by Aimee Laine
Tripp cringed as Emma ranted. Oops.
“What’d you do? Record my sister as an alarm?”
Tripp scratched the side of his nose, turning toward the sunrise. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Emma’s voice continued its barrage of questions despite the complete lack of response.
“Oh, my—Oh, Tripp, you didn’t.”
He held out the phone, pushed his door open and took a spot at the hood to await the final orange highlights of dawn.
Lexi’s door slammed as soon as he got comfortable. “Your turn.”
Tripp shook his head, grinning at the asphalt on which he parked. He took the phone between two fingers as if it contained radioactive materials. “Emma—” She started in on him before the second word. “We’ll call back.” He flipped the phone closed.
“You hung up on her?” Lexi tugged her hair through a band at the nape of her neck.
“Sit. She can wait another ten minutes while we watch what greets very few each morning.” He brought his arm up, taking care to prevent the overstretch of his muscles, draped it over Lexi’s shoulders, and tucked her in to him.
“Didn’t hurt as much, did it?”
“Nope,” Tripp said. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
She drew in a breath, letting it out over a slow count. “Yeah. This why you woke me from my really hot dream?” Despite the sarcasm, she fit her body against his.
“Yes. It’s something I try to watch as often as possible. It reminds me there’s a cycle to life as well as to everything else.” He drew figure eights against her arm. “And, it’s really pretty.”
The yawn accompanied a further cuddle until her hand finger-walked underneath his shirt from waist to pectorals, sending a shiver through him.
“What would you be doing right now … if you were at home?” His voice reflected exhaustion and desire—at least to himself.
“Enjoying my way too early morning. I figure I’m going to have to take advantage of you before Emma tears you into useless little pieces.”
He huffed a laugh. “I thought you were the modest one with the whole ‘not in front of the window’—but, oh … yeah. That happened.”
“Maybe you’ve shown me other options.” She slid from the hood, stood between his legs.
With the sun behind her, Lexi glowed with a line of orange highlighting her profile. Her lips met his, welcoming him without a second thought. Hands found his hair as his did the same. He let go when she pushed him back against the hood.
“Did I create a sexual monster a few hours ago?”
She smiled. “I don’t know. But our little adventure was quite the thrill.”
“I told you—”
She straddled him, covering his mouth with hers. Their tongues teased, teeth bit and lips pursued pleasure one after the other. She tensed, lifting her head as a deer might when it senses a hunter.
“Company.” She slid back down at the crunch of gravel between concrete and rubber.
“Well, this bites,” Tripp said as he sat back up on the hood.
Even with a lot made for a hundred, the car chose the spot next to theirs. Tinted windows kept the occupants hidden until both doors opened. A male in runner’s shorts stepped from within, along with a woman dressed to match, sunglasses and ball caps concealing their identities. They swung ear buds over their shoulders, nodded to Tripp and Lexi, and jogged toward the yachts moored along one of the many piers.
“Do you think—” Lexi began.
“Yeah, I do, honey. I think we need to get it on, but let’s get a hotel first.” He pitched his voice high, adding a very unreal southern accent while absorbing the make and model of the car. “You wanna get some actual rest first, though?” He nudged her with his elbow.
Lexi’s furrowed brow and narrowed eyes suggested she didn’t understand his scheme.
He pushed her toward her door. “I hear there’s this great hotel on the south side of town. Some new fangled place with all the amenities. Wanna try it?”
“Uh … sure?”
They tucked themselves back into the car. Tripp mimed a zip to her lips as he backed up, noted the numbers and reached for his cell. Ian could dig into the information for him.
“Wha—”
He shushed her with a nod and drove to the edge of the parking lot. As he turned onto the street, he caught a third figure stepping from the car.
• • •
“What the hell was that?” Lexi spun to Tripp. “Why all the hush, hush? Do you know those people?”
He shook his head. “No, but I had a vibe. Get Ian for me, if you don’t mind.”
She took the phone, searched for Ian but came up lost in loads of contacts. “What’s his last name again?”
“Sands.”
The phone passed from her hands to his, though Tripp activated the speaker.
“Hey, man, it’s still early. Twice in one night? This better be good and—”
“Speaker, Ian, speaker. I need you to look up some plates.”
“Wah? Oh, got it. Hi, Lexi.”
Tripp’s light chuckle brought a measure of relief, though she didn’t understand the secrecy. “Hi, Ian. Will you tell Emma I’ll call her later?”
“Yeah, yeah. She’s been chomping at my ass all morning, and it’s not even seven. So what do you need, man?”
“XKT-345. It’s a New York plate. Black, four-door Oldsmobile Cutlass, probably the last of the line. Parked right next to us in a completely empty lot. Guy and girl went for a secret service-like jog, but a third stepped out as we left.”
“Dressed in?”
“Black slacks and a white shirt for the last one, running gear for the others. They didn’t make contact with us, and no one knows we’re here.”
“We do, though where is up in the air,” Ian said.
“Could be complete coincidence.”
“But you think not.”
“Exactly,” Tripp said.
“I’ll catch ya later. I need my sleep. Geez, Lexi, your sister has an unstoppable drive.”
