Page 62 of Suddenly Tempted
“Hey, do you need a hand?” she called out, her breath puffing.
The woman turned, her face a mixture of relief and exhaustion. She nodded gratefully, shifting the bags in her arms.
“That would be amazing, thank you,” she said, lifting a heavy-looking bag from the pile.
As Darcy caught up to her she handed over the travel bag and a suit in a carry case. The smell that came from them was divine, and Darcy felt her heart do a loop-the-loop as she breathed it in.
She knew that scent. It was him. For a moment she almost convinced herself he was nearby. It was a ridiculous thought, but it sent a surge of emotion through her all the same.
“These are Devlin Storm’s,” said Darcy, trying not to be too obvious when she leaned her head forward and breathed in the scent.
The young woman looked at her surprised.
“How do you know?” the girl asked, eyebrows raised.
“Oh, uh, I recognised the suit bag,” she lied. “Where are you taking them?”
The girl glanced around nervously, as if she wasn’t supposed to be talking to anyone.
“I’m not supposed to tell anyone about it,” she whispered, looking around nervously.
Darcy’s heart sank a little. These bags were heading to Devlin and she wanted to go too.
“It’s okay,” said Darcy. “I work here. I’m just off to see Abigail now.”
“I know,” said the girl. “I recognise you. How was it, being up there withhim? Is he as awful as everyone says?”
“He was . . .” Darcy hesitated. She wasn’t sure how much to say, but she wanted to defend him and tell the truth about the man on the mountain. But it wasn’t her story to tell. “He was fine. Are you taking these to the clinic?”
“Yeah,” the girl said quietly as they reached the front of the building. Parked at the entrance was a sleek Royal Alpine Resort sedan, its engine idling. The girl glanced at the car. “He requested his things. I think he’s got some kind of press conference happening soon. Abigail asked me to take these up to him myself, to make sure they arrived safely. There’s a driver waiting.”
Darcy stopped walking, her mind racing. This was her chance. She could go to him, explain everything, talk to him away from the media circus that was surely already surrounding him. She couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to the girl, a plan forming in her mind.
“Listen,” Darcy stopped, taking the woman’s arm until she stopped walking. “What’s your name?”
“Sophia,” said the girl. Darcy leaned into her.
“Listen, Sophia, can I ask you a huge favour?”
The girl shook her head, her eyes wide and uncertain.
“What kind of favour?”
“Let me take Devlin’s things,” said Darcy. “Let me go instead of you.”
“No way,” she argued. “I’d get in so much trouble.”
“One hundred thousand,” Darcy said, the words out of her mouth before she even had time to think about them. “I’ll give you one hundred thousand pounds if you let me go instead.”
Sophia’s mouth fell open.
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” Darcy said. “I promise. We can shake on it.”
Sophia looked around, clearly torn. She hesitated, biting her lip as she considered Darcy’s offer. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she nodded.
“All right,” she said. “But you’d better not get me in trouble for this.”
