by Kate Pearce
The thought of actually seeing Paul again made her pause. Would he bring back some of the worst memories of her life? After her parents had died so unexpectedly, she’d been looking for someone to love, and Paul had seemed perfect—until she’d realized he was all about his own needs and incapable of considering hers....
He hadn’t liked her strength of purpose and ambition, so she’d muted her personality, tried to become the wife he wanted, and lost him anyway because she was no longer a challenge. It had taken her years to reclaim her confidence and appreciate her own adventurous nature again. Seeing him would put everything she’d achieved since he’d left to the test.
Yvonne pushed in her chair and turned off her laptop. When she thought about it like that, she was actually looking forward to it.
* * *
Rio checked his cell again, and pushed open the door into Yvonne’s café. The sweet smell of chocolate and coffee flowed over him, and he inhaled appreciatively. For once, the place wasn’t packed, which meant Yvonne wasn’t behind the counter and Lizzie was. He’d kept to the ranch for almost a week, waiting to hear from her, but apart from a generic glad you got back safely text, she hadn’t suggested they meet up.
It was an unusual experience for him to be the one doing the chasing, but he was enjoying it immensely. A month away from the rodeo circuit was a good reminder that, to most people, he was completely unknown, and just another guy in a cowboy hat. Unlike HW, who had really enjoyed the whole celebrity aspect of being at the top of the standings, Rio had endured it in order to do the thing he loved—ride bulls.
He’d hated the fact that being in the public eye again meant his father could track his movements. Not that the old man had ever indicated that he cared enough to do that, but it still made Rio feel exposed. The publicity surrounding his parents’ long-running and acrimonious divorce had given him a dislike of being thrust into the spotlight, and caused him endless problems at school.
“Hi, Rio!” Lizzie waved at him. “Do you want coffee?”
“That would be great. Is Yvonne around?”
“She’s in the kitchen. Do you want me to give her a shout?”
“If she’s not too busy.” Rio accepted his coffee and leaned against the countertop idly, considering whether he could squeeze in an éclair and regretfully concluding that Ruth’s shepherd’s pie had filled every crevice in his body.
“Hey.”
Yvonne emerged wiping her hands on her apron. A curl of her hair had escaped her bun, and was hanging over her nose. Rio couldn’t help but brush it to one side and anchor it behind her ear.
“You look busy,” Rio said.
She crossed her arms over her chest, which was never a good sign. “I’m always busy.”
“I just wanted to check in with you about our travel arrangements for next week.”
“Oh right! That!”
She sounded way too bright for his liking, as if she’d expected him to talk about something else. He had a fairly good idea what that was, but he wasn’t averse to keeping her in suspense for a few moments longer.
“You sound like you’d forgotten,” Rio said.
“That we’re traveling together in Chase’s plane on Tuesday? I got your text, thanks. I can meet you up at the ranch.”
“Is everything okay?” Rio asked slowly.
“It’s all good.” She huffed out a breath. “It’s just been a busy week and—”
“Maybe you need more sleep?” He nodded gravely. “I can see that.”
She met his gaze. “Are you going to be obnoxious about what happened?”
He tried to look innocent. “Which part?”
“You know darn well which part.”
He smiled. It was glorious seeing her all ruffled and flustered.
“If I’m going to be honest, Yvonne, there are some parts of me that still haven’t recovered, but thanks for asking.”
She took hold of his hand, dragged him through her kitchen and then out into the hallway.
“You disappeared on me!”
“You went to sleep,” Rio protested.
“I didn’t mean to go to sleep. Maybe if you’d told me you were in hot pursuit of some protection I might have managed to stay awake.”
“Who told you I was doing that?” Rio frowned.
“Nancy, of course.” Yvonne sniffed. “You think no one noticed you charging around town like a stallion feeling its oats?”
“A stallion?” He gave her his biggest smile. “I appreciate the compliment.”
“You—” She flapped her hand in his general direction.
“I what?”
“You confuse me!”
“Good.” He kissed her knuckles, and then turned her hand over to kiss her palm. “And right back at you.”
She reluctantly disengaged her hand from his. “I have to work. As I’m going to be away for a few days, I have a lot of extra baking to do so that the café won’t run out of supplies.”
“I understand.” He nodded. “We can talk about this more when we get on the plane.”
“Talk about what?”
“You falling asleep.” He backed away, his hands held up like a hostage. “Next time, I’m going to come prepared, and I’m not leaving until you are one fully satisfied customer.”
“Next time?” For once, she didn’t smile at his lame joke. “Okay, we really do need to talk. I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
She went back into the kitchen, and he didn’t attempt to follow her. He just stood and stared at the swinging door. Had she just shut him down?
He went back through the entire conversation in his head, wondering when it had come off the rails. Had he assumed she wanted him back in her bed? Was she pissed at him because of that, or was it because she’d immediately regretted what had happened and never wanted him to touch her again?
“Ouch,” he murmured. “Was I that bad?”
