Family Stone Holiday Box Set: (including Stone Cold Heart, Carved in Stone, and Heart of Stone) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense)

by Lisa Hughey

  “You totally just lied to me.” The veneer of his charm slipped exponentially as she opened her mouth to lie again.

  Di frowned, her brown sugar brows cranked into a V and her body morphed into supplication. “I need to go with you.” It was probably as closed to begging as she got. She still worked that haughty disdain, it was likely ingrained, but he was pretty sure she was so busy trying to get him to agree to let her go that she wasn’t thinking about the attitude she projected.

  “Look, hotshot. The last school gets two pallets delivered. It’s bigger than the other schools.” Her body language screamed distress, as if something catastrophic would happen if she was sidelined. For a brief moment, Riley was distracted by the almost pathological need to soothe her. And he had to wonder, again, what was so important that she would put herself in possible danger.

  “Okay,” he said slowly. Two pallets for one school. Why didn’t she just say say so earlier?

  Riley still thought something was off. He knew there was nothing more controversial than sharp pencils contained in the various shrink-wrapped pallets. He’d inspected the contents of her shipment himself, just to make sure, because she’d been so insistent that she had to come on this trip. Riley had been suspicious from the get go. But he’d found nothing subversive or potentially worrisome, so what the hell was going on? “Then why are you so—”

  “My contacts are suspicious of strangers,” she said almost desperately. “They’ve been tricked by soldiers and governments before.”

  Inside, Riley jolted but he carefully kept his face impassive. He wasn’t just delivering the school supplies. He had another secret mission for Stone Consulting, which was to get as much intel on the actual sentiment in the villages about the newly minted peace accord and whether or not it would succeed. To ferret out if the Philippine government was as accepting of the accord as they appeared. To find out if the MNLF really intended to stick to the terms or if the current agreement was just a ploy to buy time before they launched another offensive against the reigning government.

  So in a sense, he was deceiving the population. And if her contacts were already skittish, he might not be able to learn as much as he needed to make the report worthwhile.

  Riley analyzed the pros and cons of making the rest of the journey without her. And he came to the uncomfortable conclusion that he needed her to come along.

  But he wasn’t about to let Diana know that he needed her.

  Fine. You can go.” He acted as if he were doing her a favor rather than using her to advance his own personal agenda. He used his charm voice and his standard smile to attempt to put her at ease.

  But instead of her normal reaction to his attempted charm, she released her breath and smiled. “Thank you.”

  Which told him he was right. He couldn’t trust her.

  Four

  The next morning, Di waited in the De Mazenod Hotel lobby for Riley. She still wasn’t sure what had happened yesterday. She’d seen the calculation and the temper simmering in his gaze. He’d been one minute away from shoving her back on that plane.

  Even now, she was figuratively holding her breath. Shane and Ethan hadn’t left yet. They needed another few hours on the ground before they would be cleared for the return flight.

  Shane and Ethan had to pick up a load of airplane parts from an SAE, Stone Aeronautical Engineering, plant in Manila and then they were heading back to the U.S. It was another reason that GHR had been able to pay for Di’s freight to Jolo. They could piggy back the delivery of her supplies to Jolo with the export of SAE’s goods back to the U.S.

  Shane and Ethan had already left for the small airport but it wasn’t so far away that Riley didn’t have time to get her on the plane back to the U.S. if he so chose.

  Riley had gone from combative to speculative to in a rapid-fire switch. And while she was thrilled that he finally acquiesced, the reasoning behind his agreement was making her nervous. What was he up to? Did she care? He agreed to let her come along. And right now that had to be her main goal.

  “Morning.” His breath puffed along the back of her neck sending a shower of tingles through her traitorous body. Her mind might protest his particular charm, but her body reacted to Riley Stone like he was her crack.

  Di whirled around and her breath backed up in her chest. He smelled of shave cream, soap, and some earthy musk that was likely uber-expensive cologne. Her heart picked up its pace and her body buzzed with a combination of adrenaline and arousal.

