Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The ring on Julia’s slender finger shouldn’t have caused such a stir in his stomach.
He and Julia didn’t actually get engaged.
And did men get butterflies? Was that a real thing he’d heard Harper and Jessica discuss over the years?
He didn’t feel sick, nor did his abdomen ache like he’d done a thousand sit-ups, but something was off.
Nerves? Maybe.
He was feeling something, that was for sure, and it wasn’t numbness.
As A.J. turned into the resort, Finn looked up to find Julia peering at him from where she sat next to him in the backseat. Harper was on the other side of her, and Roman sat shotgun.
Julia’s eyes were shielded by her sunglasses, same as his. But she knew he’d been staring at the ring, didn’t she?
“Well, we’re here. Ready for this wild weekend adventure in Dubai?” A.J. asked as if trying to lighten the too-quiet mood, which was typical of his brother. “Anything special you want me to do as A.J., the bodyguard? And wow, that sounds like the title of a bad eighties film.”
Finn owed A.J. for Julia’s husky, feminine laugh that had his dick twitching in appreciation.
“Just be yourself,” Julia told A.J.
Roman looked back and smiled. “Probably not a good idea. He should act like a grown-up.”
“Har har,” A.J. responded as they waited for the valet to come to the car.
Can I survive this weekend? Could he make it three days as Richard O’Connell, the brave hero from The Mummy movies? Julia had filled him in on the details of the movies in case anyone recognized their names, and they needed to play it up somehow.
Harper was anxious to get to the villa and work with Jessica so they could go through Giorgio Ferrari’s files to see if the American Romancing the Stone couple had had work done by the surgeon.
They would try to match the couple’s current photos to Giorgio’s records that Harper and Roman had stolen in hopes their guess was not only correct but would also disclose who they were before becoming Joan and Jack.
What planet am I on right now? An ’80s-themed weekend in Dubai? With a woman I can’t have and shouldn’t want next to me.
“Ohh, look. A rainbow of Ferraris,” A.J. spoke as if cooing to a baby. “I guess this Bentley will stand out.”
“Are you practicing baby talk for when A.J. junior is here?” Finn teased.
“He ain’t gonna be a junior. And I’m not sure if we’re having a boy, anyway. Ana doesn’t want to find out the sex, remember?”
“I don’t think I’d want to know, either,” Julia said, and Finn noticed Harper drawing a hand to her abdomen out of the corner of his eye.
“Yeah, well, Ana is the boss.” A.J. tossed back a look toward Julia accompanied by his signature smile. “It’s showtime.” He exited the driver’s side when the valet appeared and handed off the keys before opening the rear door on one side while the valet opened the other side.
Finn reached for Julia’s palm and clasped their hands to play the role of her husband. Was this considered PDA? Screw it. He was going to do it anyway. She didn’t seem to mind, and her delicate hand fit perfectly inside his big one.
They followed behind Roman and Harper, with A.J. at their six o’clock, but Finn stopped at the sight of the two bronze horse statues in a fountain by the hotel entrance. He closed his eyes, his dream from the other day flashing to mind.
“You okay?” Julia’s whispered words broke him from whatever weird spell he’d fallen under. Maybe A.J. was right and they were cursed. Or the desert heat was going to his brain.
“Fine,” he lied, opening his eyes and urging them to head inside and check in.
It was hard to miss Jessica and Asher, already in the lobby waiting for them, considering the odd pair they made—a dark-haired mountain of a man standing next to a petite blonde with blue eyes.
Asher’s height and muscular build assured he stuck out in most places, but the fact that he loosely resembled that Aquaman actor, especially when he grew out his hair and beard, which Jessica loved, only added another layer of noticeability.
“Hey,” Asher greeted them, his gaze swerving to Julia with curiosity. “You’re no quitter, huh? I admire that.” He gently elbowed his wife. “Reminds me of someone I know.”
“I have to agree. Ballsy, though,” Jessica added, then pulled Julia in for a hug. Jessica had transformed from a notorious Ice Queen to a mamma bear. It had been an interesting and promising sight to see. It gave Finn hope that people could change.
“Three has eyes on Tariq and Kaira’s villa,” Asher offered in a low voice after they checked in and were being accompanied outside to golf carts to be driven to their villa, which was in a separate location on the massive property.
Since Asher was Bravo Three, Finn knew he was referring to Echo Three, Chris.
