with only ended in wreckage, and sometimes death. He straightened, ignoring her surprised look as he pulled up his slacks.
He couldn’t let her see his weakness. He couldn’t have a weakness. He would squelch this.
“Be ready by 9:00 tomorrow night. You’ll meet Marco at the airport by 10:00 p.m. I’ll send a car.”
He didn’t look at her as he shut the door behind him. He heard the door reopen and knew Grace was peering after him, but he didn’t turn around. If he did, he might go back to her.
Chapter Five
Stepping out into the hot sun with her carry-on bag, Grace surveyed her surroundings. The trees seemed to waver in the heat, and a droplet of sweat wound its way down the back of her neck. She dropped her sunglasses over her eyes and cast a glance behind her at Marco, who trailed her by two paces. They’d taken an overnight commercial flight but had sat in different areas of the plane. She shrugged, guessing now would be as good a time as ever, and strode over to Warren Bell.
“Hi,” she said, thrusting her hand in the reporter’s direction. “I’m Graciela Merced. I’ll be tagging along for CableNette, taking photos.”
“I know. Sorry I didn’t have time to meet you before we took off. I was told you were competent and that’s all I need. Nice to meet you now,” Warren said, without missing a beat. He shook her hand briefly then reached in his pocket for a small mirror, in which he studied his short brown hair. He turned to Marco. “I think Colombia calls for ‘reporter studiously wearing glasses’, don’t you?” He whipped out a pair of stylishly squared rims.
Marco smiled and shook his head. “Nah, Warren. Think about the sun off that glass. All of your stand ups are going to be outside.”
The reporter put on a mock frown. “Hrrmph. I suppose you’re right. Contacts it is, then. Just as well. No one can resist these baby blues, am I right, sister?” He elbowed Grace.
It made her giggle. Warren was nothing if not charming.
Marco put his weight between them, pretending the purpose was to engage Warren in talk about the upcoming shoots, but Grace saw the look in his eyes. It said “back off”. Her heart warmed inside her chest at the thought. There was something about Marco that made her skin shiver, and she couldn’t shake the feelings of affection that came with the sensation.
“Well, darlings, let’s go to our posh accommodations, then go to lunch. We’ve got to plan our itinerary, and seeing the sights isn’t going to fit in, if you know what I mean. Plus, I’ve got a meeting with a waitress at a local joint in about five hours. Don’t want to miss it. She’s got information for me. And as far as I hear, a killer set of legs.” Warren smiled broadly, which emphasized the small dimple in his right cheek. His perfect, straight white teeth gleamed against the beautiful olive tan of his skin. “Though I’m sure they can’t compare to yours,” he added, looking at Grace. “Maybe we’ll even have time for…dessert.” He stared at Grace while enunciating that last word, then laughed heartily at her shocked expression. “I’m just kidding, girlie,” he said. “It’s clear you belong to the associate producer.” He walked away from them, shaking his head. “No justice in this world, man,” he shouted to no one in particular. “I’m the fab reporter, and the AP gets all the beauty.”
“Don’t mind him,” Marco said, falling into step with her. “He’s all bluster. He’s a good-hearted man.”
“I think he’s funny,” she replied.
Marco gave her an assessing look. “Well, just don’t think he’s too funny. I’ve got enough going on. I don’t want to have to worry about you falling head over heels for our prize reporter.”
She didn’t answer this time, didn’t even look at him, but she squeezed his wrist gently and thought she felt a bit of his tension ease.
Good, she decided as they entered the parking lot. A little
He couldn’t let her see his weakness. He couldn’t have a weakness. He would squelch this.
“Be ready by 9:00 tomorrow night. You’ll meet Marco at the airport by 10:00 p.m. I’ll send a car.”
He didn’t look at her as he shut the door behind him. He heard the door reopen and knew Grace was peering after him, but he didn’t turn around. If he did, he might go back to her.
Chapter Five
Stepping out into the hot sun with her carry-on bag, Grace surveyed her surroundings. The trees seemed to waver in the heat, and a droplet of sweat wound its way down the back of her neck. She dropped her sunglasses over her eyes and cast a glance behind her at Marco, who trailed her by two paces. They’d taken an overnight commercial flight but had sat in different areas of the plane. She shrugged, guessing now would be as good a time as ever, and strode over to Warren Bell.
“Hi,” she said, thrusting her hand in the reporter’s direction. “I’m Graciela Merced. I’ll be tagging along for CableNette, taking photos.”
“I know. Sorry I didn’t have time to meet you before we took off. I was told you were competent and that’s all I need. Nice to meet you now,” Warren said, without missing a beat. He shook her hand briefly then reached in his pocket for a small mirror, in which he studied his short brown hair. He turned to Marco. “I think Colombia calls for ‘reporter studiously wearing glasses’, don’t you?” He whipped out a pair of stylishly squared rims.
Marco smiled and shook his head. “Nah, Warren. Think about the sun off that glass. All of your stand ups are going to be outside.”
The reporter put on a mock frown. “Hrrmph. I suppose you’re right. Contacts it is, then. Just as well. No one can resist these baby blues, am I right, sister?” He elbowed Grace.
It made her giggle. Warren was nothing if not charming.
Marco put his weight between them, pretending the purpose was to engage Warren in talk about the upcoming shoots, but Grace saw the look in his eyes. It said “back off”. Her heart warmed inside her chest at the thought. There was something about Marco that made her skin shiver, and she couldn’t shake the feelings of affection that came with the sensation.
“Well, darlings, let’s go to our posh accommodations, then go to lunch. We’ve got to plan our itinerary, and seeing the sights isn’t going to fit in, if you know what I mean. Plus, I’ve got a meeting with a waitress at a local joint in about five hours. Don’t want to miss it. She’s got information for me. And as far as I hear, a killer set of legs.” Warren smiled broadly, which emphasized the small dimple in his right cheek. His perfect, straight white teeth gleamed against the beautiful olive tan of his skin. “Though I’m sure they can’t compare to yours,” he added, looking at Grace. “Maybe we’ll even have time for…dessert.” He stared at Grace while enunciating that last word, then laughed heartily at her shocked expression. “I’m just kidding, girlie,” he said. “It’s clear you belong to the associate producer.” He walked away from them, shaking his head. “No justice in this world, man,” he shouted to no one in particular. “I’m the fab reporter, and the AP gets all the beauty.”
“Don’t mind him,” Marco said, falling into step with her. “He’s all bluster. He’s a good-hearted man.”
“I think he’s funny,” she replied.
Marco gave her an assessing look. “Well, just don’t think he’s too funny. I’ve got enough going on. I don’t want to have to worry about you falling head over heels for our prize reporter.”
She didn’t answer this time, didn’t even look at him, but she squeezed his wrist gently and thought she felt a bit of his tension ease.
Good, she decided as they entered the parking lot. A little
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