All That I Desire (8 page)

They must have been watching for them. As soon as the hostess spotted Rio and Skylar,
she picked up a cell phone. Rio couldn’t imagine allowing her to have it ordinarily.

A waitress greeted them. “Good afternoon, I’ll show you to your table. Your food should
be out shortly.”

“How many times has Brandon called?” Rio asked, his hand in the small of Skylar’s
back as they followed the waitress.

She glanced over her shoulder. “Twice in less than two minutes.”

Rio grunted. “Someone was poking.”

Skylar looked at him, then patted his arm. “Everyone can’t be a good driver.”

“Here you are,” the young woman said, her lips twitching. “Brandon is probably on
his way.”

Skylar slid onto the red, tufted barouche bench at the end of the family table and
patted the seat beside her. “I won’t bite.”

Yes, you would,
he almost said, then took his seat. No man or woman had ever gotten the best of him,
and it wasn’t going to start now.

“About time.” Brandon set down a platter of smoking beef and chicken fajitas, piled
atop grilled onions, and red and green peppers.

Another waiter brought their drinks, chips, flour tortillas, and salsa. “Rio. Skylar.
Happy to see you back.”

“We’re a minute early,” Rio said.

Brandon grinned and leaned against the edge of the booth. “My watch must be off.”

“Thanks, Brandon.” Skylar reached for her purse. “I appreciate the rush. Would it
be possible to get an order for chips and different dips to take back for Rio’s men?”

“Put that away. That goes for you as well, Rio. You’re helping Mama.”

“Thanks again. I really appreciate it.” Skylar returned her billfold to her purse.
“She’s an awesome woman. I’m happy to help.”

“Was there something else, Brandon?” Rio asked, already knowing the answer.

“Rio, this is the first time you’ve brought a guest. Top shelf.” Bandon straightened.
“If you need anything, just grab any passing waiter or waitress. Later.”

“Try this.” Skylar held a chip laden with queso.

“I can feed myself.”

She rolled her eyes and inched it closer. “Come on, humor me.”

He took a small bite of the chip. Immediately she crunched on the chip until it was
gone, then licked her lips. “Good, but I know something that’s even better.”

He reached for his drink. Skylar might be more difficult to resist than he’d thought.

“Here you go.”

She held a fajita to his mouth. He was not falling for that again. He took it from
her hand and took a bite. “Eat. We have thirty-three minutes to get back.”

“Then perhaps I should drive.” He took another bite, but when he lowered his hands
she took both of his wrists in hers. “I can also be stubborn. I just want to see if
it tastes as good as I remember.”

Me or the food?
He looked up to see Mrs. Grayson turning away. Ordinarily he’d let her leave. He
was on her marriage hit list.

Skylar bit into his fajita. “Almost as good until I get to taste the real thing again.”

Rio placed the fajita on his plate and rose to his feet. He needed a third party here
to make Skylar behave, even one who had a bull’s-eye with a capital
M
on his forehead. “Mrs. Grayson, please join us.”

“Hello, Rio and Skylar. I don’t want to intrude,” she told him.

Skylar cleaned her hands on a napkin and scooted out of the seat to hug the older
woman. “Impossible, Mrs. Grayson. Especially since you’re the reason this fantastic
food is on the house.”

“Thanks for keeping me updated. I can’t wait to see the entire collection. Thank you,
Rio, for staying and ensuring its safety.” Mrs. Grayson smiled at Rio.

He shook his head once. Not happening. It didn’t faze her.

“Please have a seat and join us.” Skylar motioned to the U-shaped booth. “There’s
more than enough food.”

“That’s kind of you, but I have an appointment. Brandon said you were coming for a
late lunch and I just wanted to say hi and thank you.” Mrs. Grayson took Skylar’s
hands. “I can’t cook as well as Brandon, but I’d love for you to come over tonight
for dinner. If you don’t have plans?”

“Do we have plans, Rio?” Skylar asked.

The women stared at him. He should just say no.

“Trying to surprise me, huh?” Skylar faced Mrs. Grayson. “Why don’t you come out and
I—” She stopped abruptly. “It will be dark when you leave Navarone Castle.”

“I left the other night and it was dark, but don’t worry.”

