Page 31 of His Impossible Heir

Amanda cleared her throat and he came to stand in front of her. “You…uh…” she cleared her throat one more time, lowering those incredibly long lashes to hide her eyes as she fiddled with the clasp. “You look very nice as well,” she finally finished.

Daniesh lifted a hand, smoothing the fake mustache over his upper lip. It tickled a bit, but otherwise, it wasn’t too bad. The wig was warm, but again, not as obnoxious as he’d anticipated.

“The grey wig looks odd,” she admitted with a laugh. “But I guess, now we know what you’ll look like when you’re older.” She pursed her lips, tilting her head as if contemplating something, then nodded. “Very distinguished!” she declared with a firm nod.

“I’m glad that you approve of my future self,” he grumbled, taking her elbow and leading her to the front door. He paused though, and turned to Tito. “Is everything in place?” he asked.

Tito nodded. “Ms. Olivia Bennet is being checked in by her assistant now. We also have three other rooms reserved for Ms. Bennet’s staff.”

“Excellent!” Daniesh replied, feeling a strange sensation building in his chest. Was this excitement? He hadn’t felt it since he’d been a kid. The unfamiliar sensation was odd, but he liked it.

“So, the plan is that you’re going to walk into the lobby, wearing your sunglasses. I’ll be right behind you and my bodyguards will surround you. We’ll be very obvious. One of Tito’s guards has already checked us all into the hotel, so the keycards will be handed out in the lobby.”

Daniesh patted his pocket. “I have the key to Mr. Burrow’s room.” He looked at Tito. “As her manager, I’ll accept the other keys, so why don’t you take this one?” he suggested, handing the blank key card to his guard. “That way, they won’t get mixed up.”

Since Amanda was sitting behind the driver in the SUV, she could see her reflection in the rear-view mirror. And each time she did, she was shocked all over again by the unexpected image staring back at her. The reflection was her, she thought. However, that reflection was definitely a stranger! It was quite thrilling to see her reflection looking so different from before.

However, when the driver pulled up to a smooth stop just outside the doors to the hotel where she’d seen a dead man laying on the carpet, and then been arrested for that poor man’s murder, she trembled with sudden fear. Did she look different enough? Was her wig straight? What would happen if she fell on her face in these heels? She normally wore slippers around her house! Heels were a big deal for her!

“You’re going to be great!” Daniesh whispered into her ear, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips. “Act like a movie star, and the rest of the world will accept that you’re a movie star.”

He was right. She’d read about that phenomenon during her research for several of her books. She could do this! People saw what they interpreted in their heads and it wasn’t always the truth. Perception was ninety-nine percent of what people acknowledged in their brains.

“I can do this!” she whispered. Then Amanda smiled at him, startled at how close he was. “I won’t let you down,” she vowed.

He squeezed her fingers as the door to the SUV opened. One of his guards, not Tito, held the door for her. Stepping out, she balanced carefully, using her finger to push her sunglasses in place as she stepped away from the SUV. Turning, she feigned a bored expression while she watched Daniesh step out behind her. Her persona might have fallen slightly as he stepped out. Watching Daniesh’s tall, masculine body straighten was like watching art.

Or maybe something more lascivious.

“You good?” he asked, putting a hand to the small of her back.

Did that moan come from her? Surely not! She wasn’t the kind who moaned at a man’s touch.

“Yeah,” she said, although her voice croaked slightly. She cleared it and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine.”

He smiled at her and the expression was just as devastating to her equilibrium. “You’re more thanfine, Amanda,” he replied, his voice low and husky.

Was he feeling the chemistry too? Or was he merely reacting to the danger? Was he an adrenaline junky?

Hmm…something to contemplate later. Right now, she needed to find evidence to clear her name!

Feeling daring, she lowered her sunglasses slightly and smirked up at him, giving him an audacious wink before sliding the shades back up. And with that, she turned in what she hoped was an excellent twirl, adjusted her cape around her shoulders more securely, then lifted her nose and stalked through the doors of the luxurious hotel. Her “movie star” persona was back in place.

It took a great deal of effort not to laugh as she walked through the elegant space. Had she really been here only three days ago? Or was it two? She was losing track of time. A transcontinental, overnight flight and being arrested tended to do that to a person. She’d have to remember that for another book plot.

“Ms. Bennet!” someone called out from the left.

“That’s you,” Tito whispered. The other guards that had been walking in front of her also stopped and turned, forming a tight circle around her and Daniesh. She knew that they were really protecting Daniesh, but goodness, it felt nice to have them surrounding her. They were like a tough, impenetrable bubble, keeping everyone away from her!

The person rushing towards her looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t remember where she’d seen the man. However, he fell in with the act, smiling vacuously as he handed her a keycard. “You’re all checked in, Ms. Benet,” the man announced as he gestured towards the bank of elevators. “Your room is this way.”

Amanda channeled a nineteen-fifties actress, pretending impatience as she walked behind the newest member of her “team”. Behind her, she heard Daniesh swallow a chuckle. As did several of the other guards? She had to concentrate to keep herself from laughing. Even a simple grin would give the game away.

Everyone stepped into the elevator and turned around, facing the doors as they slowly closed. Daniesh stood right behind her while the guards fanned out in front of and beside her.

She felt his hands on her back and gasped, jumping slightly. But then heard his voice murmur, “Don’t move. Cameras in the right and left corner of the elevator.”

“You’re cheating,” she muttered, trying to keep her lips still in case the security personnel watching the cameras knew how to read lips.

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