She shook her head. Watching his hands, she suddenly thought about how much she wanted to be doing what he was doing. “No, this feels a little scandalous… I think I like it.”
“Oh, scandalous is the way I like you.”
Kneeling before the desk, Tony reached for her legs and placed one on each of his shoulders. Planting a kiss on the inside of her leg, he slowly moved upward. His dark eyes peered up. “I like my view too.”
Moments later, Claire’s moans filled the office as his tongue and fingers consumed her thoughts. Lying back on the desk and closing her eyes, memories of similar scenarios filled Claire’s mind. In time, their bodies became one, the good memories overpowered the bad, and for the second time in one day, she accepted all her husband had to offer and more. In the aftermath, as they walked hand in hand toward their suite, Claire squeezed his and whispered, “Those memories… they’re not all bad, not at all.”
His light chocolate eyes said more than words could ever convey.
Responsibility is the price of freedom.
—Elbert Hubbard
“IT DOESN’T MAKE sense. How could anyone know?” Taylor whispered to Phil.
He shook his head. “How did they know about the restaurant? I bagged these cards, just like the other one. The FBI will have them analyzed. All that matters is that the private viewing box is now clean. You stay with them in there, and I’ll stay outside the door.”
Taylor nodded. As the Rawlings family approached, she looked once again toward Phil. His headshake was almost indecipherable, but she saw it. With his unspoken statement, Taylor knew that telling Mr. or Mrs. Rawlings about the cards that had been left in Nichol and Claire’s seat should and would wait until after the play.
NICHOL’S EXCITEMENT WAS contagious as she bounced beside her mother. Her little patent-leather shoes danced with anticipation, as her eyes widened and took in all the grandeur of the Broadway theater. “Look, Momma, look, Daddy, I see the music intruments!”
Claire smiled at Tony and back at Nichol. “In-stru-ments. Yes, honey, that’s the orchestra. See the man with the wand in his hand?”
Nichol turned in amazement. “Like a magic one?”
“No, princess.” Tony’s words came through booming laughter.
“He’s the conductor,” Claire explained. “He’ll tell the orchestra when to play the music. And when he does, he’ll move the wand.”
“I want to hear them.” She turned toward Tony. “Daddy, make them start now.”
Apparently Nichol believed there was no limit to her father’s abilities.
“I could, princess.” Tony replied.
Claire shook her head. Maybe Tony wasn’t aware of his boundaries either.
Tony continued, “But see all the people who aren’t in their seats yet? If I had the orchestra start playing, they’d miss the opening act.”
Nichol pressed her lips together and wrinkled her forehead. “Then they should have gotten here sooner, like us.”
“Yes, my princess, they should have.”
Trying to distract their daughter, Claire said, “Honey, why don’t you tell your daddy about our trip to the museum yesterday?”
Her brown eyes opened wide. “I lost Sophie!”
Tony reached for her doll and handed it to his daughter. “No, you didn’t. Here she is.”
“No, Daddy, I did lost her at the maseum. She was gone! Mr. Phil found her on a bench. I didn’t mean to get her lost.”
Claire put her arm around Nichol. “It’s all right. You have her back, and yes, Mr. Phil was quite the hero. Just like the time we accidentally left her at that ice cream shop in Iowa City a few weeks ago.”
Their daughter’s dark eyes narrowed. “I didn’t lost her at the ice cream shop. She was hiding.”
Claire rubbed Nichol’s shoulder. “It’s all right. We found her there, and Mr. Phil found her yesterday.”
Nichol smiled back at Taylor. “And Miss Taylor too.”
“I’m glad you had all that help,” Tony replied. “Sophie sure has a pretty dress. It looks just like yours!”