The limo pulled to a stop and before Travis could get out on his side, one of the doormen had opened Julie’s door and offered her a hand. She stood, turning in place and admiring the view, as Travis got out of the limo to join her.
The look on her face was one of wonder—sort of what he imagined a child might look like at her first sight of Disneyland. And he was willing to bet that the paparazzi were getting quite a few great shots of the latest King bride. As long as no reporter thought to check into her background, they might be all right. God help them both if someone got nosy and discovered the truth.
“Señor King, it is good to have you with us again.” The older man had skin the color of milky coffee, snow-white hair and pale green eyes, crinkled at the corners.
Travis nodded. Over the last few years, Travis had become well known to the hotel staff. “Esteban, good to be back. Is my cousin here?”
Of course Rico was here, Travis told himself. His cousin rarely left the hotel that he’d single-handedly built into one of the most sought-after vacation sites in the world.
“Sí. Would you like me to call him for you?”
“Not necessary,” Travis said. “But thanks.” He’d look Rico up himself as soon as he got Julie settled in one of the penthouse suites always kept in reserve for visiting family.
“Hello,” Julie interrupted. “I’m Julie O’—King.” She held out one hand to the doorman, and he took it, surprised a little that she would take the time to introduce herself.
Travis frowned a little and she gave him a smile that told him she wasn’t going to be ignored. He imagined the cameramen stationed out in front of the gates were now busily clicking off shots of he and Julie together. And they probably didn’t look real happy with each other.
That thought paramount in his mind, he took her elbow, nodded at the doorman and led her into the sanctuary of the hotel—away from prying camera lenses.
“That was rude,” she muttered, pulling her elbow from his grasp.
“I don’t ordinarily introduce my companions to the doorman,” Travis muttered and laid his hand on the small of her back.
“God, you’re a snob.”
“I’m not a snob,” he whispered, irritated at the jab. “But Esteban has his job and he doesn’t expect to be pals with the guests.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to have lunch with him, but he knew you. No reason why he couldn’t know who I am.” Her heels clicked musically on the polished marble floor until she stopped abruptly. “Unless of course, you’re ashamed of me.”
“Hmm,” he mused, stopping alongside her. “Ashamed of being married to a bigamist. Why would that bother me? I wonder…”
Her eyes narrowed on him and her jaw went tight. “That wasn’t my fault.”
“So you keep saying.” He glanced around and caught the eye of several people watching him and Julie with open curiosity. Perfect.
He lowered his voice even further. “I’d appreciate it if you’d just keep a low profile until things are cleared up.”
“Ah. Low profile? Like the stretch limo?”
He blew out a breath and looked at her. Her grass-green eyes were practically snapping with nerves and anger. Her mouth was tight, and her chin was lifted in defiance. Her breath rushed in and out of her lungs and her br**sts strained against the deep vee neckline of her dark green dress.
She looked ready for battle and so damned edible, his body went hard as a rock almost instantly.
A sex-free year with a woman who managed to turn him on even when he was furious.
Damn it.
“Look,” he said, forcing a smile so no one in the lobby would guess that he and his new bride were ready to shout at each other. “We don’t need to announce our presence, all right? Let’s do what we’re here to do and move on.”
“I’m just saying, I won’t be ignored.”
“Fine. Point taken.”
“Good.” Now she smiled, curving that luscious mouth up at the corners. Only he was close enough to see that there was no answering warmth in her eyes.
Muttering vicious curses under his breath about marrying women he couldn’t sleep with and couldn’t kill, Travis hooked her arm through his and continued on to the reservations desk. A young woman with dark brown hair piled atop her head smiled at him.
“Señor King.” She practically purred his name and beside him, Travis felt Julie stiffen.
“Welcome back to the Castello,” the clerk continued, dismissing Julie with hardly more than a glance. “We have the room ready for you and your…companion. As you requested.”
“Thanks, Olympia.” He was polite, but completely uninterested in whatever other games she might be playing. Travis wasn’t an idiot. He knew women were drawn to money and power and he’d been flirted with by the best. He’d also learned long ago that the best way to handle the situation was to simply ignore it.
The woman’s coy smile and big brown eyes might have worked on any other man, but Travis was immune.
“Do you know everyone here?” Julie whispered as she leaned in close to his ear.
He smiled as if she’d said something tempting, then leaned back and murmured, “She’s wearing a name tag.”
“Oh.”
“Will you be needing reservations at the restaurant this evening?” The woman still avoided looking at Julie, instead giving Travis alone the benefit of her wide-eyed stare.
“No, thanks,” he said, tapping his fingertips as he waited to sign for the room.
“And your…companion,” she asked quietly. “Will she be staying with you for your entire visit?”
“What?”
“Yes,” Julie said for him, leaning one arm on the reservations desk as she glared at the girl now watching her warily. “I will be here for his entire visit, since I’m not his ‘companion,’ but his wife.”
“I see,” the girl muttered, hurrying now with the details of check-in.
Travis bit the inside of his cheek and enjoyed the show as Julie set the little flirt down flat. There was something damned attractive about watching her sail into battle. And he couldn’t help admiring the fact that she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself.
“And no,” Julie said firmly. “We won’t be needing your assistance with a reservation, thank you so much.”
“Of course, señora,” the girl whispered, ducking her head to avoid the icicles shooting out of Julie’s green eyes.