“You know that’s bullshit. They’re going to be looking at you the entire time we’re there.” He could just imagine the microscope his family was going to put Daniel under. “They will want to know everything about you.”
Daniel sighed. “Stand up,” he said gently, and James complied. “Now look at me.” James turned and watched Daniel, wondering what the hell he was getting at. “Not like you want to punch me.” Daniel didn’t break the slightest smile.
“Then how?” he snapped, and for a second Lala made an appearance in Daniel’s cooled gaze. “What do I do?”
Daniel didn’t answer, his gaze instantly morphing into one of warmth and gentleness. “James,” Daniel said with just a hint of breath and seduction. For a second, James could imagine being the very center of Daniel’s world, that Daniel truly cared for him. “Look at me as though you care deeply for me. That you want me to be happy.” He widened his eyes and willed them to grow more intense. “Not like you’re constipated. Look at me as though you love me,” Daniel whispered. “That’s a little better, but it still needs work.”
“They’re going to see through this,” James said, even more worried now.
“No, they’re not. It’s your family. As I said, they are going to see me through you and how you treat me. If you open car doors, take my hand, speak gently and kindly to me—basically treat me like the queen you know I am—they will follow right along. Because if I’m someone important to you, then I will be important to them.” Daniel drew a little closer, and James wasn’t sure if some of his calmness transferred to him, but the butterflies in his belly finally stopped flapping like they were trying to escape the clutches of hell. “Once you’ve done that, short of me dressing completely as a boy, they won’t think anything of it.” Daniel held his gaze, and James did the same, Daniel’s eyes pulling him in, and damned if he didn’t want to dive into those deep sea-blue eyes and go for a long swim. “That’s exactly the look.” Daniel licked his lips, and for a second James parted his own.
The agent called their flight, the announcement booming through the gate area. James snapped back to himself like a rubber band and nearly spilled the last of the drink Daniel had brought for him. He backed away, blinking, and finished the last of the whiskey-laden coffee, dropping the cup into the trash and heading to the gate.
Daniel cleared his throat loudly from behind him. James pivoted to Daniel, who had his hands on his hips, glaring at him. “Remember, I’m your girlfriend and I’m to be treated like a queen.” Daniel stepped forward. “You always let a lady enter the room first, and you always watch out for her.” He went right ahead, and they took their places toward the front of the boarding queue, Daniel standing in front of James. “Maybe we should review some basic manners during our flight.” The mischief in Daniel’s eyes was delightful.
“As long as there isn’t a quiz. I always freeze during tests,” James said as the few people in front of them began to move. James motioned for Daniel to go ahead, and he patted James’s cheek and then handed the agent his boarding pass and stepped toward the Jetway. James following him with his gaze. There was no turning back now. One thing was certain—this trip was going to be anything but dull.
* * *
The plane taxied to the terminal in Missoula. “Daniel,” James said gently, wondering how Daniel could sleep through all that activity. Those blue eyes slid open, and he unlatched his seat belt, smiling and standing up.
“Let’s go.”
“You’re like the Energizer Bunny. You slept the whole way here and I bet you’ll be raring to go for hours now.” James, on the other hand, was exhausted. It was only four in the afternoon and he was already tired. James stood, got their bags from the overhead, and stepped out of the way once he was in the aisle so Daniel could exit ahead of him. He sure as hell didn’t want another Daniel glare-fest. One of those was more than enough.
James turned on his phone once they were in the terminal and heading toward baggage claim and the rental car counter. It buzzed, and James read the messages, groaning. “Shit,” he growled under his breath. “My family is here. I sent them our flight schedule, and they decided to meet us.” A cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck. “What the hell are we going to do?” It killed him that he could be calm under fire when on the job but his family made him completely nuts.
“It’s okay,” Daniel soothed, patting his arm. James tensed at the touch, but didn’t pull away. “Give me a few minutes.” Daniel strode across the concourse as though this was no big deal, going into the family restroom and closing the door.
James leaned against the wall, waiting, wondering what they were going to do. After ten minutes, he took a seat at the nearest gate, watching the door, wondering if he should knock to see if Daniel was all right, when the door opened and Daniel dressed as Daniella stepped out in slacks, a blouse, auburn wig, and even makeup. James stood and approached, extending his arm to him. “Thank you for being prepared.” He sure as hell hadn’t been.
“I wasn’t planning on changing in the airport, but this will have to do for now. My makeup is a little thin, but I put on some base to smooth out my skin.” Daniel tied a scarf around his throat, tucking it into the top of the blouse.
“You look beautiful,” James said without even a hint of hesitation. He extended his elbow, Daniel looped his hand through, and they sauntered arm in arm toward baggage claim. It seemed a little strange, and a touch wicked, to be walking like this through the airport knowing that he was with a man, but he was the only person there who would know.
“I can feel your tension,” Daniel told him softly. “Just relax and act like everyone else.” They went through the security barrier of no return. “Where’s your family?” Daniel asked warily, looking from side to side.
“Jimmy!” They both turned as James’s mother, father, sisters, and future brother-in-law all marched down the hallway, his mother picking up speed as she got closer. She came to an abrupt halt right in front of Daniel. “Look at you.” She pulled Daniel into a hug.
“Mama, this is Daniella Bonafonte,” James introduced, his mother still hugging Daniel.
“It’s so wonderful to meet you,” his mother told Daniel and finally stepped back. James had been worried he was going to have to call in the jaws of life. “I have been looking forward to this for sooooo long.” She took Daniel’s hands and stepped back. “Isn’t she lovely, Phillip?” She looked to James’s dad and then right back to Daniel. “She’s just beautiful.”
“Grace, she isn’t a race horse, for Pete’s sake. Let the young lady breathe and have a minute before you scare her away.”