All That I Desire (31 page)

His eyes shut tightly. He’d already pictured it. She was killing him. He couldn’t
have it all.

“But you have to reach for it. Reach for me.” On tiptoes, she brushed her lips across
his. “I’ll always be there. I’ll never let you down. I’ll love you forever.”

Reach for me.
Her words reverberated in his mind and opened his heart to the possibility of a lifetime
with this one special woman.
I’ll never let you down.

“Fear has never ruled you, Rio. Don’t let it keep us apart. Dare to love me.”

He’d dare anything, risk anything for this woman. He stared into her steady gaze and
saw his future. If he was brave enough to reach for it.

Doubts slipped away. His heart gladly surrendered. Without a moment’s hesitation,
he reached for her. “I love you, Skylar.”

“What’s the rest?”

“Rest? You said—”

“I lied.”

Rio threw back his head and laughed until his sides ached, then lifted Skylar until
their faces were inches apart. “I’ll be gray before I’m forty.”

Her hands tenderly cupped his face. “I’ll do my best to behave.”

He cocked a brow. “I seriously doubt that.”

“We’ll have love and happiness and each other.”

All that he desired and never thought to have.
“Skylar, will you marry me?”

She beamed. “Yes! Yes! Now put me down so I can put my arms around your neck and really
kiss you.”

He kissed her lightly on the lips, then placed her on the floor. “That will have to
do.”

“Giving orders already?” She grinned up at him. “Here’s one for you. Find out where
we can get married the quickest.”

“I better go ask you father for your hand first.” He figured she wanted the traditional
approach. At least he knew that much.

“If he says no?”

“It will be his choice if he wants to come to the wedding or not,” Rio answered, his
voice flat.

She threw her arms him and kissed him until he felt himself teetering on the brink
of losing control. He’d been afraid of that happening. Skylar put her entire body
into a kiss, wrapping a man in pleasure. He removed her arms and didn’t waste his
time scowling at her. Skylar had a mind of her own, and thank God and the Master of
Breath for it. He curved his arm around her slim waist and went to her father.

“Mr. Dupree, I want to marry Skylar. I’d like to ask for your consent.”

“And if I say no?” Mr. Dupree asked.

“Beau,” Meredith said softly. “Mess this up, and you’ll lose everything.”

There were shadows and regret in his eyes when he briefly turned to her. “I lost that
long ago. I know what it feels like not to be with the one you love. I wouldn’t do
that to Skylar.” He extended his hand to Rio. “You both have my blessings.”

“Father, thank you.” Skylar hugged him, then her grandparents.

People gathered around to congratulate the couple and take pictures with their cell
phones. With his arm around Skylar, this time Rio smiled.

“Rio is going to find out where we can get married the quickest,” Skylar said, giddy
with happiness.

“No!” Her mother shook her head emphatically. “You’re going to have a proper wedding.”

“Mother.”

“You’re my only daughter.” Mrs. Dupree sought help elsewhere. “Rio, please. I’ve thought
about this since she was in high school. She’ll listen to you.”

“Up to a point,” he replied.

“Please,” she repeated.

Rio thought of how long it took Blade and Shane to get married. “Define
proper
time-wise?”

“A year at the very least,” she responded.

“Four to six months seems better,” Rio told her.

“Even with a wedding planner we can’t possibly plan a wedding in that length of time,”
her mother almost shrieked. “There’s too much to do.”

“What if you had help?” he asked.

“Who?”

Rio looked straight at Mrs. Grayson and Felicia Falcon, who were smiling. “Well, you
started this.”

“Thank you,” Skylar said, grinning at the women. “Although you had me worried you’d
picked out someone else for Rio.”

Amid groans from Brandon and Pierce, Mrs. Grayson said, “We’d be delighted to help.
Felicia and I both have had experience planning weddings.”

“It will be the most fabulous event of the season,” Felicia said excitedly.

Other women in the room volunteered to help as well.

“Count me in.” Sierra shook her head. “Although I hope you know what you’re getting
into, Skylar.”

