Wishin and Hopin
Thanks to Willy’s expert driving skills, they made it to the border town by
early morning. There they would meet a chartered plane at the airfield and
be taken to
Cinnamon emerged from the car. They were all a bit stiff from the cramped journey through the winding mountain roads in the small sports car.
Rollin straightened his shoulders as both he and Barney climbed from the backseat. He followed the threesome into the dilapidated terminal to freshen up. The plane was not scheduled to arrive for another ten minutes. He gave Willy a friendly slap on the back as the group moved to the terminal. “Nice driving.”
Willy smiled at his friend as he removed the team’s luggage from the boot.
Rollin led the way to meet the plane as it touched down. He ushered Cinnamon into the Learjet as Barney and Willy loaded the luggage and Carlos followed. They swiftly took their seats, Rollin slid in next to Cinnamon, who literally still wore the money.
“Feel like a million bucks?” He asked her as the wheels left the ground.
She ran her hands up under the lapels of the mink. “One point five million, to be exact.” She countered with a smile.
He grinned as they shared a laugh. “I stand corrected.”
“Actually,” She continued. “I think you had all the fun. I just got groped.”
“Was that Carl’s doing?” He asked.
Cinnamon shook her head at Rollin and leaned back in her seat.
It was a short flight to
Dan ushered them into the limo for the short ride to the main terminal where they would turn over the money to a representative of the Prince Kostos’ government.
With the adrenaline rush of the mission spent, the agents were all tired from the assignment and wanted to get some rest.
Cinnamon removed the mink coat from her shoulders as they entered a small secured room in the airport. Dan and Rollin quickly unzipped the lining and moved the money to a briefcase that Willy held.
Cinnamon then turned her attention to her bloodstained dress. “Is this really going to come out?” She asked Barney.
“It should.” He replied, lighting his cigarette.
Cinnamon shook her head, disbelievingly.
“If it doesn’t…” he shrugged, “I’m sure Dan will reimburse you.” Barney offered.
Dan stepped away from his task as Rollin finished arranging the money.
“Would a new dress from a
“Only if I get to pick it out.”
“Done.” Dan said with a smile.
Cinnamon smiled. Sometimes she liked the perks of the job.
“Here ya go Dan.” Rollin said, handing him the case.
Dan reached inside his jacket pocket and produced airline tickets for each of them. “There are reservations for hotels in there if you want to use them or you can catch the next flight to the States, your option.” He continued. “We’ll debrief on Tuesday.”
With that, he handed the tickets to Rollin and departed with the money.
Rollin smiled. “Nothing like a layover in
Willy and Barney stepped forward to claim their tickets. “Some of us have a business to run.” Barney countered.
Willy agreed. “I have tournament coming up. I need to get back.”
That left Rollin with three tickets, “Carl?”
“I have a fabulous redhead in
Rollin looked at Cinnamon. “And you?”
“I’m going shopping.” She said with a charming smile.
Rollin had to smile. “Then I volunteer to carry your packages.”
She met his eyes with a knowing smile and a quick nod.
The three men changed their clothes and used their tickets for the next flight
to the States. Rollin and Cinnamon claimed their luggage and found a cab to
take them into
The reservations were made for Hotel Tremiolle, an
elegant, discrete hotel in the first arondissement,
only a few blocks from the Champs Elyees. They took
their separate rooms, agreeing to meet at
Precisely at
“Am I late?” She asked.
“Right on time.” He said coming to stand beside her
“Are you early?” Cinnamon asked teasingly.
Rollin’s eyes pierced hers. “I try to make it a point not to keep a beautiful woman waiting.”
She smiled. “Well this hungry woman appreciates that.”
“Ready for lunch?” He asked extending his arm.
“Oui.” She responded, slipping her arm through his.
“Mademoiselle?” The desk clerk called.
Cinnamon looked over the shoulder at the clerk. “Yes?”
“A message for you.” He said.
Cinnamon moved from Rollin’s side to take the message.
She smiled as she read the slip of paper. “Merci.” She said.
She returned to the puzzled Rollin. “A gift from Dan. We need to stop by the American Express office.” She said.
He opened his hand toward the door. “Shall we?”
Rollin stubbed out his cigarette as they moved through the revolving door to the street. The city was alive with noise. They took a cab to the American Express office and collected the package that Dan wired to her.
She returned to the cab to continue to Blvd. St. Germain where Rollin found them a pleasant café. It was a crisp but sunny October afternoon so they opted to sit indoors.
They shared a lovely lunch before heading out to the boulevard for their shopping excursion.
Cinnamon knew what she wanted and just where to get it. The francs that Dan had wired to her came in handy as they shopped.
While she shopped in the fine boutiques of the city, she made sure that Rollin was well looked after. She also enjoyed playing to her captive audience. He flirted with the sales girls, flashing his grin as they brought Cinnamon different things to try and brought him café au lait.
She picked a dark blue suit with a cream blouse. She slid her stockinged feet into cream-colored heels. She thanked the sales girl who had helped her. When she stepped from the dressing area, he grinned.
She pivoted a full turn to give him the complete view. “You like it?”
“Fantastic!” He exclaimed as she moved toward him.
She smiled brightly at his compliment.
“Did you make any decisions?”
“I picked out a couple of things.” She said moving to the shopkeeper’s desk.
“I did like that green dress.” He commented following her.
