Excitement skittered through her. “When are we leaving?”
“After breakfast.”
The crisp fall morning was cloudless and Carly settled into the passenger seat of the Porsche. As they weaved their way out of D.C., Ashton punched up a playlist of jazz tunes. Not long after, they were headed west on Route 66 in Virginia.
“Does this have something to do with your birthday?”
“My birthday isn’t for another week and a half, and when have I ever celebrated that?”
She studied his profile. “Not even a hint?”
He glanced over. “No way.”
They sped west, leaving the bustle of Northern Virginia behind them. An hour later, Carly commented on the beautiful color of the changing leaves. “We’re going to a winery.”
He claimed her thigh with his large hand and gave her a little squeeze. “You’ll see.”
Her chest warmed as she studied his wide knuckles. She loved his touch, the gentle way his fingers wrapped her leg. Just as she was about to thread her fingers through them, his cell phone rang and he took the call.
“Hott here.”
“Maverick, it’s Darren. Can you hear me?”
“I can and you’re on speaker. I’m not alone.”
“Yes, sir. We had to go quiet the past twenty-four hours, but we’ve got confirmation on our target.”
“Good. How’s your team doing?”
“High spirits, decent sleep. No one’s drunk the water.”
Ashton chuckled. “Are you on schedule?”
“Affirmative.”
“If you run into any issues, call me right away. Thanks for checking in. Good luck, Darren.”
“Thank you, sir.” Darren disconnected.
The wrinkle between his brows had returned from the pressure he imposed on himself. Despite his silence, she knew he worried when a team was on assignment in hostile territory.
Exiting Route 66, he downshifted, continuing west on a pretty country road.
“You’ve got so much going on at work,” she said. “We don’t have to do this, you know?”
“Yes, we do. We need a break from the mayhem.” He turned onto a farm road. In the distance, the rolling hills of the Virginia countryside created a picturesque landscape. A farmhouse and two smaller buildings were the only structures in the area. Carly was stumped until they rounded the corner and saw three hot air balloons in various states of inflation.
“Oh, wow. No way.” Beaming, she grasped his arm. As soon as he parked, she hopped out. “Are we taking a ride?”
“Damn straight.”
“This is the best surprise.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
“I cried so hard when my mom wouldn’t let me go with you guys.” She curled her hand around his biceps as they made their way across the field. “Well, she can’t stop me now.”
“Can I go?” Carly had asked her mom. “I really, really want to.”
