Page 77 of Last First Kiss
“Yes. You?”
“One sec.” She let go of her ponytail, fluffed up her hair, and rolled up her sleeves. “I hope no one recognizes me from those pap photos. From now until we get on set tomorrow, I’m just the woman you’re seeing and you’re just a regular guy. We’re two regular people on vacation.”
“On our honeymoon.”
She cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. “Whatever. You ready?”
“Yes.”
She began to walk but he grabbed her hand and entwined her fingers with his. “You think I’d let my girlfriend or wife just walk ahead of me? Come on, get into character, little Tiger.” He winked and they walked into the airport. “Good job, by the way. You were right, the other option would draw too much attention.”
When they walked into the airport, they easily got lost in the sea of people trying to find their way around. It wasn’t like an American airport, but the chaos was mostly the same, just on a smaller scale. After going through customs, where no one seemed to pay them any mind, they went to get their bags. “I’m about to say the douchiest thing that’s ever come out of my mouth,” he said, as they waited for their bags to arrive to the baggage area.
“I highly doubt that, babe.” She smiled.
He pulled her to him and kissed her head. “Okay, you’re right. But definitely the douchiest thing I’ve said today. I can’t remember the last time I carried my own bags—or hell, waited for my bags.”
“Such a diva,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. He couldn’t tell if this was part of their role or it was genuine affection. Damn, how he wished it was genuine. It felt so good. Too good. It almost made him forget why he was there to begin with. He could totally imagine them on a vacation together just relaxing like this.
“There they are.” She let go of him and walked to the end of the room where two men were unloading their bags. He instantly missed her closeness.
They each rolled their bags out to the main entrance of the two-story building that was La Vanguardia and waited for one of the lines of cabs to roll up and open the door for them.
Rocco took Annie’s luggage and placed it in the trunk of the car together with his. By the time he came back around, Annie was already in the car giving the driver instructions as to where to go.
The rest of the crew had arrived a week ago to scout out the location and make all the arrangements so that Rocco and Julia would be in and out of Colombia as quickly as possible, and with Julia in the movie, it was hard to go unnoticed. In fact, everyone was anxiously anticipating her arrival later that evening.
By the time they arrived at the hotel it was raining. The hotel, at the request of NHN, had upped their security and the place was supposed to be a fortress. At least that’s what they’d been told. But it surely didn’t seem like it with a few local news vans set up around the parking lot. They were far enough away that they wouldn’t physically be a problem, but definitely with the high-resolution cameras and the long-range zoom lenses, they would see them get out of the cab and walk inside. Right now, they’d probably just suspected the crew was in town and were hoping that the stars would appear, but now they’d be able to confirm it.
“Damn it.” She saw the vans too. “I’ll get the bags, you go straight up. They’re waiting for you. Suite three-thirteen. Go.”
He chuckled as he took out his wallet to pay the cab driver.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re actually serious? You think I’m going to leave you down here by yourself? With the luggage and camera crews? With what you keep saying is a dangerous situation?”
“It’s my job!”
He handed the driver money and stepped out of the car, holding the door open for her, ignoring her plan completely.
“You’re my woman, I’m not doing that. Come on, let’s go.” The cab driver was watching their interaction and if the vans across the parking hadn’t gotten wind of him being there, the cabbie would undoubtedly let them know in a matter of moments.
Rocco moved his baseball cap lower on his eyes and took the luggage out of the trunk.
“I’m not your woman right now. I’m your bodyguard, damn it,” she hissed, pulling her luggage out of his hand. He slammed the trunk down, hard.
“Well, you’re fired then.” He said it as a knee-jerk reaction, not really meaning it, but before he had a chance to apologize she yelled, “Get down!”
There was complete confusion as something came barreling toward his head, but she pushed him out of the way, getting the brunt of the impact of whatever it was. Suddenly glass bottles and rocks were being tossed at them and people were chanting “Vianse!” Which he recognized as “leave.”
The cab, which had shielded them from most of the impact, drove off, gravel flying all around them. Now they were completely exposed. “I said go!”
“No! Fuck, you’re hurt. Come on.”
The security from the inside of the hotel began to run out and she began barking out orders. Somehow in the mayhem he was whisked away. “Let go of me!”
“Señor. This way. Vámonos.”
