All That I Desire (6 page)

His callused hand tenderly skimmed down her bare arm, sending heat and comfort. She
shivered. She’d waited so long for him to touch her with more than disinterest. His
sharp eyes narrowed on her face when she didn’t answer. “Yes,” she finally managed.

“Rio, I need to ask some questions if we’re going to find this joker,” Dakota said.

For a long moment, Rio simply stared at Skylar. “You did good.”

“Rio,” the police chief repeated.

Rio turned his body so she could see the police chief, but he didn’t move away. The
chief glanced from one to the other. “Do you have any idea who might have been following
you?”

“No. I—I—” She swallowed and clutched her hands in her lap.

“This is only the third time she’s been to Santa Fe,” Rio said. “She’s Navarone’s
event director. She flew in Sunday afternoon on the small jet to run an auction at
the castle for Mrs. Grayson’s Music Department. She has no other connections here
besides that.”

The police chief looked from Rio to Skylar again. She twisted uneasily. “When the
SUV turned off the highway, I thought about turning around and following to get a—”

“Are you crazy?” Rio grabbed both of her arms. His black eyes blazed. “You trying
to get yourself—?” His teeth clamped together, his fingers slowly uncurled.

Killed.
“No. That’s why I didn’t follow them.”

“
Them
. You think it was more than one person?” Dakota’s attention sharpened.

“It’s just a figure of speech,” Skylar told him. “I couldn’t tell how many, the sex
or race. The lights were too bright.”

“Chief, I didn’t see anything,” the other police officer said. “With more to go on…”
His voice trailed off.

“Ms. Dupree, where were you coming from?” Dakota asked.

She cut a glance at Rio. “Dinner at the El Matador.”

“Alone?” Dakota continued.

Skylar looked at Rio again. Had his eyes sharpened? “Yes.”

“Forgive me, but you’re an attractive woman dining alone and wearing some serious
jewelry. Unfortunately, some men look at that as an opportunity.” Dakota tipped his
hat back. “Any problems at the restaurant?”

She touched her diamond necklace and sat up straighter. “You don’t think it was one
of them, do you?”

“Them.” Dakota took out a pad. “Perhaps you better give me their descriptions.”

Without looking at Rio, she told the police chief about the five men who’d tried to
pick her up, ending with the one who had been the most persistent. She wanted to slink
away. This could have been her fault.

“That’s enough, Dakota.” Rio faced the other man. “I’m taking her back to the castle.”

Dakota scratched his ear. “Will you be available tomorrow to come down to the station,
Ms. Dupree?”

“We’re expecting shipments for the auction and we both need to be there to sign them
in.” Rio placed his arm on the top of the BMW, effectively blocking Skylar from the
policeman. “There’s a gap between one and three. We’ll come in then.”

“Thought you might be coming.” Dakota slipped his notepad back into his shirt pocket.
“Sorry, Ms. Dupree, that you had a bad experience in my town. We have good people.”
He tipped his hat. “Good night. See you both tomorrow.” Both police cars pulled away.

Rio reached inside the SUV and grabbed the key. “We’ll go back in my car. I’ll send
someone back for yours.”

*   *   *

Skylar picked up her purse and twisted around to get out. Her dress inched up to mid-thigh.
She didn’t seem to notice. Rio did. He took her arm and helped her, touching more
bare skin, skin that could be easily bruised and abused. Just the thought sent rage
pulsing though him.

He opened the passenger door of the Jeep, felt her tremble. His gut twisted violently.
No power on earth could have kept him from pulling her securely into his arms. “You’re
safe, Skylar. You’re safe.”

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her breasts
pushing against his chest. “The men at the restaurant—”

He stiffened. She dropped her arms. He didn’t want to think of what might have happened
if she hadn’t been more alert. “Let’s go.”

Wordlessly, Skylar got inside the Jeep, her hands clamped in her lap. If Rio ever
caught whoever did this to her, they would pay and pay dearly. Closing the door, he
got inside the Jeep and drove off.

*   *   *

Rio thinks it’s my fault.
Skylar was miserable. During the drive she kept her face averted. She had bought
it all on herself by trying to entice Rio. What must he think of her?

