All That I Desire (23 page)

“Good thinking.” He pulled out her chair.

She took her seat and said grace after he was seated. Beneath the dome tops were sea
scallops with mushrooms and spinach.

Rio took a bite and smiled his appreciation for the great-tasting food. “You cook
like a chef, multitask with ease, shoot a gun and defend yourself like a pro, and
pull off events like the auction with aplomb, all the while remaining caring and beautiful.”

“Thank you, but you’re the multitasker extraordinaire. You oversee the security of
all of Navarone’s properties, plus his personal holdings. All the time emanating that
dangerous mystique and looking gorgeous.”

Rio snorted. “Eat.”

“I will.” She sipped her sparkling cider. “I thought we’d listen to music and dance
later.”

His fork poised in midair. “Dance?”

She smiled over the rim of her flute. “You know, where a man takes a woman in his
arms and moves to the tempo of music.”

“I don’t dance.”

She leaned to within inches of his stoic face. “It’s easy. I’ll teach you.”

He went back to eating. “I didn’t say I didn’t know how.”

“Then why don’t you want to dance?” she persisted.

His gaze lanced up to hers. “It seems a waste of time.”

“Not if you do it right.” Getting up, she went to her iPad. Almost instantly, Johnny
Mathis singing “Chances Are” came on. “It’s Grandfather and Grandmother Carrington’s
favorite song. I grew up watching them dance to it.” She went to Rio and lifted her
arms. “If you still think that way after the song is over, I won’t bother you again.”

He looked dubious, but placed his napkin on the table and took her into his arms.
He heard her sigh an instant before she placed her head on his shoulder, softly humming
to herself. He inhaled the orange blossom and honey rose fragrance she always wore.
His cheek brushed against her silky hair; his arm held her slim body close to his.
His blood began a slow throb. She felt good in his arms. She fit perfectly.

His hand swept upward to the smooth bare skin of her shoulders and her neck, and made
lazy sweeping gestures. She stopped humming. Her breathing altered. She leaned her
head back and stared up at him. He saw the same desire in her eyes that he felt coursing
through him.

“I see what you meant.”

“I never doubted.”

He wanted to kiss her. Among other things. “You didn’t eat very much.”

The tip of her finger grazed his lower lip. “Food is the farthest thing from my mind
at the moment.” Her eyes softened. “Just you.”

“Skylar.” His head lowered. He brushed his lips across hers, once, twice. Then, gently
settling against them, his tongue slipped into her mouth to lap against hers. His
fingers found the back zipper to her dress and drew it down. When it would go no farther,
he moved slightly away and lifted her out of the dress. It pooled at her feet, his
mouth still on hers.

She moaned. His breath shuddered as he felt the warm softness of her breasts pressed
against his chest. Finally he lifted his head and stared down. His breath stalled.

She wore a gossamer lace bra that cupped her firm breasts, a garter belt over barely
there panties, sheer stockings, and evening shoes the same color as her gown.

He tossed back the covers on the bed and placed her with her legs over the sides.
With his eyes on her, he undressed. Finished, he leaned over her and kissed her quivering
stomach, his teeth nipping at the top of her garter belt, his blunt-tipped fingers
brushing over her breasts, her thighs, her woman’s softness.

She twisted beneath him, her hands clamped on the sheet. Pleasure swept through her
body like a swift tide. All she could do was enjoy.

Undoing the front fasteners of her bra, he took one taut peak into his mouth and suckled.
He rolled the other nipple between his fingers. He switched to the other breast, suckled,
blew, gently tugged.

Her fingers fumbled until she removed his hair clamp; then she clasped him to her
breast. After one last delicious flick of his agile tongue, his head began to move
downward, his sinful lips nipping and kissing all the way. She whimpered when the
garter belt and panties slid off her legs. He kissed her at the lowest point of her
stomach.

She had a taste, a fragrance that he’d carry with him to his last moment on earth.
Both were as unique as she was. Her pleasure became his pleasure as he lavished her
with kisses, the slow movements of his hands, and the tantalizing brush of his hard
body against hers.

