When the Walls Fell (13 page)

He was quick, however, to point out that getting her face plastered all over the biggest newspaper in San Francisco wasn’t exactly time travel etiquette. Not that he could really be angry with her for it. It was, as he put it, quintessentially Elizabeth, and without it he might not have found her so quickly.

With only four days until the attempt on Graham’s life, they needed to learn more about who might want him dead. That meant finding out more about the Admiral and the union workers who’d protested his speech. Failing that Elizabeth was going to have herself surgically implanted to Graham’s side.

A horse cart clattered past followed closely by a buzzing handful of flies and Elizabeth squinted up into the afternoon sun. It was an unseasonably warm spring day. Add to that an endless supply of dust and Elizabeth, as they said back home in Texas, was mighty parched.

Over the din of the traffic, Elizabeth heard the tempting gurgling sound of water. It appeared to be coming from a large bronze obelisky type thingy. It was a bit like a streetlamp on steroids that had large lion heads growing out of its base. And out of those lion heads streamed fresh, at least she hoped it was fresh, water.

“Now that’s a drinking fountain,” Elizabeth said as she started to lean over to take a swig.

“Elizabeth,” Simon said with a scowl and a shake of his head.

“What? I’m thirsty?”

“You are also a lady. Theoretically,” he added winning pursed lips from Elizabeth. Simon merely arched an eyebrow in response and continued, “Wouldn’t you rather have a nice cold lemonade or a martini?”

“Is the Pope Catholic?”

“Really, Elizabeth.”

She gave him a cheeky grin.

He sighed and gestured to an enormous building across the street. “My hotel.”

“Why, Mr. Cross! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d brought me here on purpose.”

It was his turn to grin and Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh. How she loved that smile. It made all sorts of promises she couldn’t wait to collect on.

***

“As big as Hell and half of Texas,” Elizabeth whispered to herself as they entered the Palace Hotel’s Grand Court.

Simon approached the front desk and asked for his room key. The clerk quickly obliged and Simon led Elizabeth to one of the “rising rooms” as they called them. The elevator was a little unsteady as it inched its way up to the sixth floor. It gave one last lurch and bumped to a stop. Elizabeth gripped Simon’s arm.

He smiled down at her. “You get used to it.”

When they reached Simon’s room, Elizabeth hesitated. “I’m not sure this is…proper.”

Simon keyed the door open and turned to her, leaning in close. “I’m sure it isn’t.”

***

The late afternoon sun was just starting to dip behind the buildings and hills of Market Street. In the coming sunset even red brick looked hewn out of gold.

“It’s incredible,” Elizabeth said as she stood at the window and pulled the sheet tightly around her body. They’d made love and washed away the sins of the past week in the process. “I had no idea the city was so big already.”

She didn’t need to look to know that Simon wasn’t enjoying the view, at least not the same one she was. She could feel him watching her. Finally, she turned to face him. He’d already dressed, mostly. He was barefoot and his starched white shirt was still undone. Her button-down professor was damn sexy when he was unbuttoned. For her part, she was going to enjoy her unfettered, beneath-the-sheet nakedness as long as possible.

He started to say something, but stopped. Instead, he reached out and caressed the edge of her jaw with back of his fingers. The way he looked at her always made her stomach drop, but this time there was more to it. It was so tender, so happy; it made her heart ache.

“I missed you too,” she said.

He nodded and she could see the muscles of his jaw clench briefly. Taking pity on both of them, she stepped into his arms.

They just held each other for a minute. And in that minute, they could have been anywhere or anywhen and it wouldn’t have mattered as long as they were together. That was a truth Elizabeth clung to.

Simon eased back a little and looked into her eyes. He held them for a moment before tilting his head down and capturing her mouth in a kiss. It was soft and gentle, like a first kiss.

It was a tiny spark at first, but it grew quickly. Elizabeth could feel it well up inside of her and she pulled Simon closer as she deepened the kiss. Simon’s arms wound around her waist and pushed her body against his. He sat down in one of the large overstuffed chairs and pulled her down onto his lap.

She reached behind him to move his jacket from the chair, but it felt oddly heavy. She reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pistol.

“What’s this?” she said.

He took it from her hand and placed it on the end table. “A gun,” he said and leaned in to kiss her neck.

“Simon! You know how I feel about guns.”

“And you know how I feel about you. And if you don’t, let me show you,” he added as he pulled her closer. “Again.”

He kissed her soundly and any reply was quickly forgotten. A knock at the door ruined the moment.

“Bugger.”

“I’ll get it,” Elizabeth said as she slipped off his lap, picked up her sheet train and started for the door.

“Very funny.” Simon grabbed her arm and nudged her to the bedroom. With a frown, she hid in the hall and peeked around the corner. The bellboy kept his eyes to himself as he placed their drink tray down on a table. Simon fished into his pocket, tipped the boy and hurried him out.

“Where were we?” he said.

“You were going to show me something…again,” Elizabeth said with a wink.

