What Goes on Tour(41)

Adrian dragged his mouth away and stopped her hands. He breathed  heavily. "We can't do this here." He stood and pulled her to her feet,  wrapping his arms around her and kissing her again. He pulled back,  swearing softly. "My room?"

He was giving her a chance to change her mind if she wanted it.

Libby didn't need to consider it.

"Yes."





Chapter 16




Adrian lay staring at the ceiling, his arm around Libby, her head on his  chest. He focused on controlling his breathing, but all he wanted to  say was "Wow."

He ran a hand over Libby's naked back, and for this moment, everything  in his life was perfect. Sex had never made him feel this way before. It  was generally a fun way to spend a couple of hours. With Libby it was  something else. He didn't want to examine it, or pick it to pieces, he  wanted to enjoy this comfort and the closeness of Libby lying next to  him.

It had been a long time since he'd had sex as himself. Usually he was in his Kent gear.

He kissed her forehead and she tilted her head to look at him and  smiled. She stretched up and kissed him, humming her pleasure. "I should  go," she said.

She was right, but he didn't want to break this moment. He wanted her to stay here, spend the night with him, wake up with him.

The thought made him freeze. He'd never felt this way about anyone  before. He never spent the night. This thing with Libby was supposed to  be casual. A no-strings-attached tour romance.

Libby turned her head to look at him. "Are you okay?"

Adrian forced a smile onto his face. "Of course." He kissed her,  enjoying her taste, and then sat up. "You're right, you should go." The  words came out bluntly and he hated the look of hurt that crossed  Libby's face. It was for the best, though. She wasn't expecting anything  more than a temporary romance and he couldn't get attached. He  retrieved a pair of boxer shorts from the floor while Libby got up and  dressed.

He turned as Libby was slipping on her shoes. She didn't look at him as  he came around the bed and he felt like jerk. When she was dressed, he  pulled her close, unable to let her go thinking that the sex meant  nothing to him. She watched him, waiting.

Adrian decided on the truth. "I'm sorry you can't stay," he murmured,  kissing her softly. "I'd like you to, but I don't know how Kate will  react."

"I understand."

Adrian walked her to the door of the suite and they paused. He wrapped  his arms around Libby, reluctant to let her go. "Will you come over  tomorrow and help me amuse Kate?"

There was only the tiniest hesitation. "Sure." She kissed him quickly on  the lips and opened the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

Adrian watched her walk down the hallway to her room. Had he read her  wrong? Perhaps she hadn't been hurt by his bluntness and he'd made her  uncomfortable with his intensity.

It was just a fling.

He would do well to remember that.

***

Libby stood in front of the door to Adrian's suite the next day, tapping  her hand against her thigh in a nervous beat. She wasn't sure how to  behave now or what to say. The sex had been incredible and she'd fallen  even more in love with him. But he'd reminded her with his bluntness  that it was just a temporary romance and she'd done her best to pretend  it meant the same to her.

Finally she got up the nerve to knock. Libby heard Kate's voice and the  thud of feet coming to answer. Kate flung open the door. "Hi, Libby!"  She beckoned Libby to come in.

"What have we got planned for the day?" Libby asked as she walked through to the living area.

"You need to help me convince Uncle Ade we should go to Sea World," Kate said.

Adrian looked less than impressed by Kate's suggestion but smiled at Libby anyway.

"There are still reporters outside the hotel. I told Kate she can wait  until tomorrow, and then hopefully the reporters will have gone away."

"But Uncle Ade, that means we can do only two of the theme parks," Kate complained.

"With your sprained wrist, you won't be able to go on some of the rides  anyway. We'll stay in the room today and we can play games."

"I'm tired of playing games and watching movies."

Libby could understand both of their concerns. What could they do that  would keep them both happy? "What about working on your novel?" she  asked.                       
       
           



       

Kate pouted. "I'd rather go to Sea World."

Libby smiled at her. "I know. Me too, but waiting an extra day will make it even more exciting."

Kate gave Libby a look which said she didn't believe her and huffed. "I'll set up my laptop." She headed for her bedroom.

Libby turned to Adrian, nerves in her stomach. "Morning."

He smiled at her slowly and walked closer. Checking Kate was still in  her room, he took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Morning."

The zing traveled all the way to her toes. Adrian squeezed her hand and dropped it as Kate came back.

Libby had to focus on Kate. She set her laptop up on the table next to  Kate's, relieved she would have a chance to get some more writing done,  as she was falling behind. She asked Adrian, "What are you going to do  today?"

"Since you two are going to be writing I might as well get in on the  act." He indicated his guitar. "I've got a few tunes playing in my  head."

"Do you write your own songs?" Intrigued, Libby realized she hadn't asked Adrian about his music.

"Mostly, but sometimes I collaborate with others."

"Libby, I don't know what's going to happen next." Kate's voice interrupted their conversation.

Adrian turned away and Libby settled at the table next to Kate. "Where are you up to?"

As Libby and Kate debated options, Adrian settled on the couch and  started playing his guitar. Every now and then he'd stop, write  something down and then replay it, making adjustments as he went.

Libby listened to him strum while she helped brainstorm ideas with Kate.  When Kate had decided what was happening next in her story, Libby left  her to write while she checked her emails.

There were dozens, many more than usual, and the subject lines said  things like "You should be ashamed," "No longer buying your books," "Bad  role model for children."

She clicked on the first email and read it, amazed at the hatred it  contained. She clicked on another with a similar tone from a woman whose  husband had had an affair. Libby's hand covered her mouth as she read  the third.

All of these people believed the lies Emily had told. They all thought  Libby had stolen Adrian away from Emily and that she should be ashamed  of herself. They all said they would never buy her books and would make  sure none of their friends did either.

Libby had never expected this level of response, hadn't expected anyone  to believe the rubbish that had been written. She hadn't truly believed  Emily's accusations would threaten the dream she'd been working so hard  toward for the past eight years.

"Libby, what's wrong?" Adrian's voice brought her back to her surroundings. He watched her from the couch.

"Some emails about Emily's article."

He stood and walked over. Libby clicked on another one so he could read it.

His face was grim. "Do you think they read your statement?"

Libby checked the time the emails were sent. "If they got my email  address through my website, they had to have seen it. It's on the  homepage."

"What's up?" Kate looked up from her laptop.

Libby forced a smile. "Just a couple of people who believe what Emily said in her article."

"Well, they're dumb as dirt." Kate went back to her writing.

Libby grinned at Kate's assessment. "Do you think I should respond?" she asked Adrian.

He shook his head. "It won't help. They won't believe anything you say."

Libby counted the number of emails. There were twenty. Were there other  people who thought the same as these women and would encourage their  friends to stop buying her book? She hit the forward button and sent one  through to Simone and Donna at her publishers with a question about  what to do.

Her stomach was queasy. Libby wanted to give Emily a piece of her mind  and tell her how her selfish actions had affected all of them.

"It will blow over soon enough," Adrian said and caressed her shoulder.

"I hope so."

Libby went back to her editing, wondering if this would be the last book she ever wrote.

***

The next day the reporters had disappeared from the hotel and Adrian  kept his promise to Kate, taking her to Sea World with George. As much  as Libby wanted to join them, she told Adrian she needed to work on her  manuscript. The response to Emily's accusations had made Libby remember  how important her writing was to her.

Her heart still screamed that she spend every moment with Kate and  Adrian while she could. The time was rapidly approaching when she would  have to say goodbye and they would head back to America.