As soon as the Jeep stopped in front of the castle doors, she got out. One of Rio’s
men was there to open the front door. “I’m glad you’re all right, Skylar.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, her head down as she continued toward the stairs, very
aware that, although she couldn’t hear him on the carpet-covered risers, Rio was behind
her.

She didn’t stop until she reached her bedroom door. She drew upon her fledging courage
and slowly lifted her gaze to his. It had to be said.

At least he wasn’t looking through her any longer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause
any problems. I just wanted you to stop looking at me as if I didn’t exist.”

The tears glistening in her beautiful eyes make his insides clench. He pulled her
to him, his cheek resting against the top of her head. “Don’t. It’s not your fault
some bastard can’t accept a no! You’re safe. I’m not going to let anything happen
to you.”

“I—I thought you were angry with me.” She gripped handfuls of his shirt.

“I was angry at the man who scared you.” Feeling his resistance weakening, he slowly
stepped away from temptation and dropped his hands to his sides.

Staring up at him, her fingers uncurled. She sent him a watery smile.

His hands clenched and flexed to keep from pulling her into his arms again. “Go to
sleep. If you get scared, just call.”

She looked up at him through a sweep of her thick eyelashes. “Can I call you if I’m
not afraid?”

Frustrated by her unwavering persistence, he shoved his hand over his head. “Why can’t
you let it go?”

“Because I’ve watched you for two years.” She grinned. “I’m tired of watching and
ready to do some touching.”

Despite the situation, Rio threw back his head and laughed. The next instant, her
arms were around his neck, her hazel eyes staring up at him and sparkling with happiness.

“I’ve always wanted to hear you laugh, among other things.”

He sobered. His hands anchored her small waist. “I’m not a forever kind of man.”

“I know that,” she said. “I’m not asking for forever. I just want to be there for
you now.”

No woman and few men had ever affected him so deeply, been so unselfish.
I just want to be there for you now.

“You ever heard of kissing it to make it feel better?” she asked.

“Go to bed, Skylar.”

Her smile trembled. “Hearing you say my name helped make me not so scared. I’m glad
you were there in the control booth.”

His hands flexed on her waist. “I was monitoring the car’s movement.”

She grinned. “You were?”

His finger grazed her nose. “It doesn’t take that long to eat dinner unless…”

She placed her hand on his wide, muscular chest. “Not ever going to happen. I was
waiting for you.”

“And rebuffing men.”

She shrugged. “They weren’t you.”

He shook his dark head. “This is not going to happen.”

“We’ll see. Good night, Rio, and thanks for coming for me.” The door closed. For a
long time, Rio stood there with a wistful look on his face. On the other side of the
door, Skylar was smiling.

*   *   *

The next morning Rio found a small envelope stuck to his door. Even before opening
the thick vellum paper and pulling out the note card with Skylar’s name, he’d known
it was from her.

Good morning. I hope your schedule is free to have breakfast with me at eight thirty,
lunch at one. We’ll go from there.

Skylar

He should just write
BUSY
on the envelope and leave it outside her door. He couldn’t. With Skylar’s soft heart,
he’d hurt her. He stopped in front of her door. She was wealthy and cultured with
a lineage that could be traced back several generations. He had no idea who his parents
were. She was outgoing; he kept to himself unless he was with Blade or Shane. They
didn’t have anything in common.

It didn’t seem to matter. There was this awareness between them. He might have been
able to resist her, if not for last night. Thinking of her being frightened and alone
sent fresh rage shooting through him.

The door opened. Skylar stood there. Her eyes widened in surprise, then her gaze ran
over him like silent fingers. Her head lifted. She wore a scarlet-colored dress and
looked much too tempting. “Good morning, Rio. I see you got my note.”

She wasn’t for him. “I might—”

She held up both hands, effectively stopping him. “Don’t tell me that after my harrowing
night you’re going to refuse my invitation?”

His brow lifted. She looked beautiful, happy, and ready to take on the world. He crossed
his arms. “That’s beneath you.”