  Last night in her room she’d convinced herself that he really wasn’t as attractive as she’d thought. That her body didn’t quiver with longing every time he got up in her personal space, which oddly seemed to happen on a regular basis.

  “You ready,” she asked brusquely, trying to mask her unwilling hunger for him. It was only lust, she dismissed. Who wouldn’t be attracted to such a hot package? Unfortunately, there was nothing behind the gorgeous face and muscled body to warrant more than emotionless passion.

  “We’ve got a schedule to keep.” Riley tapped his extremely complicated looking watch. “Truck is ready and loaded. Let’s go.”

  Di let out an easy sigh of relief. He wasn’t going to try to send her back home.

  ***

  They bounced over a rough road. Riley consulted the GPS on his watch regularly. His hands on the wheel of the truck were loose but steady as he navigated the irregular terrain and barely travelable roads to the first school on their delivery schedule.

  They’d been on the road for about an hour. The cab of the truck had been mostly silent as they ate a Pankaplog breakfast consisting of small bread rolls called pandesal, eggs, and coffee from the tapsihan next to their hotel.

  “So these contacts of yours….” Riley checked the rear view mirror, then the side mirror, then focused on Di. He needed information. “How do you know them?”

  She leaned back against the passenger door, and stared out at the encroaching jungle. “I grew up here.”

  Succinct. To the point and not really an answer. Huh. Was that on purpose?

  “Really?” Riley gripped the wheel tightly as he used brute force to turn the truck to the right. The power steering was either out or hadn’t been invented when the ancient truck was built. On the plus side, the engine ran like a dream, so he couldn’t really complain. “Parents in the military?”

  “Missionaries,” she replied shortly.

  Riley raised an eyebrow at the slightly hostile tone. “Admirable work.” He really couldn’t understand why the animosity. He turned up the wattage on his smile, but it went to waste as she hadn’t looked at him since they had begun their journey this morning. He was determined to draw her out. “Are they still here?”

  “No. They retired to Branson, Missouri. They build houses in the Appalachian mountains every spring.”

  Still apparently dedicating their time to worthy causes. Which still didn’t quite explain how Diana had made her contacts or why she was here.

  “Why school supplies?” Maybe if he could get her talking about her passion, he’d crack the hard shell that isolated her and kept her from engaging with him.

  She was starting to get more involved in the conversation. She’d shifted straighter in her seat, her rigid spine relaxed and her hands moved as she spoke about her company. “The kids frequently get caught in the crossfire of the warring factions on the island,” Di said grimly. “I can’t tell you how many schools have been destroyed by errant bombs or guerrilla fighting in the area.”

  Riley knew all about the problems with village infrastructure becoming collateral damage in wars. “Yeah, I saw plenty of examples of that when I was in the Navy.”

  “Well, this is my contribution to helping the villages maintain stability and procuring supplies for their schools.” Her cheeks had flushed and her eyes were bright as she talked about what Tools for Schools was doing. “Every delivery we make helps these kids have opportunities, helps show these kids that there are other things out there, other w
orlds out there.”

  A commendable goal. And one that Riley was behind one hundred percent. Not that she would believe him if he told her that. But he understood better than she’d ever know about empowering kids.

  “It sounds like you’re doing a lot of good,” he said neutrally.

  Before he could say more, they rounded the bend and came upon the first school on their delivery schedule.

  Di bounded from the truck before he could caution her about sticking with him until he cleared the location. She had been correct that schools were destroyed all the time. Riley needed to make sure this was a safe area first. “Dammit, Di, wait.”

  Riley checked his weapon and vaulted out of the truck but it was already too late.

  Di and a short woman, slim build, and thick straight black hair, were jumping up and down and hugging each other tight. He strode toward the pair. He took a quick glance around just to make sure no danger lurked in the encroaching jungle.

  “Christina Chua, this is Riley.” Di introduced them. “He’s helping me deliver the supplies this run.”

