He smirked and whispered, “No weapons.”
While in line, they removed their jackets and shoes and placed their phones and bags into plastic bins for screening. As they waited, she looked up at him and quietly questioned, “How are you going to protect me without any weapons?”
He glanced down, at first thinking she was serious, but a sheepish smile confirmed otherwise. “Oh I think I could still manage,” he said, stretching while subconsciously flexing his biceps. Remi chuckled for two reasons. One, she had no doubt he’d go above and beyond keeping her safe. And second, those biceps were a sight to behold. She sighed, briefly recalling what it felt like having those arms wrapped around her body. He heard the sigh and asked what it was for, to which she covered by using the excuse of the long wait to be screened. Liam assured they’d get through it soon and be on their way to Miami. He was right. They soon passed, and while Liam purchased two large coffees and a Philadelphia Inquirer, Remi called her parents, giving them a heads up on her impromptu trip. The phone conversation lasted a little while, and Liam was kind enough not to intrude, so he handed her one of the hot cups then took an empty seat across from her. She was slightly disappointed that he didn’t sit directly next to her but reminded herself that she had a three-hour flight for that along with a couple of days of just the two of them, alone at his house. Besides, it wasn’t long before they announced the boarding of passengers in first-class. “That’s us,” he declared, standing up. Remi’s eyes opened wide as she remarked, “First class, wow!”
Liam just grinned as they boarded the plane. Once they were on, and in Row 3, Remi chose the window seat while Liam took the aisle. They couldn’t have been seated two minutes when a male flight attendant asked if they wanted anything to drink. They both just took water. However, Remi was half-tempted to have him bring an alcoholic beverage to settle her nerves. As she fastened the seatbelt, she admitted to Liam that she was a little on the nervous side and not a huge fan of flying. He told her that she’d be fine, but with her hands death gripping the armrests; she didn’t quite believe him. While the other passengers boarded, Liam pulled out the newspaper and began flipping through it. To get Remi’s mind off flying, he read aloud the headlines, hoping she’d throw in a snarky comment. She did not. In fact, she stayed in a zombie-like state the entire time the flight attendants began their in-flight instructions, through the captain’s introductions, and the plane’s taxi onto the runway. The moment the engines roared, and the inside of the aircraft went semi-dark, Remi held her breath. That’s when Liam finally did the one thing that he hadn’t thought of sooner. He placed his hand on top of hers and held it snug. She closed her eyes as the plane began its ascent. When it almost reached 39,000 feet, Remi opened her eyes and breathed again. With his hand still firmly grasping hers, Liam leaned to the side and asked, “You okay, now?”
She produced a smile as he released his hand from hers. “Thank you for that,” she said, referring to the comfort. Liam nodded as he waited for the green light to grab his laptop from the overhead compartment. Once he got that, he started tweaking a design while Remi tested her knowledge on the newspaper’s crossword puzzle. The two surprisingly didn’t speak, as they kept to themselves. Though out of curiosity, every once in a while, she peeked at the computer screen, as she continued to be impressed at how incredibly talented he was. She also found it impossible keeping her eyes open, and after attempting to complete the puzzle, she fell asleep. Liam hadn’t noticed until the flight attendant asked him if he wanted a snack and he glanced at Remi, who had her head propped up against the window. Liam declined but asked for pillow and blanket. When the attendant returned with them, Liam tried not to wake Remi while gently positioning her head to place the pillow underneath. He covered her with the blanket then went right back to work. However, her once peaceful sleep had become a somewhat restless one as she squirmed in the seat. As he focused on the screen, Remi dropped her head against his right arm. She was still sleeping, and since he didn’t want to disturb her, he figured he’d take a break too. After shutting down the laptop, he stretched his legs and reclined the seat back slightly. The only noise heard were the ambient humming sounds of the airplane and the subtle breathing escaping from Remi’s lips. Both had a soothing effect on Liam, as he quickly found himself drifting off.
