Page 21 of Off Limits Billionaire

“I know,” she laughed. “No one could have predicted this. Do you think we should check the clock and make sure it’s actually there and not smashed to pieces with the tag laying in the debris?”

“Wow, that’s elaborate.”

“And not too far off from what’s been happening to us,” she chuckled with a shake of her head. “At this point, would anything actually surprise you?”

I sighed. “No. It wouldn’t. Stay here. The pilot and flight crew will come to let you know they’re ready.”

“What? Wait a minute. Why are you telling me that like you’re not coming with me?” I felt the fear gripping her through her words and I wanted nothing more than to assure Ana that everything was going to work out. I knew it would, but no one truly believes that until the hardship is behind them. This was a bit more than a simple hardship.

I knelt in front of her, locking eyes with her and kissing her tenderly on the lips. “I’m not leaving you. I was just telling you that when our flight is ready, I want you on that plane and I’ll be right behind you. I just want to be sure the clock is loaded correctly. First, I’m going to listen to you and make sure it’s still in mostly one piece.”

She smiled and that gave me a hint of relief.

I started to leave before I stopped and turned back around. When she gazed up at me, her eyes were large pools of blue mixed with grey and half of a smile, I needed her. I wanted her. I didn’t want this to be the end of us before we even became something more than colleagues whose families hated one another.

“Anabella Pierce, would you give me the honor of taking you to dinner?” Her smile dissolved into full blown laughter. I wanted it to not hurt my ego, but it did. I grabbed my chest playfully. “You would laugh at a man starving in the desert when he pleads with you for water, food, sustenance?”

Ana continued laughing until a single tear streamed from her eye. “I can’t believe after all of this, you're concerned with asking me out. Marcus, you’ve seen me naked and tasted my body inside and out. I think we’re past you asking me out like we’re going on a first date.”

I bent over and kissed her again. “This would be a first date. I want a date that we both know and agree is a date. Everything that we’ve done while here has been for work.”

“Oh, so staying in bed and ordering room service all day was work?” She continued to laugh. It was like music to my ears.

“No, that was research for those third and fourth times.”

Ana let her feet drop to the ground and picked up a snack cake off the table. She'd relaxed. Good.

“Third and fourth times I believe are what happened around four yesterday afternoon,” she replied.

I agreed. “Okay, so it’s for the other times where we’ll be together when we get back stateside. Also remember that we discussed horology, and all the other antiques I’m on the lookout for to build my collection. It was like getting to know your client, intimately.”

“You’re my client? I mean, I know you’re my client for this gig, but going forward beyond this, you were serious about keeping me on retainer?”

“Anabella, when have you ever known me to not be serious when it comes to business and money?”

She took a bite of her cake. “You’re right. You want my phone to follow the tag?”

“You can hold onto it. I’m sure they’ll be able to take me straight to the clock. Now, remember, if the flight crew comes in and says they’re ready, get on that plane and I’ll come. Alright?”

“Alright.”

I had one of the baggage handlers bring me to the loading area where a large crate sat by itself. I walked over to it, looked it up and down and wrapped my arm around it. It stood about six feet tall and two feet wide.

I only needed to feel that something was inside. So far, it wasn’t in pieces on the floor. We were off to a good start. I shifted the box like I wanted the label to face a specific direction when I heard someone shuffling around behind me.

There was no way Viper and his guys were coming back. Right?

I turned around to see Ana crouched down and scuttling toward me like she was hiding from someone. No longer relaxed, she was practically running by the time she noticed how close she was to me.

“What’s going on?” I asked her.

“Shhhh!” Her hands shook beside her face.

“Will you tell me what happened?”

Her voice trembled. “Um, that Scarface guy just got here and he’s not alone. I was in the bathroom when our flight crew was coming toward the waiting area. He saw them and stopped them to ask about the clock. They, of course, had no idea what he was talking about so he’s holding them in the seating area until we get back out there.”

“Shit. Did you see Viper around?”

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