Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 3) (2 page)

Aubrey often wondered what kind of women Travis had dated in the past. He looked worried that she wouldn’t be able to entertain herself as if she expected him to be her personal court jester for the weekend.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll slip into the shower and then relax with a good book until it’s time to get ready for the party.”

He ran his hands up and down her bare arms, sending a shiver of pleasure up her spine.

“I just want this mini-vacation to be perfect for you, honey.”

Everything with Travis was perfect.

It was starting to wear on her nerves.

“It couldn’t be any more wonderful,” she assured him, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his stubbly cheek. “Go have a drink with Martin. I think I can take care of myself for a little while. It sounded important. Is everything okay with him?”

Travis frowned for only a moment but then gave her a distracted smile. His head was already downstairs with his friend. “It’s just business as usual, I’m sure. I’ll try and be back in about an hour.”

“Take your time. I might even take a nap.”

Anything to escape so she could be by herself and think this through. She was beginning to believe she’d made a severe error in judgment coming here this weekend with Travis. Setting her glass on the coffee table, she turned to escape but Travis’s hand caught her arm before she could flee into the bathroom.

Travis rubbed his thumb across her palm, setting off a veritable cavalcade of sensations. “Are you okay, honey? You’ve been really quiet since we got to the hotel.”

Of course she was quiet.

She was so damn confused she could barely get out a coherent sentence. If he had any idea all the thoughts that were whirling in her brain he’d be shocked. One minute she wanted to grab his hand, throw him on the bed and make love to him. The next she wanted to chuck her high heels and run out of this fancy resort and away from him.

Frankly, she was a mess.

“I’m fine. Just tired. I’m sure the shower will help revive me though.”

“I’ll try and be extra quiet when I come back in case you’re asleep. Thank you for being so understanding.”

Aubrey stood in the middle of the room after Travis left the suite, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She wasn’t sure she could keep up the facade of impeccable girlfriend much longer. If he knew who she really was what would he do? She was terrified to find out.

It was only a matter of time before he saw the real Aubrey.

‡

T
ravis waited until
the busty cocktail waitress had placed two highball glasses filled with eighteen year old Jameson on the table and drifted on to the next patrons before speaking. The bar was dark although it was midafternoon on a sunny day in Florida and thankfully it was almost deserted. It was the ideal spot for a private conversation.

“How can I help you, Martin?”

Travis kept his tone on the neutral side although he could tell his friend and mentor was disturbed by someone or something. They’d had a brief conversation a few weeks ago about Martin investigating some business dealings that his grandson-in-law Bruce Livingston was involved in. Bruce was married to Martin’s granddaughter Caroline much to the old man’s chagrin. He’d never been in favor of the marriage and Travis couldn’t help but agree. Bruce tended to be too self-absorbed and rather shiftless which didn’t make him the best husband in the world. Unfortunately Caroline had fallen for Bruce’s charm despite his shortcomings.

The older man sighed and swirled the amber liquid in the glass before taking a large gulp. “It’s Bruce. I told you I was looking into some of his accounts but I needed to be sure before I said anything.”

Martin looked about ten years older than the last time Travis had seen him. Deep grooves around his mouth and eyes, gave the appearance of a deeply tired man. The complete opposite of the fireball of energy everyone was used to.

“And you’re sure now?”

“It’s insider trading.”

The older man’s hushed tones didn’t detract from the impact of those two words.

Insider trading.

“You’re sure?”

Martin nodded, his lips a grim line. “Yes, unfortunately. He’s got a girlfriend who has suddenly come into a great deal of money. I checked her out and she’s got several brokerage accounts all with different firms. She’s made most of her money on stock buys and sells on companies that Bruce is supposed to be researching. Seems like a strange coincidence.”

This was the kind of stuff that gave business a bad name. It tarred everyone with the same brush.

“A girlfriend? That seems rather foolhardy to use someone that he can be linked to,” Travis observed, still wondering how he could be any help. Martin was the financial genius of the two of them.

“Bruce thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. He thinks I don’t know that he’s dating Iris. Hell, everyone knows, even Caroline. Why she puts up with it I have no idea. I guess she still loves him even though he’s a horse’s ass.”

Caroline was a sweet girl who deserved something better. She’d married Bruce right out of college in a huge wedding in Hawaii. It should have been a fairy tale but the reality was anything but.

“So how can I help? Do you want to send Caroline out to the ranch in Montana while you clean up this mess? We’d be happy to take her in.”

Martin’s brows shot up and he sat back in his chair. “I didn’t even think about it but that’s a great idea. Getting her out of the line of fire would help immensely. Assuming she’d leave the worm, of course. Actually what I was going to ask was if you could help me with some of your law enforcement and government connections. I’ll talk to Bruce this weekend and tell him I know everything. I’ll get him to surrender to authorities and make him come clean. I’m hoping your friends can keep this from becoming a circus.”

Travis didn’t want to raise his friend’s hopes. “I have to be honest here. I know a few people but I don’t have the kind of influence that’s going to get Bruce a deal.”

Martin leaned forward, his features hardening. “He doesn’t deserve a deal. He’s been lying to me for months and maybe even longer. No, I just don’t want this to end up on the front page of the newspapers. I’d like to avoid making a splash if only for Caro’s sake. As for what the authorities do with Bruce, well, as far as I’m concerned they can throw the book at him.”

“You’re not going to come out of this smelling like a rose either, my friend. People are going to think you were a part of this.”

