Promises (28 page)

As a euphoric mist settled over their sweat-dampened bodies, they muttered soft words of love to one another.
 
There would be time for them.
 
They were going to be together.
 
He’d make damn sure of it.
 

Hours later, after loving her again slowly and sweetly, the sound of voices
—
male voices, brought Travis out of the best sleep he’d had in months.
 
Some agent he was.
 
There were people in the house, practically in the very room, and only now was he aware of it.

Sliding Bobbi’s head off his chest, he eased out of bed and pulled on his pants.

“Travis?”

“Shh.”
 
Leaning over, he kissed her forehead.
 
“Henri must be home.
 
I’m going to go tell him we’re here.
 
Go back to sleep.”

“Hurry back.”

Smiling at the thoroughly loved woman in bed, his heart swiftly pumped heated blood throughout his body.
 
They’d made love for hours before finally giving in to sleep, and still he wanted her.
 
There would never be a day when he wouldn’t want her.
 
Even when they were old and gray, she’d be the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world to him.
 

“I’ll only be a minute.”
 

Not wanting to risk another quick kiss, afraid he’d say to hell with Henri and fall back into bed and into her arms, he fastened his pants and silently made his way across the room.
 

Listening intently to the voices through the door, his nerves pulled tight.
 
Who was Henri talking to?
 
Had Steele’s men tracked them?
 

He made out Henri’s voice, agitated at being awakened so early, but the other, where had he heard it before?
 
It wasn’t Steele or any of his goons, yet he’d definitely heard that voice before.
 
As the muffled conversation continued, the memory became clear.

Travis stepped out of the room, partially closing the door behind him, and casually leaned against the jamb with his arms crossed over his bare chest.
 
“Yes, Steward.
 
What on earth are you doing waking up respectable people at this hour?”

The man who could pass as a shorter version of himself, spun around and pinned him with a menacing stare that melted into one of mirth.
 
“It’s nine o’clock you sorry sack of
—
”

“Tsk, tsk.
 
There’s a lady present, Steward.”

“She’s with you then?”

Travis nodded.

“And the package?”

Travis nodded again, unsure of how much his old friend knew, but suspected quite a bit.

“What’s going on?”
 
Bobbi’s soft voice jerked him away from the doorjamb.
 

Wrapped in a sheet, peering through the crack in the door, her eyes warily examined the stranger in the living room.

“It’s okay, bright eyes.
 
He’s one of the good guys.”

Tentatively, she stepped into the open, a blush clearly forming on her cheeks.
 
Although her makeshift toga concealed her delectable body from Henri and Steward, more than her sequined dress had the night before, he pressed her against his side, concealing as much of her as he could while making the introductions.

“Barbara McBride, Agent Steward Manning.
 
Interpol.”

Her soft hello was overridden by Henri.
 
“Will someone please tell me, what is going on?”
 
A quirky grin turned up at the corners of the Frenchman’s mouth.
 
“Although, you are a vision,
chérie
.
 
Ah, to paint you that way would be heaven.”

Travis tamped down his desire to pulverize the man.
 
He only spoke the truth after all.
 

She cleared her throat as she clutched the sheet tighter to her neck.
 
“Um, it’s a long story, Henri.
 
But, uh, do you think you could find me some clothes?
 
Mine are beyond repair.”

With a grin Travis didn’t care for, Henri said, “
Certainement
,
mon coeur
.
 
In my room there is something you can use.”
 

Travis gave her a gentle squeeze before she hesitantly pulled from his grasp and hurried to Henri’s room.
 
He could see her blush spreading across her shoulders and down her back where the sheet gaped open.
 
Did her skin turn that tempting shade of pink when they made love?
 
He made a mental note to answer that question later.
   

Henri turned his annoying grin to Travis.
 
“Perhaps I should assist her.”

Spreading his legs wide, his arms folded firmly across his chest, he starred hard at the artist.
 
“You take one step and I break both your legs.”

“Uh,
oui
.
 
Perhaps I should prepare us some café instead.”
 
He hurried off toward the kitchen with a cautious glance back over his shoulder.

“Still a hothead, I see.”

Steward’s voice broke through the green fog in Travis’ brain.
 
“Only when it’s important.”

“Uh-huh.
 
Well, I’m not here about your love life.”

“I didn’t think you were.
 
Want to tell me how you found us?”
 
Travis relaxed slightly as he moved into the living room.

“I’m not sure you’ll believe me, but I’ll tell you anyway.
 
We got an anonymous tip.”

“You’re right.
 
I don’t believe you.”

The two men sat across from one another, the tension in the room ebbing.
 

“Look, buddy.
 
We’ve been tracking Steele and his operation for some time on this side of the ocean, but haven’t been able to pin anything on him.
 
Until now.
 
That disk you and Jase’s sister have is the key.”

“Want to tell me how you knew about the disk?”

“From Jase.”
 

Bobbi stepped into the living room, distracting him from the important conversation.
 
Henri’s baggy jogging suit hung on her tiny frame, making her look like the little lost waif he’d met in a cabin on the other side of the world.
 
That seemed like a million years ago.

She cleared her throat nervously as she gripped the cuffs of her shirt, balling up her hands into cotton-covered fists.
 
Her gaze darted back and forth between him and Steward.
 
A million questions had to be racing through her mind, but he needed to finish his debriefing with his friend first.
 

“Why don’t you go into the kitchen and see if the coffee’s ready, sweetheart.”
 
