Deadly Affair: SCVC Taskforce World Novella (SCVC Taskforce Romantic Suspense Series Book 5) (3 page)

Cooper took the iron key the monk held out. “Thanks, Father. We appreciate the help.”

“Not at all. We are pleased to have you here, and hope you enjoy your stay. I should tell you there has been a lot of rain in this area of late, and guests have reported mudslides in the nearby woods, so we do ask that you be careful should you venture that far. If there’s anything else you need, just pull the bell rope in your room and someone will see to your needs.”

Odd, Celina thought, flashing a smile as Cooper as Father Lopez left them. What place has a bell rope in their room?

A moment later, she understood why. “There’s no phone, no TV, no…anything.”

Though sparsely furnished, the suite boasted a comfortable-looking king size bed, with a white down comforter tucked over the top and a cedar chest resting at the foot. There was a freestanding armoire on the far side of the room, its rich, cherry finish gleaming in the late afternoon sunshine streaming through a beautiful bay window.

The only other furnishings were a matching dresser and a bedside table with a reading lamp. A doorway led into an attached bathroom, which, Celina was happy to see, didn’t look like they had to share with any other guests. Score one for The Beast.

Cooper set their suitcases on the cedar chest, glancing around the room. “Dyer said it was old school. I suppose keeping electronics out of the rooms gives it a more authentic touch.”

“I guess.” Celina chewed her bottom lip. “What did you think of Father Bailey?”

Cooper shrugged. Unzipping his suitcase, he began unpacking items. “Nice guy, obviously organized, and a whiz at painting. Too bad he gave it up. He seemed pretty disappointed over that.”

Celina plopped down on the bed, stretching herself out over the comforter. Cooper hesitated at the dresser, his eyes darkening as his gaze swept her body.

Knowing what it did to him, she wiggled around on the bed, a coy smile curving her lips when he tossed the clothes in his hand on the dresser and stalked towards her. “It seems odd to me he would totally give up something he loves that much. I’m sure he’s busy, running this place, but you would think he could squeeze in some time for painting here and there.”

Coming to a stop at her feet, Cooper’s hands swept up her bare calves to her knees, his large hands causing goose flesh to break out over her skin. Pressing her knees open, he slid his body against hers, bringing him flush against her throbbing center.

“I think,” he said, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck, making her insides quiver, “that we can worry about that later. Right now,” his tongue slid up her throat, leaving a wet path that had her wet in other places too, “I’d like to focus on other things. Like getting you out of these clothes.”

Celina laughed. Threading her fingers through his hair, she brought his mouth to hers, sealing his lips with a scorching kiss.

Chapter Three

Hours later, Cooper still wore a satisfied grin as he let Celina drag him downstairs to seek out the restaurant from the brochure. Since he’d promised her food and the Koi pond, he wasn’t about to go back on his word.

God, he loved her. So much that it physically hurt. Making her happy this weekend was his number one priority. No more testing each other to see if they could make this relationship work. No more worrying over the shadows of the past. It was just the two of them, together, getting lost in each other.

As soon as they grabbed a bite to eat and stepped out to tour the grounds, he planned on scouting for the perfect place to pop the question.

He prayed like hell she would said yes.

As if on cue, his hands grew clammy and a knot tightened his gut. What if she didn’t want to marry him? What if she was happy with the way things were? Cooper knew she loved him, felt it in every touch and saw it in her every smile, but what if this wasn’t what she pictured for their future?

“Are you alright? You’ve got a death grip on my hand.”

Her question startled him, and he instantly eased up the pressure, not realizing he’d been holding her hand so tightly. Flashing a grin, he hoped she didn’t notice his unease. “Sorry, just wanted to make sure you didn’t fall. I know how I make you weak in the knees.”

She laughed, the husky sound warming his blood. “You’re so full of yourself, but I love you anyway.” She leaned into him. “I think I read somewhere that the restaurant isn’t attached to the building, that we need to go outside to find the entrance.”

