Sorry.”
He laughed. “And here I was thinking I impressed you with my opera.”
“Your passion impresses me. You love what you create and what you do here. I think that’s amazing. You have talent, Harrison, but you also have heart.”
“Thank you,” he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “We should get back out there.” He knew they should because if they didn’t he just might strip her and take her right there in that dressing room. The woman’s beauty in mind, body, and spirit, was driving him mad with an unyielding desire for her.
Chapter Eleven
“Harrison,” she tried to settle him down just a little…or a lot given the fact that he was nearly ripping her clothes off her body. Staying on set had taken more time than either of them had expected. Latricia had showed up, complicating things further with her constant need for explanations on things they had clearly already discussed. And on top of that, the diva in the dressing room continued to be the diva on stage. She thought Harrison would be too exhausted to move by the time they left the theater. It was nearly ten, they had a show going on tomorrow, and he needed rest. Yet he hadn’t even let her
get out the elevator before he started kissing her, touching her, and practically undressing her. Now that they were in the room he seemed to be less concerned with appropriate displays of affection in front of the hall cameras and more concerned with getting her out of her clothes.
“Harrison,” she pushed against his chest. “I still have work to do. I have to check the place out,” she said between his kisses. When he stepped back briefly to pull his shirt out of the waistband of his pants she took the opportunity to expertly evade him so that she could do the job she was hired to do. “Settle down. We’ll get to it. I promise,” she smiled as she walked toward the main sitting room.
The glimpse of movement out her peripheral caught her attention in time to avoid being struck in the head with a baseball bat. She ducked and dodged the next swing before rounding her body behind the man, catching his arm and snapping the bone in a way that assured it would never heal appropriately. One more move and she had him on his knees. A swift second later she had the blade pulled out of the clip holding her hair up and poised to claim the life of the man who had just attacked her.
“Valencia! No!”
She looked up briefly; ready to still kill the man on the floor. She was a Mishoto. They didn’t leave an enemy behind. Enemies could always come back to haunt and harm and that couldn’t be allowed.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t just kill people. I thought you were…I don’t know what you are.” He shook his head. His words made her angry. He knew who she was and what she did and he had given her every indication that he could live with it—clearly he couldn’t.
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