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She laughed softly, breathlessly. “Not bad at all.”
At least she didn’t deny having enjoyed herself. That might have pissed him off. As it was, this time his smile took no effort at all. He secured her hand in his and didn’t let go as he led her down the steps to loop around Villa Melzi, back to the car.
“I think we made some great progress here today,” he said matter-of-factly. “You trusted me. You enjoyed a surprise. And most importantly, you finally came to terms with how much you want me.”
“Your conceit knows no bounds.”
He discovered he’d do just about anything to keep her laughing as they finished their private tour. It was pathetic, really. He felt like a horny teenager on the two minute drive back to the boat so she could change and get her camera. All he could think about was carrying her below deck and picking up where they’d left off at the top of the garden steps.
But time ticked relentlessly, and though she didn’t say it, he knew she was anxious to meet up with her family again. He wished he had equal enthusiasm. There was no reason not to, since he’d be rid of her and the responsibility of keeping her safe. That alone should have had him running for the car to be on their way.
That, and his investigation, like she’d said. He needed to go back to his place and see if by some miracle the voice recording was still there to back up her video. He had to figure out exactly how much Lapaglia knew about his involvement. He wanted to follow up on a comment Lorenzo had said into the mic yesterday morning about a new shipment of animals. And he couldn’t do any of that with her at his side.
Take any one of those reasons and he should have no qualms about saying goodbye to the uptight Halliwell Sanders.
Unfortunately, she’d gotten under his skin. And no matter how much he tried to convince himself not to worry about the meeting in front of the consulate, after their surprise guests last night, his gut told him to proceed with caution.
Chapter 14
To Trent’s relief, Halli sat mute on the way to Milan. After the sensual energy that pulsated between them as she carefully changed the bandage on his arm, he needed some distance. Physically, that problem would be solved in the next twenty minutes, but it unnerved him that his earlier teasing about missing her was completely true.
Didn’t help that the blouse he’d bought her brought out the blue in her eyes in the most amazing way. Not to mention, with its cross wrap and side tie, the silky material molded her breasts almost as much as the Wet & Wild shirt.
He fought against a sideways, downward glance. She was a distraction he didn’t need right now, damn it. The emotional distance her silence created was definitely for the best.
He’d been to the US Consulate General in Milan a time or two since purchasing his villa, and only took two wrong turns on the confusing one-ways before getting them on the right track. A couple blocks from the government building, he pulled the car over near a pay phone. Removing his cap, he ran a hand through his hair and resettled the hat, keeping the visor low over the spare pair of sunglasses he’d snagged off the boat.
Halli leaned forward to look at the buildings around them. “Is this it?”
“Not quite.” Trent chose his words carefully. “I think we should try your brother’s cell again. He may not have gotten your message.”
“They’ll be there,” she stated. And then he thought she added under her breath, “They have to be.”
“Then let’s find out where they want to meet. It’ll save some time driving around.”
“I told them in front of the building. It can’t be that big. I’d rather just go see if they’re there. How much farther is it?”
“A few blocks, but—”
“Then let’s go.”
The ball of lead in Trent’s sto
mach refused to budge. In fact, it’d gotten heavier the closer they got to the city. He wasn’t sure if it stemmed from the imminent meeting with her family, or the idea that she was about to walk out of his life for good.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. This was absurd. He made friends with people and said goodbye all the time in his line of work. A few months, weeks, sometimes only days, on set and everyone went their separate ways. Halli was no different.
Yes she is.
He ignored that voice, turning his attention to another issue that’d occurred to him during the drive to the city. The reason he’d secretly hidden the video SD card, his one remaining concrete piece of evidence, back at the boat. When he got justice for Sean and Lorenzo, he’d find a way to return her family memories.
“Listen, even if your brother and sister are here—”
“They are.”
“—have you thought about the rest of your situation?”
“The rest of my situation?” she repeated with a frown.
