Page 112 of Forbidden Eyes
“Well, there will be some work in the shape of an opening night perhaps. And we’ve not seen Gabby or Nate in a while. They’ll be coming back in a couple of weeks, but I thought this would be a great time to go and celebrate.”
“And what are we celebrating?”
“Do we need something specific? Get your ass up the stairs and pack.”
I side eye him and cross the lounge, laughing lightly at his command. He sounds far too cryptic for my liking, but I suppose going away will be good. For a start, it’ll help me keep my mind from straying to the conversation about my dad. And then there’s the thought of undiluted Carter. Alone. Without his business head on.
* * *
Ten hours later, after a car, plane, and taxi, we’re at the latest Cane hotel and Casino, this time in downtown Bogotá. It brings back all the memories from when we were first in Miami, and suddenly two years feels like a lifetime ago. A lifetime filled with passion and excitement, but also filled with a shadow over our lives in the form of my dad. It’s a constant conundrum in my head. I should probably go see him, find a way of making up. Mom wouldn’t be pushing so hard if she didn’t think time was running out. It’s all I’ve thought about on the trip here, despite Carter being so distracting.
The grand lobby of the hotel houses a small, boutique jewellery store with a dazzling display in the window. Diamonds and jewels sparkle and glint in the lights, enticing everyone who walks past.
“Is this what Gabby’s been working on?” I ask, unable to resist the lure of the glistening stones.
“It’s part of the business plan that she and Nate have worked up. Her contacts in the diamond industry and a fleet of high rolling hotels and casinos seemed a perfect business venture, even if he is supposed to be retired.” Carter laughs and finishes signing a document the manager’s holding. “She has complete creative control.”
His hand eventually traces down my neck, sending a shiver through me.
“They are beautiful,” I muse. Not enchanting enough for the thought of more time alone to dissipate, though. I turn and face him, dismissing the fancy stones for something far more appealing. “What are the rooms like? Still the same Cane penthouse style?”
“We have plenty of time to check that out. Believe me.”
He takes my hand and leads me away from the shop window towards the check-in desk. Again, he signs a few things, nodding as the guy he’s talking to rambles off some Spanish dialogue and he occasionally replies. Carter’s fluent in both Spanish and Italian which I didn’t realise until we started dating with some semblance of normalcy. He told me about his past on our first dinner out free of worry, his mom and dad specifically—the real ones. Latino mother. Italian father. The words were hollow of any real feeling, but the fact that he’s learnt both languages over the years tells me something even if he doesn’t want to admit it. We've got time for that, though—time to find out everything about each other. Still, he’ll never be anyone but Carter to me.
Wade by name. Cane by heart.
I giggle at him not working and stare out of the lobby, watching the luxurious cars and guests filing in front of the building. A bell boy gets out of one, and I watch a figure come out of the shadows and head for the driver’s door, dropping his sunglasses.
“Logan’s here?” I ask, surprised.
It stops Carter in his tracks, making him swing his gaze to where I’m looking. Ever since Uncle Quinn handed over control of the business to Carter, there’s been a tension between the two of them. Nothing obvious, and certainly nothing that’s caused issues, but I can’t miss the hostility that Logan holds towards Carter when he thinks no one is looking.
“It appears so.” Carter raises his brow and doesn’t look impressed.
“You didn’t know he was here?”
“No, but it’s not a problem. Why would it be?” He might be able to fool others with his ice-man façade, but he can’t with me.
“Are you okay?” I squeeze his hand.
“Fine. Fine. Don’t worry.” His smile is a weapon he uses all too regularly to distract me, but I can’t be too upset with him over it. “Besides, no work. Wasn’t that the plan?”
Yes, I suppose it was.
“Are we seeing Nate and Gabby later?”
“Yeah. Everything's arranged.” He nods to the man behind the desk, causing him to almost jump to attention and signal to a colleague at the elevator. He also straightens up as if he’s under inspection. I guess, in a way, they are. Especially given it’s apparently the formal opening night.
We take the penthouse elevator to our room, just like all the other Cane hotels we’ve stayed in, and finally end up somewhere quiet, cool, and alone. “Thank you for pulling me away from work. I’m sorry that I’ve made it hard recently,” I say, heading through the rooms to check out yet another amazing view.
Bogotá spreads out for miles in the distance, the city hassled and manic down below. I smile and look up to the mountains surrounding the city, wondering how this has become my life in the past few years. Being out of reach of my work, being almost forced to leave it, has made me realise just how much I miss the lazy days spent with Carter before things got hectic. We only really had a few weeks of bliss before the work started. It wasn’t just me. He was as keen to get things moving as I was, as if he knew it was that important to me. The shame of that situation is I’m pretty sure I’m on the right trajectory to become a workaholic. It’s not something I’m going to allow to happen.
“You don’t have to apologise. I know how important your work is to you,” he replies, coming up behind me and wrapping himself in close.
“But you’re just as important. More so, in fact,” I admit, turning to kiss him. “And if I’ve not shown you that recently, I’m sorry.”
“I think you show me how sorry you are plenty.” He wags his eyebrow and gives me that sneak smile that I know means he’s thinking about sex. “And you’re still so damn good at working that deficit off.”