Two hours later, Liam and Remi awoke to hear the captain’s voice echoing throughout the plane. However, they missed the first part of his announcement but caught the end in which the man stated that the weather in Miami was clear and a pleasant 73 degrees. One of the flight attendants instructed the passengers to return to their seats that the plane would be making its descent soon. Remi tightened her seatbelt as Liam asked her if she would be okay this time. “Yeah,” she replied, lying a tiny bit, but determined to tough it out. It didn’t take long for the plane to drop in altitude but though anxious, this time Remi looked out the window, to see the beautiful, vibrant lights of Miami. And the illuminated skyline distracted her enough that she barely noticed the plane landing. In fact, it renewed her excitement for the trip and practically pulled Liam’s arm out of its socket trying to exit the plane. Inside the airport, after they retrieved the luggage, Liam rented a white Lincoln MKZ for them to get around in, instead of dealing with cabs or Uber. Once they loaded up the car and began driving, Remi felt like she was living in some sort of alternate universe, a fancy high-end one, she thought. It was almost half-past midnight, but as they drove through downtown Miami, the streets were bustling with crowds of people. “I can’t get over how alive everything is,” said Remi, as she gawked out the window. Liam agreed but just wanted to get to the house and get settled. As they got closer, they rode past some amazingly gorgeous homes along the way; most were Spanish style while others were modern contemporary. “How much does something like that go for?” she asked, her eyes fixated on a particular palatial property that was currently for sale. “That one you can get for the bargain price of two and a half million dollars,” he said. Remi gulped. “Is that how much you spent?”
Liam laughed, “Not even close; I paid nine-hundred thousand for it.”
Remi gasped because to her that amount was still nothing to sneeze at, but of course, to Liam, it wasn’t a big deal. The moment they approached his house, Liam enjoyed seeing the awe in her wide-eyed expression. She crouched, peeking through the windshield, “Oh my!”
Liam asked, “You like it?”
“Are you kidding, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, quickly exiting the vehicle to instantly hear the crashing of waves while feeling the salty breeze against her skin. While Liam removed the luggage from the trunk, Remi stared up at the starry sky, completely understanding why he became so enamored with Miami. He asked if she were ready to go inside. Her response was an enthusiastic nod. As he unlocked the door, especially the deadbolt, the irony not lost on Remi. “No state of the art security system?” she asked, with the raise of an eyebrow. “I’m planning on it,” he said, giving her a wink. The moment her feet touched the pristine cherry wood floor in the foyer, a smile erupted that ran from ear to ear. Liam set the luggage down so he could give her an abbreviated tour of the first floor. They trekked through the unfurnished living, and dining rooms then entered the kitchen, which was unbelievably massive with white granite countertops and a large island in the middle that had four cushioned bar stools lined up on one side. Stocked with brand new stainless steel appliances and a Viking range that any respectable chef would admire made Remi wish she knew how to cook better. Off the kitchen was a terrace that led right out to the beach. Next, he showed her the huge Florida room, where Remi admired a teal blue four-piece sectional sofa, along with a gorgeous gray stone front gas fireplace. She then stared out the wall length sliding glass panel doors and sighed, the whole time thinking how she could get used to living in a place like this. Liam grabbed a couple of the bags and headed up the stairs. “There are three bedrooms; you can keep your things in any one of them,” he said casually then suddenly remembered
that only two rooms had a bed and only one bed had sheets, which was his room, the master suite. A look of perplexity crossed his face prompting Remi to question, “Something wrong?”
He didn’t answer right away as she strolled into the suite, which was almost the same size as her entire apartment. “Holy shit!” she shouted louder than intended. Liam laughed at her overzealous appreciation. She opened the beautifully crafted French doors that led out to a huge deck with a full view of the ocean and stepped out on to it. Liam placed the luggage beside the king-sized bed and followed her. Remi closed her eyes, savoring how unbelievably fabulous being there was. They both leaned against the Plexiglas railing, and that’s when she asked again if something was bothering him. This time he replied, “There are two beds, only one currently with sheets.”
She chuckled at how embarrassed he seemed over such an innocuous situation. “I can’t believe I forgot all about that,” he said.
