The Billionaire Princess (20 page)

Beneath her cheek Christopher's chest rose and fell as he slept. Carefully, so she didn't wake him, Sara rolled onto her back. The tent was so dark Sara could barely make out Christopher next to her. Outside the night air was filled with unfamiliar sounds that other people may be able to tune out, but Sara seemed to notice each and every one. The sounds outside the tent weren't the only things keeping her awake. Even with the thin foam mattress and a sleeping bag beneath them, she found it impossible to get comfortable. No matter what position she tried, it didn't help. Next to her, Christopher was dead to the world. Evidently he didn't share her problems.

Perhaps she should wake him up and together they could find an enjoyable way to pass the time. After their last round of lovemaking, she'd managed to fall asleep for a little while anyway. Maybe it would happen again. In her mind she ran through pleasurable ways of waking him. Sitting up she leaned toward him and began a trail of kisses at his neck. Slowly she made her way down toward his chest. She got just above his left nipple when an owl hooted and Sara almost jumped through the tent.

Jolted fully awake by her sudden movement, Christopher bolted upright. "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

Sara nodded before she remembered Christopher couldn't see her. “An owl or at least I think it was an owl scared me. I'm not used to all these nature sounds."

"After a while you get used to it." Christopher lay back down and pulled her next to him. "Tomorrow night you might not even notice."

She doubted that. Every few seconds a different sound filtered in from outside, but she kept her thoughts to herself. If she complained now he'd only insist they get a hotel room for the weekend. Even if she went all weekend with no sleep, she wanted to see this camping trip through. Giving up wasn't in her nature and she didn't plan on starting now.

***

He gave her a lot of credit. So far this weekend she hadn't complained once. Not even after last night and judging by the dark circles under her eyes and the fact that she yawned, every other minute she hadn't slept much. Despite her lack of rest when he asked her that morning about changing their accommodations, she'd adamantly refused.

"What are your thoughts for today?" Christopher asked as they strolled along the boardwalk past the enormous statue of Neptune, god of the ocean. "We could look into one of those excursions you mentioned yesterday."

Sara shook her head as she stifled another yawn. "I'm thinking a day relaxing on the beach sounds perfect. Maybe tonight we can come back for the live concert in Neptune Park."

"A day lying on the beach works for me." Crossing to the stairs he led her down to the beach toward an area with rented recliners. Around them children worked on building sand fortresses while their parents sat and watched. Another group played a game of volleyball and others simply sat and enjoyed the warm sunshine. No one paid any attention to them as they walked by, everyone assumed they were just another couple intent on spending time in the sun.

After selecting two recliners far from a group of teens playing Frisbee, Christopher dropped the backpack slung over his shoulder. Unsure of their exact plans for the afternoon, he'd packed sunscreen and bottled water for both of them. "Plan on doing any swimming?" he asked pulling his T-shirt over his head.

Sara's head disappeared inside her T-shirt.  Pulling it off, she revealed the top of her emerald green bikini. "The only swimming I do is in a pool. I like to know what's around me." Sara pulled off her shorts and folded them neatly before placing them on the end of her chair. "But go ahead if you want."

Christopher's eyes took in the sight of her lying there in her bikini; once again he was struck speechless by her beauty.  By now he should be used to it, but somehow she still managed to leave him breathless.

“Can I borrow the sunscreen?" she asked, adjusting her sunglasses.

Without tearing his eyes from her, he dug into the bag and pulled out the bottle he had packed. "Here you go."

He watched every movement she made as she rubbed the white lotion across her body. With each pass the fire simmering inside him increased as memories of loving her that morning teased him. If he had any hope of surviving the afternoon he needed to look elsewhere. Lifting his eyes he watched two military jets screeching across the sky. When they disappeared into the clouds he lowered his gaze and caught sight of several men watching Sara as she applied a layer of sunscreen to her legs.
Watch all you want, but she's with me.

“When you're done can I get some help?" he asked, sitting down on the edge of her chair and kissing her cheek. "I'll return the favor."

Sara paused with one hand on her calf and shot him a smile. "I was hoping you'd ask." Moving closer to the edge of her chair she squeezed sunscreen on her hand. "Turn around and I'll get your back."

The nerve endings in his back jumped the second Sara's hand made contact. Her touch felt like a caress as she spread the sunscreen across his upper back and shoulders.  Gradually she worked her way down his spine. Instinctively he leaned back into her caress, content to sit there all day.

“Anywhere else you need help?" Sara asked as her hands skimmed across his lower back and above his waistband.

He could think of several other places where he'd like her hands, but none were appropriate for their current location. "Good for now. What about you?”

Her hands left his back and for a moment he tossed around ideas how he might get them back.

"Just my back.
I covered everywhere else."

Christopher took his time covering every inch of her shoulders and back. When he could no longer use the ruse of applying sunscreen as his reason for touching her, he let his hand rest on her shoulders and dropped a kiss on the back of her neck. "All set."

***

In the center of the stones a fire blazed, the smoke keeping any mosquitoes at bay.  Sara watched mesmerized as the flames danced wildly near the marshmallow on her stick.  “I've never tasted a roasted marshmallow before,” she said just before yawning for about the millionth time that night.

Christopher's hand wrapped around hers and adjusted the stick.  “Most people like them light brown, but I like them best when they get charred on the outside.”

“Maybe I'll try them both ways and with the chocolate and graham crackers you brought.”

“S'mores are a must on a camping trip,” he said with the utmost authority in his voice.  Pulling his own marshmallow out of the fire, he pulled the sticky concoction off the stick and popped it into his mouth.

