In the Jacksonville airport, Claire headed toward baggage claim, doing her best to ignore the tantalizing aromas coming from the fast-food eateries she was passing in the concourse. It was no easy task, given the way her empty stomach was rumbling.

When she reached the lower level, she found a driver holding an iPad with Claire Parker displayed on the screen in large letters. He introduced himself, and once she’d relayed a description of her bag, he asked her to make herself comfortable in the baggage claim seating area until the luggage was offloaded from the plane.

Grateful she didn’t have to worry about her suitcase, Claire settled into a seat, finally able to call Leah to ask how the meeting at the jail went. Her friend’s angry tone when she answered surprised Claire.

“You didn’t tell me your notes were in some kind of shorthand, Claire.” Leah’s normally laid-back tone was shrill. “I couldn’t read them at all, so I was pretty much screwed. Thanks a lot. I would’ve been better off just winging it.”

Oh my God. I completely forgot about my abbreviations.

Claire sucked in a shocked breath and apologized. “Did Professor Moore take it out on you?”

“No, but she had to step in because I looked like a complete dumbass in front of the prosecutor. I gotta tell ya, it wasn’t fun.”

Wincing, Claire whispered more words of apology.

Leah let out a long sigh. “Forget it. Just make sure you have your ass back here by Tuesday, ten a.m. That’s when the next meeting is scheduled for.”

“I’ll be there.”

“I should warn you . . . you’re on Moore’s shit list now.”

Claire closed her eyes briefly. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but how did the meeting turn out?”

“The prosecutor offered the deal like we thought. Chris gets a suspended sentence if he gives up his suppliers.”

Relief spread through Claire. “Thank God.”

“Hold up. Not so fast,” Leah said. “Chris won’t do it.”

“He’s afraid of them?”

“He didn’t come out and say it, but yeah. He is.”

“What did he say?”

“I couldn’t get him to open up much. Neither could Professor Moore.”

“Was the prosecutor still in the room?”

“He’d stepped out by then. We got Chris to agree to think about the deal, at least. It’s where we left things until our meeting on Tuesday. He’s gettin’ a sweetheart deal that could keep him out of prison, which is probably—” Leah stopped short. “Never mind.”

“We’ll make it happen. We have to. And, Leah, I’m going to make everything up to you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m ready to forget this disaster of a day and go get a drink. A big one.” Leah’s tone brightened. “Too bad you aren’t here. I’d make you pay.”

“Drinks are on me when I get back,” Claire said. “And lunch. I owe you big-time. See you next week.” The baggage carousel finally lurched to life as she said good-bye, thanking her lucky stars that Leah was such a good friend.

Moments later, the driver retrieved Claire’s bag from the carousel and escorted her to the exit where his limo waited. As they walked outside, Claire looked up at the clear sky as the hot, humid air hit her. Back in DC, summer was over and the leaves were turning, but here the sunshine was searing and the vegetation a vivid green. She took in a deep breath of salty air, grateful to be able to experience this semitropical climate, if only for a weekend.

Once she was seated in the limo and they were on their way, Claire called Gabe to let him know she’d landed. He sounded distracted but happy to hear from her, and promised to meet her when she arrived at the hotel.

* * *

As the driver pulled up to the resort entrance, Gabe stood waiting for Claire under the portico, dressed in a short-sleeved Polo shirt and khakis. A breeze lifted a few locks of his light brown hair from his forehead as he spoke on his phone, revealing hazel eyes that widened when he caught her eye as the car stopped. He ended his call and came forward to open her door, helping her out and dropping a quick kiss on her lips as the driver retrieved her bags.

“How was your flight?”

She looked up at Gabe’s face, pink from the round of golf he’d played that morning. “It was good.”

“Sorry I couldn’t meet you at the airport. I had a conference call.” Gabe gave the approaching bellhop their room number, then focused back on her. “How did your meeting go this morning?”

Claire shook her head. “Can you believe that I overslept and missed it? I’m in really hot water with my professor.”

He gave her a mischievous grin. “Tell him it’s my fault.”

“He’s a she, and I’m definitely not her favorite person right now.”

“Impossible.” Taking Claire’s hand, he led her toward the entrance. “Let’s go upstairs. I can’t wait to show you the suite.”

The resort was nothing short of opulent. Potted palms lined the lobby’s limestone floors, and an enormous bouquet of tropical flowers sat atop a round teak table. Claire squeezed Gabe’s hand as they headed toward the bank of elevators.

Gabe slid a keycard into the brass panel and pressed the button for the top floor. Once the elevator doors slid closed, finally leaving them alone, Gabe cupped Claire’s face in his hands and gave her a longer kiss. He attacked her mouth, his kiss hungry and demanding, leaving her breathless.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered. He pressed his hips to hers as he backed her into the elevator wall, his desire evident.

Claire kissed him back, then pressed her hands to his chest to create a little room between them. “I missed you too.”

Brushing her hair from her face, she glanced up at the discreet security camera in one corner at the ceiling. The last thing she needed was to be caught in a compromising position in public. Her parents had drilled that lesson into her head since she hit high school. Between her father’s political aspirations and her mother’s social climbing, Claire had spent most of her life in the spotlight. She hated it.

She had missed Gabe, though. He’d been traveling for much of the past month, and the different time zones had made connecting a challenge.

The elevator doors opened and Claire blinked in surprise as they stepped out into a small foyer with a single door.

“The suite takes up the whole floor?”

Gabe grinned and opened the door with his keycard, revealing a suite as lavish as the lobby but with an elegant, contemporary flair. On the far side of the seating area, white floor-to-ceiling plantation shutters framed the oversized sliders that opened onto a flagstone terrace overlooking the ocean. A full-sized dining room table was to the left, set with elegant china, and what appeared to be a late lunch for the two of them was waiting under silver domes. A bottle of champagne snugged in white linen rested in an ice bucket.

Claire noted several doorways leading off the living area. “How many bedrooms are there?”

“Three.”

She nodded as the reason he’d rented the penthouse became clear. “So your clients are staying here too.”

“No. The suite is just for us, although we’ll be having a dinner party here tomorrow night.” Gabe rubbed the back of his neck, not meeting her eyes. “Actually, Claire, I’ve gotten an update on their travel plans. There’s been a slight delay.”

Thoughts of how expensive a suite like this had to be flew out of Claire’s head. “They aren’t coming in today?”

“No. They’re flying in tomorrow afternoon.”

Shock and dismay stole Claire’s breath. She’d just missed one of the most important meetings in her law school career for nothing.

Keeping her tone even, she asked, “When did you find out?”

“Just as you drove up. That’s who I was on the phone with.”

Claire nodded, pushing aside her disappointment. It wasn’t Gabe’s fault. Just like her parents, he expected her to go with the flow. Playing that role was easier than pushing back and causing trouble.

Forcing a smile she didn’t quite feel, she said, “We’ll just have to make the best of it, right?”