Chapter Twenty-Seven
Their bullshit and bluster changed. Chance and Camden ate their beef stew breakfast and joked over the WARNING sign that had been taped to the war room door. Camden swore up and down that he hadn’t been the one to hang it up. Chance wasn’t sure he believed him, but it didn’t matter.
After their breakfast of champs, Camden left. Chance felt as though he’d done a good deed for the day. Not only would a better partnership pay off in the field, but now he had another buddy to shoot the shit with.
More importantly, chilling out with Camden forced his mind to focus on his current mission: finding Jane.
Angela had been surprisingly unhelpful when he’d asked her for Jane’s room number. No matter. He was a determined man. If he’d have to sweet talk the hotel receptionist or canvas the building, he’d find her.
Chance grabbed his phone and hustled down thirteen flights of stairs.
He ducked through the newly hung plastic tarp and exited their hotel.
The overpowering sun hit him like a steamroller.
The day would be nearly as hot as their jaunt through the desert, and he arranged for a car service as he walked to Jane’s hotel.
The quick walk took far too long. Finally, he pushed through the opulent hotel entrance.
A shower of cold air rolled over him as he ambled into the marbled lobby.
The tiles beneath his feet probably cost more than his childhood home.
He tried to ignore the excess. Gold on the walls.
Gold inlaid on the floors. With every step, he saw excessive wealth, and Chance wondered how the world had strayed from the idea that simple could be exceptional.
Like the woman he spotted across the lobby. Chance couldn’t see much beyond her long red dress. But, as she faced the opposite direction, he couldn’t help but appreciate her elegant simplicity while sitting on an ornate bench.
The woman on the backless bench kept his attention, even as she ducked from his gaze as she bent to the side to adjust her sandal.
Chance stopped abruptly. The hairs on the back of his neck stood like a porcupine’s quills.
The familiar sensation served him well on the job.
But he wasn’t in danger. He was breathless and only beginning to understand why.
The woman sat up, and her long blond hair draped over her covered shoulders. Though he couldn’t see her face, there wasn’t a question about who she was. Jane was the only person who’d ever made him react like he might not survive if he walked the other way.
Chance savored the realization and took his time as he approached.
Nerves tingled along his forearm. The corners of his lips curled in a way he couldn’t shake.
She smoothed the flowing skirt over her legs and picked up a travel brochure from a pile by her side.
He was close enough to see a photograph of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center and then quietly, he sat down on his side of the bench, facing the opposite direction.
Only her pile of tourist brochures separated them. Chance picked up the top flyer and leaned toward Jane. “You can’t go to that mosque until later.”
She twisted. Surprise lit her features in a way that did something painfully amazing to his chest. “Chance?”
He grinned and flicked the brochure in his hand. “But this place is great, and it’s open now.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Hi.”
“Hey, MP.” He savored the way she fit against him, and he drew out the seconds it took to return her hug.
Holding her was somehow exactly the same as he’d done in the desert.
His protective, possessive instincts hummed in his chest. He inhaled, and his mouth watered.
The scent of jasmine, rich and fragrant, reminded him of early fall, when the days were warm as summer but the nights crept in, early and cool. Now, it would remind him of her, too.
They pulled apart and set down their tourist brochures.
“Look at you,” she said with a nervous laugh. “You’re so… clean.”
“Ha.” He’d been hoping for something like “handsome beyond reason,” but clean was fine—of course it was fine. Since when did he want to lean on the crutch of looks? “So are you.”
“Clean is exactly what I was going for. But…” She looked down at the modest red dress and picked up the flowing skirt with a small shrug. “This isn’t exactly my usual style and color. But what can you do? My luggage is long gone.”
“Sorry. We’re not big on rescuing luggage. Just people.”
“I know.” She folded her hands and repositioned her legs, crossing them at the ankle. “I wasn’t complaining, and Angela had several options available in my closet. But they were so… bright.”