Slipping on a condom, his feet planted firmly on the floor, he slid his hands under
her hips and brought them together in one sure thrust. She lifted her hips, then came
upward to wrap her arms around his neck and take his mouth in hungry desperation.
He thrust again and again into her satin heat. She closed around him like a tight
glove, meeting him thrust for thrust.

He loved her the only way he knew how, completely and with a searing passion only
this woman could quench. A woman who had given to no other man what she had given
him.

A possessiveness rose in him that he’d never experienced before as he took her body
and she took his. This woman was his and only his. He felt a surety, as he held her
sweat-dampened body and brought them together again and again, that she felt the same
way.

He felt her body stiffen and took her cry of release into his mouth. Seconds later,
he joined her. His breathing loud and labored, he gathered her to him and lay down
with her in his arms, their faces inches apart. She was and would always be all that
he desired.

After long moments, her sated, slumberous eyes flickered open. She smiled. “I think
we just found our favorite love song.”

Chapter 15

When Blade and Sierra arrived at the castle a little after ten that night, Skylar
and Rio were there to greet them. Skylar hugged Sierra and hoped she didn’t look any
different. She and Rio had spent a good part of the evening in her bed. She’d fed
them only one truffle before she’d decided nibbling on him was much better.

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” Sierra said.

“Thanks to Rio,” Skylar replied, glancing around at Rio.

Blade slapped Rio on the back. “He does come in handy.”

Rio grunted. Blade laughed. “Let’s go into my study and we can talk.”

Blade and Rio followed the women inside. They met Patterson in the entryway. The older
man wrung his hands with obvious unease.

“Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Navarone. I’m so sorry about what happened while you were
gone,” he said.

Blade stopped in front of his house manager. “Not your fault. Sierra and I still trust
you to run the house for us.”

The servant let out an unsteady breath. “Thank you, sir. I’ll see that your luggage
is attended to. I don’t see Martin and Jenkins.”

“We dropped them off in Dallas,” Sierra replied. “The two were meeting some friends.
They’ve become as thick as thieves and are flying in early tomorrow. Before breakfast.”

The women laughed.

“I’ll see to your things and make sure everything is in order.” The house manager
moved toward the front door.

Blade lifted a brow. “I wonder if you would have married me without Martin to cook
for you and Jenkins to keep house for us wherever we go.”

Sierra went to Blade and kissed him. “Yes, but one of us would have had to learn to
do those things, and I don’t think it would have been me.”

Blade’s grunt was an exact replica of Rio’s. He continued into his office. He sat
behind his desk, and Sierra perched on the arm of his plush executive chair. Rio seated
Skylar in an armchair in front of Blade’s desk and stood beside her.

Rio spoke first, telling them about the intruder being from Chicago, Matt Hampton’s
visit, and Rio’s growing suspicion that Tennyson was behind the attacks. He finished
by saying, “Tennyson is supposed to be in his office all day tomorrow. He’s desperately
trying to raise capital and stay afloat. Some of his financial deals have fallen through.”

“Imagine that.” Blade linked his fingers on the desk as he and Rio shared a look.

Skylar saw it and wondered why any sane person would make an enemy of Blade Navarone.
He was fair and honest, but if you went after him or hurt what was his, he went after
you fast and hard. With his billions and his connections, and Rio’s keen intelligence
and dogged determination, there was no place you could hide.

“The jet takes off at eight in the morning for Chicago.” Rio folded his arms. “I’m
looking forward to meeting Tennyson.”

Skylar’s head jerked up. Rio’s expression was devoid of warmth. She reached for his
arm before she thought. “Please don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“I won’t be the one regretting it.” His voice was deadly quiet.

She stared at him, then pulled her hand back. Rio would follow his own counsel. She
could only hope that Shane or Blade would step in if Rio went too far. She faced forward
and froze. Sierra gave her a teasing smile and Blade looked surprised. She wasn’t
sure how Rio felt about anyone besides his men knowing they were involved.

“Ten extra men are coming in from headquarters. I want one of our men on every entry
of this house and the other buildings. The gunman had to have been smuggled in and
have inside information to know the location of Skylar’s bedroom. We’re rechecking
everyone.” Rio briefly placed a hand on Skylar’s shoulder. “Creating a diversion at
another site would be a good way to take the focus off keeping her safe.”

