Under Wraps by Joanne Rock Page B

purpose. Consensual voyeurism was one thing. Being spied on unaware was something totally different. Had she been watched on her last trip here without ever being the wiser?
    â€œDo any of the private rooms have peepholes that we won’t know about?” Marnie was horrified to think some unseen guest might be able to spy on her and Jake in their suite.
    The thought reminded her all over again that Jake had watched her for two months without her knowledge. She couldn’t help another surge of anger at his violation of her privacy.
    â€œOf course not.” Lianna leaned closer to give Marnie’s arm a reassuring squeeze as if they were close friends. “The only guests who have ones in their rooms request it specifically at check-in.”
    â€œExhibitionists,” Jake clarified, pocketing the key.
    â€œA voyeur’s best friend,” Lianna added with a wink. She settled her hand on her hip in a pose worthy of Mae West, her curves displayed at a suggestive, pinup girl angle. “Let me know if there’s anything else either of you need. I’ll be at the desk all night.”
    â€œThank you.” With a nod, Jake turned away from her and tucked Marnie under his arm to lead her through the hotel.
    Ducking her head, she allowed Jake to guide hertoward an antique-looking elevator with the old-fashioned gold gate that pulled across the doors. They had agreed in advance to let Jake be the public face of their couple since there was a chance Marnie could be recognized even in disguise.
    â€œWe can take the elevator to our room on the third floor.” Marnie knew she should be exhausted, even though she’d slept a little on the trip. Still, adrenaline coursed through her after the run-in with Lianna and being inundated by talk of voyeurs and images of half-naked women on the larger-than-life tapestries. She’d seen those same wall hangings the last time she’d visited, but somehow they packed more punch with Jake standing next to her. Her senses seemed to have become hyperacute ever since that kiss in the SUV on the way up here.
    Now she wondered how she could have ever visited this place without thinking about sex every second.
    â€œNo.” Jake kept walking past the elevator. “Let’s see the clothing store first. We’re going to want to get straight to work tomorrow and apparently we’ll need the right duds.”
    They passed a woman—clearly a guest—dressed in a red velvet maid’s uniform with a Santa hat and stilettos. The volunteer worker pushed her cart full of scented soaps and complimentary bottles of edible massage oil as if it were all in a day’s work, but her eyes cut to Jake with even more obvious intent than Lianna had shown.
    Marnie had seen enough. Her senses couldn’t take another moment of nonstop sensual bombardment.
    â€œI can’t do this.” She lowered her voice until the maid disappeared around the end of the hall where a seventeen-foot-high Christmas tree welcomed visitors.
    â€œWhat do you mean, you can’t do this?” He turned to face her in the now-deserted corridor. Only a few sconces lit the long stretch of hallway. Somewhere nearby, she could hear hints of chamber music and laughter. A party of some sort, or dinner perhaps.
    Jake’s green eyes narrowed, all his attention on her, his arm still wrapped about her waist. He let go of the rolling suitcase behind him.
    â€œI think I’m just overwhelmed. It’s been such a long couple of days. I went from a normal life to finding a hidden camera and then starting on this thousand-mile…odyssey to seek vindication.”
    With a dark look, he covered her mouth with his hand.
    â€œNot here.”
    The feel of his fingers on her lips sent a surge of longing through her. She had the strangest impulse to flick her tongue along the inside of his palm but she forced herself to be sensible.
    Of course, he was right. She was just overtired