“It’s no big deal; I can sleep on the couch.”
He walked back inside and said, “No, you take the bed, I’ll take the couch, and tomorrow we go shopping for sheets and everything else this house needs.”
She picked up her knapsack, tossed it over her shoulder then looked down at the bed. “I’m all in for shopping, but in regards to sleeping, I have another suggestion.”
“Which is?” he asked looking at her with skepticism. “We both sleep—here,” she said, pointing to the bed. Liam smirked at first believing Remi to be joking, but it was clear she wasn’t. “It’s not like we haven’t slept together before, twice to be exact,” she emphasized. He didn’t say anything, but she could tell he was debating it inside his head, and without knowing how long it would take for him to figure it out, she grabbed the handle of her suitcase and pulled it over to the other side of the room. “It’s late, so this is what I’m going to do,” she said as she began to unpack. He just watched her with pure amazement, because her brazen attitude was quite fascinating. While she opened a dresser drawer, she said, “I’m going to finish with these clothes, wash up, then hop into this bed, you can sleep wherever you want, it’s your house, your choice.”
Damn, he thought. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t ever feisty, but Remi was firing on all cylinders with this one. While she moved around the room, hanging up clothes and organizing stuff, Liam went back downstairs to get the last of his luggage but more so to ponder the sleeping arrangement. He knew Remi was right; they had slept together with nothing physically happening, except for a tiny amount of holding and in the previous encounter where they ended up spooning. But also in both incidences, neither had been planned. They just spontaneously happened. This time they would consciously lie down together, in a bed and fall asleep. He couldn’t believe that he was even deliberating it, but like everything else going on his life, it was just one more thing he didn’t want to deal with at the moment. In the meantime, Remi had ventured into the bathroom and just stood in the middle, awestruck at its immense size. There were double white square ceramic sinks, encased in a black vanity and a white garden tub that could easily fit five people. It looked inviting, but because it was almost 2 A.M. a quick shower would be smarter. She gathered her shampoo and soap and placed them in one of the niches inside of the enormous walk-in shower. Remi giggled as she looked up at the three stainless steel showerheads, for she had only seen things like that in movies. As the hot water sprayed her entire body, it felt so invigorating she didn’t want to get out. However, fifteen minutes later, she emerged to an empty bedroom. Though Liam had brought up the rest of his things, she deduced he must of have chosen the couch. Bummer, she thought. However, undeterred she hurriedly threw on a pair of black pajama boxers, and a red Philadelphia Phillies t-shirt then tiptoed downstairs. That’s where she spotted Liam, not on the couch, but sitting at a drafting table in the Florida room. “You’re working now?” she asked, rubbing her damp hair with a towel. “How was the shower?” he asked, giving her his full attention. “Awesome,” she replied, smiling. He rendered a grin showing that he was glad then commented, “I’ve done some of my best work late at night.”
She recalled back, to the evening when she barely knew him, and she was out walking late. He had insisted she get into his truck to warm up and be safe. They had one of their first real conversations at that 24-hour diner, and he had mentioned having work he needed to get done. But it wasn’t just that she remembered it, it was the whole interaction between them. It seemed so long ago and yet it was only a couple months ago. Crazy how things change, she thought. She then suddenly yawned and announced that she was going to get some sleep. “Goodnight,” she whispered.
“Goodnight, Remi.”
As she walked away, she wasn’t sure if he truly needed to work or if he was just seeking a distraction or possibly both. She understood to a point, but the greedy side of her had hoped he would have just thrown caution to the wind and joined her in bed. Not that she had expected them to do anything she just wanted him next to her. The two times they had slept together, had spoiled her because those two times weren’t enough. She got into the one side of the bed and lied on her stomach. With her arms curled around the oversized fluffy pillow, she nestled in under the covers then closed her eyes.