And why had he even said such a stupid thing in the first place? He didn’t want a relationship with anyone, and yet he’d suggested they carry on where they’d left off. He resisted the temptation to kick something. Maybe Yvonne was on the right track, and the only person who had careened off the rails was him.
Chapter Nine
Yvonne eyed her companion as he strapped into the seat next to her. Chase had the luxury of owning his own plane and had offered her and Rio a seat for the trip back to San Francisco. It was the first time she’d flown on such a small aircraft, and she was slightly nervous.
Chase had taken a seat in the front, and the moment they took off, he opened his laptop, put on his headphones, and got to work. Rio had chosen to sit with her, but was staring intently at his phone. He hadn’t spoken or contacted her since his last visit to her shop. It was hardly surprising, seeing as she’d panicked and walked away from having that meaningful conversation she needed to have with him.
And she had panicked. Seeing him smiling at her had shaken her resolve to either tell him to back off or take things further. She knew things needed to be said—especially now she had to deal with Paul again—but she’d lost her nerve, and that had rattled her even more.
Rio deserved better. From the pleasant but bland expression on his face, it looked like he’d decided he’d take himself out of contention anyway.
“Which hotel is your mother staying in?” Yvonne asked brightly.
He glanced over at her. “The Ritz-Carlton.”
“Nice.”
“Yeah, my father’s paying for it.” He looked down at his cell again. “She has a suite, so I’ll be staying with her.”
“Great.” She waited, but he didn’t ask her any of his usual considerate, thoughtful questions. “I’m at the Omni. Is that close?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know the city very well. You’re probably better off asking Chase.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.”
He returned his attention to whatever it was that was so important, and she worried her lip. When had she become used to him being the on
e to make conversation?
“Is your father staying at the same place?”
This time, he took longer to respond, his calm gaze searching her face before he answered. “I have no idea. He has an office somewhere, and probably an apartment. From what I understand, we’re supposed to meet him at his office complex.”
She reminded herself that this was what she wanted. No flirting, and no involvement while they both concentrated on their respective careers.
For a long while, they both remained silent, the only sound in the cabin the soft click of Chase’s fingers on his keyboard.
“When is your meeting with Priscilla?”
Rio’s soft question made her jump. “It’s tomorrow for lunch at my hotel, and then she’s taking me to their head office for an afternoon of talks.”
He looked down at his cell again and frowned. She had a strange desire to grab it out of his hand, and throw it out the window. Not that you could actually do that on a plane, but she could still fantasize....
“I don’t think I can manage lunch, seeing as I’m taking my mother and half sister out, but if you give me the address, I can probably meet you at their offices for the actual meeting itself.”
Yvonne gaped at him. “You’re still going to come?”
“If you want me to.”
“But we’ve been fighting.”
He raised his eyebrows. “As far as I’m aware, we haven’t actually had a fight.”
“Then why aren’t we talking to each other?”
He shrugged. “Well, for my part, I was trying to respect your obvious wish for me to back off.”
“Oh.” That shut her up pretty damn fast. “Okay then.”
Did she need him? She’d never negotiated a deal involving her own persona and business before, and certainly nothing in this league. Was she going to let her feelings destroy the advantage he might bring her? She took a deep breath.
“I would really appreciate it if you could come with me.”
“Then I’ll come.” He added something to his calendar. “Can you shoot me the address?”
“Sure. And, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the airport, they were shuttled through a discreet and secure exit that made Yvonne feel like a celebrity. Chase spoke to his pilot, and then turned to her and Rio. It was strange to see Chase without his cowboy hat on, morphing into a hard-eyed Silicon Valley millionaire.
“I’m going back to the ranch on Thursday. If either of you want a ride, text me.”
Yvonne stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks so much for this.”
“You’re welcome.” He patted her shoulder. “Now, do you need a taxi to the hotel, or do you want my chauffeur to take you?”
As Yvonne hesitated, Rio joined the conversation with a smile, and a handshake for Chase.
“If it’s okay with you, Yvonne, we can share a cab, and let Chase get on.”
“That would be great,” Yvonne agreed.
“Then that’s settled.” Chase nodded. “Take good care of her, Rio, or my wife will kill me.”
“She can take care of herself, but I get your point.” Rio tipped his hat to Chase and grabbed hold of Yvonne’s carry-on. “Thanks again, and I’ll see you on Thursday.”
Even carrying two bags, Rio was halfway to the taxi rank before Yvonne caught up with him. But then he wasn’t the idiot wearing heels. He glanced back and slowed down, his appreciative gaze taking in her whole frame.
“Sorry. I’m not used to you being all glamorous.”
She grimaced down at her poor cramped toes. “I’m obviously not used to it either.”
The one good thing about her heels was that she was now at his eye level. Or was it good because now she had no excuse not to stare at him?
He helped the cab driver get the bags in the trunk and came to sit beside her in the rear of the taxi.
“I’ll get the driver to drop you at the Omni first, okay?”
“Thanks.” She wasn’t that familiar with the city, having mainly spent time at the tourist spots and in the excellent shops. “If your mom wants to go shopping before I leave, let me know and I’d be happy to take her around.”
