“At least the shoes are cute,” she said, dangling the pumps with a finger. “Cheap, but cute.”
“You like?”
“It’s appalling.”
You can take a Lady out of the castle, but not the castle out of the Lady.
“That’s what I was going for.”
“Why?”
“You’ll see,” he told her.
“It better be good.” She tossed the clothes back where she’d found them. “Or I’ll choose an outfit for you.” She leaned back and closed her eyes. “And I have a fondness for black leather.”
Twenty miles outside of town, Neil stopped at a gas station and told her to change. She grumbled, but marched to the bathroom all the same. “And do something equally appalling with your hair.”
He chuckled as he walked into the convenience store and bought a pack of gum and a pack of cigarettes.
Outside the bathroom, he leaned against the hood of the car…waiting. He kept checking his watch, wondering if she’d ever come out. He moved to the door and gave a quick knock. “Everything all right in there?”
“I look ridiculous.”
“Scared, Princess?” he taunted her. Something he noticed worked on this trip. And here he thought he knew Lady Gwendolyn better than most. He hadn’t known shit.
“I’m not scared.”
“Uh-huh!”
He backed up to the car and waited.
Finally, the door to the bathroom opened. Her heeled foot carried her out the door. She tossed her bag of clothes to the ground and spun in a circle.
“Sweet Jesus,” he whispered as he pulled his sunglasses off his face. He already knew her legs were long and elegant, but he had no idea how far up they went. The shorts fit like a second skin. When she turned for him, her ass did indeed peep out from below. She’d buttoned the shirt up high and kept tugging on it. A large portion of her hair was brushed to one side and put in a pigtail.
Yeah, she looked like a schoolgirl fantasy hooker playing grown-up with the heels.
Blood shot from his head to his cock.
“You’re staring, Neil.”
He swallowed and took a step toward her. The shoes brought her closer to his height, but he still had to look down at her by several inches. Gwen stood perfectly still as he reached out and unbuttoned the shirt until the creamy expanse of her br**sts were clearly visible.
He licked his lips and ignored the feel of her soft skin as it grazed the backs of his fingers. He then gathered the edges of the bottom of the shirt, undid another button so only two were fastened, and tied the ends in a knot, tucking it under her ample br**sts. With her midriff exposed, he stepped back and examined his creation.
“Perfect.”
“For what? A twenty-dollar romp from the streets?”
A slow smile took over the muscles in his face.
“Oh, no, Neil you don’t expect me to act like a…”
“Where’s your sense of adventure, Princess?”
“I left it, along with my dignity, in the bathroom.”
“I’m not asking that you parade around town like this. We just need to make walking into a hotel as believable as possible.”
“I feel naked.”
Almost. “We can sleep in the car again.”
She dropped one hand to her hip. “That was mean.”
“Your choice.”
“Fine!” She walked toward him, stopped at his side, and pressed her br**sts into his arm. “Black leather pants,” she whispered in his ear. “Maybe a studded collar.”
His temperature shot up ten degrees. You’re in trouble, Mac. Serious trouble.
Chapter Sixteen
Eliza met Karen and Michael at the airport. Their “honeymoon” had been cut short by two days.
Michael suggested they return to France later between movies to make up for the interruption.
Karen ran into Eliza’s embrace. “We came back as soon as possible.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry we had to interrupt your vacation,” Eliza said to both of them.
“Dead neighbors and missing people sounds more like something I’d find in a movie script than real life,” Michael pointed out.
Eliza nodded. “I’m sorry. We haven’t met,” she said pushing her hand in front of his to shake.
“Oh…my bad. Michael, this is Eliza Billings.” Karen introduced them, watched them shake hands. “Eliza, Michael Wolfe…my temporary husband,” she whispered so only the three of them heard.
Michael winked at her. “No introduction needed for the First Lady of the state.”
“Back at ya, movie star.”
Michael smiled, already at ease in Eliza’s presence.
They moved to a waiting limousine, with a security detail following them. Karen waited until they were in the back, the window between the passenger and driver sealed before she spoke.
“What happened?”
“I don’t think any of us really know. That’s why we need you to share any information you know to help us figure it out.”
“I was in France. How can I know anything?”
“You’ve been living with Gwen…knew all about the neighbors’ hot tub habits…you know plenty.”
“All I know is Gwen and Neil have disappeared and the neighbors are dead. Michael and I laughed about the hairy naked neighbor throughout France. God, I feel bad now.”
“How were you to know?”