All That I Desire (5 page)

Used to his short answers, she walked over. “Breathtaking, isn’t it?”

His dark head slowly turned. His dark eyes revealed nothing. “You mark it off the
master list?”

She hadn’t. She’d been caught by the beauty of the man and the picture. “I’ll do it
now.” Picking up the iPad, she entered the date and time of the painting’s arrival.
Her head lifted and she saw Rio opening the other packages as the driver patiently
waited. It was the same delivery service that first driver had belonged to, but she’d
never seen the impatient first deliveryman again. She started to ask Rio about it,
but decided to let it go. She had more important things to take up with him.

*   *   *

For the rest of that day and all the next, Rio was even more distant. By the end of
the working day on Thursday, Skylar had had enough. She patiently waited until the
last delivery truck left at six thirteen. Two of Rio’s men took in the framed pictures
with a personal letter from famous individuals donating dinner or time with them.

Skylar didn’t speak until the two men were out of hearing range. She went to Rio,
who was putting the paper and boxes in a recycling bin. She gazed at his prime rear
for a couple of seconds, then shook herself. “Rio?”

Slowly he straightened and turned. “Yes?”

“Why don’t we drive into town for dinner? My treat.”

“I’m busy,” came his flat answer.

She barely kept the smile on her face. “I didn’t tell you the time.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he returned, not missing a beat.

All right, perhaps she had to spell it out for him. “I’d like for us to get to know
each other better,” she said, thinking what a horrible line that was, but it was the
truth.

He crossed his arms as if bored. His flat expression never changed. “You were vetted
and cleared by me before you were hired. I doubt if there is anything more to learn
about you. As for my life, it’s boring.” His arms dropped to his sides. “If you’ll
excuse me.”

“Fat chance,” she snapped.

He simply stared at her, which angered Skylar even more. “I’ve tried. I really have
tried to understand you, but you’re impossible.”

“Ms. Du—”

“All of your men call me Skylar, why can’t you? It isn’t that difficult to pronounce.”
She didn’t give him a chance to answer. She jabbed her finger into his broad chest
and had the brief satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen in surprise. “I won’t wait
around forever for you to figure out what you’re missing.” She turned, then quickly
wheeled back. “And for your information there might be some things about me that you
don’t know that would blow your mind!”

Her nose in the air, Skylar stalked to her room, giving her hips a little something
extra. Today was the final straw. She was not about to twiddle her thumbs and let
Rio keep ignoring her.

She took a long bath, lotioned and sprayed her body with V, the most expensive perfume
in the world, and applied her makeup. She slipped on a red backless mini dress, stepped
into five-inch stilettos, put on silver chandelier earrings encrusted with diamonds
and a matching necklace and bracelet. Snagging her red clutch, she was out the door.
She was not waiting on Rio a second longer.

Downstairs, she went in search of the house manager. She’d already told Mary at lunch
that she had plans for dinner. She found Eli in the kitchen drinking coffee.

When he saw her, he sat the cup down, stood, and shoved the chair back under the table.

Sad to say, he didn’t look any more at ease to Skylar. She knew how he felt. Some
problems just wouldn’t go away.

“Good evening, Mr. Patterson. I have dinner reservations at El Matador. I’m not sure
what time I’ll be home.”

“Very well. Are you going alone?”

Her chin came up a fraction. “Yes.”

He stared at her a bit strangely. “Drive carefully.”

“Thank you. I will.” She started for the garage, hoping that she’d see Rio. She’d
show him.

Luck was on her side. He was still outside talking to one of his men. Her head high,
she passed him without a glance. She got into her SUV, then backed out of the garage
and drove past him, wishing she could see his face. She wasn’t sure if she looked
in the mirror he’d see her looking back.

Waving to the guards at the guardhouse, she headed to town. She’d show him!

*   *   *

Hands on his hips, Rio stared at the back of the SUV. He could shake Skylar until
her perfect white teeth rattled. They both knew she wasn’t the type of woman to pick
up men, but that didn’t mean men wouldn’t try once they saw her, or that she wouldn’t
consider trusting one.

