Page 58 of All The Way Under
I flee their hotel suite before he changes his mind, and before he tells my mother.
Three guards flank me as I take the elevator down to Brody’s room. He’s in the hallway waiting for me when the elevator doors slide open.
“There you are. I didn’t think we were going to get out of this hotel, but he said we could go.”
“With security?” Brody asks, raising one brow, peering behind me.
I nod. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. They’ll stay far enough away.” Exhaling in relief at the sight of him, I remember my promise.
“You washed the Yankees cap, right? Put it on, and a pair of sunglasses. I promised we would go in disguise.”
He stifles a laugh, blue eyes sparkling with mirth. “I’m six foot four and two hundred thirty pounds, baby. It’s not that easy to disguise me.”
“Maybe I just want you to wear the hat, then,” I counter. “Can you do it for me?”
Laughing, he bites his bottom lip, causing my stomach to drop and shimmy. He’s so gorgeous. I still have a hard time believing he’s mine.
“I’d do a lot of things for you,” Brody says, scanning his key card to go into his room. I follow him in.
He has a nice room, not a penthouse, but it has a kitchen and a living room area. It looks like he’s cooked.
“You’re allowed to leave here? Did you go to the grocery store? I’m so jealous.”
“We’ll go to the grocery store together when we get back,” Brody says.
The security guards allow us to be in his room alone, thank God. I wonder how that conversation with my father went and cringe.
He grabs the hat, which is sitting on the table, and a pair of Ray-Bans from the console table by the door. Then he kisses me long and hard.
“We’ll do a lot of things when we get back.”
My stomach goes from the floating in-love sensation to iron lead.
“There is a lot of sensation around my kidnapping and rescue. We won’t be allowed to be seen together for a while. While the thought of picking out produce with you is sensuous,” I smile, teasing him. “We’re going to have to lie low back home.”
Brody pushes his lips to the side, thinking about what I said.
“My brother sent me a few news articles. You are a Wyndham, so it makes sense. I’m stealthy when it comes to sneaking around. In the dark is my specialty. I have leave when I get back to the US. I haven’t taken leave in a long time, so I’ll have time to come up with plans to lie low with you.”
Excitement replaces my dread. “You really don’t care?”
“No, it’s for your safety and mine. Commander would probably make me take leave if I didn’t request it myself. When I said I’ll do whatever it takes, did you think so little of my willpower that a little press was going to deter me from having you any chance I can?”
He snakes a hand around my waist, and the heat from his skin soaks through my button-up blouse. Immediate attraction and need are what happens next. Pulling me to his body, he leans down and teases his lips against mine. An almost kiss.
“Whatever it takes,” he says, licking his lips. “You are trouble,” he growls. “I can’t control myself when we’re alone.”
Lacing my fingers around his neck, I pull him in for a kiss, twining my tongue with his, tasting him, and relishing in the connection I crave whenever I’m not next to him.
“Control yourself. We have a date to go on, and we don’t have a lot of time. When we get back here, I have a few things we need to try out.”
The moment I tell him my plans for later, he shushes me with a head tilt and a wink.
“You say it now, and we won’t make it to the café.”
We exit his hotel room, him in a backward hat and a pair of sunglasses, me in one of his oversized black hoodies and a camouflage beanie he found in his tactical gear. We look ridiculous, and somehow it makes sense.
Brody doesn’t hold my hand while we stroll down the street because he’s on alert. It’s hot to watch him protect me, but also disheartening because what if this is how it will always be? Never in my life have I wished not to be a Wyndham more.
