Love Undercover

by Miley Maine

  He crossed his arms. “Why is that funny?”

  My stupid cheeks were heating up all over again. “I know, I should know better, being a social worker and all. But I’ve always been told men aren’t romantic.”

  It was his turn to laugh. “I don’t think anyone has ever accused me of being romantic. In fact, I’ve been cursed out, told off, and had things thrown at me.” He stood up, sloshing the water around, and took my hands, pulling me to my feet. He waited until I’d climbed out of the pool, then followed me out.

  “Why?” I asked. Those would be some juicy details, although I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear too much about Owen being with other women. Which was pretty hilarious, because I’d always said jealousy made no sense. So there was another point I’d have to concede to my friends and to my sister. How many times I gently teased them, telling them jealousy was absurd.

  Now I had an inkling of how they’d felt, and Owen wasn’t even my boyfriend.

  He rubbed at his jaw. “Well,” he said. “Those stories aren’t particularly flattering.”

  I stood there dripping onto the Spanish tile, while he went to get our towels. “Now you have to tell me,” I said while he wrapped the fluffy towel around my shoulders. “Come on.”

  He grabbed his own towel and threw it over his arm. “You sure you want to know?”

  “Yes,” I said, drying my skin off. I’d only known Owen for a few days, but he was one-hundred percent suave and sexy at all times. Hearing about Owen when he wasn’t so cool was too good to pass up. “Absolutely.”

  He pulled his t-shirt back on, and I put my coverup on, knowing we were about to walk into a house with several people inside.

  He put his hand on my back and guided me up the staircase. “I’ll tell you on the way to dinner. Tomorrow night.”

  “Tease,” I said.

  Owen opened the door for me, and sure enough, several of the staff members were loitering near the door, but they quickly dispersed. “I’ve never been called that before, either,” he laughed.

  “Then I’m not the only one gaining some new experiences,” I said. It wasn’t exactly witty, but again, it was far sassier than anything I’d usually have said.

  “In that case,” he said, “I’ll look forward to gaining them with you.” He kissed me on the forehead. “I will see you soon.”

  Chapter Nine

  Owen

  What had I gotten myself into? Kate was a virgin. What was I supposed to do with that? Besides being so fucking turned on I could barely think.

  If I was a really good person, I’d kiss her goodbye and never see her again. But I wasn’t that good. And the job still came first. If dating Kate kept me closer to Laurent and made him trust me more, then I wouldn’t pass up this opportunity. No agent would.

  However, that didn’t mean I would do anything to harm Kate. Dating didn’t have to mean sex. If she showed the slightest bit of hesitancy, I’d back off.

  But before I fell any farther down this rabbit hole, I had to get the background check done. I liked being around Kate, but I had to know if she really was an innocent student.

  First priority Kate, second Mateo – the man who drove Kate and Gabriel around. Every now and then, the staff were also undercover, from a local law enforcement agency. And if that was the case, I needed to know that too. I also needed to check up on the professor I met at Laurent’s dinner party.

  From my secure phone, I sent Jack, my CIA contact, a message. I needed to meet him tonight. He replied that he was free, and told me to meet him at the bike rental store. Apparently we were going to bike through the Bellavista area while I spilled my guts about the details of the case. Seemed a little precarious, trying to relay information while dodging people and dogs and other bikers, but I was game.

  It meant we were unlikely to be followed, and unlikely to be noticed.

  I paid for my bike and wheeled it onto the street. Just as I saw Jack enter the rental shop, Kate texted me.

  “Mrs. Laurent says I can have tomorrow night off.”

  Perfect.

  “Be ready at six p.m.,” I wrote back.

  “Hot date?” Jack asked as we walked our bikes away from the throng of people toward one of the less busy paths.

  How the hell does he know that? “You have no idea,” I said.

  “I knew it.” He grinned as he hopped on his bike and popped the kickstand up. “You actually had a smile on your face instead of your usual scowl.”

  “Shut up,” I said. “We’re here to work, not talk about our love lives.”