Finding their way down to the main hall, they went out the door they had come in earlier. The restaurant nestled between a grove of trees, the scents of freshly baked bread and herbs filling the air around them.

Celina’s stomach growled loudly and they both laughed. “I suppose we’d better hurry.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Her eyes widened before shifting away, suddenly absorbed in the rose bushes lining the walk to the front door of the restaurant.

What was that all about? He fought down the urge to ask. She’d been off the whole past week, not eating, not sleeping. At first he’d assumed it was because his schedule had been so screwy, but it seemed to be more than that. She seemed a million miles away, jumping at the slightest sound. Whenever he’d asked if she was okay, she’d brushed him off with an ‘I’m fine’.

Typical woman. Was there something more to it than she was letting on?

They stepped through the doorway of Le Vino d’Abbey, taking a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room. The restaurant had been decorated with rows of vineyards painted on the walls, various town scenes, thick brocade window treatments, white linen covered tables and marked barrels placed strategically throughout the room. The whole effect made it feel as though you had been transported to a quaint French village.

“Oh my God. I think I might have just died and gone to heaven,” Celina crooned, her beautiful eyes glowing with happiness. “Everything smells so good.”

Dressed smartly in a crisp white top with black slacks, hair pulled into a bun at the top of her head, the hostess greeted them, holding up two menus with a smile on her face. “Good evening. Table for two?”

“Yes, please,” Celina said.

Cooper released Celina’s hand to cup her elbow as they followed the hostess to a table in the corner. Trying to be a gentleman, he moved to slide Celina’s chair back, tripping over the hostess and nearly knocking her to the ground.

“I’m so sorry.” He fumbled around, righting the hostess, his neck burning with embarrassment even though she assured him she was fine before returning to the hostess station.

Celina waited patiently for him to recompose himself, arching an eyebrow as he held her chair. “Hitting on another woman while you’re on a date, Harris? Bad form,” she tsked with a grin.

Having regained his composure, Cooper gave her a covert smack on the ass before she sat. Smug male satisfaction rose up at her gasp of surprise.

Sliding her chair in, he leaned down, pressing his lips to her ear. “Keep it up, sweetheart. There’s more where that came from.”

Dropping her elbows to the table, she cradled her chin in her hand, batting her eyelashes. “Oh, I hope so.”

A waiter appeared next to their table, wearing the same uniform as the hostess, save for a white apron wrapped around his middle that extended past his knees. “Good evening. Can I interest you in a bottle of the house wine?”

Cooper opened his mouth to accept, but Celina was already shaking her head. “Sorry, no wine.”

No wine? She loved wine.

At Cooper’s surprised look, she gave him a quick, nervous smile. “My stomach’s far too empty, and you know it’s been a little off this week. Probably just stress from work, but I don’t want to push my luck and end up with reflux.”

Cooper’s stomach tightened with worry. Celina never got acid reflux.
Definitely something wrong.

“Right,” he said, turning back to the waiter. “Could you give us a few minutes?”

“Absolutely.” Giving a slight bow, he left them and headed to a nearby table of diners.

Grabbing her menu, Celina snapped it open, holding it up so that it covered her face. Which would have been perfectly normal given where they were, save for the fact that Cooper was beginning to get the feeling she was hiding something.

“Wow, everything sounds so good,” she said. “What do you think you’re going to try?”

Sliding a finger along the top of her menu, Cooper applied pressure until it sank down, revealing her flushed face. “What’s going on, Celina? Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

She waved a hand through the air, giving a tinny laugh. “I’m fine, really. You know it was a crazy week with both of our jobs and my stomach got a little off, that’s all. Plus, I haven’t eaten all day. I don’t want our weekend to be ruined because my stomach decides to rebel.”

It made sense, yet Cooper still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Like him, Celina was adept at hiding her feelings. Is that what she was doing now?

