They followed their itinerary, with great difficulty, and traveled to the next African country on their list.
Jill sat in their rental car and felt rather useless. She wanted to help her brother and she felt like they were taking too long in doing so.
"Why are you pouting?"
"I am not pouting."
"You are pouting. If you do not want to talk about why just say so."
Jill pursed her lips. "Why do you like aggravate me?"
Taylor smiled and kissed her hand, but he said nothing.
The house was just as extravagant as the last two and the city itself was just as spectacular as well.
"We have a lot to do. Are you ready to enjoy this city together? We are going to see the desert and the sea and of course we will go shopping. I know that is your favorite part."
Again she was pursing her lips.
The next day they were up early and riding camels. Taylor had chosen all of the activities and told her to just relax. She had given up on trying to interject her opinion into anything when his mind was made up.
But she found herself actually enjoying the coolness of the desert in the early morning and the camels were an interesting oddity that she found pleasant.
Taylor was enjoying himself as well. It seemed like he caught her radiant smile every time he looked her way. Every time he caught it his stomach knotted and his pulse seemed to race. It took all of his training to keep his expression schooled.
They had a grand picnic on the sand. Jill frowned as she sat on her camel and watched a large group of men set up a large open tent and set out enough food for ten people.
"Are you pouting again?"
She spun on him ready to release a harsh retort and froze in the brilliance of his mischievous smile. He tilted his head as if he were waiting for that retort and she turned her head in defiance just to whisper under her breath.
"I am not pouting."
Taylor's smile broadened.
They ate a wide variety of foods. She enjoyed it all. She would taste something and ask multiple times what the name was as if she were trying to memorize the names.
He watched the entire thing with a broad smile in his face. He knew what was growing inside of him, just for her, but he wanted to deny it. He wanted to believe that he was immune to such things. Work was work and all other things fell away at his will.
But he knew he was lying to himself as he watched juice from a fruit slide down her chin. He reached over with a napkin and gently wiped it away.
Even such a meaningless motion sent sparks flowing through him. Then his stomach knotted once again when he saw her reaching her tongue out to make sure he had done a good job.
"I must look like I have never eaten properly a day in my life." She blessed him with another of her brilliant smiles. "thanks for the assist."
She looked down and picked up some bread slathered with some type of spread and covered in slices of juicy meat.
"Here try this. I know what you like to eat! You will love this!"
He became caught up in her enthusiasm and smiled and reached for the offered food. She slapped his hand away and insisted on feeding him. He didn't even think about it. He just leaned in and took a big bite.
It was as delicious as she had said and he was gifted with a laugh like nothing He had ever heard before. His eyes went wide as her laughter sent ripples through him.
Thankfully she thought his reaction was to the food. And even better for him that first bite led to her preparing bite after bite for him. Suddenly she was feeding him delicious food and giggling sweetly in his ear.
He found himself not wanting the picnic to end.
Several hundred kilometers away five people were observing Jill and Taylor's interaction. They had found out the couples general destination and set up their lookout post in the middle of the night.
"They really look married to me."
"Of course they do. It wouldn't make sense to go through all of this and not play the role at all."
"But they look at each other as if.."
"Forget about the look. I have never had anyone feed me like that."
"That's because you are a rude ass. Who the hell would feed you?"
"What is the next country on their itinerary? I want to make sure we hear something this time."
"India and it still doesn't matter. I still think we should steal that damn laptop of his."
"If you come up with a good plan do it. We need to make sure that they are not doing all this for her brother."
"Has he talked to her yet?"
"Of course not. They all knew that man would never crack. The plan was always to kill him."
She was sitting on a wide beach of white sand looking out at a sea of blue green water. She watched the waves roll in and out along the shore. The white foam churning just as her thoughts churned.
This was probably the best day she had spent in a very long time. She was a foodie and found it a bit embarrassing to have eaten so many things for the very first time today. But still all the new foods were exciting and they helped her to find joy that she never really realized that she had lost.
Taylor came and flopped down next to her. Kicking up sand and smiling broadly. She maintained her stern expression but her heart fluttered against her chest a bit too violently.
He looked up at her and made that dreamy face he seemed to always have. Why was he taunting her? It was almost like she was being bullied.
He stood up and reached down for her. She was startled and frowned up at him. "Come on. Let's go." He beckoned her with his hand and her frown deepened.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Why are you disturbing me?"
"Disturbing you? We are at the beach let's get wet." He shrugged and stood waiting.
Jill ignored him as long as she could then sighed in frustration and took his hand. She went to walk to the water but he didn't budge and she looked to him with a question in her eyes.
"Take your shirt off."
"I want to wear my shirt."
"Why?!"
She shrugged. "Because I do not want .. I don't… I mean…"
Taylor burst into laughter. "You do not know that you are beautiful? Is that it?"
He laughed again. "Fine. Keep your shirt."
When he pulled her she stumbled forward in a daze, more than a bit stunned by his words.
They were walking arm in arm heading to a beautiful restaurant. They had just finished seeing a local music group preform on an outdoor stage.
Jill looked up at the restaurant with one of her wide beautiful smiles. Taylor had grown use to his heart fluttering at the sight of her.
"Why are we eating at an Indian restaurant only to go to India tomorrow?"
"I am getting you prepared." He smiled at her and she could nor help but return the smile and lean in and lightly kiss him. When she sat back her eyes were wide open and they has stopped in the middle of the walkway.
They both recovered quickly. She laid her head on his shoulder and whispered apologies to him. He smiled.
"Do not worry. We have to do things like that. Don't worry I am professional. I will never dishonor you and there is no way I could never fall in love with you."
She almost choked. Who said anything about love and why could he never fall in love with her? Was there something wrong with her?
The mood had suddenly changed but neither of them noticed because they were both lost in feelings they continually denied.
They walked into the restaurant in silence and fighting back odd emotions.
They had both grown use to traveling so they were ready to travel to India early the next morning. Jill looked at her coffee, her mind lost in distant thought.
Somehow she always knew when he entered the room. She looked up with a smile to see him smiling in return. They both froze but neither could turn away from the other.
Jill licked her Lips and Taylor swallowed hard. Neither of them remembered when she stood or when he moved to her. They did not remember when their arms wrapped around each other or when they began kissing. All they knew was that they were suddenly separated, breathing heavily, and looking deeply into each other's eyes.
Taylor ran a finger down her jawline and a shiver slid down her spine. "I am sorry. I couldn't help myself." He sighed.
Jill smiled softly. "Don't apologize unless you feel it was a mistake. Was it a mistake?"
"No." He kissed her softly. "You are definitely not a mistake, but you are my best friend's sister."
Jill shrugged. "I am your wife as well. Technically he introduced us. He will be okay."
She pressed her hands into his chest and kissed then nibbled his chin.
"We have a plane to catch."
"Yes… We… Do." She giggled as he kissed her between each of his words. She pushed him back and gulped down the rest of her coffee.
She narrowed her eyes seductively. "We can talk on the plane."
Taylor moaned in frustration and moved to the door. "Please don't look at me like that. And remember that you said we can talk on the plane."