  “Ooh, love. It must be serious.”

  I flipped him off. He wasn’t wrong. Kate did make me smile. Which meant it was probably really fucking stupid of me to even contemplate seeing her again, no matter what kind of inroad it might give me with Laurent.

  Ignoring his howls of laughter, I went on to tell him exactly what I needed – information about Mateo Torres, Kate, and the professor I met at Laurent’s dinner party.

  I usually enjoyed my time with Jack, because it was the only time I wasn’t putting on a show. But tomorrow I’d be ready to get back to Kate.

  Next up, figure out how I wanted to romance Kate. I hadn’t been bullshitting her about wanting her first time to be special. She deserved more than a hasty tumble in the sheets, and I was determined to make it happen.

  We really needed a full day for the wine tasting tour. I didn’t want to just rush her through the tasting, but I wanted her to see the vineyards too. For tomorrow night, I would make reservations at a local restaurant, and later take her to a fancy hotel.

  To get acclimated to the city, I’d spent a lot of time exploring and talking to locals, including my co-workers, especially the ones that I didn’t think were involved in Laurent’s crimes.

  Over in the Bellavista area of Santiago, there was a boutique hotel that would be the best place for Kate to visit. It wasn’t a chain hotel, so it had a much cooler atmosphere.

  I'd never spent the night there, but I’d had drinks on the Mission-style terrace with one of Laurent’s lawyers. I was able to book a suite online, one with a balcony that overlooked Cerro San Cristóbal, which was just a big hill in the middle of the city, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t cool as hell. If she hadn’t been, I’d have to take Kate on a tour of that too. I also booked us a table at the hotel restaurant.

  Around midnight, my secure phone rang. This one time, I’d taken it back to my apartment so I could find out what Jack had to say.

  “She’s clean,” Jack said as soon as I answered.

  I sagged. I was almost sure that Kate wasn’t compromised, but I’d learned that lesson the hard way.

  “And the bodyguard?” I asked.

  “He works for Laurent. Just like he says. No indications that he’s involved,” Jack said.

  So Mateo wasn’t law enforcement. I’d be keeping an eye on him.

  Jack kept talking. “I’m not sure about the professor. A few things came up, but I need more time. We’ll meet up in a week. Stay alert,” he warned me.

  “I always am,” I assured him. Instead of making notes about the case, I fell asleep thinking about Kate, and how she’d felt in my arms. I was so fucked.

  Chapter Ten

  Kate

  At five-thirty p.m., I took Gabriel into my room and sat him on a blanket with a stacking toy. He babbled while I looked at each dress.

  Thanks to Mrs. Laurent, I had a closet full of clothes, and I had thirty minutes to get ready for my evening with Owen. I still couldn’t believe I was going ahead with this, and yet I had no desire to back out.

  I chose a lightweight green dress that matched my eyes exactly and laid it on the bed. And stomach swirling, I packed an overnight bag with everything I’d need, but then took everything out and stuffed it into a large purse so it didn’t look so obvious. I wasn’t going to spend the whole night in the hotel with Owen, not yet. That would be too obvious.

  My heart was racing, but I was really looking forward to thi
s. At twenty-two years old, I’d waited long enough, and I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to have Owen as my first. He’d always be a special part of my time in Santiago, and when I got back to my life in the States, I’d be able to think back on my time with him.

  It sounded like a romantic notion, but I was fully committed to it now. With my outfit chosen and my bag packed, I got Gabriel dressed for dinner with his parents and took him to Mrs. Laurent.

  “Thank you, my dear,” she said as she took Gabriel from me. “What dress did you choose?”

  “The kelly green one,” I told her.

  “Oh, that will look lovely with your skin tone and your eyes.” She patted my arm. “Please stop by the dining room and say goodbye before you leave.”

