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She tilted her head. “You don’t think you could take Cody? I can’t imagine you’d have anything to fear from him.”
“Fear?” He snorted. “I’d be hard-pressed not to clock him for the way he treated you.”
“Really?” Her voice squeaked.
“You’ve never had anyone look out for your interests?”
“I wouldn’t say never. One of my professors in med school took me under her wing.” She shook her hair back from her face. “Of course, she abandoned me when she discovered what I’d done.”
“What Cody did. Didn’t you ever tell her the truth?”
“I’ve never told anyone that truth, except Dr. Arnoff, who’d already heard the story from Cody. And you.”
“Like I said, that brother of yours will be lucky if I don’t knock his block off.”
“Please, don’t. We need his connections.”
A little smile hovered around her lips as she took the exit, so he knew she kind of liked the idea of someone knocking her brother’s block off for what he’d done to her.
A few miles in, Max pointed to an alpine structure set back from the road. “There it is. I’m hoping they have a vacancy since the season hasn’t officially kicked off.”
She pulled the tired little beat-up car up to the valet station and popped the trunk.
As she took the ticket from the valet, she asked, “Are there rooms available?”
“Yes, ma’am. We won’t fill up for another month unless the snow comes early.”
The bellhop pulled the duffel from the trunk first, staggering under its weight. Max made a grab for the strap and hoisted it over his shoulder. “I’ll get this one. It has some sensitive equipment.”
They approached the front desk with the bellhop wheeling the rest of their belongings behind them.
Max booked one of the suites. This way they’d have two different rooms for sleeping without actually asking for two separate beds. He didn’t know if he could handle another night lying next to Ava. He couldn’t trust himself to keep his hands to himself.
The clerk slid two key cards toward them. “You’re going to appreciate this suite. It has a fireplace and a wonderful view of the mountain.”
Ava smiled brightly. “Perfect.”
The bellhop trailed them to their room, and Max slipped him a tip after he’d unloaded their bags.
Ava wandered to the window and pulled back the drapes. “We could see the skiers from here if there were any.”
“Are you hungry?” He shoved his bag in the closet.
“Not after driving all day and that icky fast food. Are you?”
“No, but I could use some water or a can of soda. Should we brave the minibar?”
“It’s all courtesy of Tempest, right?”
He flung back the door beneath the flat-screen TV and opened the minibar. “Soda? Juice? Wine?”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll have some wine.”
“Why should I mind?”
“I just figured you didn’t drink. That’s what you used to tell me during your checkups.”
“I don’t drink, but I don’t mind if you do.”
“We never recommended abstinence—from drinking. Did Tempest have some sort of rule against it? Not all of my agent patients were teetotalers.”
“Red or white?” He held up two half bottles of wine.
“I’ll take the red. It wasn’t in the fridge, was it?”
“Next to it.” He twisted off the lid and poured the ruby liquid into a glass. “My reasons for not imbibing aren’t medical. I just never wanted to feel impaired in any way on the job.”
“And you were always on the job, weren’t you?” She strolled to him and took the wineglass from his hand.
“Twenty-four seven.”
“When’s the last time you had a vacation?” She ran her fingertip along the rim of the glass before taking a sip.
“I can’t even remember.” He snapped the tab on his soda and gulped back the fizzy drink. “That was the point of the Tempest agents on T-101. We didn’t need vacations. We’re superhuman.”
She dropped to the love seat in front of the fireplace and toed off her shoes. “I suppose I should call Cody and let him know we’re here.”