Liam had planned on working for an hour or so, but after a while, he grew tired and decided just to stop and grab himself a very quick shower. When he exited the bathroom, he had all intention of going back downstairs to sleep, but when he turned the lamp on briefly, his eyes spied a slumbering Remi. Once again, he found himself waging war on whether or not to hit the couch or get into bed with his former hostage. Astoundingly, after he pulled on a pair of white cotton boxers, the war was over with the hostage prevailing in the end. He quietly smirked, thinking about Remi, a formidable adversary, one that continued to surprise and unexpectedly endear herself to him. He lied down as gingerly as possible, trying not to wake her. He then immediately turned on his side, facing her. At that moment, she shifted a little, sending the strawberry scent of her freshly scrubbed hair, directly his way. Often seeking a way to rid his mind of all negativity, the familiar fragrance permeating his nose, was the perfect pleasant diversion. Along with the simple fact of her lying next to him.
CHAPTER 15
Remi awoke to the sounds of squawking seagulls and ocean waves crashing against the shoreline. Though only having gotten approximately five hours of sleep, she felt unbelievably rested but wasn’t quite ready to vacate her position. Wrapped up like a cocoon in the soft, plush sheets, all warm and cozy, Remi didn’t want to budge. And when she caught a glimpse of the time on her phone, it was only eight o’clock; she thought, why not just get a few more minutes of shut-eye since she was so comfortable. But when she flipped to her back to get better situated, she realized she wasn’t alone and rapidly turned her head to the side. She blinked a couple of times, making sure she saw clearly. Liam hadn’t slept on the couch, after all. He had consciously gotten into bed with her, albeit leaving a decent enough space between them but it didn’t take away the fact that he was still there. She couldn’t help but smile, as once again his declaration of keeping his distance rang false. Even more telling, he was still sleeping, which spoke volumes. Unsure of how late he had stayed up working, but for him to not have risen at the crack of dawn was shocking. She forwent the extra snooze herself and watched him instead. The temptation to lean over and kiss him beckoned, but wondered if he’d rebuff her advances or would he give in? She chuckled under her breath because trying to figure Liam out was pointless. But while she continued to observe every angle, detail, and contour of his beautiful face, she pondered what the day would bring. Not that it mattered what they did or didn’t do, just spending time with him was all she wanted. Of course, watching him sleep was a treat, one she thoroughly enjoyed, up until he finally opened his eyes and locked onto hers. Luckily, somewhat dazed he wasn’t aware that she had been gawking at him for the better part of ten minutes. “Hey,” he mumbled. “Good morning,” she said, trying to play it co
ol. “You been up long?” he asked, stretching his arms out on both sides of him, with his hand brushing lightly against her arm. She casually lied. “Nope, just a couple of minutes.”
He kept his hand conspicuously by her arm, while he looked at the clock. He too was amazed that he had slept that late. “What time did you stop working?” she questioned. He all of a sudden sat up and replied, “I came up not too long after you.”
She wanted to ask him why he chose the bed but decided some things were best left unknown. “You still up for shopping?” he asked, fully awake, obviously ready to get moving. She nodded with enthusiasm. “There’s no food here, we’ll just grab some breakfast out somewhere,” he said, climbing off the bed. Since he was only wearing white boxers, and nothing else, she got an ample view of his backside and wasn’t disappointed. When he turned around, she quickly put her hand over her mouth, to hide the delighted smile that had erupted on her lips. “You can get dressed in here; I’ll go in one of the guest rooms,” he said, grabbing one of his bags before quickly vacating. Such a gracious host, she thought as she opened the French doors to gauge the temperature. It already felt around sixty degrees, so she checked the weather report on her phone, and saw that it was going to be about 78 degrees that day. Choosing a pair of skinny blue jeans, and a light blue t-shirt for the outfit du jour. Liam dressed down as well, opting for black jeans, and a plain fitted dark gray t-shirt. By nine they were ready to head out.
The private investigator that DeGrazerio and Weston called upon to follow Liam arrived at the station with an update for the duo. “Matthews and Catalano took a flight to Miami last night, and they are staying at a house in North Beach.”
The agent looked at Weston. “He’s running.”
The P.I. interjected, “They have round trip tickets due to fly back on Thursday.”
UNMASKED: Sequel to Behind the Mask Page 24