  I promised her that I would, and I went upstairs to take a quick bath and get ready. I added some lavender drops to the bath, and I scrubbed myself all over. I couldn’t make my hair wavy like the stylist had done, but I could use the straightening iron to smooth it down. Makeup wasn’t my thing either, but after my hair was straight, I added a little blush and some lip gloss. Then I zipped myself into the dress and pulled on some sandals.

  Before I left, I took one selfie, and sent it to my sister.

  “Going on a date,” I texted.

  “OMG, you look gorgeous,” she replied. “Call me as soon as you’re back!”

  I was hopeful that I’d be back way too late for any phone calls.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you!” I wrote back, and then I stuck my phone in my purse and went to find Mrs. Laurent.

  My sister did not need to know what I was planning. Maybe when I was back home, I’d tell her. That was a very big maybe.

  Feeling self-conscious, I walked into the dining room where the Laurents were eating. There were five people at the table; Gabriel, Mrs. Laurent, Mr. Laurent, and two men I didn’t know. The men were speaking to Mr. Laurent while Mrs. Laurent fed Gabriel some mashed-up fruit.

  As I walked in, the baby reached for me, and Mrs. Laurent stood and touched my hair. “You should wear it like this more often,” she said.

  I didn’t really plan to spend twenty minutes every day fixing my hair so I could take a baby to the park, but I just smiled.

  She squeezed my hand. “Do not rush back. Take your time.”

  “Thank you,” I said. As I left, the men didn’t pause in their conversation. But when I was in the doorway, Mr. Laurent looked up. “Are you meeting my accountant, Owen?”

  I nodded.

  “Enjoy your dinner,” he said.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  And then I was at the front door, squeezing my purse straps tight and waiting next to the butler until Owen’s car pulled into the private drive. Owen climbed out of the car, looking even hotter than he had the day before. He had put on tailored jeans, a white shirt and a dress jacket. His sandy hair was slightly tousled.

  Before he could knock, the butler pulled the door open for Owen, who held out his hand to me. “You look stunning,” he said, kissing me on the cheek.

  He looked pretty good himself, but my tongue was suddenly stuck to the roof of my mouth, and I couldn't get the words out.

  He leaned in close to my ear. “I really wanna kiss you. But I don’t want it on the surveillance cameras.”

  My skin, as usual, flamed hot.

  He took my hand in his, and threaded our fingers together until we reached the car, where he opened the door to his BMW for me. “I’ve got dinner reservations. The weather’s great, so I thought we could sit outside.

  “Sounds good,” I squeaked.

  “The chef uses local Chilean ingredients and makes seasonal dishes. Every single one is amazing, so I hope you’re hungry.”

  I could only nod vigorously. At this point, I couldn’t imagine eating much, but the restaurant did sound great.

  Once we were on the road, he glanced over at me with a slight frown. “You okay? You’re quiet.”

  I hugged my purse to my chest. “Just excited.” I had to find some chill pretty fast, or Owen was going to call this off. I had to break the ice somehow. “I believe you promised to tell me about how badly you’ve behaved on past dates.”

  “I’d hoped you’d forgotten about that.”

  “I most certainly did not,” I said.

  “I’ll tell you as soon as we’re seated,” Owen promised as he pulled up in a circular drive, and a valet appeared. Owen handed over the keys, while another valet opened the door for me. I stepped onto the pavement.

  “This is gorgeous. Is it a hotel too?”

  Owen nodded. His hand landed on my lower back. I shivered when I felt the heat of his palm, even through my dress.

  “But as I said before, the hotel is optional. We can have dinner and go for a drive. Or I can take you back home. Or we can check out one of the rooms. It’s up to you.”

  The hostess seated us outside on the terrace at a wooden table. The floor and the low walls were made of cobblestones, and leafy trees surrounded many of the tables.

  The hostess handed us the menus, and explained the seasonal foods they were offering, which included Ensalada Chilena, a salad made of tomatoes and onions, Pastel de Choclo, a dish featuring corn and beef, and Choripan with pebre, a dish made of sausage with bread and salsa.

  As soon as we’d ordered, I folded my hands under my chin and took a deep breath. “Thank you for bringing me here. I love it.”