A mad woman was a dangerous woman.

He turned to go inside to the command center and saw one of his men still staring
at the SUV with a rapt expression. Rio wanted to dunk him in the lake. “Finish here.
I’m going inside.”

Rio went straight to his personal computer in the command center and brought up the
location of the SUV. All of the cars had tracking devices on them. He could find her.
He started to rise, but sat back down.

He wasn’t running after any woman.

*   *   *

Halfway through what should have been a marvelous dining experience, tired of telling
men she didn’t need their company, Skylar accepted that her ultimatum to Rio hadn’t
worked. She’d gambled and lost.

“Check, please.”

“Certainly.” The attentive waiter handed her the bill. “Would you like anything boxed?”

“No, thank you.” She gave him the black folder and waited for him to return with the
receipt so she could sign and go back to the castle. She’d accomplished nothing except
making herself look foolish or, worse, desperate.

“Hello, gorgeous.” The man braced his manicured hands on the chair across from hers.
“You sure I can’t buy you a drink? Last chance.”

Skylar simply looked at the man, who had been the most persistent of them all tonight.
He’d tried to pick her up shortly after her arrival. When that hadn’t worked, he’d
sent over a glass of champagne, which she refused. Now he was back again.

“And this is your last chance. If you bother me again, I’ll alert management and call
my boyfriend, who can bench-press two hundred pounds and not break a sweat.”

The man jerked upright, the easy smile gone. “I was just—”

“Not another word or I’m making a phone call you aren’t going to like.”

The man beat a hasty retreat to his table.

“Here you are.” The waiter handed her the bill holder. “I took the liberty of telling
the valet to have your car ready.”

She placed the receipt in her purse. “How? I have my claim ticket.”

“Some guests are memorable. Have a good night.”

To some men, perhaps. Rio wasn’t among them. The waiter held the chair as Skylar rose
to her feet. “Thank you and good night.”

Outside, her SUV waited for her. Tipping the attendant, she saw two couples still
waiting for their cars. At least someone had noticed her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t
the right person.

Fastening her seat belt, she pulled out of the restaurant and headed back to the castle.
She glanced at the clock. Eight thirty-eight. It was too early to return. He’d know
she had a crappy night. However, she wasn’t about to hang out someplace to make him
think otherwise.

She flicked on her signal and passed a car going ten miles below the speed limit.
At the best of times, she’d never been able to drive slowly. Her father said she had
a lead foot, just like her mother.

Skylar smiled. She loved her parents and missed them, but she loved her job and was
happy. Well, relatively happy. She stopped at the signal light and glanced into her
rearview mirror. An SUV was behind her with its high beams on.

She detested drivers who drove with their high beams on in good weather. She pulled
off and changed lanes. So did the driver behind her, cutting off a car to do so.

She frowned. Some people shouldn’t have driver’s licenses. Her thoughts returned to
her parents. It was difficult to believe they’d been divorced for three years. Sure,
they’d argued at times, but they made a habit of never leaving the house or going
to bed unless it was settled.

Until that last time they’d argued bitterly. Her father hadn’t been able to say anything
to keep her mother from filing for divorce.

Skylar thought they’d always be together, just like her maternal grandparents who
lived in Boston, and her paternal grandparents in New Orleans. She was learning that
love was hard to find and harder to keep.

Skylar eased her foot off the gas. All the slow cars must be out tonight. Signaling,
she passed a creeping Impala and got into the far lane, the lane she’d use to turn
onto the road leading to the castle. She didn’t like changing lanes because the potential
for an accident was higher.

She glanced into her rearview mirror and frowned. The SUV with the high beams had
changed lanes as well and was behind her. Strange.

She wasn’t the paranoid type, but her uncle had hammered it into her head that paranoia
was a good thing and could save your butt. Skylar changed lanes. The SUV changed with
her.

Her heart rate kicked up. She remembered stories of men following women home and assaulting
them. Wouldn’t they be in for a surprise once she reached the castle? If she made
it there. Before she reached the castle, she had to drive through a lonely five- or
seven-mile stretch of road.

