Turning, she hurried for the stairs. She’d find her bedroom in this gorgeous apartment and then she’d say lots of prayers for help. Not that prayer had saved anybody she cared about. But she wasn’t ready to give up on heaven.
Only on any chance of love.
Chapter
Three
Robbie watchedAlice storm up the stairs. He had no idea what to say to his buddies after they witnessed the former love of his life reject him yet again. At least it wasn’t as bad as their battle fifteen years ago. He was hardened enough the hurt simmered below the surface rather than gouging him and flaying him open like a gutted fish.
Thankfully the familiar guards were militant dudes, and they focused on setting up security and getting bags to rooms. He only heard the smart-aleck River mutter under his breath, “Poor sucker.”
With nothing to do but unpack his duffel bag, he pulled up the itinerary from Madelyne. Today she had nothing extra planned for them. ‘Settle in and start falling in love,’ were her instructions.
What a laugh. Love wasn’t going to happen. Though a million dollars was nothing to sneeze at, Robbie wouldn’t try to schmooze and trick Alice into loving him again for money.
He was here to protect Alice. Period. Seeing her again had brought all the old feelings to the surface. If only they could recreate what they’d had as naïve eighteen-year-olds.
As a too-wise thirty-three-year-old, Alice had easily found a chinkin his metal parts. He would’ve shed his battle armor and let her in, if she’d had even an inkling of interest in reconnecting or wanted to get through to him.
Robbie shook his head. Even if he could change his path, Alice didn’t appear willing to give him a chance. Far from it. He seemed to infuriate the former angel. The beautiful woman he’d just seen had the appearance of his long-lost love, but his Alice and their love were a fable of the past.
The afternoon and evening were long. He unpacked his duffel, shaking his head at all the expensive clothes and products Madelyne had waiting in the closet and bathroom for him. He spent a lot of time on his suite’s patio, pacing, looking at the intricate architecture and wishing he could hear what Alice had to say about it, praying, and trying to distract himself by reading a John Grisham novel on his phone.
Finally, it was time for dinner. He descended the stairs, smelling the delicious scents of the takeout meal that had been delivered, ignoring Price’s questioning gaze, and wondering if he dared knock on her door.
He paced and waited. When she appeared, it was all worth the wait. She looked enticing in a long, pale blue dress that outlined her incredible shape and was the perfect complement to her tanned skin and dark hair and eyes.
She wasn’t smiling, didn’t greet him, and didn’t seem anything like the happy sweetheart he’d known and loved. Could he blame her? Did he even know what Alice’s normal self was any longer? Fifteen years was a long time, and he was the one who’d walked away and never returned. Yet how could they have had a relationship? Her mom loathed him, and Alice had defended her mom and was committed to ‘helping’ her manipulative, judgmental mom.
Price and Curtis, who were in the main room, each refused to eat with them, insisting that Madelyne had given them strict instructions that Robbie and Alice were to ‘dine alone’. Oh, boy.
They dished up plates in silence and carried the food and sparkling water out onto the patio. At least Robbie could try to distract himselfwith a gondola sliding by on the quiet canal below or the tinkling laughter of a couple walking hand in hand over one of the main canal bridges.
He couldn’t let himself study Alice’s face like he longed to. That yearning wasn’t a sign of weakness. It had simply been too many years since his eyes had feasted on her, and her face was majestic. Similar to his first steak dinner after being deployed to Cuba. Delectable and every bite savored. Alice was delectable, and he’d savor her mouth meeting his.
It was too warm outside, and he started to sweat. Being alone with Alice and his errant thoughts weren’t doing him any favors.
The food was incredible—zesty caprese salad with an oozing buffalo mozzarella he’d never found in the states, rich and creamy pasta carbonara with just enough bacon to not overpower the cream, and Margherita pizzas with chewy cheese and a thin crust as savory as he’d ever tried. The takeout containers had kept the food at an ideal temperature. The company was … awkwardly quiet. He racked his brain for something to say. Anything.
“Are you excited to see Venice?” he asked. He remembered her obsession with the architecture of Venice, along with Rome, Prague, Budapest, Paris, and London. She’d loved that movieWhile You Were Sleepingand sweetly asked if they could honeymoon in Venice like Sandra Bullock’s character in the movie. Of course he’d agreed as an infatuated eighteen-year-old. He would’ve spent every cent in his savings account and gone anywhere in the world to be on a honeymoon with Alice. It was bittersweet to think now they’d see all the sights of Alice’s dream place, but Alice didn’t care for him any longer and they definitely weren’t on the honeymoon he’d dreamed about.
A honeymoon. With Alice. All the passion and sweet love they’d shared. All the hopes and dreams. He could easily remember how exhilarating it had felt when Alice teased him, kissed him, cuddled into his chest and clung to him.
Suddenly, it was sweltering hot on this patio. Maybe he should shave his beard and cut his hair like his mama kept suggesting. He’d have to grow it out again for the next undercover job. The persona he relied on to infiltrate and all his fake IDs had long hair and a beard. Hecouldn’t be waiting for hair to grow so he could track down drug lords and human traffickers.
“I am,” she said softly, in the voice that sounded much more like the Alice he remembered, not the irate Alice of a couple hours ago. “Did you tell Brandon that Venice was where we wanted to honeymoon together?”
Robbie leaned back as she smacked him with that one. All the desire to marry Alice felt so real, as if it were a living thing between them and he could reach out and grasp it. He couldn’t.
“No.” He shook his head. “That was our special secret.”
He flushed at the words. Special secret. They would’ve seemed juvenile with anyone besides Alice.
“I’m glad.” Her dark eyes lit with a warmth that used to be special for them as well. All the memories were right at the surface, and he was dreaming of Alice in his heart and his arms.
Just as quick as the connection had flared to life, she broke it, looking down at the canal.
“I wish Madelyne would’ve shared the itinerary with me. She wanted it to be a surprise.” Alice forked a bite of caprese salad—buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and basil dripping with some of the best balsamic vinegar dressing he’d ever tasted.