“That’s very kind of you. I’ll see what she wants to do.”
Yvonne looked out of the window as they exited the airport and approached the mass of moving cars on the freeway. She’d once enjoyed living in a city, but she couldn’t see herself doing it again. She’d come to appreciate fresh air, and the value of a settled community.
Rio eased one arm along the back of the seat as they bumped over some unfinished pavement. He smelled his usual delicious self. Yvonne had to fight the urge to lean in and nuzzle his neck, maybe even lick or bite him just a little bit....
She was so hosed.... She heaved a sigh and tried to ease away from temptation.
“Are you okay?”
He was sitting so close that his mouth brushed her ear, sending tremors of sensation down her neck.
“I’m good, thanks.” Yvonne just managed to speak.
“Look at us being so polite.”
“It’s better than fighting or ignoring each other.”
“Yeah, I know.” He looked out his window. “The traffic isn’t too bad today. We should be there soon.”
“I really do appreciate you agreeing to come with me to the production company.”
“It will be interesting to visit that part of my life again and see if I remember how it works.”
“I can’t quite imagine you in a suit working in a city,” Yvonne confessed.
“I was a different person back then. I was still trying to impress my father. Eventually I learned that would never happen, so I stopped trying and walked away from it all.”
“Was it hard to do that? Did you miss anything?”
“It wasn’t as easy as I’d thought it would be.” He hesitated. “I disappointed some people along the way—people who’d helped my career, and who supported me despite my father. I didn’t make my decision and take the time to wind things up properly—I just up and left one day. That wasn’t fair.”
“Sometimes you have to break things to get to be the person you need to be,” Yvonne said. “That’s what my ex, Paul, told me anyway.”
Rio glanced down at her. “Did he break you?”
“At first I thought he had. But, as time went by, I realized a weight had been lifted from my shoulders and that I was finally free to be myself.”
Rio frowned. “He stopped you from being yourself? I can’t imagine that.”
“Paul didn’t like me being too bossy, or opinionated, or too . . . determined. He wanted a wife who would put him and his needs first.” She paused. “Not that there is anything wrong with that if both partners agree.”
“He sounds a lot like my father.”
“For a long time after he left, I felt like it was all my fault. That I’d signed up for that life with him, and then I’d changed and wanted more. He said that when we moved back to California I became more demanding and argumentative. Maybe I did. Maybe when I reached my home state I felt more sure of myself than I did in France.”
“According to my mother, marriages are, or should be, a series of compromises where both parties are willing to step up or step back in order to keep the other partner happy.”
“Your mother sounds a lot like Ruth Morgan.”
“Yeah. I think they’d get on like a house on fire.” His fingers trailed over her shoulder until they cupped her cheek. “You are an amazing person. Paul was a fool not to recognize that in you, and appreciate your strength.”
The quiet sincerity of his words sank into her soul, and she hurriedly tried to keep things light.
“You don’t think I’m bossy and opinionated?”
“In my eyes, those are some of your plus points.”
“Then what don’t you like about me?”
A smile kicked up the corner of his mouth. “Your determination and resolve?”
“You mean my resolve not to get involved with you?”
“That’s the one. For the record, I also admire your extreme adulting skills.” He glanced out of the window. “We’re almost at the hotel. Make sure you’ve got all your stuff.”
* * *
After settling Yvonne in her room, Rio decided to walk to his mother’s hotel, which was on Stockton and, according to the map on his cell, not that far away. Sitting in a plane and a cab up close and personal with the woman of his dreams meant he needed some exercise to clear his head. It was supposed to be warm in the city, but the shadows from the higher buildings sometimes made the streets below both cold and dark.
It was amazing how quickly he adapted to the rules of the city again, speeding up his pace, dodging oncoming pedestrians, and crossing the busy roads where the trolley car cables beneath the ground hummed and rattled their own unique San Francisco song. He’d spent his last six months in the United States working in the city before he’d bailed.
Despite that, he hadn’t lied when he’d told Yvonne he didn’t know the city well. When he’d worked for his father, he’d barely taken any time off, and regularly spent eighteen-hour days at his desk or in meetings. He shuddered at the thought of returning to that life now. Sure, he’d earned a fortune, but he’d been so busy he’d never had time to enjoy the money or even have a social life.
Risking his neck on a bull was way more exciting and required every drop of his courage, ability, and luck. Crushing business competitors and dirty tricks had never sat well with him. His father had jeered at him for having a conscience, but he didn’t regret that part of him at all—the honest part his father had tried, and failed, to break.
He entered the fancy lobby of the Ritz-Carlton and made his way to the concierge. Within minutes, he was on his way up in the elevator to one of the penthouse suites at the top of the building. His father must really want something badly if he was willing to treat his first and most hated wife so well.
“Meu filo. My son!”
His mother, Isabelle, was waiting for him at the door of the suite, her arms flung wide. For a moment, he allowed himself to be held, petted, and fussed over, even though these days he had to bend down to receive his blessings. She smelled of her favorite Chanel perfume and home.