She glanced in the mirror again. The beams were so high, all she could detect was
that it was some kind of dark SUV. Perhaps she was overreacting. They could have changed
lanes for the same reason she had. One way to find out.

She slowed down until she was ten, then fifteen miles under the speed limit. The car
behind her matched her speed. She couldn’t deny it any longer.

She was being followed.

Chapter 4

“Don’t panic. Don’t panic. You’re in your car. Other people in cars are in front of
and on the side of you.” She eased back into the inside lane. No way was she leaving
the city limits.

Yet Skylar’s hand trembled as she reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone.
She wished she’d synced it to the radio. It was answered before the second ring.

“Rio.”

Skylar sagged with relief. “I think someone is following me. Their high beams are
on.”

“Are you sure?” There was a fierce sharpness in his voice.

“When I slow down or change lanes, so does the SUV. The police will act faster if
the call comes from you.”

“Already done. We have your location. I’m on my way.”

Just hearing he was coming bolstered her resolve to keep it together. “Thank you.”

“Which lane are you in?”

“The inside.”

“Good. Skylar, there’s only one more light before you reach the edge of town.”

He’d called her name, settling her fraying nerves. The sound of his car’s engine through
the phone calmed her even more. He was coming. “I’m almost there.”

“Don’t catch the light,” Rio advised. “When it turns green—”

“Make a U-turn and floor it back to town,” she finished for him.

“Put the phone in the seat. The Beemer has enough juice to make the turn, but I want
both of your hands on the steering wheel. The police are on the way. You’re safe in
the car.”

“Please hurry.”

“Nothing is going to happen to you,” he said, his voice a mixture of anger and resolve.

“The light is red. The SUV is a car length behind. I’m putting the phone down.” She
placed the cell phone back in her purse so it wouldn’t slide onto the floor. “It’s
green.” Her sweaty hands flexed on the steering wheel. She didn’t know if Rio still
had his cell phone on or not, but it was comforting to think he did.

Both hands gripped the steering wheel as she eased off, then gunned the BMW. Her car
was approaching sixty when she made a sharp U-turn and floored it back to town, thanking
God that there had been no oncoming traffic. She threw a glance in the rearview mirror
as the speedometer reached eighty.

Her heart thumped. The SUV was right behind her. Increasing her speed, she whipped
around a car, hoping the police showed up before she had to make a decision to run
a red light.

The SUV was gaining on her. Up ahead she saw the light turn red. “You’re safe in your
car.” She heard Rio’s voice and drew in a deep breath. She passed another car, hoping
to shake them. The SUV stayed on her like a burr.

“Green. Turn green.”

The light flashed green three car lengths away. Skylar glanced to the right and left
to ensure that some driver wasn’t running the light in the opposite direction, then
zoomed through it. She didn’t know where the police station was located so she was
going back to the restaurant, a straight shot from—

Police sirens. Up ahead she could see their running lights flashing. She glanced in
the rearview mirror to see the SUV dropping back, then turning down a side street.
For one insane moment, she considered following it to try to get the license plate
number.

Common sense prevailed as she pulled to the side of the road and put on her emergency
lights to signal the police. She didn’t know how many were in the SUV or if they had
weapons.

Two police cars converged on her. One parked beside her and the other catty-corner,
hemming her in and protecting her at the same time.

She had the foresight to unlock the door just as a brawny policeman opened it. He
tipped his black Stetson. “Dakota Rodriquez, police chief, Ms. Dupree. You’re safe.”

She swallowed, nodded. “The SUV following me turned to the right one street back.”

“Is there any thing else you can tell me about the SUV?”

She clamped her hands in her lap and shook her head. “The high beams were on.”

Dakota spoke to the policeman standing nearby. “SUV turned a block back. Check it
out.”

“Right, Chief.”

“Ms. Dupree—”

“Are you all right?”

Her head jerked up on hearing Rio’s strong voice. His muscled body filled the doorway
of the vehicle. She wanted so much for him to hold her, but she was afraid if he did,
she’d become a blithering idiot.