  Christina Chua was clearly a mestizo, mixed Chinese, Filipino and likely some other ethnicities thrown in. She had wide high cheekbones, slightly tilted dark eyes, and a sweet smile as she bowed. “Pleased to meet you, Riley.”

  Riley smiled. “Likewise.” He glanced around, noted the cracked cement pad that lead to the small, one room schoolhouse. Weeds sprouted between the cracks and paint peeled on the metal slats of the converted double wide trailer.

  He felt very exposed and out in the open.

  While Di and Christina caught up, a little boy peered around Christina’s sarong dress and stared at Riley with large brown, heavily-lashed eyes. Riley’s frown softened. When he was assured that it was safe, he beckoned the boy toward the truck.

  The two women were chattering a mile a minute in Tagalog, and so caught up in each other that they were unaware of anything else. Riley holstered his weapon and strode back to the truck. He dragged his duffel from behind the driver’s seat and unzipped it quickly.

  Besides the SAT phone, first aid kit, extra socks, extra pencils, extra magazines for his pistol, and extra shells for his shotgun in his backpack, he’d brought along some gifts for the kids. He continued to monitor their surroundings as he pulled a deflated soccer ball from the bag and a small portable pump. With efficient movements, he began to inflate the ball.

  The little boy grinned, revealing two large gaps where he’d lost his baby teeth. His brown eyes sparkled and his face reflected his happiness. Once the ball was hard enough, Riley tossed the pump back in the bag. He threw the ball in the air and then sent it flying toward the boy with a solid header.

  The little guy laughed and chased after the ball. Once he rounded the other side, Riley made a ‘bring it’ gesture with his left hand, careful to keep his right hand free, and to stay aware of their surroundings.

  The kid kicked the ball hard. Riley stopped it with his chest, let it drop to the packed dirt, and then executed a fancy one-two kick, not too hard and grinned as the boy raced after the soccer ball.

  He was still grinning when he chanced a look at the two women. They stood close together, arms wrapped around each other’s waists, and their mouths hanging open. The local woman radiated sheer approval, but in that moment, Riley could care less. He wanted to know what Di was feeling.

  Di was watching him speculatively, no smile in place. But there was a softness around her eyes that he thought might mean she approved. Riley couldn’t even figure out why he cared. But he was self-aware enough to acknowledge that he did care what she thought of him. Far more than he should.

  Di watched Riley kick the soccer ball back and forth with Christina’s son. Her first, cynical thought was that of course he would charm a small child. But when a big grin lit up his face and his hazel eyes sparkled with sheer enjoyment, she acknowledged that he was engaged purely for the pleasure of both Michael and himself. She forced herself to let go of the instinctive need to belittle his charm. It didn’t speak well of her at all. And the emotion that burned through her chest was shame. She certainly shouldn’t begrudge Riley for thinking of the kids.

  Riley knelt down so that he was eye level with Michael and spoke softly to him. But Di noticed that Riley constantly monitored the area. Even while he was playing with Michael, he kept scanning the school area and the surrounding jungle for threats. She certainly appreciated his diligence.

  “Okay, little man.” Riley stood quickly, his powerful thighs bunched and flexed beneath the cargo pants. He strode to the back of the delivery truck. With efficient movements he opened up the back gate and hopped into the truck. Riley sliced through the shrink-wrap with an efficient and deadly looking knife. Then he began to lift the school’s supplies off the back of the truck. “Have fun with the ball. I’ll play later.”

  She thought about letting him know that several villagers would be along in about fifteen minutes to unload the truck but Di was struck by his rippling arm muscles as he hefted a particularly heavy box of encyclopedias onto his shoulder. Her throat went dry and she swallowed down the urge to moan at the subtle display of his power.

  He wasn’t even trying right now and she was practically melting into a puddle of desire at his feet. She tried to dredge up some scorn, he was posturing, all part of his macho charm machine. But no one was watching except Michael and Di. Christina had gone into the trailer, the single building of this local ‘school’, to make sure there was room to store the boxes before they were unpacked.

