The strange tone that ended their conversation popped into his mind. “Was anything missing from my desk?”
Helga coughed then said, “No, sir. But the printer was on, as well as the computer screen.”
A knot formed in Ryan’s belly. He recalled that particular afternoon when he had showed his office to Jenna. She had stood behind his shoulder as he logged into his computer.
Could she have noted his password? No, he was probably too paranoid. Jenna wasn’t that smart or calculating. She probably just wanted proof that Ryan had actually sent the money to Mr. Weaner. Yes, that must be it.
Helga’s question drew him from his contemplation. “Shall I order a complete security check on Miss Jenna?”
Ryan shook his head. No, that would be overkill. Ryan couldn’t be sure how serious Jenna was with her threats to go to a tabloid and dish out about their relationship.
He doubted Jenna wanted to be seen as an abandoned girlfriend of a billionaire. But it was still better not to stir things up with his security team.
“No, that won’t be necessary. I hope we won’t hear much about her in the future. However, please have Jeremy switch all major passwords.”
“Of course, sir. Then I guess I’ll just leave you to sleep now.”
Ryan shrugged. “I’m going to a nostalgia ball, Helga.”
“A nostalgia ball, sir?” Helga’s voice sounded so incredulous that Ryan almost got offended.
It was true that he usually avoided fundraisers and charity events, preferring to use the time for tracking company finances. But he wasn’t that big of a social hermit. With Jenna he’d gone to various dinner parties, hadn’t he?
Helga might have realized from Ryan’s silence that her question wasn’t well received and quickly added, “It sounds interesting, sir. Have fun.”
“I will, Helga. Thanks.”
The line went dead and Ryan glanced at his watch.
Oh boy, he was running late. Bianca had agreed to use Ryan’s Tesla even if it didn’t have the retro feel because she was planning on wearing heels and didn’t want to drive.
Ryan pictured her long legs in stilettos and his throat dried out.
He quickly shoved the distracting thought out of his head and grabbed his car key. He opened his hotel room door and strolled to his car whistling Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night.”
He chuckled as he realized what he was doing. Bianca had truly infiltrated his being on all imaginable levels, and oddly he had never felt better.
Chapter 25
Bianca smoothed down her ball gown’s bouffant skirt. Was it exaggerated? Last year, she’d only worn a simple black dress, but this year she’d decided to give in to Clara’s offer to sew her something special. Her neighbor was beyond talented, because the lace trimmings seemed to be done by Christian Dior himself.
“You look amazing, Bi’.”
Ginny’s voice startled Bianca. Was her cousin still hanging out in front of the webcam? Bianca thought she had gone for good.
“You’re still here? Didn’t you go and check on the little boy?”
Ginny’s head appeared on-screen. “Yes, I did. He is sleeping like an angel. Turn for me, please, I want to see you.”
Bianca felt stupid twirling in the middle of her living room alone but she did as Ginny asked.
“Slower,” her cousin called. “I want to admire how the fabric falls as you move.”
Bianca rolled her eyes but slowed her pace.
Ginny sighed. “Ah, sweetie, Ryan will be speechless.”
Bianca’s cheeks began to burn. “You think so? Isn’t it too much? Too old-fashioned?”
Ginny shook her head. “On the contrary, it’s classy and sexy at the same time. Look at that low décolletage and the way it hugs your waist. You look like a princess. I’d use this look for my wedding. In white, of course.”
Wedding? Why did Bianca’s heart skip a beat at the mention of this word?
She wasn’t going to marry Ryan, only attend a soirée with him. But the rational explanation was pointless. A giddy feeling began in her stomach and her mind flooded with fantasies about how her life might be if she married Ryan.
“Bi’! Bi’!” Ginny’s call forced Bianca out of her reverie. “The door.”
Oh, shoot. She had missed the bell. It had to be Ryan.
She quickly pushed aside her daydreaming and stepped over to her computer. “I need to go, Ginny, wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” her cousin said and winked. “Be safe.”
“Always,” answered Bianca, before closing her laptop.
