All That I Desire Read Online Free

cautiously drinking her water.
     The man couldn’t even take time to finish his meal. Was he that against love?
    “Rio needs to take time to have a little fun.” Sierra made a face. “He knows he has
     competent men, but he personally checks the perimeter of the house nightly before
     he allows himself to go to bed.”
    “He’s a man who takes his responsibilities seriously,” Blade said. “I’m glad to have
     him.”
    “I’ll always be thankful to him, and to you, Shane, as well,” Mrs. Grayson said softly.
    Shane tipped his head.
    Skylar got the feeling that she was missing something, but then Blade’s chef entered
     the room rolling a glass-topped silver cart. She felt worse on seeing huge slices
     of lemon pie, probably as delicious as they looked. The meringue was at least six
     inches high. Rio had missed his dessert. She didn’t like the idea of him going without.
     She’d just have to do something about it.
    *   *   *
    Two hours after he’d left the dining room, Rio entered the house again. He’d checked
     with each sentry posted on the grounds, those in the guardhouse, and the ones by the
     drawbridge that was always down.
    Rio’s foot hit the bottom step of the stairs. He stopped, sensing more than seeing
     a small figure going up the stairs. Even in the dim light from the wall sconce at
     the top of the flight, he recognized the tantalizing shape of the woman he’d been
     trying to forget.
    “What are you doing?”
    Skylar shrieked, whirled around, and lost her balance. He quickly covered the distance
     and caught her by the arm to keep her from falling. She stared up at him with wide,
     frightened eyes. He tried not to notice the heat of her tempting body burning though
     her thin pink robe and gown, and failed miserably.
    “I asked you a question.”
    She moved the cloth-covered plate closer to his face. “It’s lemon pie. You—you didn’t
     eat dessert. I—I thought you might be hungry. I was going to leave it outside your
     door.”
    Lemon pie wasn’t what he wanted. Looking into her beautiful eyes that had gone from
     frightened to needy, he realized he wouldn’t even have to ask. She was his for the
     taking.
    He took the pie from her unsteady hands. “Go to bed. Now.”
    Skylar turned and ran up the stairs. He didn’t move until he heard her door open and
     slam shut. That’s right, keep running for both our sakes.
    *   *   *
    In her room, her back pressed against the door, Skylar’s breathing was as off kilter
     as her heart rate. She hadn’t expected to see Rio. As she’d told him, her plan had
     been to leave the pie by his door.
    Initially he’d scared her. She’d quickly become embarrassed because she’d been in
     her thin nightgown and robe. However, as he held her against his strong, coiled body,
     fear and embarrassment had turned to a growing need to press closer to his arousing
     warmth.
    She gulped.
    Just before he’d taken the pie from her and told her to go to bed, she’d finally seen
     emotions swirling in Rio’s dark eyes, a fiercely burning desire that made her shiver,
     her skin heat. Yearn.
    She shivered again. She might have taken on more than she could handle.
    *   *   *
    The next morning, Skylar wasn’t surprised not to see Rio at breakfast. She was almost
     glad. She wasn’t sure she was ready to see him again. She was still a bit unsteady
     from the night before. If the man could shake her that much with a look, what would
     happen if he kissed her?
    “Skylar, are you all right?”
    Skylar jumped and stared at Sierra, who stood by the open back passenger door of the
     SUV that would take them to the airport to board their private jet. From the odd way
     Sierra was staring at Skylar, she must have zoned out. “Sorry, I have a lot on my
     mind.”
    Sierra glanced behind her. “I’ll say.”
    “Call me when you finish the recon,” Rio said.
    Skylar’s gaze snapped back to Sierra, but she was already getting in the SUV