  Di decided to fill him in on what was happening, and strode over to Riley. “We have some locals coming to unload the truck if you’d rather wait.”

  “I don’t mind getting started.” Riley shifted the box on his shoulder. “I’d rather get everything into the school before night falls.”

  Di grabbed a smaller box and kept pace with him as they hoofed to the door of the school. “How did you know to bring the soccer ball?”

  Riley shifted his attention to her face before he tilted his head and answered, “Kids need play too. Especially those kids who struggle with the books. They need a place to succeed.”

  Wow. She certainly wouldn’t have thought he’d be that insightful. “Who would have thought Riley Stone was so sensitive?” The mocking words came out of her mouth before she could sensor them.

  “Yeah, well, everyone is full of surprises,” Riley said shortly. “Who would have thought that someone who has the compassion to deliver school supplies to underserved kids could be such a bitch?” He said the words with a smile on his face, his expression didn’t falter, and if she had been watching without sound, she would have had no idea about the sting in his words. That was what he was good at, she reminded herself, putting on an act. But that still didn’t excuse her behavior.

  Remorse filled her. She was being a bitch. What was wrong with her? It wasn’t his fault that his charming exterior pushed all of her bitch buttons. It was her problem not his. “Riley.” Di placed her hand on his bicep to stop him. “I’m sorry.”

  His arm flexed beneath her palm, hot and hard. “Fine.”

  “No really.” God, she felt terrible. “I really am sorry. That was completely uncalled for.”

  “Forget about it.” But he’d turned his head away so that she couldn’t see his face and she was pretty sure that she’d hurt his feelings.

  “Let’s get these supplies unloaded so we can get back on the road,” Riley said coolly. He could have been speaking to a stranger.

  “Ummm, can we stay for dinner?” Di trotted alongside him as he carried the box into the classroom.

  “Traveling on the roads at night isn’t advisable.” Riley swung the box down to the floor in the corner where Christina had cleared an area for the supplies to be stored until she could get them set up in the ‘classroom’.

  The old metal trailer was outfitted with handmade bookshelves, desks that hailed from the early 70s, and an ancient blackboard. Christina had spruced up t
he walls with posters of the alphabet, a world map that was about ten years out of date, and some Dora the Explorer posters. The floor was threadbare carpet repaired with duct tape and the walls were scuffed and marked up. But they had books of all persuasions and Riley knew that besides the encyclopedias, and other reading books, this shipment contained paper and pencils, even some colored pencils.

  “It’s not much,” Di said desperately.

  “This is better than some,” Riley spoke as if from experience. “And with your supplies, they are even better stocked than other schools I’ve seen.”

  “Yes.” She watched him cautiously.

  Her heart burned and she wanted to call back her earlier caustic words and get that easygoing grin back on his face. But she feared that she’d ruined his good mood permanently.

  A commotion from outside clattered into her consciousness. Riley reacted in an instant and removed his weapon from the holster with one fluid movement. He held up his palm, then pressed his arm back against her torso. “Stay here, and take cover behind the desk.”

  That seemed a little extreme. “It’s probably just the men coming to help unload the supplies.”

  “Rules, Di.” He shot her a censorious look. “Probably. But you pay me to protect you from threats.”

  Actually, she didn’t. Another pang of remorse shot through her. GHR was donating so much of their own resources to this mission that she wasn’t paying him a dime.

  Riley stood to the left of the large picture window, moved the curtain slightly with the barrel of the gun to peer outside the small trailer. His hands were capable and strong on the grip and his body was taut with anticipation.

  “Looks like it’s the delivery boys.” After a few seconds, he relaxed and let the curtain drop. “How sure are you about your friends?”

  “They aren’t my friends,” Di protested. “But Christina is my friend and she vouches for them.”

  “And how sure are you of Christina, because for guys who are just here to unload school supplies, they are very heavily armed.” Riley pivoted on his heel. “I go out first.”