He trusted her implicitly, she’d never given him reason not to. Whatever was going on in that gorgeous head of hers, he would have to trust she would tell him when she was ready.

Dinner was delicious.

Celina couldn’t remember a meal she’d ever enjoyed more thoroughly than the food she’d just consumed. While Cooper had ordered the Magret de Canard, a lightly cooked duck breast, Celina had ordered the Sole Meuniere, a crispy, fresh fish sautéed in butter and lemon. Baby sickness aside, she tended to have more of an appetite in the evening hours, so polishing off every last bite on her plate wasn’t a problem.

Leaning back from the table, Cooper put his fork down, a satisfied look on his face. “Would you think less of me if I licked my plate?”

Celina laughed. “I’d probably join you. That was fantastic.”

“Dyer claimed the food was good. He wasn’t kidding. Your stomach’s okay?”

“Stuffed a bit, but otherwise, it’s enjoying the foodie hangover.”

“Save any room for dessert?”

As if by magic, a dessert menu dangled between Cooper’s fingertips and Celina’s mouth watered at the possibilities lying inside. “A little room. Share something with me?”

“As long as you don’t hog it all. Sharing dessert usually means I get one bite.”

After much debate, they finally settled on a tarte tatin, a caramelized upside down apple pie that seemed to melt the moment it came in contact with her tongue.

“Oh my God,” she mumbled around a mouthful, eyes rolling to the top of her head. “This is amazing.”

“I think I could get used to eating like this every day,” Cooper agreed, digging his fork in for another bite.

“If the weight gain didn’t kill us, the calories alone would do us in. I don’t think we’re cut out for eating fancy on a daily basis.”

“Hmm,” Cooper mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “You don’t think we could retire, move here, and eat this stuff every night?”

Celina shrugged, spearing another bite and popping it in her mouth. “And give up our day jobs? The boredom would kill you, Cooper. You and I don’t do the easy road.”

Fork dangling over the dessert, Cooper’s eyes grew speculative. “So a simple lifestyle is out for us?”

All teasing was gone from his voice, and a strange wariness pulsed through her veins. “We don’t do simple, Cooper. We never have.”

Cooper lay his fork next to his plate, dessert seemingly forgotten. “What would you say if I wanted to try simple for a change?”

Stunned by the seriousness of his question, Celina sat back. Was he joking? With Cooper, sometimes it was really hard to tell. The man had one hell of a poker face. “What are you hinting at? Do you want to quit the taskforce?”

Dropping his gaze, Cooper sighed, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. “No, I don’t want to quit the taskforce. I was just…”

His voice trailed off and Celina’s heart pinched at the mixture of emotions on his face. What was he getting at? Did he want something more for them? Was now the time to tell him about the baby?

“You were just…?” she prodded, stomach now churning in anticipation. Or nausea. It was really hard for her to tell these days.

He opened, then closed his mouth. “I was just…nothing. Being a jackass and ruining our dinner is all. I must be tired.”

Disappointment burned through her and she swallowed against the emotions clogging the back of her throat. He’d been about to say something important. What was it? Him being tired
wasn’t
it.

Forcing a smile, she leaned across the table, covering his hand with hers. “Hey, we’re both tired. It’s been a long day what with working this morning, then the drive up here. Do you still want to take a walk around the grounds, or should we go back to our room for the night?”

Cooper covered her hand, lacing their fingers together as he cradled her smaller hand between his. His face softened, the tension easing from his shoulders. At seeing him relaxed again, Celina released the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“I promised you dinner and the Koi pond. Since I’ve already been a dick at dinner, I’d probably better not back out on a visit to the pond.”

Her lips twitched, relief coursing through her at the teasing lilt of his voice. Maybe he really was tired and hadn’t meant anything by it. Could baby hormones make a person paranoid? That had to be it. “Afraid of the repercussions? You’re smarter than you look, Harris.”