She cut her eyes at him and smiled. That was one of her selections.
Both tired from their adventure, they ventured back to the hotel to change for dinner.
After a quiet dinner at Rollin’s favorite restaurant, excellent French wine
and incessant flirting with each other, they walked along the
“Lovely night.” He said.
“Yes, it is.”
They passed several other couples, who were also braving the night air.
He slowed their pace and stopped as Notre Dame came into view. It was an incredible sight. The spires lit against the night and the stained glass gleamed.
They both appreciated the sight of the landmark. He looked at down at her as her eyes searched the sky. “A lovely night, indeed.” He said, bending to gently kiss her.
“Rollin…” She said breathless, breaking off their kiss.
He pulled away from her and smiled. “When in
His lips where warm and inviting and she didn’t protest.
“I’ve wanted to do that all evening.”
She met his eyes. She had wanted him to do that all evening, too. The attraction between them was electric, but she knew that it was verboten by the Company. “Let’s walk.” She suggested and took his hand.
The night air grew colder as they continued their walk. Rollin suggested a cab to the hotel. At the hotel he followed her to her room.
“Thank you for a wonderful day.” She said as she turned from unlocking the door.
“My pleasure,” He said, kissing her softly. “Thank you for letting me accompany you.”
He pulled her closer to him, slipping his hands about her waist underneath her mink “Too bad you don’t get to keep the fur.”
“It is lovely.”
“You make it beautiful.” He said.
“Thank you.” She said tilting her head up to meet his lips. He grazed her lips with his, teasing her, then the kiss deepened as he leaned into her.
“You know we shouldn’t be doing this.” She said breathless, as they parted.
“Doing what?” He asked with a grin.
She smiled as her hand caressed his check and she looked into his blue eyes. “This.”
“We’re in the most romantic city in the world. And we haven’t done anything…yet.”
‘Yet’ she thought. He wanted more. She knew it and she wanted it too. Why was she reluctant to let it happen? They had been seeing each other ‘off duty’ as Rollin called it for some time.
She met his eyes. “That’s why there are rules, Rollin. It can be dangerous.”
“You love danger.” He smiled.
“Not when it comes to my heart.” She said softly.
He looked at her closely. She must be feeling the same thing that he did.
“And we do have an early flight don’t we.” She offered.
He couldn’t argue there. He’d made the reservations. “We could change the flight.” He suggested with that infamous grin.
“No. Dan said Tuesday.”
Rollin sighed, but did not release her. “Is there anything I can do to convince you?” He asked, hopeful.
She looked up at him and gave him a little smile. “You could kiss me goodnight again.”
He did and pulled her tight against him.
When he finally released her, she moved from his arms and through the door of her room. “Goodnight.” She said.
He nodded. “Goodnight.” He said.
He left her, but it would hardly be a good night. He needed a cold shower.
The next morning they met downstairs for an early breakfast before the cab to the airport. They had a quick, quiet breakfast. Each seemed to be considering the other’s thoughts. Was he mad that she had not invited him in? Was she upset with him for suggesting it?
As Rollin left her to pay the hotel bill, he spoke softly as he left her at the concierge’s desk. “I didn’t get any sleep last night either.”
She watched him as he strode across the small lobby. She knew what would happen if she gave in to her feelings for him. Did she need to complicate her already complicated life? It looked to be a long flight back to the states for both of them.
He rejoined her as the bellman took their cases to the waiting cab.
“Ready to go home?” He asked.
She gave him a quick smile and led the way to the door.
He tipped the bellman and climbed into the small cab beside her. She was stunning in the suit she had purchased yesterday.
The ride to the airport was a taking a little longer than the ride into the city as they caught the tail end of the morning rush.
He turned to her offering her a cigarette. “I’m sorry if I came on a little
too strong last night blame it on
“Cinnamon, we both know we’re attracted to each other. Why not explore that?”
“I thought we had been.”
He nodded and tried a different tact. “Maybe when we get back we can have a long weekend somewhere, together. We could go skiing.”
“I haven’t been to the mountains in ages. That might be fun.”
He grinned. “Then it’s a date.” He said settling back for the ride.
The flight back to the States was uneventful. Once again they fell into their familiar pattern of flirting with one another during the flight. She kept him on his toes with her quips and banter. But he always gave as good as he got. It always seemed to help relax them both.
It was late Monday afternoon when they arrived in LA. They shared a cab to her apartment, even though she insisted that two cabs would be more sensible.
He walked her to the door of her apartment and set her cases inside the door. “There.” He said standing beside her. “Now you are safe and sound.”
She shook her head. “Thank you for all the extra trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. What would Dan think if I abandoned you at the airport?” He said, reaching for her.
She looked up at him. “Dan would say, ‘you have a cab waiting downstairs and you should go home.’”
He frowned. “I thought I had at least earned a tip.”
Her hands moved up the front of his jacket, to his shoulders. “How much do you want?”
“How much do you think I’m worth?”
She met his eyes then kissed him with finesse.
He held her tight, enjoying the feel of her against him.
He released her with a sigh as they parted. “Enough?” She asked.
“For the moment.” He said with a wink.
He moved through the door to the hallway. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She watched him stride down the hallway and closed the door quietly. She went to the balcony that overlooked the street. He looked up as he climbed into the waiting cab and saw her standing there. Now, he needed another cold shower.
THE END
Elena Vorska
February 2002