Free True Deceptions (True Lies) by Veronica Forand

logistics of the next arms deal. All he could think about, however, was kissing her again. After she left the sitting room for the bathroom, he headed outside for another run around Battersea Park.

Chapter Seven
    D uring college, Cassie had traveled across Europe with a backpack and a group of friends. They’d stayed at youth hostels throughout France, Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and consumed cheap wine, local cheeses, and fresh bread. The experience had created lifelong memories. Nothing, however, equaled traveling with Simon.
    They flew first class from Heathrow Airport directly to Sofia. Wide seats, champagne, and endless little luxuries made the trip easy and fun. A driver picked them up in a black Bentley to transport them to the Opera Sofia Hotel. Once in the car, the driver poured them each more champagne. As always, Simon sniffed both glasses before handing one to Cassie.
    “Will we have time for sightseeing?” she asked.
    “No.”
    “How long will we be here?”
    “As long as it takes.”
    He remained silent the rest of the drive, but she didn’t care. There was so much to see out the window. Every once and a while, her mouth dropped open at the sheer opulence of everything around her. The National Theater was all lit up. She’d read about it in the tour book she’d purchased on one of her walks up and down the Thames. The urge to say “wow” raced through her, but she held back, as a professional should. Simon, on the other hand, acted as though he traveled like this all the time. He probably did.
    During the flight and the ride from the Sofia airport to the hotel, Simon had kept one hand on her at all times. A solid and secure hand. He’d even wrapped an arm around her as someone carried their luggage up to the hotel suite. What would it be like to really attract a man like Simon? Would he be possessive and overbearing? Yep. On the other hand, he’d never be needy. He just didn’t seem like the type. Just now he held her like she was his possession. His control felt comforting, but confining. Cassie didn’t want to be owned, just appreciated.
    Back at his flat, Simon had provided limited details of her role in Sofia, but never offered anything specific. Her expertise wouldn’t be necessary, but her presence would. That would have to be good enough. She’d do exactly what he asked of her and become an asset to the team. She refused to let him down again.
    When the bellboy opened the door to their huge suite, Cassie tried to appear bored at the Egyptian motif, glancing at her nails to check for chips in the manicure. Yet the sight of the biggest hotel suite she’d ever seen—with a living area, a dining area and two bedrooms—made her feel like a child on her first visit to Harrods.
    As soon as the door shut, Simon let her go. The warmth of his arm faded away, leaving her with a chill at her waist. He walked around the room scanning the light fixtures, the television, and the furniture.
    “I need to make a few phone calls. Stay out here, order us some dinner, and don’t open the door for anyone without me next to you.” He disappeared into one of the bedrooms.
    “Okay,” she spoke to the closed door.
    What was the assignment? Would someone point a gun at her again? Fear coiled in her stomach. Despite the interesting sights, she wanted to go back to the office. Action adventure movies made this look exciting. In reality, the tension made her sick.
    After ordering a steak and a beer for Simon and a salad and some orange juice for herself, she called out to him, but he didn’t answer. Listening at his door wasn’t an option, so she sat on the couch and turned on the television. There was only one channel in English, showing a documentary about farm subsidies. She turned the television off, stared out the window, and sighed. The lights at night created a warm, golden glow over the city. She longed to meander through the streets. It would be easier to handle her imprisonment in the luxury