“So, ma’am,” he was feeling around underneath some t-shirts, “there’s an object here.” He pointed to the x-ray on the screen. “I’m going to have to take it out and see what it is, okay?”
“That’s fine,” I said.
“Do you have any liquids in here, ma’am?”
“Nope, that was in my checked-in luggage.”
Dylan came to stand next to me. “Everything okay?”
“He’s just going through my bag,” I said.
“Okay.”
“Okay, ma’am, well I’m going to take this out.” He pulled out a little velvet case, and my heart skipped a beat. Oh shit, no, no, no, no, please no!
“I’m going to have to go inside this small bag, ma’am, to see what’s inside it, okay?”
I glanced over at Dylan who was frowning and then at the security guy again. “Um, do you have to?” I whispered.
The security agent glared suspiciously at me. “Yes, ma’am. What is in here?”
“It’s nothing, I’d just rather you—”
“Ma’am,” and he pulled it out. All I could focus on was my vibrator staring up at us. The security guy looked at it for a few seconds and then looked at me. I looked down at the ground, wondering if it was possible to die of shame.
Dylan burst out laughing. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Oh, my God, why?” I muttered under my breath. “It’s not anything dangerous,” I said to the security guard.
“What is this, ma’am?” he asked me with a straight face. Was he joking? Was he trying to embarrass me?
“I believe it’s a sex toy, sir,” Dylan answered for me.
Ground, swallow me up now, please.
The security guard turned it around and peered at it, examining the suction cup and the little flicker.
“Ah, I see.” He placed it back into the bag and then back into my suitcase. “Next time maybe check that in, ma’am. I don’t think you can use it on the flight.”
How rude. “Thank you, sir, I’ll remember that,” I said through gritted teeth.
He zipped up the case. “Have a nice flight.” I grabbed my bag and pulled it off the table.
Dylan whispered in my ear, “Is there something you need to tell me, Abby?”
“What?” I snapped, my face hot. I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the face.
“It seems like you have some … needs that you need to be taking care of.”
“I do not.”
“If you’re sure,” he grinned. “Because I’d be more than happy to. In fact, you might find that my tongue is even better than your little machine.” He winked.
I mumbled something about buying a souvenir and hurried away toward a gift store.
I was never going to live this down. I was never, ever going to live this down. This was the most mortifying thing that had ever happened to me before in my life, and I wasn’t sure how I was ever going to be able to face Dylan again.
But the devil inside me was feeling very happy.
Let’s see just how good his tongue could be, it whispered in my ear. You might like it, Abby.
“Shut up,” I mumbled to myself. I walked straight past the gift shop and into an airport bar. I needed to get a drink, get on this flight as soon as possible, and forget that this whole thing had ever happened.
Chapter 31
Abby
* * *
“Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria, Edinburgh. This is The Caledonian. Are you checking in today, sir and madam?” A cute girl, standing behind the front desk, beamed at us as we walked into the hotel.
“Yes, we are,” Dylan said with a smile. “Abby, I believe you made the reservation under my name. Is that correct?”
“Yes.” I smiled at her. “There should be two reservations under Dylan McAllister.”
“Okay, let me look here.” She typed something on the computer in front of us. “Let’s see. Dylan McAllister, Dylan McAllister, hmm, can you spell that for me, please?”
“Um, sure, that’s—” I started.
Dylan just looked at me. “I think I can spell my own name, thank you, Abby,” he grinned. “That’s Dylan, D-Y-L-A-N. Last name McAllister, M-C-A-L-L-I-S-T-E-R.”
“Okay, thank you, sir. Ah, here we are.” She frowned and looked up, “Did you say one reservation or two reservations?”
“Um, I made two reservations. One was for a suite. I believe I booked the Robert Louis Stevenson suite and a regular room.”
“Oh, no,” she shook her head. “I don’t think so. The Robert L. Stevenson suite is already booked.”
“Yeah, by me.”
“No, it’s already occupied, I’m afraid, ma’am.” She raised her eyebrows, “I do see one reservation here for a Premier room, one queen bed, castle view.”
“Um, no, do you not see any reservations for the suite?” Dylan was staring over my shoulder, and I was starting to feel nervous.
“No, and I’m afraid there are no suites available, ma’am,” she shook her head and then looked over at Dylan. “So, I have you both in one room, as I said before, the Premier room, one queen bed.”
“But do you not have any rooms with separate beds, maybe two fulls?”
She checked the computer again, but the look on her face told me there wasn’t much hope. “No, ma’am. Normally, we have Premier double rooms with two double beds, but we don’t have any available right now. It’s a very busy season for us. As you probably know, the city has—”
I cut her off. “Oh, my gosh, I’m sorry, Mr. McAllister.”
“It’s fine,” he said, “I suppose something went wrong in the system?” He leaned closer to me. “… Or maybe you did this on purpose because you wanted to stay in the same room as me?”
“No, I did not want to stay in the same room as you. In fact, I can look around and find another hotel that has a room for me because—” I looked back at her, “I don’t suppose you have any other rooms? Anything at all?”
“No, ma’am, this is the only room that we have available, and I see that you’re here for five nights…” she shook her head regretfully. “We don’t have anything else coming available until the end of your stay and that would be a suite, one king bed. Would you like me to reserve that for you as well?”
“Um,” I looked at Dylan.
“When would that be available?” he asked.
“That would be available for two nights at the end of your stay.”
“So we’d be spending the first three nights in the same room, anyway.” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, sir, sorry, sir. I mean, I can call around and see if there’s rooms available anywhere else. You might be able to get you a room at the InterContinental Edinburgh, The George? Or I know that The Glass House usually has availability but—”
“No, that’s fine. We’ll take this room.”
I looked at him. “But, sir—”
“But nothing. We’ll figure it out.” He handed over his credit card. “Thank you.” He turned to me. “Well, I guess I take back how good of a secretary you’ve been, Ms. Waldron.”