Читать книгу Under The Covers - Jamie Denton - Страница 11

“ENJOY YOUR STAY at Seaport Manor, Mr. and Mrs. St. Claire.” The desk clerk solemnly handed the leather-bound key holder to the bellman. “George will escort you to your bungalow.”

Blake nodded his thanks and glanced down at Ronnie, noting the flash of what he could only term as strong trepidation in her brilliant eyes. He settled his hand on the small of her back to gently guide her after the bellman, who was already across the marble floor toward the rear of the lobby. Since they’d stepped off the water taxi, she’d been absolutely silent. While she might have suddenly lost her ability for speech, based on the perfectly straight line of her spine and the tension in her shoulders, she obviously hadn’t lost her ability to stiffen whenever he touched her. He’d hoped after last night those telltale signs wouldn’t continue to be a problem.

He’d been wrong.

On an assignment like this, he couldn’t afford to be wrong. So what if his ego climbed a notch every time she flinched, stiffened or her intriguing gaze widened with wonder when he touched her. That wasn’t the point. They had a job to do, and he swore before they took one step outside their bungalow, he’d make damned sure she had no misconceptions about her undercover role…as his loving bride.

They followed the bellman outside into a manufactured tropical world of romantic make-believe. He’d studied the additional photographs and video surveillance Ronnie had left with him last night, but even he had to admit the photos and video didn’t do the place justice. Avalon hosted its own natural elegance and quaint simplicity, but the tropical additions by the resort designers made the reality of a drug smuggling operation almost surreal. Who would suspect something so devious in a location one step shy of paradise? No one, he thought cynically, which made Seaport Manor an almost perfect cover.