Aegis 01 - First Exposure (5 page)

He wasn’t over her. He wasn’t ever going to be over her. And in that moment, another truth slammed into him. He didn’t want her to just admit that there was something left between them. He wanted
her
. Not the actress the world knew or the girl she’d once been. He wanted the woman staring up at him now with trust and longing and hope in her gorgeous, familiar eyes.

Somehow, no matter what they found this weekend, he had to figure out a way to make that happen.

A
very’s stomach twisted as she climbed out of the town car and stepped into the warm Jamaica air. They’d fooled the driver and the staff at the airport, but the big test lay before them. If she was going to be recognized, it was going to happen now.

She adjusted the glasses and took Cade’s hand when he offered it. His wide palm was warm, his skin rough like a man’s should be. A thrill rushed up her arm and into her chest, but she fought to ignore it.

And failed miserably.

Dammit, it wasn’t just fear over being recognized that was sending her nerves into overdrive. It was that look that had passed between them seconds ago. The way he’d stared at her. The things she’d
felt
. Yes, she could admit that being close to him still affected her—that touching him completely set her off-balance—but why couldn’t she keep her emotions in check? Why did one little rake of his gaze send her hormones into the ozone layer? Why did that one look remind her of every single time they’d made love and he’d gazed deep into her eyes, as if he could see her soul?

She waited while Cade tipped the driver and said a few words to the valet. Told herself to snap out of it. This was about finding Melody, not her ludicrous hormones and most definitely not about Cade’s wandering eyes. The sooner she remembered that, the better off she’d be.

He tugged her toward the entrance of the resort. Palm trees swayed over the Mediterranean-style building, and the distinct sounds of a steel drum drifted on the breeze. The open-air lobby was all marble, plush furnishings, and soaring ceilings with lazily turning ceiling fans made from bamboo. But dressed in loose-fitting linen slacks and that white-button down rolled up to his elbows, Cade was the only thing Avery could seem to focus on. His skin was tan from hours in the sun, and that tattoo peeking out from beneath the sleeve of his right arm kept drawing her attention.

A woman dressed in a slim blue skirt and white sleeveless blouse with dark hair pulled up in a stylish do greeted them in the middle of the lobby. “Mr. and Mrs. Black, welcome to Indulgence. I’m Patrice, your personal concierge. I’ll be at your beck and call twenty-four hours a day should you need anything while you’re here. I hope your flight in was good?”

Cade slipped off his sunglasses and hooked them in the top button of his shirt, then shook the woman’s hand and smiled that half grin that had always done erratic things to Avery’s pulse when they were kids. “Very good. Thank you. This is my wife, Ava.”

Patrice looked Avery’s way and smiled sweetly, but Avery didn’t miss the quick once-over and subtle dismissal in her eyes. “Welcome.” She refocused on Cade. “If you’ll both follow me, I’ll get you checked in quickly so you can begin enjoying the resort’s amenities.”

Cade placed his hand at the small of Avery’s back, and they both followed Patrice down a short hallway and into another massive room, this one decked out with soaring ceilings, arched windows that looked out over the grounds of the resort, formal furnishings grouped around a massive fireplace, and on the edges, a series of desks and chairs.

Avery glanced at Patrice from the back. The woman was gorgeous, slim, athletic, and her breasts were all but falling out of that top. Avery couldn’t help but wonder what kind of amenities Patrice was offering and whether or not she’d be joining in.

“Everything okay?” Cade whispered, leaning close to her ear.

A shot of irritation whipped through Avery. What the hell was that? Jealousy? She had no business being jealous. While she had zero intention of taking advantage of any “amenities” while she was here, that didn’t mean Cade couldn’t. With this beck-and-call woman or any other.

“Yes, fine,” she snapped, more harshly than she intended.

He shot her a look, and Avery took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves, then nodded slowly, reassuring him she wasn’t going to blow their cover.

Patrice led them toward the farthest desk, moved around the piece of Elizabethan furniture, and gestured for them to sit. Just as they did, a waiter swept into the room carrying a tray of champagne flutes. “Welcome to Indulgence.”

Avery took the champagne he offered and downed half of it before she realized Cade had politely turned down the offer.

The waiter moved out of the room as quietly as he’d entered, and Patrice’s fingers clicked over keys while she studied the screen in front of her. Finally, she said, “We’ve got you booked in one of our best suites on the waterfront. There are two other units in your area. Inside your bungalow, you’ll find a welcome packet outlining all the amenities the resort offers, as well as rules and regulations while you’re here. Look through the information, then let me know if you have any questions. And be sure to tell me what activities I can schedule for you. We have many I think you’re going to enjoy. While at Indulgence, we want you to relax, let your stress go, and indulge in every one of your fantasies.”

She reached for a card and slid it across the table. “This is my personal number. Call me day or night. I’m here only to serve and entertain you.”

Avery lifted the champagne flute to her lips and eyed Patrice over the edge. The woman was totally fixated on Cade as if Avery weren’t even in the room, and interest flared deeply in her pale blue eyes.

Irritation growing, Avery downed the rest of her champagne, then reached for the card, covering Cade’s fingers with her own so Patrice-the-viper couldn’t touch him. “Thank you, but I’m sure we won’t be needing your services. Mr. Black prefers blondes…other than me.”

Both of them looked her way, but Avery wasn’t about to back down. This might only be a role, but she was going to play it for all it was worth.