She watched for some sign that it had been too hot, but none ever came.  Cautiously she followed his lead and did the same thing.  Despite being so close to the flames, the outside of the marshmallow was warm, but it didn't burn her fingertips.  Popping the roasted pillow of sugar into her mouth she bit down.  It melted in her mouth and she closed her eyes in delight.  “
Mmm… that's good.” She licked the remaining sticky goo from her fingers.  “People must go camping just for this.”

Christopher stuck another marshmallow on the end of each stick.  “I take it you're not having fun.”

Was that disappointment she heard in his voice?  “I didn't say that.  But next time we need an air mattress and some ear plugs.”  Perhaps she could learn to tune out the sounds of nature, but the hard ground… well that was something else entirely.

“We can still get a room for the night.”  He rotated the stick holding his marshmallow.

“Will you stop saying that?” Sara snapped.  “I'm fine where we are.  I'm just saying for next time.”  More than anything she wanted to hit him over the head with her stick.

He reached for her free hand.  “Okay, okay.  I just want you to have a good weekend.”

Sara leaned against him.  “I am.  This trip has been great.  We have time alone with no one bothering us.  That's all I want.”  Her friends may find it odd, but she didn't care where they spent their time.  All that mattered to her was they were together having fun.  So far their weekend camping trip fit the bill to a T.

“Me too.”
  He reached for the bag of marshmallows on the picnic table.  “Ready for another?” he asked.

“Definitely.
  This time I want the chocolate and graham crackers too.”

Together they sat roasting marshmallows and constructing
s'mores, for another thirty minutes or so then doused the fire and climbed into their tent.

“I need to figure out a way to make those at home.”  Sara snuggled next to Christopher, the steady sound of his heartbeat under her ear.

Christopher played with her loose strands of hair lying across his chest. “Use the microwave.  They taste almost the same.”

No longer able to keep them open, she let her eyelids close.  “Even I can handle that,” she whispered before falling asleep.

Sara's ringing cell phone pulled her attention away from the opened email on her computer screen.  A number with a California area code showed up on the screen, with no name attached.  Assuming it was another
reporter, Sara ignored the call and let it go to voicemail.  It looked like she needed to change her number again.

Prior to her mom's birthday party the month before, she'd remained under the media's radar and they'd left her alone.  Since the party, though, every media outlet latched onto her and Christopher's relationship.  Pictures of them together appeared on more than half the magazines published that week alone.  Reporters tried to get statements from her. They called her office repeatedly and a few had even gone so far as showing up at Senator Healy's office at the Capitol.  Thankfully security intercepted and turned them all away before they could get close.  Now it looked like they managed to get their hands on her personal number.

Though not the first time the media zoomed in on one of her relationships, they hadn't been this zealous since her short fling with actor Anderson Brady years earlier. In hindsight she should have expected it.  Her past two relationships had been with men not known outside of politics. Thanks to his success, everyone knew the name Christopher Hall.

With a half-hearted sigh, Sara went back to reading the email from Senator Healy. The man's messages tended to be long winded.  She found that humorous because in person he always cut right to the point. Scanning down the screen, she dismissed the first two paragraphs, which contained a basic itinerary for his current trip.  An itinerary she'd established for him.

“You've got to see this,” Hannah, one of the senator's interns, said as she came into Sara's office.  “Turn to channel 55.”

Sara's heart stopped. Hannah never entered without knocking first. 
For her to have done so meant a lot. “What happened?” Visions of terrible events went through her head.

“Carl Knight and Miriam Walker are on the Brown Report talking about the senator's education initiative.”  Hannah grabbed the remote from Sara's desk and turned on the television.  Immediately Vincent Brown, the host of the popular news talk show on CZN, came on the screen.

While perhaps interesting, Sara didn't see the announcement as earth-shattering.  Both political analysts regularly appeared on CZN and even without hearing their latest conversation Sara could picture how the discussion would go.  Carl Knight was a well-respected political analyst who normally maintained a bipartisan view. Miriam Walker was more an extremist who found fault with everything Senator David Healy and his party did.

“According to polls most of the country is behind this initiative approved by both the House and the Senate.  I've heard it said that it will turn US public schools around.  Make them competitive
again  with the rest of the world,” Vincent Brown's voice came through the television.

“I don't know where you're getting your information, but most people in Washington do not have confidence in this plan.  The only reason it passed was because President
Sherbrooke's daughter attached her name to it.  Without that name, the plan never would've made it out of the Senate regardless of what other names Senator Healy tied to it.  And he knew that.  Why do you think he pulled in Sara Sherbrooke?”

“Miriam, I have to—” Carl began to say but didn't get the opportunity to finish.

“Now that it has passed who is the real beneficiary?  Hall Technology.  It was announced this morning that Christopher Hall's company was awarded a very lucrative government contract, which is directly tied to the bill.  As you know Christopher Hall was one of Healy's biggest campaign donors, and he is romantically involved with Sara Sherbrooke.  There's no way all that is a coincidence, Vincent.” Miriam Walker said smugly.

The voices from the television became nothing more than a hum in the background as Sara stopped breathing.  Had the plan only passed because of her support?  Had Christopher and David used her for their own gains?  From the start David had wanted her to publicly support the plan.  When she'd refused the first time, he'd let it go.  The topic hadn't come up again until Christopher suggested it.  Had it been staged?  Her mind went back to her original conversation with Christopher.  Looking back, their whole conversation took on a different tone.

“I'm glad Hall Technology got the contract.  From what I've read, it seems like a great company and is considered one of the top companies in the US.”  Hannah's voice drifted through the haze in Sara's head.