“That’s right,” Simon said and handed Elizabeth her drink. “Cheers. I could order some food, if you’d like.”

Elizabeth winced at that. “I’m having dinner with Max later, remember?”

Simon grunted. “Ah, yes. About your date—”

“It’s not a date, Simon, and you know it. Max is a nice guy.”

“Have you forgotten the last time you went out to dinner with a ‘nice’ guy?”

She hadn’t forgotten. You don’t forget a dinner with a vampire. Ever. But she wasn’t going to rise to the bait. “Max
is
a nice guy,” she repeated. “And yes, while technically they might be dates, to me their strictly mission-related outings.”

She raised her chin high and tried to look mighty. It was a bit of stretch to pull off haughty though while wrapped in a king sized bed sheet.
“I see.”

She was about to give him what-for when she noticed the edge of his mouth quiver. He was trying not to laugh. He was toying with her.

“Very funny,” she said.

Simon took another sip of his drink. He was maddening when he was calm. “I trust you.”

“Then you don’t mind?” Elizabeth said skeptically.

“I didn’t say that.”

Elizabeth huffed out a breath and plopped into a chair. “Simon-”

“Elizabeth,” Simon said simply. “I trust you. You know that. Harrington is another matter.”

“He’s not going to try anything tonight.”

“No, he isn’t.”

“You sound awfully sure of that,” Elizabeth said.

“I am.” Simon took another sip of his drink. “I’m going with you.”

“Oh, Simon. I don’t think--”

He put his glass down and stood up. “Don’t think,” he said holding his hand out to her and pulling her up and into his arms. He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck. “We’ve both done enough thinking.”

He trailed kisses down her neck and with one fluid movement undid the loose knot she’d used to tie the sheet around her. It fell to the floor at their feet.

He scooped her up and into his arms. “Thinking’s definitely overrated.”

Chapter Thirteen

M
ax obviously hadn’t been pleased with the new arrangement for dinner, but he was too much of a gentleman to make a scene. Of course, that didn’t stop him from taking a few corners too sharply and sending Simon sliding dangerously across the back seat of his car. Elizabeth had even seen Max smile to himself when he’d heard Simon’s epithets after they hit a particularly deep pothole.

It was a hair-raising ride as usual, but they made it to the Poodle Dog restaurant in one piece. As Simon extricated himself from the backseat, his expression signaled that tropical depression Simon had been upgraded to tropical storm.

Elizabeth patted his arm gently and straightened the collar of his jacket. “Please, Simon,” she whispered.

No matter how much Simon hated it, they couldn’t afford to alienate someone like Max. He was their golden ticket through just about every door in town.

Simon grunted, but she could see his eyes soften.

The Poodle Dog restaurant was housed in a large six-story brick building. On the outside it was non-descript, but inside it was rococo gone loco. The large dining room had dozens of lavishly laid tables. The walls were covered with rich embroidered silks. Venetian glass chandeliers hung low from the gilded ceiling. And the chairs looked like they might get up and walk out on their thick, curved legs. It was wonderfully ridiculous. A lot like her three-way date, thought Elizabeth.

Both Simon and Max reached to pull her chair out for her. Each man held tightly onto his side of the chair and glared at the other. Elizabeth stood in no-man’s land until the maître d’ came to her rescue, clearing his throat and slipping between the two men.

“Mademoiselle.”

“Thank you,” she said with a glance at Simon and Max that held a healthy dose of “snap out of it.”

Simon grumbled something about the French and Max frowned, but they both released the chair and took their seats with all the grace of two schoolboys who’d just had their knuckles rapped. The maître d’ handed them the menus and when it came to the wine list, he held it out and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Max snatched it from his hand. “Please,” he said, cutting off Simon’s protest. “You’re my guest.”

Simon’s manners hadn’t completely dissolved. That and a quick kick in the shin under the table brought a tight smile and deferring nod.

Max gave the list a quick scan before handing it back. “Château Mouton Rothschild, ’78.”

Simon gave a quiet, but not too quiet “humph”. If Max heard the disdain in it, he ignored it and turned his attention back to Elizabeth. And the game was on.

“So, Cross,” Max said with an easygoing smile. “You don’t mind if we dispense with the title, do you? This is America after all.”

Elizabeth nearly blurted out, “What title?” but managed to stop herself. He would be explaining that later.

“Of course,” Simon said to Max. “If it makes you uncomfortable.”

Max’s lips quivered with the strain of keeping his casual smile in place. “I understand you’re here from New York. What brings you to our fair city?”

Simon cast a quick, but meaningful glance at Elizabeth before answering. “Business.”

“What sort?”

Elizabeth had a flash of panic, but Simon answered smoothly. “Lloyds.”

“Insurance?” Max said with a relieved smile. Any tension he’d had slipped away.

“And investments,” Simon added.

Max turned to Elizabeth, effectively dismissing Simon. “I’m sure it’s fascinating.”

Simon’s expression was enigmatic. “At times. Regardless, I hope to conclude my business here quickly,” he said with a glance at Elizabeth.