“Same question I asked Blade,” Rio shot back

Skylar laughed. “I do, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Blade’s laughter joined Skylar’s. “That’s the same thing I told Rio.” He stood, bringing
Sierra with him. “Now let’s toast the happy couple. I know Martin will make the brunch
even more spectacular to celebrate the engagement of Rio and Skylar, and Mrs. Grayson’s
perfect record continuing.”

Groans, cheers, and laughter filled the room.

Chapter 20

Arms wrapped around each other, Rio and Skylar walked her family out to the waiting
limousine. She motioned to the driver standing by the open back door that he could
get back inside.

She and Rio had just gotten off the phone with her paternal grandparents in Spain.
Skylar e-mailed pictures of her and Rio to them. They couldn’t be happier for her
and were cutting their vacation short so they could return to meet Rio in person and
help plan the wedding. Skylar was shipping
Pure Bliss
to their home.

“I don’t see my car,” Mr. Dupree said.

“I tipped the driver and dismissed him.” Skylar went to her father. “You can ride
with Mother.”

His gaze cut sharply to his ex-wife. “I don’t think she wants me near her.”

“Perhaps if you told her you loved her, she’d change her mind,” Rio told him.

A soft gasp came from Meredith. “You’re wrong, Rio.”

“Father, this might be your last chance,” Skylar warned. “Tell her. Do whatever it
takes to get her back.” She swallowed. “I can’t imagine being away from Rio for three
years. I would have gone insane.”

“If it hadn’t been for you and work, I would have,” her father admitted softly. “It’s
the parents who are supposed to teach the children, but tonight you taught me to fight.”
He went to his ex-wife. “I’m telling you again, I didn’t have a one-night stand with
the woman I met in the bar. Yes, I was foolish to go up to her hotel room because
she said she wasn’t feeling well.” His mouth tightened.

“I didn’t expect her to come out of the bedroom in her lingerie or for her to grab
me. I certainly didn’t expect someone to be taking pictures. I got out of there as
fast as I could. My mistake was in not calling and telling you what had happened,”
Beau finished.

“The pictures didn’t look like you were resisting,” Meredith said, agony in her voice.

“Pictures can be altered, Mrs. Dupree,” Rio told her.

Meredith swallowed. “She tried to blackmail me when Beau refused to pay up.”

His handsome face twisted in anger. “I put the fear of God in her when she came to
see me. I had security escort her out of the building, and I made a police report.
I have faults, Meredith. You know that better than anyone,” he said. “If it suits
my purpose in court I will bend the truth, but I didn’t cheat on you then or since
the divorce.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I figured if I ever got the chance to ask for forgiveness, I better be able to tell
you there hadn’t been another woman in my life.” He blew out a breath. “I know you’ve
dated and I under—”

“Dates. Just dates,” she murmured. “You broke my heart. You broke my heart.”

“Honey, please forgive me.” He pulled her into his arms, kissing the tears away before
finding her mouth. She clung to him as much as he clung to her. “I never stopped loving
you, Meredith. Just let me prove it to you. Please, don’t push me away again. I’m
not sure I could survive this time.”

“Give him a chance, Meredith,” Skylar’s grandmother said. “You know you want to.”

“Beau made a mistake, Meredith. Don’t you make one by holding on to anger or pride,”
Meredith’s father told her. “I believe him.”

“Trust your heart, Mother,” Skylar advised. “That’s what I did.”

“One chance, Beau.” Meredith’s voice trembled, then firmed. “That’s all you’ll get.”

He held her hand tenderly. “Thank you. That’s all I’ll need.”

“Let’s get going. We’ll see you at celebration brunch in the morning.” Skylar’s grandfather
helped his wife into the limo, then carefully handed her his signed baseball, and
the box with her diamond-and-ruby brooch. Beau assisted Meredith after she gave a
quick hug to Skylar and Rio. They waved as the car pulled off, then went back inside.

Arms in the air, Skylar twirled in a circle. “I’m so happy.”

Rio picked her up in her arms and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.
“I’m about to make both of us a lot happier.”

Skylar bit on his earlobe, suckled. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I know.” He stopped in front of her door. “The code.”