Finn and Roman nodded in response before they all climbed aboard their own golf cart, and A.J. rode solo with his driver.
Finn released a shaky breath when Julia united their hands as they sat on the back of the golf cart and drove past the emerald-green polo lawns. Who was the act for? The driver? He doubted that. Maybe she sensed something was off with him?
He stared at that ring again. It was too big for her. Too gaudy. If he were ever to buy an engagement ring, he’d go with something simple. A classic solitaire. But did Julia like flashy?
He tore his free hand through his hair as some strands caught a sudden breeze. What am I thinking?
Julia squeezed his hand, a signal he found himself interpreting as It’s okay. I got you. He was used to only his brothers and Jessica and Harper “having his back” and no one else. Why did his fingers laced with Julia’s feel so comforting? So natural?
It took Finn a second to process that the golf cart had stopped outside the villa, and he gently pulled his hand free from Julia’s, which hadn’t been natural to do.
“Damn, we have our own pool. Not that we’ll get a chance to use it,” A.J. commented when they were all inside the four-bedroom villa.
Finn walked over to the sliding glass doors in the living room to view the swim-up pool that ran parallel to the villa. He looked left and right, curious which villas Kaira and this suspicious American couple were staying in. Harper would have that intel, though.
“You should hurry up and get ready. Reservations are soon for the steakhouse,” Jessica pointed out.
Finn turned at Jessica’s words. “I think you and Harper should hang back and work. Julia and I can handle tonight.”
“I was thinking the same,” Jessica agreed.
“Asher and Roman can keep tabs on Tariq and Kaira if they’re not at the steakhouse with the American couple tonight like we hope they’ll be.
Their reservations were originally for three, but I don’t think Tariq is letting his sister out of his sight.
I’m surprised she even showed up at the resort unattended. ”
“Yeah, well, Tariq wasn’t far behind her,” A.J. noted. “Like her shadow.”
“Why not make her leave the resort, though?” Asher asked the million-dollar question.
“I’m guessing the reason has something to do with this couple,” Harper responded. “So, we need to figure out what’s the deal with them.”
“But we’ll handle that. You two get ready.” Jessica shooed Finn and Julia away. “You two mind sharing a room?”
Am I okay with that? Yes. Also no. The one time he’d actually slept in the hotel room they shared in Egypt had resulted in her taking off. He didn’t anticipate that happening this time, but he did worry something else might happen if he were alone in a bedroom with her.
“Yeah, if you are?” Julia asked Finn, and he forced a nod.
“You can use my shower while Julia gets ready,” A.J. suggested.
Good call.
Because for a split second, he considered they could save time by showering together. It’d also give him the opportunity to finger her into another orgasm and kiss her like he wished he had last time.
As Finn kept hold of Julia’s gaze, he witnessed a blush of color bloom on her skin, slowly slide up the column of her neck, then continue on to her cheeks as if similar thoughts had entered her mind as well.
He didn’t need to be behind a camera to commit every inch of this woman to memory, to find the beauty on the other side of the lens. He saw her clear as day before him now. A stunning and independent woman he . . . fuck, he wanted her. So damn much.
“Hopefully, by the time you’re finished with dinner, we’ll have answers about this Joan and Jack mystery couple.” Jessica pivoted to Harper, and when Harper cupped her mouth as if she might bolt, Finn let go of his thoughts.
“Not again.” Harper began running for the nearest bedroom, and Roman shrugged as if he were clueless and went after her.
“Is she sick?” Asher stepped alongside his wife. “Or?”
Or is she pregnant? Finn kept his mouth shut and pulled the same shrug maneuver as Roman had.
Something in Julia’s eyes as she’d watched Harper flee told him she knew the truth. Harper must have told her at some point on the trip, which was a bit surprising she’d opened up to Julia first instead of Finn. That honor was normally his.
“I’ll be quick.” Julia went to one of the bedrooms, and Finn took A.J. up on his offer to utilize his room to get ready.
Harper had chosen what he’d be wearing to dinner tonight. Khaki linen pants with a white linen long-sleeved shirt. Dressy enough without being too hot.
When Finn stepped into the fancy shower, he turned the water on so hot he nearly scalded his skin, which felt horrible on his chest. Ice cold would have been the wise choice on the bruises he’d gotten after being shot with a plate on, but he wasn’t in the mood for a cold shower.
He also didn’t have time to jerk off, but he was afraid if he didn’t release all of his pent-up tension, he might lose his mind at some point soon.