Chapter Five

IsabelleSt.Claire hadjustgotten outoftheshower. Hernextflight didn't leaveforanotherfourhours,across-countrytoLosAngelesthatwouldno doubtbefullofdrunkbusinessmen whowouldenjoygrabbingherassasshe passed bythem.Atleastshewould havesomegoodmemories together through this particular flight.

Sheranthetowelthroughherlonghairagain,bitingherlipagainst theguiltysmilethattriedtobubbleupasshelookedatthetussledsheetsof thebedandherclothing strewnacrossthehotelroom floor.Itallbelonged to her. He hadn't left a thing behind.

AnFBIagent, hehadsaid.Hisbadgehadlooked awfully official, anyway, andTyGrady hadn't struck herasthetypetoliejusttoimpress her. Get her into bed and never call again, yes. But lie? No.

Isabelle knew themanwould never callheragain. Itwas justaswell, because hewasthetypethatgirlslikeherfellhardandfastfor,andhewas definitely not the type she could take home to meet Daddy.

She allowed herself another littlesmile and wrapped the towel around herdamphair.Ithadbeenfun,anyway. Shedidn't bother dealing withthe messtheyhadmadeofthebed,insteadbeginning tobundleupherclothing into neat littlerolls, the kind that you could stuff in asmall suitcase easily and wouldn't leave fold or wrinkle marks.

Finished packing andalready wearing heruniform skirt,shewas shrugging intoher white blouse when the knock atthe door came. She looked over atitinsurprise. Not many people would beknocking on her door. Itwas either Tina orSylvia, herfellow airhostesses onthe LAflight, wanting toget a bite to eat before they caught a cab, probably. Or it could be him again.

She bither lip, unable torestrain ahopeful grin asshe padded over to the door and peered out the little peephole.

AnFBI badge was allshe could see,held upso close that itwas obscured other than the big blue letters on the card.

Shelaughedquietlyandshookherheadasshesteppedback.She could really fall for this guy if he let her. She looked down and unbuttonedthe onebutton shehadmanaged onherblouse, bitinghertongue inanticipation. When he had showed up before he'd merely grabbed her, dipped her backward liketheyhadbeenwaltzing, andkissedher.Shewondered howhe would greet her now that they actually knew each other's names.

"Backforanotherroundsosoon?"shecalledassheunlatchedthe door and swung it open to let him in.

Shegavealittlegaspofsurprisewhensherealizedthattheagentin the hallway wasn't Ty.

"I—I'm sorry, Ithought youwere someone else," shestuttered asshe blushed furiously and began buttoning her blouse hastily.

"Igetthatalot,ma'am,"themansaidbeforeheproducedasmall whitehandkerchief andgrabbedherroughly,pressingitoverhermouthand noseandpushingherbackintoherhotelroom.Sheflailedandtriedto scream,buthishandcoveredthenoiseshemadeandherattemptsathitting and kicking him seemed to go unnoticed. He kicked the door shut behind him, and Isabelle struggled as her world faded to black.