“Why don’t you like bright?”
“It’s so…” She raised her hands and threw her fingers out like they were fireworks. “Bright.” Jane laughed. “I’d much rather blend in.”
He could appreciate that. “They taking good care of you?”
“Yeah, of course. Angela’s amazing.”
“Did you sleep all right?”
“Eh.” She seesawed her hand. “I never sleep well in strange beds.”
“Oh, yeah? But you slept pretty well in the desert.”
Her cheeks pinked. “That wasn’t really sleeping.”
“It was. I remember.” Chance leaned close and dropped his voice. “There’s a possibility you even snored.”
She swatted his arm playfully. “Never.”
He bumped his shoulder against hers. Jane hadn’t snored, but damn he enjoyed making her eyes go wide and her smile light up. “There might have been a little drool.”
“Absolutely not.” She rolled her eyes, blushing furiously.
He leaned back, pretending to think back to their night together. It wasn’t a hard memory to search for. “All right. Maybe you didn’t snore or drool, but I saw you sleep.”
Jane met his eye for a moment.
I saw you sleep. They were both replaying what he had said. What a simple statement. Except it had been anything but simple.
“No.” She glanced away with a self-deprecating laugh. “Not sleep. That’s what you’d call a full-body shutdown brought on by complete exhaustion and near-death experiences.” She brushed her hair off her shoulder, not meeting his gaze. “What about you? Sleep well?”
He snapped. “Out like a light.”
Jane tilted her head, and then she grinned as though she’d learned a secret.
“What?”
“I heard you were called to the principal’s office.”
Chance chuckled and imagined Jared Westin as a high school principal, ruler in hand and glowering from behind a desk. “Something like that.”
“What happened?”
He waved her concern away. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“If you say so.” She swept a lock of blond hair off her face and twirled it around her finger. “Hey—did you know that the Thanes left?”
“Not initially.”
Her forehead furrowed as though he’d answered incorrectly. “Really?”
Chance lifted a shoulder. “Angela mentioned it today when I gave her a quick call. Why?”
Jane studied him and then ducked her chin. “I don’t know. I’m just surprised they left me here, high and dry. Sort of sucks.”
Well, hell. Here he was, ready to make plans without considering that she didn’t want to be in Abu Dhabi. “Sorry about that.”
“No, it’s a good reminder. I work for them. I’m not family.” Her bitter tone matched the way she thinned her lips. It was as though she didn’t want to care but couldn't help it.
Perhaps a date wasn’t in the cards. He’d still help her out. “I can help you get back home if Angela wasn’t able—”
“Oh, no. She could, and I appreciate that.” Jane took a quick breath. “But I decided it might be good to let Gigi fend for herself while I take a mini-vacation at their expense.”
“Yeah. They owe you that much.” He tapped the pile of travel brochures. “What’s on your agenda?”
“No idea. I’m an Abu Dhabi virgin. I haven’t been anywhere outside of the United States, really.”
Lord help him. His body jerked to life at the word virgin like he was a kid in the midst of puberty. Chance shifted and cleared his throat. “You should see the sights.” He should ask her to go with him. What the fuck was wrong with him? “With me,” he tacked on.
Mission somewhat accomplished. Not an articulate invitation. But, apparently, the best he could manage.
Jane curled her fingers into her skirt, fidgeting. “You don’t have to be my tour guide.”
There was literally nothing he would rather do. “Jane.” Chance laid his hand over hers, again feeling his body react explosively. “Spend the day with me.”
She blinked as though she didn’t understand his offer. “Are you sure?”
Why was this so hard? Had anyone ever turned him down? No. Chance pulled her to her feet and kept his hand over hers. There wasn’t any space between. In his mind, there wasn’t any question where he wanted to be or with whom he wanted to be. “Do you need to get anything before we head out?”
Jane shook her head.
Green light. Their day together was a go. “Let’s go see what we can get into.”