  “I’m glad. Part of traveling is getting out and mingling, and while some tourists come here, there are a lot of locals too.”

  “I would love to hear all about it, after you tell me your story.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re relentless?” he asked as the waiter put two Pisco Sours in front of us. Owen had ordered them for us, explaining that they were a traditional Chilean drink, made of brandy, sugar and lemon.

  “Actually, quite a few people have said I’m relentless, at school and work. I didn’t give up when I was advocating for my clients.” And apparently, I didn’t give up with flirting either.

  “I like it,” Owen said with his deep, masculine voice, and heat rolled through my stomach. “I like that you don’t give up.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth. “So. I’ve been known to not be the best date.”

  “I’m still having a hard time believing it,” I said, as the waiter put the perfect-smelling dishes in front of us.

  “I have changed. I wouldn’t do that now. No, I don’t think I can tell you this story. You’ll get up and walk out.”

  I swatted at his arm. “I will not. You’re hyping it up a lot. Come on. Tell me.”

  He smiled again, which showed off his strong jawline. “So when I was in college, I went to a party, and several girls asked for my number. I wasn’t really paying attention to the details, but I ended up making a date with two of them on the same night, at another party.”

  “The same party?” I asked.

  “Yes. And this is the part that makes it so dumb, and also makes it sound made up. It was a Halloween party. And so instead of telling both the women the truth, that I made a mistake, and I’d scheduled two dates, with two different people, I didn’t say anything. I decided to keep both dates.”

  “Wow,” I said. “And they didn’t notice?”

  “Not at first. Because, being a devious little shit, I got to the party, and realized I needed two costumes if I was going to pull this off. So I gave my buddy enough money so he could buy a full keg of beer, and in exchange, he gave me his costume. So for one girl, I was a cowboy. And for the other girl, I was an astronaut in a blue jumpsuit, because I could zip it on and off easily.”

  I covered my mouth with my hands. “You didn't’!”

  “I did,” he said. “So all night, I’m running back and forth through this frat house party. It’s loud, and there’s a DJ, and there are hundreds of people there. And I’m so hot and sweaty, from changing in and out of this costume.”

  “I’m assuming you got caught.”

 
“Oh yeah. And that is not a cool story at all. I drank too much beer, and I tripped while I was wearing the astronaut costume and it ripped. Everyone was laughing at the rip in my pants, including the girl who knew me as the astronaut, and asking why I had on chaps underneath. So, the other girl, the one who’d only seen me as a cowboy, came running over, and the two of them met. And exchanged words. Then both of them worked together to pick up the gigantic bowl of punch and dump it onto my head.”

  “I don’t even know what to say,” I laughed. “That is definitely a good story.”

  “Yes, and one I won’t be repeating.” He put his hand over mine. “You want dessert?”

  “I don’t think I could eat anything else,” I said.

  Owen paid our check, and then held out his hand to me. Was the chivalry something he always did, or was he inspired in this exotic city? I had to admit, I liked the attention a lot.

  “What’s next?” he asked. “A walk? A drive?”

  “A room,” I said. “And if you’d rather skip the room, I’m perfectly happy to go back to your place.”

  He brushed a piece of hair back from my face. “You’re sure?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I’m certain.”

  “In that case,” he said, “let’s go. I’ve already reserved a suite for us.”

  “You had it all along?”

  “Yes. I just didn’t want to put you under any pressure.”

  He was such a gentleman, and the suite left me speechless. The rooms were big and airy, the floors were a light bamboo wood, and everything smelled like lemon. And the living area had a double set of doors that opened onto a big private balcony. No one would argue that the Laurents’ house wasn’t nice. But it felt like a museum inside. And the suite, even though it was a hotel, felt like a home.

  I spun around once, letting the skirt of my dress flare out. “This is amazing,” I said. I could stay here for a month, just in this room.”

  I pushed the double doors open and stood on the balcony, inhaling the night air. Across the city, lights twinkled.