She turned and bolted to the entrance. She almost slipped in her heels, so she slowed her steps a little.
When she opened the door, she came face-to-face with Ryan.
Holy heavens. He looked like a movie star in his black tuxedo and bow tie. Bianca’s throat swelled and she couldn’t muster a sound. Was this gorgeous man here for her?
Ryan’s eyes widened as he gave Bianca a slow once-over. “You look absolutely breathtaking,” he murmured.
Bianca’s heart jumped at his compliment. Maybe Ginny was right. The dress wasn’t a bad choice. “Thanks.”
Ryan held out his hand and Bianca slid her palm in his. He led her to his car and helped her settle in with her voluminous skirt. It wasn’t an easy task, but they managed to fit all the fabric in without ripping any of the elaborate embroidery.
Ryan closed the door but not before bending down and giving Bianca a tender kiss.
As he walked around the car, Bianca brushed her fingers against her own lips.
By now it should have felt almost natural for Ryan to kiss her, but it didn’t. Instead, each time his breath mixed with hers, her body begged for more. Even just a glance from him awoke in Bianca a tempest of emotions.
Like the other day in the market place. She had a hard time keeping herself from making a publicly unacceptable scene.
Ryan hopped in and started the engine. As if nothing had happened, the car sprang to life with the softest of sounds. Was she ever going to get used to how quiet his Tesla was compared to her Rusty?
He blinked at her. “Ready, my princess?”
She smiled in return. “You bet, let’s go.”
The town hall looked even more gorgeous than last year. Bianca observed the tall candles illuminating the entrance. The purple carpet rolled out for the arrivals looked spotless and fluffy.
Hopefully her shoes wouldn’t get stuck in the fabric. She lifted her skirt slightly with one hand and with the other hardened her grip on Ryan’s arm.
He glanced down at her. “Everything okay? Are you nervous about coming to the ball with me?”
Bianca shook her head. “Not at all.”
It was a lie.
Her heart was drumming in her throat, making each swallow an arduous task. But she didn’t want to admit it to Ryan. After all, it wasn’t a big deal that they attended this event together. She wasn’t Ryan’s girlfriend or anything.
Though, in her opinion, the days they spent together had definitely pointed in that direction. But who knew what Ryan thought?
Except for the occasional compliments and his very obvious body language, nothing else implied that he had feelings for her. Was it only a fling for him? A physical attraction without any deeper meaning?
Bianca forced herself to abandon these futile thoughts. Each relationship evolved differently. Just because she’d been hoping to encounter a unique connection like her brother had with his wife, it didn’t mean she had to feel frustrated with her own life.
After all, the emotions she had for Ryan were pretty special. Only, she had a hard time admitting them even to herself before knowing whether they were mutual.
As they reached the stairs, another couple joined them. It was John McDougall, the mayor, and his daughter, Lilly.
The mayor tapped Ryan’s shoulder. “I heard from Mr. Celli that you’ll finalize your deal tomorrow. Will you be staying a bit longer with us or are you he
ading back right away?”
Ryan’s eyes flicked to Bianca’s face then returned to the mayor’s. “I guess I’ll need to abandon this lovely town at some point. Luckily, I have good replacements at my company, but they can’t hold out without me forever.”
A pang of worry shot through Bianca’s chest. What was her problem? This wasn’t news to her. Ryan had already told her he was leaving for the city on Sunday.
Lilly stepped over to her side and snaked her arm through Bianca’s free elbow. She leaned in close and whispered, “Bianca. Quick, while Pa isn’t listening, what’s the deal with you and the hunky Ryan? Are you two a thing or what?”
Bianca blinked at Lilly without answering. What should she tell her? And why was Lilly even interested?
Bianca recalled how fiercely Lilly had bid on Ryan at the auction. Was she trying to test the waters and see whether she had a chance with him?
Bianca kept her voice low to avoid the others overhearing. “We’ve gone out a couple of times. That’s all. But who knows what might happen in the future.” She added the last part hoping to ward off any rising interest from Lilly.
