Page 164 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“You bet.” Rod joined Wyl in the shower.
* * *
Clean and refreshed, they put on jeans and T-shirts.
“I brought a bottle of wine,” Rod said. “Want a glass?”
Wyl nodded. “Sure. Is it a Zin?”
“Of course.” Rod reached for the room service menu. “We skipped lunch. Should we order dinner in?”
Wyl opened the wine and let it breathe. “Fine with me. I’m up for a club sandwich or something.”
“Sounds good.” Rod picked up the phone and placed the order. “Two club sandwiches and two sparkling waters, please.” He waited for confirmation. “Nothing else, thanks. Twenty minutes? Fine.” He hung up.
Wyl poured two glasses and handed one to Rod. “To us.”
“To our successful mission,” Rod said.
They clinked glasses and took a sip.
“Mmmmmm…thatisfirst rate,” Wyl said. “I’m glad you helped me understand wines. Excellent wine is truly a treat to the palate.”
“Fine wine is one of life's great pleasures,” Rod said. “And knowledge of superb wine may come in handy for our mission. An Irish opera buff with an artsy companion may be a wine connoisseur.”
“Do they have wineries in Ireland?”
“It’s a relatively new industry in Ireland,” Rod said. “But yes, there are a few wineries. I’ve not had any Irish wine, though.”
“We’ll have to see what Irish wine is like,” Wyl said.
Dinner arrived, and the waiter wheeled in the cart, setting the chairs for them and uncovering the meals.
Wyl tipped him.
“Enjoy your meal, gentlemen.” The door closed behind him.
They dug into the tasty sandwiches.
“We’re not to talk with anyone about this mission. I need to be careful not to let something slip accidentally,” Rod said.
Wyl grinned. “Fortunately, we won’t be around anyone much. We have just under two weeks before we report for training. If we stay on the ranch, we won’t interact with anyone except maybe the hands. Once we are in Ireland, we won’t know anyone. So we should be okay. Additionally, the honeymoon serves as a suitable cover. We can tell people about that.”
“You’re right. I’m being too cautious.”
“Rod, there is no such thing as being too cautious for this mission. We must remain on high alert at all times. Remember, we promised each other we would spend our second Christmas together on our ranch. I’m going to hold you to that.”
“As long as you hold me, I’ll be fine,” Rod said.
They spent the evening watching a movie and cuddling on the loveseat before bed.
* * *
Early the following day, Rod woke to find Wyl watching him.
“Morning.” Rod’s voice was deep and gravelly from sleep. A tear wet his thumb as he reached to stroke Wyl’s face. “What’s the matter, babe?”
“I’m scared I’ll lose you.”
