“That is so nice!” Vanni was touched.

Smiley swiped the card. “I told you everyone was happy we mated.” He pushed the door open but stopped her when she tried to enter.

She looked up at him as he used his foot to hold the door ajar. He bent and scooped her into his arms, shouldering the door open to carry her over the threshold. He kicked the door closed.

“This is going to be our home for the next few days.”

The room was large and tastefully furnished. It was one of the nicer hotels she’d ever seen. Balcony doors across the room had been left wide open to allow the breeze inside. There was a beautiful view of the trees. A river glistened in the distance.

“Where’s the bed?” She didn’t see one. The area was set up as a living room and even boasted a fireplace along one wall. One corner contained a cozy dining table with two chairs. Two covered silver dishes sat on top, taking up most of the space, and a bottle of wine chilled in a bucket of ice with two glasses next to it.

Smiley turned. “It’s down the hallway. This really is the honeymoon suite. There are two of them in the hotel. Most of the suites have two bedrooms. I requested this one specifically because it faces the back of the hotel and has a balcony.” He strode down a short hallway and passed through open double doors. He paused there.

“Wow.” Vanni stared at the huge bed but the Jacuzzi bathtub and second fireplace quickly distracted her. It was a massive tub, big enough to fit four people at least.

“That’s for later. You fell asleep last night so we are going to find out if we enjoy sex in water.”

“Sorry. You might have mega stamina but I guess I was tired. I told you that you could have woken me up.”

He chuckled. “You were too damn cute sleeping in my arms. Let’s eat.” He spun and headed back to the living room. “We missed breakfast and I want you to relax a little before we go to Security.”

She wasn’t sure if she could eat. Her nerves were on edge. “I’m not sure about seeing Carl, his dad and Bruce.”

“You don’t have to go.” He set her on her feet next to the table and pulled back a chair. “No one would blame you. I would actually prefer that you didn’t.”

She sat, grateful for his manners as he pushed her chair in and took a seat across from her. “I need to.”

He lifted both lids and just put them on the floor. There was a full spread of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. The tantalizing smell revived her appetite. She unwrapped the silverware and carefully placed the napkin on her lap.

“There’s a cafeteria on the first floor. They serve good food. I hope this is okay. I could order something else. They always have a buffet open but I thought it would be best to eat in private.”

“This is fantastic. Thank you. You think of everything.”

“Good.”

“Speaking of which—any word on how we’re going to get Beth here today?”

“They are going to send a team to pick her up at the address you gave us, after confirming a time with her. The task force will drive her to Homeland and fly her to us. How did she take the news?”

Vanni grinned, remembering the crack-of-dawn phone call she’d placed right after Smiley had left. “She was surprised but took it pretty well.”

“She isn’t upset that you are mating a Species and will live at the NSO?”

Vanni wasn’t sure if Smiley would appreciate Beth’s sense of humor but risked it. “She said, and I quote, ‘thank god it’s not Carl’.”

His eyebrows rose.

“That’s Beth-speak for she’s okay with it.”

“Beth-speak?”

“She is someone you have to get used to. We’re opposites. She’s very outgoing and kind of has a twisted sense of humor. She sounded excited though, and promised to jump through whatever hoops it took to get here. I told her to expect a call from Homeland. I also swore her to secrecy. Thankfully, Elvis wasn’t there. I was surprised since I woke her up but she didn’t go into details. She seemed irritated with him. I think she was kind of relieved to be coming here instead of staying there any longer.”

“Isn’t the male her boyfriend?”

“It’s complicated.”

Smiley arched an eyebrow.

Vanni struggled for a way to explain it. “She really likes spending time with him but she’s not in love. I know they were sleeping together last year and I thought it was getting serious but then she called it quits. She said he wanted more than she was willing to give. Now they go out every once in a while but she doesn’t want to hurt him by leading him on.”

“To what?”

Vanni grinned. “To thinking she’s serious about building a future with him when she isn’t.”

“Oh.” He ate some of his food. “She just wants to share sex with him without bonding.”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad you’re not like her. I’d never be able to give you up.”

“I’m glad too.”

They smiled at each other before finishing breakfast. Smiley rose to his feet. “I’m going to make a few calls to make certain everything is arranged at Security and that they are ready for us to visit.” He held her gaze. “You know you don’t have to go with me.”

She placed her napkin on the table and stood. “I’ll regret it if I don’t. I’ll feel like a coward. I need closure.”