Rio knew Skylar was thinking about the incident last night. “She always has an escort
to her door, the house is checked, and she’ll be safely inside with the best security
system in the world before my man leaves.”

“Thanks to Rio and Luke. I appreciate the security system, but the man following me
is unnecessary. However, no one listens to this old woman,” Ruth said, with a sigh.

Brandon snorted. “If any of us called you old, you’d brain us. Watch out when she
pulls the old card.” He kissed his mother on the cheek and placed three large take-out
bags on the seat. “That should hold the men.”

“Thanks,” Skylar said.

His mother patted his cheek. “I love you, too.”

“You’re welcome to come over tonight and look over the collection,” Skylar said. “Or
do you want to wait until Tuesday afternoon when everything is finished?”

“Tuesday will be fine.” Ruth hugged Skylar again, and patted Rio’s arm. “We’ll talk
later and firm things up. Enjoy your meal.” She walked away with Brandon.

Skylar sat back down and reached for Rio’s fajita. “Eat up. The clock is ticking.”

Rio took his seat, picked up a flour tortilla, and prepared a fajita. Skylar didn’t
even seem to notice. She was up to something.

*   *   *

Skylar insisted on carrying one of the bags with Rio’s men’s food. “How many minutes?”

“Eighteen.” Rio opened the back door and placed the three bags inside.

“Cutting it close. You sure you don’t want me to drive?” she asked with a straight
face.

“Not—”

“Happening.” She opened the passenger door. “Didn’t your mother or father ever teach
you about compromise?”

“I was raised in a church orphanage,” he said, his voice flat.

Her heart stopped, aching for him. “Then neither got to know the intelligent and wonderful
man you are.” She climbed inside. Her nails dug into her palms to keep from crying.
“I peeked in one of the bags. I might wander over and join you.”

Rio backed out. “You wouldn’t get within fifty feet. Sensors.”

“I sort of figured that’s what posed a problem to Sierra,” Skylar said, hoping she
hadn’t brought up bad memories earlier. “But after meeting Sierra, and knowing she’s
strong-willed
and
Blade’s wife, how did that work out?”

“I called Blade when I saw her heading in that direction for no apparent reason and
went after her.” He stopped at the light. “Blade arrived while we were talking just
inside the perimeter of the scanners. My men followed protocol when the scanners went
off.”

Protocol
could mean anything from lockdown to guns drawn. Skylar would have loved to have
heard that “talk” between Rio and Sierra. It was no secret to anyone who had been
around Sierra that she liked having her way, and that she didn’t like the bodyguards
Rio assigned to her when she wasn’t with Blade. She and Rio had butted heads in the
past and would probably butt them again.

She glanced at Rio as he pulled off. He would give only as much information as he
had to. At least they’d gotten past one-syllable answers. “All right, what happened?”

“She and Blade went back to the castle,” he said simply.

There was more to it, but she’d never hear it from Rio. He was a man of principle
and extremely loyal. She relaxed back in her seat. “But I’m bringing them food.”

“No women.”

“How about hot dogs on the grill later on tonight?” Skylar cajoled. She’d never had
to work this hard for a date, but then there were no other men like Rio. “You wouldn’t
want me to be embarrassed when Mrs. Grayson asked me and I’d have to tell her that
you stood me up.” She shuddered. “I’d never be able to look her in the face again.”

“You’ll manage.” He slowed down to turn into the Navarone estate.

“I’d manage better if you and I had dinner tonight.” She wondered if she should do
the finger walk up his muscular thigh.

The stubborn man ignored her. “From now until this person is caught, when you leave
the estate you aren’t to be alone.”

“Rio—”

“Argue and you’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“No, I won’t, because then you wouldn’t be with me to protect me. Not that I don’t
think I can take care of myself,” she said matter-of-factly.

The Jeep came to a screeching halt a yard from the black iron gate. On the other side,
two men with guns drawn stepped from the guardhouse into the road. “Jaguar. Stand
down,” Rio radioed. His eyes were no longer cold, but burning hot with emotion. “If
you suspect anything, you let me handle it. Got it?”

“Ri—”

“Got it?” he bit out.

