“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I’m not in the mood either.”
Darcy thought better of revealing in any other circumstance he was all she needed to be in the most romantic of moods, but that night she was relieved not to have to give a performance that might be taped. She snuggled against him and took comfort from his strength.
“I’m so tired,” she said in her normal tone. “It was a long flight, and even if it is still daytime for us, we ought to try and get in sync with France.”
Griffin rested his hands on her shoulders lightly, then gave her a long, slow kiss. “Come on, let’s sleep in my room.”
But once they reached the bed, he grabbed the extra pillows and shoved them down under the covers to create believable models of them asleep. He then gestured for her to follow him into the bathroom where he turned on the water in the bathtub and added bubble bath.
“Play with me awhile,” he invited with a charming smile.
“Are you crazy?” Darcy rested her hands on her hips.
Griffin removed his shirt and hung it up on the hook behind the door. “No, but you’re as jumpy as a flea, and I want you to be able to sleep. I’ll stay awake and keep watch.”
“Fine, but what will you do if an intruder appears?”
Griffin’s smile spread wide. “He’ll never know what hit him. Now come on, the surf’s up.”
A bath did sound awfully good, and Darcy peeled off her clothes down to her lacy lavender lingerie before she turned away and glanced up at him through her lashes. “I usually read in the bathtub. I sure hope I won’t be bored.”
“It’s highly unlikely,” Griffin responded with an amused chuckle.
The bathroom had a soft green marble floor and matching walls. The towels were pale green, as was the huge tub. The fixtures were gold and included a handheld showerhead which resembled an antique telephone. An assortment of expensive shampoos and conditioners were placed on a convenient shelf behind the tub.
Darcy waited until Griffin had turned off the water to cast her lingerie aside and climb into the tub. She slid down under the bubbles and covered a wide yawn with both hands. She closed her eyes and sighed softly. “Promise you won’t let me drown.”
“I’ll make a passable lifeguard.”
Adrift in her own tiny sea, Darcy didn’t hear him remove his clothes, and she was startled when he slipped into the tub behind her. “Not in the mood?” she observed slyly.
“Hush, just close your eyes and relax,” he cajoled, and he began to massage the tension from her shoulders.
She dipped her chin to her chest. “That feels so good, but I wish we were anywhere but here.”
“We’ll be gone by noon tomorrow.” He reached for the coconut-scented shampoo and poured some into his palm. “Let me wash your hair.” He rubbed the creamy liquid into her scalp with slow circles. “Still think I have great hands?”
“They’re as incredible as the rest of you, but my head is still full of bees.”
He slid a bit lower and pulled her back against his chest. “I know that feeling, but this should help.” He picked up the showerhead and turned on a warm spray to rinse her hair. “This is really fun. Tomorrow, let’s not leave the hotel.”
Seated between his outstretched legs, she could feel his erection cushioned against her bottom. It would be so easy to turn, take him deep and ride him until he begged her to stop. She ached with the temptation to lose herself in him, but she wouldn’t risk their lives for a brief burst of pleasure when it would leave them too sated to be mindful of the danger that might lurk right outside their door.
He was so damn spoiled, but neither his extraordinary talent nor well-deserved celebrity would save them if Lyman Vaughn wanted them dead. “That might as well be Ted Bundy, or Jeffrey Dahmer, or even Adolph Hitler, for that matter, sitting downstairs. I can’t do this.”
She grabbed hold of the tub and nearly vaulted over the side. She wrapped herself in one of the enormous towels and walked into her room to dress for the horrible eventuality she feared was mere minutes away. She was still sorting through her bag when Griffin entered, already dressed in a pair of black silk pajama bottoms.
He circled to face her, then placed a fingertip on her lips and mouthed the words, “Trust me.”
Darcy rested her palm over his heart. The beat was slow and steady while hers was all aflutter. “This is just another performance for you, isn’t it?”
Uncertain what she meant, Griffin frowned. “With you, never. Go to sleep. I’ll wake you in the morning.”
Darcy turned away to lock the door leading to the balcony. Then she tossed him his jacket from off the chair. Next she wedged the back of that same chair beneath the doorknob to block the door leading to the hall.
It was all she could do to barricade the room, but she wasn’t satisfied it was enough. “Sweet dreams to you too.”
Griffin just shook his head and walked back into his room, but it was difficult to console himself with the fact that he had been provided with a great deal of undercover training, which she lacked. It was no wonder she couldn’t be as cool-headed as he was under stress, but what rankled most was that she didn’t trust him to protect her.