She shrugged her elegant shoulders. “A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do.”

Before he thought better of it, he reached out and swept his hand over her hair. This
morning it was unbound and flowing down her back, and it felt like strands of silk.
“You’re not going to let it get you down, huh?”

“It would give whoever it was too much power.” Shutting her door, she stepped closer.
“Besides, it did something I couldn’t do.”

His hand dropped. “Skylar, this is not going anyplace.”

“We’ll see.” She hooked her arm through his. “We’re about an hour early, but I’m a
pretty good cook.”

He found himself going down the stairs with her. “Why are you up so early?”

She tossed him a grin. “Waiting for you to pass. I wasn’t sure you’d accept.”

He stopped in the middle of the foyer. “I always meet my men for a report first thing
each morning.”

“I just thought of something. You live here, but where do the other men stay?” she
inquired.

“In the barn.”

“Barn!” she yelped, staring up at him with disbelief.

His lips twitched at the indignation in her face. She really did have a soft heart.
“Converted barn, I should have said. You should know Blade treats his employees well.”

She looked abashed before recovering. “Maybe I could follow you and have breakfast
with you there.”

“Off limits to women,” he informed her. “Although Sierra has tried. Not even she has
been inside.”

Skylar glanced up at him with a grin. “Man cave, huh?”

“It suits its purpose.”

“I’ll bet.”

He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. “How did you know not to keep going?”

“Training.”

He paused on the landing. “It wasn’t in your record.”

She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Told you you might have missed something.”

Rio lifted a brow at the impossibility of that.

Skylar rolled her eyes. “All right. My maternal grandmother’s purse was snatched when
I was twelve. She was angrier than a wet hen and determined she’d never be vulnerable
again. Uncle Joshua, my mother’s bother, was home on leave from the navy. He taught
her and my mother self-defense. I went with them and kept on learning. That’s why
it wasn’t on any of my records. We trained quietly at home.”

“Joshua is in the Secret Service now, and for a while so was his daughter,” Rio said.
“I’m sorry for her loss.”

Skylar pulled her arms free and tucked her head. “We were all devastated.”

He wanted to take the grief from her eyes. “Your family is very close.”

Her head lifted. “Is there anything about me and my immediate family that you don’t
know?”

“It seems I know plenty about you.”

“A woman likes to have some secrets.” On tiptoes, she kissed him on the cheek. “Is
twenty minutes enough time for you to be back for breakfast?”

They both knew he hadn’t accepted. She was looking at him again as if he were the
only man on the planet. “Make it thirty.”

She grinned. “I’d kiss you again, but I don’t want to push my luck. See you in thirty.”

He could have stopped the kiss if he’d wanted. That was the problem. He wanted her
and, each time he saw her, the wanting increased. He’d have breakfast with her because
she’d been through so much. She might appear soft, but Skylar had a hint of steel
in her spine.

He watched her until she disappeared, then headed for his men’s quarters. He had a
job to do.

*   *   *

Skylar didn’t sigh or throw up her hands or pout when Rio returned with his stoic
face firmly in place. She hadn’t thought it would be easy.

“Please have a seat.” She motioned to the chair beside hers. There were two place
settings side by side.

He pulled out her chair. “Thank you.” She took her seat and waited until he sat beside
her. Tucking her head, she said grace and then placed a huge omelet on his plate.
There was already a steaming cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice for him. “How
did the report go?”

“Fine.”

Skylar picked up her fork. “Is there anything else you’d like me to get for you?”

“No, thank you.”

Skylar quietly ate her breakfast, determined to act as normally as possible. “Over
half of the items are already here. By next Tuesday, everything will be in place and
we’ll have the other three days to make sure everything is ready.”

“Yes.”

She wasn’t giving up. “What day will Sierra and Blade return?”

“Next Friday.”

She tried to think of a question that couldn’t be answered with one word. She smiled
and leaned over to whisper in his ear, making sure he’d feel her warm breath on his
skin. “What would you do if I got up from my chair, slid into your lap, put my mouth
on yours, my arms around your neck, and kissed you until my head swam? Shall I find
out?”