She could argue, but she wouldn’t win this time, either. Rio wouldn’t back down from
Blade, who was pretty scary himself. “Got it.”
If he thinks I’m going to run to him and risk him getting hurt when I could hand
—

His hand on her cheek turned her face to him. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. One
word from me and you’re on the jet back to Tucson.”

She stared openmouthed at him. Blade trusted Rio implicitly. “You wouldn’t?”

“Try me.”

He would, in a heartbeat. He’d do whatever it took to protect her, but she didn’t
have to like it. She batted his hand away and crossed her arms. “I don’t think I’ll
be hungry tonight.”

Rio started the Jeep just as the delivery van turned in behind them.

She’d show him.

Chapter 6

Skylar was giving Rio the silent treatment. That was okay. It would keep him from
doing what he shouldn’t—kissing her until they thought only of the need to quench
the burning desire between them. He drew in a deep breath. He was
not
going there.

Nothing mattered except her safety. To add another layer of protection, he was installing
another lock on her door.

He’d called Dakota at five thirty. The tapes hadn’t revealed the man in the checkered
jacket. The cameras were trained on the valets, the parking lot, and the back entrance,
not the front or inside of the restaurant. The man could have walked from a nearby
hotel or anywhere.

The only other possibility was letting Skylar watch the tapes to see if she saw the
man. Otherwise they had squat—which meant they had no way of finding the person or
persons who’d followed her. He hated like hell to think the bastard had gotten away—or
worse, that he might come after Skylar again.

“What are you doing?”

“Putting a coded lock on your door.” He screwed in the last bolt. “I reprogrammed
it to have only two numbers for quicker access, and to signal when it’s on. What number?”
When she didn’t say anything he glanced up at her. As expected, her arms were crossed.
She was still ticked at him. He waited her out.

“Thirteen?”

“Too easy.”

“Then why don’t you pick one?” Her arms came to her sides.

“Because it has to be a number that, no matter what, you’ll remember. Preferably close
together,” he answered patiently. Really ticked.

“Zero six.” It was the month Blade had hired her.

He coded in the numbers, picked up the empty box and tools, and rose to his feet.
“Come here, please.”

She stopped on the other side of the door. “I know how to work the key pad. My grandparents
have one, because my grandmother can never find her key.”

“I spoke with Dakota. The fifth man didn’t show up on the restaurant tapes,” he said,
hating to tell her. “The only other option is for you to watch the tapes and see if
you can pick him out.”

She nodded, crossed her arms again. “I’ll call Dakota. If he wants, I can go in tonight
since I have no plans.”

Ouch! Skylar could cut a man to ribbons, but not him. “If you do, I’m going with you.”

“Aren’t you going to be busy?” she asked sweetly.

“I’ll make the time.”

“Don’t bother.” Her hands dropped to her sides. “Please assign Henderson or Conner.”

“They’ll be busy.”

Skylar looked ready to blow, but he wasn’t finished with her. “Keep the lock on at
all times. If one of my men passes and the red light is not on, I’ll be notified and
we’ll have a talk. Same goes if I pass and it’s not on. I can guarantee that you’re
not going to like having that conversation.”

Her gaze sharpened to pinpoints of fury. “I think we’ve already had that conversation.”

“If Dakota decides he wants you to come in tonight, call me. If not, have a good night.”

“You’ve made that impossible!” She went into the room and slammed the door.

Rio lifted his hand to knock on the door and remind her about arming the lock just
as it flashed red. If he ever got any gray hairs, Skylar would give them to him.

*   *   *

“Rio, I’m fine, but can you please come to my room?”

“On my way.” Replacing his cell phone, Rio left the control room fifty-seven minutes
after his and Skylar’s last conversation. He knew she’d gone to the kitchen and eaten.

He stopped in front of her door and knocked. He really didn’t know what to expect,
but at least the red light was on.

Skylar opened the door and stood aside for him to enter. As soon as he did, the door
closed. “Dakota said I could view the tapes tomorrow after one.”

“We’ll leave after the last delivery.” She could have told him that on the phone.
There was something else she wanted to say.

He waited until she worked it out in her mind—he owed her that. A lot had been thrust
on her. She wasn’t used to being in danger. Danger was all he’d ever known.

“I don’t want to go to bed with us annoyed with each other. My parents had the same
philosophy—of course, look what happened to them,” she finally said.