Skylar pushed her skirt of her dress out of the way and punched in the code. Rio was
inside in seconds, closing the door after him, turning her away from him. His warm
lips brushed over the velvet smoothness of her skin as his arms circled her waist
to cup her breasts. Even through the material he felt the nipples harden, reaching
for him.

He quickly undressed. Once he touched her again, he wasn’t going to let her go for
a long, long time. Finished, he pulled the zipper of her gown down, enjoying the material
slowly opening to reveal more of her bare skin to him. As it did, his mouth, tongue,
hands followed every dip and curve. By the time he reached the bend of her knees,
she was trembling so badly she could hardly stand.

Kneeling, he glanced up at the flawlessness of her body. His hardened even more. All
she wore were the earrings he had given her, lacy panties, thigh-high stockings, and
her heels. He stood and walked in front of her. She took his breath away. His hands
were unsteady when he unclamped her hair, ran his fingers though the thickness.

His fingers still in her hair, he took her mouth with passion and greed. She moaned
deep in her throat. He lifted her out of the dress. She clamped her legs around his
waist. He heard her shoes hit the floor. Gauging his steps, he walked backward until
he reached the bed. The covers were turned down.

With her securely in his arms, he lay down and scooted until they were crosswise on
the bed. He took her nipple into his mouth, sucking and teasing. His hands slid downward.
The lace gave under his strong hand. She was bare and open to him, her woman’s softness
rubbing against his erection. He sucked in a breath.

She leaned over to lick the hard point of his nipple. “I’m going to make it better.”
Her fingers trailed over his length, brushing, rubbing, skimming. He lifted his hips
to increase the incredible pleasure of her touching him.

She reached beneath the pillow, pulled out a condom, and rolled it onto his stiff
erection. She’d barely finished when he lifted, guided her onto him. The fit was tight,
the sensation exquisite.

Her hands splayed in the middle of his chest, her eyes closed as pleasure rippled
through her. She rocked against him. Each tantalizing movement took him deeper. She
rode him with wild abandon, savoring the feelings rippling though her until she could
hold back no longer. She stiffened, calling out his name as she went over, taking
him with her.

*   *   *

“I have a surprise for you.” Her chin propped on her folded hands, Skylar lay stretched
out on top of Rio.

“I’m not sure I can handle it.” His hand lazily swept up and down her bare silken
back to her hips.

“I bet you can.” She rocked against him, felt him respond. They’d made love twice.
It was after one in the morning. “See, but I’m talking about another kind of surprise.”

She kissed his chest, rolled out of bed, and picked up her discarded dress. “I will
always have fond memories of this gown.” Going to the closet, she hung it up. On the
way back she stopped to pick up fresh lingerie and continued to the bathroom.

In less than five minutes, she was back. She’d combed her hair and put on a pair of
black low-cut panties and a demi-bra. She went straight to his white shirt and put
it on. “Let’s go. Food is waiting downstairs.”

Rio rolled out of bed to pull on his briefs and pants. “You can’t wear my shirt. There’re
other couples in this house who might have the same idea.”

She wrinkled her nose and pulled off his shirt. “When we’re at my place or yours—”
She stopped on the way to her closet. “I can’t wait to see your place. Anyway, we
can walk around naked if we want.”

With her bent over to slip on black slacks, Rio thought he might be up to a third
time after all. She slipped on a black cashmere sweater and flats, and reached for
his hand. “We can always bring the food back up here. I’ll take the tray back early.”

“You naughty man.”

He started for the door. “Behave and be quiet.”

She put her finger over her lips.

Shaking his head, he led her quietly down the stairs, past the great room and the
dining room into the kitchen. He switched on the light.

The house manager Patterson whirled around from the refrigerator, dropping a carton
of half-and-half. He held a small brown vial in the other hand. Fear widened his eyes.
His mouthed worked like a fish out of water. He turned to flee.

Rio had him by the collar of his robe and pajamas before he’d gone two steps, snatching
the bottle out of his hand. “Start talking before I pour whatever this is down your
lying throat.”

“This isn’t my fault. Tennyson threatened my sister and her family. He had pictures
of them at their home, where she and her husband work. Even where their three children
go to school. He threatened to harm them and break both my legs if I didn’t help him
discredit you and Mr. Navarone.” He began to cry.