Run To Rome

“Italian military police.”

He flicked on his right turn signal and downshifted to pull over in front of their vehicle with a few short jerks. Halli sat up straighter at the word police. Thoughts of protection quickly transferred from Trent to the armed military men.

“It looks like it’s just a random checkpoint,” Trent added. The tightening of his fingers on the steering wheel and flexing of his forearm muscles belied the casual statement. “You keep quiet, I’ll handle this.”

Unable to believe her luck, she glanced behind at the two men approaching, then whirled around and reached for the door handle. Trent’s hand encircled her wrist before she could open the door.

“I said I’ll handle it,” he warned in a low, controlled tone.

“Let me go or I’ll scream.”

She pulled against his hold, but his grip tightened. “Don’t do this, for both our sakes.”

An unexpected vulnerability in his voice made her pause. He removed the mirrored glasses and their gazes locked for a timeless moment. Her breath caught as she stared into the beautiful hazel eyes that made women’s hearts beat madly all around the world.

Darn if they didn’t have the same affect on hers.

The voices of the two officers reached her ears. She pulled again and this time Trent let go. She reached for the handle once more, but her hand wavered.

No. She would not be sucked in like a besotted fool.

“Halli. Please.”

The husky, desperation-tinged entreaty hit its mark. Darn him.

But, then again, he didn’t know her. He couldn’t know she found it impossible to say no when someone pleaded with such raw, naked honesty. Could it be he was telling the truth and she should trust him? Having been conned by her own parents growing up, she was never quite sure when to trust her instincts.

Yet...those had been real bullets whizzing past her ear as he sped through the narrow streets of Lenno like a maniac. The three holes in his windshield proved that. Did they also prove that he probably had saved her life?

She glanced back over her shoulder. The officer with the gun stood back a few feet, weapon not quite raised, but ready none-the-less. The one with the paddle stopped next to the driver’s side of the convertible, one hand on the side arm at his waist.

“Documenti, per favore.”

Halli met Trent’s gaze once more. The plea in his voice reflected in his expression. She gave a silent sigh and released the handle to sit back in her seat. A flash of relief darkened Trent’s eyes before he removed his cap and turned a smile to the officers.

“Si, si, I got it right here.”

The first officer’s eyes widened and he let loose an excited stream of Italian. The second relaxed his hold on his gun and stepped forward with a big smile. Halli caught Trent Tomlin and Shain West. Obviously, they were familiar with the movie star. She watched Trent pump each man’s hand with an aw-shucks grin. When the officer holding the big gun beamed at her, she thought about her similar reaction not that long ago. She cringed inside even as she smiled back at the man.

Had she been this star-struck?

She’d stuttered and blushed like a virgin teenager. Yeah, she’d been pathetic.

Squaring her shoulders, she decided it didn’t matter. Now that she’d gotten to know him a little, she was over his celebrity status. Humiliation firmly set aside, she focused on the conversation between the three men.

Trent Tomlin really was one hell of an actor. He spoke a combination of English and Italian, just enough, apparently, to bond nice and tight, so that when the paddle officer finally turned his attention to the bullet holes in the windshield, Trent laughed it off with a grimace.

“There was a goof up—un spaglio—at the movie set. Domani, they will change the glass.”

“Domani?”

“Si, tomorrow, domani.”

The other officer pointed to the rear of the car and asked another question. Trent nodded and spouted more words she didn’t understand. When the officer looked at her again, she kept smiling, not sure what else to do.

One guy winked at Trent and they shared a laugh before he extended a small notebook and a pen. Halli got the feeling she should be insulted, but not a word had been spoken. Trent flipped to the back of the book and signed one piece of paper and the cardboard with a flourish. After a couple slaps on the shoulder and more handshakes, the officers returned to their vehicle.

Halli glanced at Trent, expecting to see a triumphant grin for his success in fooling the men. The act certainly had been impressive. Instead, he leaned his head back, eyes closed, no smugness to be found. The misery etched in his features made her heart skip an empathetic beat.