Patrice’s eyes narrowed. “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Avery Scott, the actress?”

The air caught in Avery’s throat. Dammit, what was she supposed to say? They’d practiced it on the plane but at the moment her brain was too wrapped around keeping the viper’s hands off her man to remember what they’d agreed on.

And…
her man
? Whoa. Wait a minute. Where had
that
come from?

Sweat broke out all along her spine. She started to pull her hand back, but Cade wrapped his fingers around hers before she could break free. “Nah, she’s way hotter than Avery Scott.”

Startled, Avery looked his way, then faltered. Heat blazed in his black-as-night eyes. Heat and an admiration that sparked a thousand memories.

“Besides,” he added, “I’ve heard Avery Scott’s had all kinds of plastic surgery. Her eyes, her lips, her tits. Trust me”—his gaze strayed to the cleavage bursting from Avery’s corset—“Ava’s breasts are all hers. And they’re magnificent. Just like the rest of her. She’s right. She’s the only brunette I touch.”

Avery’s pulse sped up. She held her breath and waited until his gaze slid back to hers. And what she saw there sent a wicked thrill all through her body. Need. Raw and intense. The same need she’d seen in his eyes when they’d been kids. Except this time it was darker and a thousand times more dangerous because it pulled her forward like an electromagnet.

She leaned toward him without thinking, pressed her lips against his, and couldn’t stop the tiny sigh that slipped from her mouth when he let go of Patrice’s business card, framed her face with his right hand, and kissed her back. It wasn’t a passion-filled kiss like on the plane; it was soft and sweet and gentle. And it ignited a fire inside Avery that had been dead far too long.

Patrice cleared her throat. Slowly, Cade eased back, but he didn’t look the woman’s way. He simply brushed his thumb over Avery’s bottom lip and smiled that crooked half smile she remembered so well. The one that pulled and tugged on his scar until she completely forgot it was there. “Just as sweet as I remember.”

“Well,” Patrice said, pushing back from the desk and rising, irritation clearly echoing in her voice. “It looks like you’re well on your way toward a relaxing vacation. Mario will take you both to your examinations, then to your suite when you’re done. I hope you have a fabulous stay at Indulgence.”

“Examinations?” Cade asked, looking her way.

“Yes,” Patrice answered. “As soon as our doctors clear you for resort activities, we’ll get you settled in. The examination is standard for all guests.”

Cade’s eyes strayed to Avery, and she knew what he was thinking. An examination might mean blood tests. And that could lead to DNA identification,
if
someone knew where to look for the right information. She had no idea what was published on the Internet about her. Of course, by the time the resort ran that kind of test, she and Cade would be long gone.

She forced a smile and squeezed his hand. “I’m sure it’s no big deal.”

“None at all,” Patrice answered, looking down at her desk as she lifted a folder into her arms. “It’s just to make sure you’re both disease free. Our guests’ safety is our highest concern.”

Oh, great. Avery’s stomach tightened. They were being tested for STDs. Considering it was a swingers resort, she figured that was probably a good thing, but it still left her unsettled. Because, as stupid as it was, knowing Cade was clean made him all that more appealing.

T
he resort was top-notch. Marble buildings, soaring columns, trickling waterfalls, and hidden Jacuzzis tucked behind foliage. After their exams—which hadn’t been more than a quick physical and blood draw—they followed Mario toward the beach. Cade scanned the facilities to get the lay of the land as they walked. A large infinity pool overlooked the sand. A pristine bar made from shiny mahogany sat to their right. Plush lounge chairs sprinkled around the pool held vacationers in high-end swimwear, the women sporting heels and big hats, the men in traditional swim trunks, reading newspapers and books or sleeping in the shade.

It didn’t look like a swingers resort, at least not on first glance. There were a few topless women around the pool, but no overtly sexual activities happening aside from the couple kissing near the waterfall at the end of the pool and the two couples at the bar clearly flirting and trying to arrange a foursome. To the common eye, it looked like any other high-end adult vacation spot. Which made Cade wonder what happened after hours, when things really heated up.

“Dinner starts around six,” Mario said to Avery, who’d chosen to walk next to the dark-skinned bellboy instead of with Cade. “There are five restaurants to choose from. None require a reservation. Unless you have something special in mind.”

Mario flashed Avery a knowing grin, but she handled it like a pro, as if she hadn’t noticed. “And it’s couples only, correct? So there are no singles allowed at the resort?”

“Oh no, ma’am. We’re a couples-only resort. It says so right in the brochure.” He led them away from the pool, down a flagstone path. Brightly colored flowers and vines lay nestled beneath swaying palms.

“Do any of the couples ever break up while they’re here?” Avery asked. “I mean, it must be shocking for some couples to adjust to a resort like this…if it’s their first time.”

Cade slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks, amused as he followed along behind. Avery was fishing for information, but he doubted she was going to get it from the bellboy. She might be a good actress but she was no super sleuth.

“Occasionally,” Mario said. “But the resort handles those situations discreetly, so you won’t have to worry about one ruining your vacation.”

He stopped in front of a sprawling hut and held a master key in front of the sensor on the door. While they waited for the light to turn green, Avery shot Cade a
what do you think that means?
look. Cade shook his head. If this was what she planned to do to everyone at the resort, their cover was going to be blown faster than his hold on his desire for the woman currently peering his way.