Skylar relaxed. Rio wasn’t the touchy-feely type of man unless they were alone. “But
if it did happen, I’d have my ankle holster and the gun you provided me with.”

Sierra came off the arm of the chair. “Rio is going to let you have a gun?”

“After she demonstrated her knowledge of weapons and placed nine out of nine bullets
exactly where she wanted them.” Rio crossed his arms again. “You have yet to show
me you can use a handgun.”

Sierra’s chin lifted. “You should take my word.”

“I didn’t take Skylar’s and I’m not taking yours,” he came back.

Sierra glared at him. Rio remained expressionless.

“If I did, could I ditch the bodyguards?” she asked.

“No,” Rio replied.

“Absolutely not,” Blade responded.

Sierra sat back down and crossed her arms. “Then what’s the use of showing you I can
shoot?”

Skylar realized at that moment that Rio and Sierra liked sparring with each other.
She did things to annoy him and he knew it, but he wouldn’t give an inch.

Blade cleared his throat. “Since I’ll be with you, you won’t need a gun, Sierra.”

“I wanted a holster a bit higher up, but Rio nixed that idea,” Skylar said.

Sierra lifted a brow. “I just bet he did.”

“There were logical reasons,” Rio told Sierra, then spoke to Blade. “We’ll leave here
at seven thirty since we don’t have to worry about loading luggage.”

Sierra’s arms uncrossed, her eyes narrowed.

Blade glanced at her and got to his feet. “I’ll be ready. It’s been a long day. We’ll
go on up to our room.”

Sierra waited until they reached the door. “You know I’ll think of a way to pay you
back.”

“Let’s go, Sierra.” Blade gently urged his wife out of the room, closing the door
after them.

Skylar was up and in Rio’s arms in an instant. “You and Sierra like teasing each other.”

“I don’t tease,” he said with a straight face.

“Hmmm,” she said with a smile and sobered. “I mean it, Rio. Don’t let Tennyson push
you into doing anything that will get you in trouble and have me flying up there to
show him the error of his ways.”

His lips curved as he brushed her hair away from her face. “You would, too.”

“In a heartbeat. No one messes with what’s mine,” she said.

Mine.
The single word reverberated in his brain. His hand stilled in her hair just as she
did in his arms, her expressive eyes wide.

He didn’t know if the admission caught her off guard just as it did him, or if there
was another reason. He just knew that it felt right hearing her say the word.

“Mine,” he repeated and kissed her until she trembled in his arms, until he banished
every thought from her consciousness except him.

She was
his
and anyone who tried to harm her had a ticket to hell.

*   *   *

Shane Elliott was waiting for Rio and Blade at the downtown Chicago office building
that housed Tennyson Corporation. Shoulder-to-shoulder, the three well-dressed men,
each over six feet, with dark, piercing eyes, swept through the glass door and headed
straight for the elevator. Neither looked to the left or the right. However, the interested
or curious looks of those in the lobby followed them until they stepped on the empty
elevator.

Rio, his eyes hard, jabbed the button for the forty-ninth floor.

Shane glanced at Rio, then Blade, then back to Rio. “What changed?”

“Skylar,” Rio answered. The three men kept no secrets from one another. They’d been
through hell and back together and would remain lifelong friends.

Shane grinned and slapped Rio on the back. “About time.”

Rio didn’t comment. Shane might have resigned from his position as head of security
to live in Atlanta with Paige, but the three men always managed to get together monthly.
They never planned to let their friendship take a backseat to anything, except their
wives. Luckily, Paige and Sierra got along well so they didn’t mind entertaining themselves
while the men did their thing. Rio couldn’t help thinking that maybe Skylar could
join them.

Two women got on the elevator and spent their time going three floors up eyeing the
men. None of the men even glanced at them.

When the elevator was empty again, Shane said, “You’d think Tennyson would have learned
by now.”

“He will this time,” Rio promised.

“Skylar told me to make sure you came home with me,” Blade said. “Sierra also extracted
the same promise. She said I might hire someone else who was even more difficult to
deal with.”