Lexi’s lips twitched at the compliment. “She does. I’ll call her later.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got the message and will pass it on.” Ian disconnected without further acknowledgement.
“You have people after you?” Lexi asked. “What do you really do, Tripp?”
“I shouldn’t, but, well, I’ve crossed a few lines in my day—”
“Lately?”
“No. I think I’ve only pissed off one person lately, though she has a lot of resources at her disposal.”
“You mean Jill?” Lexi tried to keep the irritation from her voice. “Because you didn’t actually break it off with her?”
Tripp drove on though he took them into the historic district rather than another beach-like location. “I can’t get through to her. She won’t take ‘no’ as my final answer.”
“Have you given her an answer, or do you just not say anything?” She understood when he didn’t respond. “Fine, fine. So who might be following us, and how would they have found you?”
Tripp smiled. “You’re really not up to speed on your own abilities are you?” He turned down a narrow side street, though Lexi caught the quick glance in the rearview mirror.
“I use it to my advantage—”
“No, you use it for others. I use mine for me, though not me alone. Sure, it comes in handy sometimes for others, but I usually have a dual purpose in every job I take.” When she opened her mouth as if to speak, he continued. “That doesn’t apply with you, or with Jill, or Ian even, so don’t go there in that mind of yours.”
Lexi kept her hands in her lap. “Fine. I’ll set aside my prejudices—that you’d exploit such a gift for personal gain—and keep them to myself.”
“Subtle, Lexi.”
She shrugged.
He swung into the parking lot of a four-story hotel, which had to have existed for at least a hundred years.
“Oh, my god, Tripp, this is gorgeous.
Did you know this was here?”
“I did, yes. Thought you’d like it.”
A pale peach mixed with accents of sea foam green and white. Wrought iron balconies and long shutters dotted the exterior brick. Wicker rockers graced the first and second levels where a few early morning risers already took their places.
“This is like a picture of the old south but completely renovated.” She peeked at it through the Mini’s front windshield as Tripp parked. “How did you—”
“I was asked to take this gig right at the end of our vacation last week. With the arm, I didn’t want to chance it, and without a rush deadline, I didn’t need to get down here. But this is the hotel Ian and I chose for when we did make the trip.”
She cocked her head at him. “Do you even need me to find these papers?”
“Yes and no. I was already told where they were stored. Apparently, the owner—”
“And I presume by owner, you mean of this hotel?”
He grinned, slipping the keys from the ignition. “His ex-partners contend they have proof he bilked them from their share of the revenue over the last ten years. Their partnership agreement mysteriously disappeared from all their offices a year ago when the first lawsuit was filed. So, I’m here to retrieve it.”
“From the safe in the office on the second floor. Third door from the elevators, double lock, though it looks hidden.”
His eyes grew wide. “Wow, I didn’t expect that.”
“Me neither.” The image had jumped into her mind without even focusing—like the house in Rune had when he’d shown up.
“That was hot,” he said. “Yes, I knew where it was, but how else would I know if you could do your job?”
“You were testing me?” She resisted as he tugged but gave in as his lips met hers, opened, pressed and plied her with his tongue.
“Business or pleasure?” Tripp asked, ignoring her question.
Lexi eyed the hotel. “Depends.” She ducked under his hand and pushed out from the car. In the warm summer sun, she stretched muscles tense from the long drive and the marina incident. In front of them, oaks reached over cobblestone pathways, creating shady covers for those who passed under them.
Across the road, a fountain of naked merpeople spewed forth streams of water. Beyond the entrance, bushes shaped into animals, fish and round balls dotted the square.
“I think I’d fit in better if I had a hoop skirt and a bonnet.”
Tripp laughed as he opened the hatch and grabbed each suitcase.
“Want to carry them both?” Lexi eyed him with curiosity—more to see his reaction than in an effort to overwork his still injured arm.
“Nope.”
She belted out a laugh. “None too chivalrous, are we?”
“If I knew what you meant, I might answer. For now—” He stepped closer to her, laid his lips against hers. “—I want a bed that lays flat and doesn’t include a steering wheel at my crotch.”
• • •
A grand staircase of walnut and cherry welcomed them. To one side, a group waited, their cameras and hats the most obvious indication of their tourist status. To the other, a black and white checkered floor acted as a path to the reception desk. Lexi grabbed a pamphlet from the rack at the entrance, flipped it over and back while Tripp sauntered up to the counter.
“Room for Tripp Fox? Should be an open reservation for this week.”
So he hoped to get down here sooner than later.
She kept her ears tuned to Tripp but let her eyes scan the information about the building. Built in 1851, the hotel had served as a hospital during the Civil War, home to a famous author, converted to mixed use in the mid nineteen fifties and underwent an enormous renovation project less than a decade before. She assumed the funding came from the partners Tripp said hired him.
“We have a suite for you on the second floor, Mr. Fox. It opens to one of our fabulous balconies.” A desk clerk in a crisp black and white uniform passed him the key.
Lexi strolled through the entry area as the din and chatter in the other room grew. She took in paintings, originals if she were to guess, statues, antiques and furniture which both dated the building and gave it character. One portrait, of the founder of the hotel, graced a massive marble fireplace twice as long and high as Lexi stood.