But the words felt foul on her tongue. Why? After all, Ryan had even invited her to his farewell brunch at his father’s place. Wasn’t that enough of a sign that he might be thinking of seeing her later?
Bianca bit her tongue, and the sharp pain brought her back into reality. Good. She couldn’t keep dwelling on what the future holds. It’d surely figure out itself. Why can’t I follow my usual mantra of que sera, sera?
Lilly licked her lips. “Does that mean Jake is fair game? I know he’s been fooling around with Scarlett, but I always had the impression he only had eyes for you.”
Jake? Was Lilly interested in Bianca’s affairs because of him? Relief flooded through her. Lilly wasn’t out to seduce Ryan, after all.
She squeezed Lilly’s fingers. “No, don’t worry. Jake and I are never going to date again. But just a word of caution, go slow with him. He’s a player.”
Lilly giggled. “I know. That’s what I like about him.”
Bianca watched Lilly’s freckled nose pull into a little wrinkle as she laughed.
She could understand what Lilly meant. Bianca used to like the unattainable kind of men. The ones that lied to her, took advantage of her and toyed with her heart.
She threw a side-glance at Ryan who was still conversing with the mayor about the new retirement home the town had decided to build.
Her heart stuttered. How could she ever fear that Ryan belonged to the same category? By now Bianca had realized her mistake. Ryan had always been honest with her. He never made a promise he didn’t keep. He might not have sweet-talked Bianca the way some of her previous boyfriends did, but she could be sure that once he said something about his feelings, it would be true.
She stifled a groan. But when was Ryan finally going to say something about them?
Ryan must have noticed Bianca’s glance, because he turned to her with a raised brow.
The mayor also blinked into their direction. “What were you speaking about with Lilly, Bianca? I always worry when I hear my daughter whisper.”
Lilly huffed. “Oh, Pa. Don’t embarrass me in front of the others.” She waved toward the entrance. “Shall we go inside? I hear the music has already started.”
Lilly was right. From inside, a soft guitar melody could be heard.
Ryan wrinkled his forehead. “Is there live music tonight? The Sapphire Blues is playing?” His voice was off-key.
Lilly shook her head. “No, Pa booked some other musicians from Windrows Creeks. This way Jake and his band can enjoy the evening like all the other guests.” She winked at Bianca.
“That’s very generous of you, sir. I’m sure the guys will make the best use of their time.” Bianca forced herself to smile at the mayor. She was, after all, The Sapphire’s manager, and as such the Band was her responsibility. A good boss shows gratitude when her employees are treated well.
Ryan’s gaze darted to her face. Bianca’s cheeks warmed. He couldn’t know that Jake had been to her house that night. So why was he staring at her like that?
Ryan turned away and said, “Yes, Mr. Mayor, you’ve made a good choice. I’m curious to get to know the members of the band better.”
The mayor clapped his hands. “Excellent. Then let’s move inside. I need to start the welcome speech.”
Chapter 26
Ryan stood behind Bianca, resting his hand on her waist. The mayor’s speech had been going on for several minutes now. All the guests were gathered in front of the podium built to the left side of the large hall.
Ryan’s fingers played with the ruffles on the back of Bianca’s dress, while his gaze was fixed on her nape. It was the first time she had pulled her hair back into a bun since they’d met.
Ryan found her bouncy curls adorable, but he had to admit that this elegant updo suited her as well. Once they were inside, she had taken off her stole, and her bare shoulders and delicate neckline were now glowing in the golden light of the candles.
He inched forward to sniff at her hair. He couldn’t get enough of her scent. It acted as an aphrodisiac on his senses, sending his thoughts on a wild rollercoaster each time he felt it.
Man, how was he going to leave her on Sunday? Would her memory fade away with the physical distance?
He very much doubted that. He still hadn’t come forward with the proposition of Bianca moving to the city. He first needed to ensure that the Welles brothers would be on board with it. If they weren’t, then what was he going to do? He didn’t have much time to decide. Tomorrow he was signing the papers with Signor Celli.