“People can say whatever the hell they want.” Martin finally sat back, his shoulders relaxing. “I’ve already made more money than most people in a hundred lifetimes. I do what I do because it’s challenging but if I can’t do it anymore then I’ll find something new. Frankly I want to clean house and Bruce is going out with the trash. If he brings me down with him then so be it.”

“You’re saying you’d be fine if you had to close your fund?” Travis queried. “I find that hard to believe. You love what you do.”

“I can love something else just as much,” Martin countered, draining the whiskey from the highball glass. “I’m old enough to know that a career can’t be your whole damn life. You need family and friends too. It’s some advice you might want to embrace.”

Martin had never bothered with subtlety and today was no exception.

“I’m trying but the lady is hard to convince,” Travis laughed.

The anger and frustration had fallen away from Martin and now his eyes twinkled with mirth. “Since when have you had a problem with the female sex? Don’t tell me this one’s immune to the famous Anderson charm?”

Travis’s cheeks grew warm as Martin roared with laughter, turning a few heads in the bar. “Aubrey is…different. It’s not about sex. It’s more than that.”

Smiling widely, Martin signaled to the waitress for another round. “I was beginning to think I’d never see the day that you would fall but it’s finally here. You’re in love.”

For the first time in my life.

“I’m not sure Aubrey is in love with me. She’s several years younger than I am so I’m trying to take things slowly.”

Glacially.

Travis couldn’t remember the last time he’d waited as long to make love to a woman as he had with Aubrey but she was more than worth it. If she wanted to wait another month or two, or longer, he’d do it.

With blue balls.

“If she’s the one then you have the rest of your lives together. No sense rushing things,” Martin agreed, accepting a new whiskey from the waitress. “She seems like a lovely girl. How did you meet?”

Travis smiled grimly at the memory. “I saved her life. She was being held captive by her sister’s stalker. Luckily we got to both of them in time. Gigi, her sister, persuaded Aubrey to move to Montana so they could be close to one another. I hired her as my assistant six months ago. She’s damn good at her job.”

Quirking an eyebrow, Martin sipped at his drink. “You’re dating your assistant? What if this doesn’t work? Have you thought about that?”

Only every day.

Aubrey was running him around in circles, leading him by the nose.

It was actually funny when Travis thought about it. Older, wiser, more sophisticated women had tried to land him but one look at Aubrey and he’d fallen like a ton of bricks. She preferred blue jeans over silk, and beer to champagne. She liked riding horses instead of limousines, and baking cookies with his mother instead of tea with society friends. She could talk about country music, Beethoven, fine literature, and Monty Python.

They were perfect for each other.

She was more than just beautiful although by any standard she was gorgeous. With her long dark hair, golden skin, and generous curves she made Travis’s mouth water whenever they were together. But it was her kind heart and generous nature that had truly captured him. Unlike so many women of his acquaintance she cared about others as much as she did about herself.

“It took a couple of months just to get her to go out with me. I made a deal with her that if the relationship didn’t work out then I would find her a job at any of our offices all over the world. I assured her she wouldn’t lose out.”

“Smart. So she’s giving you a run for your money, huh? Well, don’t be too discouraged. All the best ones do. I could tell you a tale or two about when I was courting Donna.”

Travis had already heard a few stories. Martin had chased her until she finally let him catch her. They’d been together happily for decades until her death three years ago. Martin was now married to Alana, a woman in her late forties, who enjoyed the finer things in life.

“I just hope she has a good time this weekend.” Travis drained his whiskey and slapped the glass back onto the table. “We’ve been burning the candle at both ends on the new mine contracts so we both need a few days off to relax.”

“You’ll get it here.”

Out of the corner of Travis’s eye, he could see a smiling man making his way through the bar and to their table. Martin stood and grinned, slapping the newcomer on the back.

“Tom! When did you get in?”

Travis had met Tom Lovell several times and had always found the man friendly and easy to be around. He came from old money but now did mostly real estate and stock deals.

“Just a few minutes ago. I haven’t even checked in yet but I saw you two sitting here and had to come by and say hello. Happy birthday, Martin.”

“Another year older. Why don’t you join us for a drink?”

“Wish I could but I need to check in with the office. Travis, I haven’t seen you in months. How’s the family? I heard your brothers are getting married.”

“That’s true,” Travis chuckled. “Jason and West have been saddled. How about you, my friend?”

Tom smiled and rebuttoned his suit jacket, smoothing down the lapel. “Let’s just say I’m keeping my options open. I like my freedom. Just like you, Travis.”

“Are you sure you won’t join us?” Martin asked.

“I really can’t but I’ll see you at the party tonight. Tell Caroline to save a dance or two for me.”

“Will do.”

Tom exited the bar leaving Martin and Travis alone again. Martin settled back into his chair with a relaxed sigh.

“That’s the best part of the weekend. Spending time with friends I haven’t seen in too long.” Martin raised his glass. “To old friends.”

Travis lifted his whiskey in salute. “To old friends. I’m glad I could be here for the party and for your birthday.”

Martin glanced at his watch and grimaced. “I need to make a call to the West coast. Listen, I appreciate any help you can give me on that business matter. If you can’t, I understand that too. Either way, this shit is going to get cleared up one way or another.”

Both men stood and Martin tossed a hundred dollar bill on the table before Travis could even get his wallet open. Typical.

“When are you going to talk to Bruce?”

“Before the party tonight. I won’t put this off another day.”

All that animosity ought to make for an interesting atmosphere this evening. Travis made a mental note to give Bruce Livingston a wide berth tonight. After talking to Martin, the man’s mood wouldn’t be a positive one.