“Geez, she is one ugly woman,” she said in a low tone so as not to be heard.
“Never insult the owner.” Tripp bit the back of her ear.
She jerked, bumping her head into him.
“Ow.” He rubbed his chin with his palm.
“Oh, shit, Tripp. I’m so sorry.” Lexi covered her mouth with her hands, fearing she would make it worse if she tried to help.
“I’m okay.” He nodded toward the bank of elevators. “Let’s just go up.”
At their room, Lexi dropped the suitcases inside the door, walked to the balcony window and drew back the curtain. As it opened to the sounds of morning, a few cars made their way past the hotel. Children giggled as they entered the park—which also included a natural maze. The sun’s yellow rays trickled drips of light through the tree tops. Shop keepers opened their lives to others, swept off the dust and dew from the night.
Tripp’s arms wound around her.
“It’s really pretty out, isn’t it?” She smiled.
“Going to nap with me?”
She spun in his arms, curling herself into him. “Actually, I’m kind of awake now. I was thinking I’d go for a walk, maybe do some shopping. I can be back by lunchtime if you think that’ll be long enough.”
His gaze shifted toward the clock. “Noon?”
“Yeah.” She reached up on her toes, pressed a kiss to the edge of his lips and teased the way he did to her before. “See ya.” Lexi spun from his arms, grabbing her bag as he caught her wrist.
“You’re going to start something then walk away?”
She tweaked his nose. “Yup.”
“That’s evil.” He moved to the foot of the bed, slipped off his shoes and dropped onto it like a sawed off tree trunk.
Lexi ensured the lock clicked, leaving him to his nap and took both the hotel brochure and her cell from her pocket. She crossed the street into the park, stealing a spot on a bench from a few pigeons. They circled, bobbing their heads as they pranced around her feet.
One deep breath later, she pressed ‘call’.
Emma’s voice rang through the air. “Where the hell are you?”
Lexi brought the phone back to her ear, turning the earpiece volume down. “Savannah, Georgia.”
“Why?”
“Day trip?”
“Lexi Marie Shepherd, don’t you—”
“What, mother? Oh, wait. You’re not our mom.”
Emma’s small gasp told Lexi she’d stepped over the line.
“I’m sorry, Em.”
A sigh and deep breath followed.
Lexi added her own but made sure the speaker didn’t register the sound. “I really am sorry, Em. Your little ploy with Ian—”
“Was meant to force the two of you together. George and Marge told us you two might need help getting past your issues.”
“Mine?”
“Well, yours more than Tripp’s, yeah. I see how he looks at you, Lex. He wants to devour you. Mmm. I want a man to look at me like he does you.”
Lexi smiled. “George and Marge tell you anything else?”
“Ah. Something about when the stars align or some such nonsense. I think they’re cute, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“So, what’s in Savannah?”
“A really great park. Oh, but you probably mean the paperwork Tripp needs to retrieve.”
“Did you find it?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t really need me since he already knew the location.”
“That would be Ian’s doing. These guys are set up, Lex. They have all these contacts, these people who don’t quite know how they do stuff but trust them enough to hire them.”
“I p
roposed we go into business togeth—”
“You did not!” Emma’s tone reflected excitement, not scorn.
“Wasn’t that kind of your idea? I mean, we can keep Wise Women and just add on to it—if we stay around each other long enough. Might be a nice side thing … or whatever.”
A man in black slacks and a white shirt passed in front of Lexi, his hand at his ear, a slight limp in his step. Behind him, a small child skipped in his wake. Happiness consumed Lexi as she watched the two of them.
“I thought you were worried, what with that guy at the beach and all,” Emma said.
“That’s because I didn’t exactly know what I was doing.” Lexi stretched, relaxing against the bench. “I mean, who in their right mind meets a stranger in the middle of the night under a nearly deserted pier?” She laughed, the idea of danger and intrigue far surpassing the actual event’s excitement. “It’s so much safer during the day with people around, right?”
“Yeah, sure, Lex. Whatever you say. So, when you coming back?”
“I guess after Tripp gets his papers. For now, I’m just going to sit here on this bench and enjoy the sunshine. Then do some shopping.”
“Alrighty then. Keep your phone with you, and stay safe.”
“I will. Love ya, Em.”
“You, too, Lex.”
She disconnected, switched her gaze to the park’s maze, but before she could rise, a hand clamped over her mouth.
“Scream and this will hurt a lot more than it needs to.”
14
Despite the nap, Tripp’s head throbbed. He rubbed one side and shifted to the other. A quick check of the clock showed he’d overslept by two hours.
“Lexi?”
He sat up, moved to the balcony, but didn’t find her there or in the bathroom. Tripp grabbed the hotel phone, pressed one for the front desk.
“How can I help you?” a crisp voice greeted him.
“Do you have any messages for Tripp Fox, room 205?”
“Just a minute.” On-hold music played in the background as he pulled his cell from a table and checked his own voice mail. “I’m sorry, Mr. Fox, but I have no notes here for you. Can I help you with anything else?”