The mayor ended his discourse, and everybody clapped. Bianca’s body vibrated through the movement of her arms, sending tiny heatwaves to Ryan’s chest. Then she turned to him.
“So what did you think? It’s a great idea, isn’t it?”
Ryan gaped at her, his jaw hanging loose. What was she talking about? He hadn’t listened to John McDougall at all. He had been too occupied discerning every tiny protrusion and hollow on Bianca’s flesh.
“Sure, I think the same.” Hopefully, he didn’t just agree to something stupid.
“So you’ll come back for it then?”
“Come back for what?” he asked, alarmed.
He should’ve admitted he wasn’t paying attention.
Bianca furrowed her brows. “To the opening, silly. You’re going to be the guest of honor at the opening of the new retirement home. It’s in three weeks.”
Ryan’s shoulders relaxed. Coming back to Rocky Harbor for a celebration as a guest of honor? It was a great idea actually.
He had been forcing himself to find an acceptable excuse to travel back soon. He didn’t want Bianca to think that he wanted to rush them. He could always visit his father more often, but Robert O’Connor would see through him. Ryan wasn’t ready to discuss his feelings for Bianca with anyone. He couldn’t properly define them to himself.
But an official opening ceremony? That was the perfect pretext.
He smiled at Bianca. “Ah, yes. Of course I’ll be here.”
Bianca’s face lit up. Ryan’s pulse quickened. Was she happy they were going to meet soon? Did it mean these past days were more than just a parenthesis for her?
The musicians started to play a slow waltz-like melody. Bianca’s eyes flashed to the podium.
“Do you want to dance?” Ryan asked.
She pressed her lips together. “I’m not a very good dancer. I like music, but I’d rather listen to it from the corner.”
Ryan raised his brows. “So you come to balls like this without dancing?”
A shy smile tugged at her lip. “Normally, yes. I’ve come till now without a plus one. So it wasn’t that hard to avoid ridicule on the dance floor.”
Ryan reached out and grabbed her palm. “Well, we’re going to change that now, aren’t we?”
He dragged her to the middle of the circular area designated for
dancing. A few other couples were already swaying to the rhythm with slow moves.
Ryan took Bianca’s hand and put it on his shoulder. Then he hauled her closer to him, holding her waist. Her skirt swished against his pants. With the other hand, he took Bianca’s free palm.
Bianca stood in front of him, untypically quiet. She peered at him from under her lashes. She must have put on makeup for tonight, because her eyelashes were more sweeping, veiling her malachite irises partially. Maybe it was for the better. Otherwise her eyes could be bright enough to burn a hole into Ryan’s soul.
He swallowed the lump in his throat and began moving to the beats of the song, pulling her with him. “There, you see. It’s easy…just like…mhm a Sunday morning?”
Bianca’s eyes widened and her lips curled up. “Did you just try to quote a Lionel Richie song to me?”
Ryan wiggled his brows. “I guess I did. I’m sorry my arsenal of music references from the fifties is rather limited. I’m impressed that you recognized it, though. I can’t recall the original lyrics well. Also it doesn’t originate from a pal of Sinatra. I thought you only loved old-fashioned love songs.”
Bianca tapped at his shoulder and laughed. “Old-fashioned? Haha, very funny. And this coming from the guy in a tuxedo dancing to a waltz. Where did you learn to dance like this anyways? Didn’t you say you don’t usually attend events like this?”
Ryan nodded. “I don’t. But my mother thought every gentleman had to have three skills.”
Bianca arched her brows. “Three? Tell me.”
“Courtesy to bring flowers to major events, knowledge to repair minor issues in a house, and the ability to dance a waltz.”
Bianca gleamed. “Your mother had to be a wise woman. I guess I’d have liked her.”
“And she would have adored you.”
Bianca’s breath hitched. “You think?”
Why did he have to say this? Did he scare her? Talking about the approval of the parents wasn’t the lightest topic to touch upon in a blossoming relationship. Best to change the subject quickly.
“Are you maybe thirsty? I could go and get us a drink from the bar.”
Gambling With The Billionaire (Gems 0f Love Book 2) Page 13