He gave her a quick wink when she hesitated before doing as he suggested.
 

Her shoulders dropped a notch with the soft release of a pent-up breath as she walked away.
 
More than anything, he wanted to take her in his arms and soothe whatever fears she battled, but that had to wait.
 

“You were saying that Jase told you about the disk,” he said.

“Just of its existence and a little about his sister.
 
When I heard what happened to him, I started doing a little extra time on this case.
 
He suspected a leak, but I didn’t really believe it until I heard what happened to you and Barbara at the safe house.”

Their lives were still in danger and Steward was the very thing they needed to get off of Steele’s hit list.
 
He was one of the few people on the planet next to Jase he could trust.

“Let’s take this in there,” he said, motioning with his head.
 
“She has a lot vested in this.”
 
He guided his friend into the kitchen.
 

Henri stood over the stove preparing omelets while Bobbi sat with her knees tucked up under her chin, her arms wrapped around her legs, in one of the chairs at the table.
 
She was beyond adorable, but he sensed her uneasiness.
 

He stepped up behind her and gently rubbed her tense shoulders.
 
“Have a seat, Steward, and a cup of coffee.”

“I’d rather have the package.”

Bobbi gripped her legs tighter.
 
The tension beneath his fingers increased.
 
He responded with gentle squeezing circles.
 

“It’s all right, Bobbi.
 
He knows all about it, and I imagine he’ll be able to take care of it from now on.”

She looked up at Steward standing near the counter then tilted her head back to see Travis.
 
“Do I get the whole story or just bits and pieces?”

Agent Manning eyed the painter busily preparing breakfast then turned back to Bobbi.

“Ms. McBride, Interpol has been tracking Steele for quite some time.
 
I learned about the disk from Jase.
 
He didn’t tell me where it was, but he did mention you knew and that there was a possible leak back in the States.
 
So, I’ve been keeping an eye on you since you came into this country.
 
I assure you, if you turn the disk over to me, we will be able to arrest Steele and press charges.
 
It doesn’t contain a vast amount of information, but enough.
 
You won’t have to hide anymore.”

The strong, scrapping, stubborn woman Travis loved was trembling.
 

She took in a shaky breath before speaking.
 
“Then we can go home,” she stated more than asked.
 

“Yes, ma’am.
 
You and Travis will be free to go home and forget about Steele.
 
My men will escort you to your hotel the moment we have him in custody.”

As her legs slid off the chair, her hands fell limply to her lap.
 
That was more than enough to get Travis moving.
 
As much as he wanted to be in on the arrest with Steward, although he had no jurisdiction, Bobbi needed him now.
 

“Thanks, Steward.
 
I’ll go get you that package.”
 
He gently squeezed her shoulders then went to the bedroom.

The sight of the rumpled bed, now missing the sheet, sent a new wave of longing through him.
 
Shrugging into his tux shirt, he shook his head to rid his mind of the tantalizing images for the moment.
 
Half buttoned and still barefoot, he strolled back into the kitchen with the disk.

After giving it to Steward, he shook his hand and saw him out the door.
 
In an hour or so they would be on their way to the hotel.
 
Then they could begin living their lives instead of running for them.

The kitchen was eerily silent as the three ate their omelets and sipped coffee.
 
Travis was surprised Henri wasn’t chatting away about his opening the night before or this mess he had found himself in the middle of.
 
Perhaps his remark about breaking the man’s legs deterred him from any further conversation, but there was still something not quite right.
 
What had he missed from the time Bobbi got dressed and when he entered the kitchen?
 

The phone rang and after a few words in French, Henri handed it off to Travis.
 
Steele was in custody and a car waited for them at the entrance to the village to take them back to their hotel.
 
Men were stationed outside to escort them up the path.

“Thank you, Henri.
 
And I’m sorry for getting you mixed up in all this.”
 
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

“How do you say?
 
No problem,
chérie
.”

They hugged and held on a little longer than Travis would have liked, but she was leaving with him, so he really couldn’t complain.
 
He’d have to get over this jealousy thing.
 
Maybe once they were safely back home, and their lives were back to normal, he’d manage it.
 

He shook Henri’s hand, quietly thanked him for his hospitality then wrapped his arm around Bobbi.
 
He watched her as they made the climb up the hill.
 
Clutching the bag Henri had given her for her dress and things to her chest, she refused to meet his eye.
 
Waiting for her to tell him what was wrong didn’t appear to be working.
 
He’d have to drag it out of her.

Stopping before the path became too narrow for them to walk side by side, he spun her around to face him.
 
The agents walking a respectable distance in front and behind stopped as well.
 

“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said.

“Nothing’s wrong.”
 
Her voice was weak at best, and she continued to keep her gaze diverted.

Taking her face in his hands, he tilted her head up.
 
“There is definitely something wrong, and I want to know what it is.”

“I’m just tired.”

“Bobbi,” he growled.

She let out a quivering breath as she swiped at a tear forming in the corner of her eye.
 
“He didn’t show up.
 
I thought
—
”

Ah, hell.
 
Jase
.
 
She actually believed he was going to come waltzing into Henri’s house.
 
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple.
 

“I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she murmured.
 
“It just doesn’t feel right.”

Her pain was his pain, and it ate away at his strength like an acid.
 
“I’m sorry.
 
I should’ve been there.
 
I shouldn’t have let him take the assignment alone.”