by Reese Ryan
“I’ve got it covered.”
She popped the trunk and took out an old blanket she kept in the car, just in case.
“I should’ve known you would’ve come prepared.” He chuckled.
Audra opened the door and started spreading the blanket on her side. It was long enough to cover Darius’s seat, too, while leaving their seat belts and the central panel with the gearshift exposed.
They got buckled in and she headed toward their rental homes, riding mostly in silence.
“You’re not actually interested in that guy, are you?” Darius asked suddenly.
The question took her by surprise.
“Like you said, what right do you have to be concerned about who I’m interested in?” She maintained her forward gaze.
“None.” Darius heaved a sigh. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about you, Audra. I want the best for you. I always have.”
“And who made you the determiner of what’s best for me?” She glanced at him briefly before returning her eyes to the road. “Tripp is a perfectly nice guy, from a perfectly nice family. He’s a fourth-generation rancher, and his parents recently turned the business over to him.”
“So he’s wealthy and from a good—” he used air quotes “—family. Does that mean he can’t be a creep? In my experience, that’s the dude with the murder room in his basement.”
“You have experience with that, do you?” She rolled her eyes as she turned into the Pine Valley community and the guards waved them through the gates. “Well, in my experience, one guy is just as untrustworthy as the next. It’s just a matter of playing the odds and hoping you win.”
“You deserve better, Audra. Better than Tripp or me.” Darius’s voice was faint. Almost as if he’d said the words to himself and she just happened to overhear them.
“Am I supposed to be flattered that you’re so concerned about my well-being that you’ve appointed yourself the judge of who is good enough for me and who isn’t?” Her voice was suddenly tense. She clutched the steering wheel as she swung into the driveway of her rental and parked in the attached garage.
Audra turned off the engine and turned to face him. “If you’d really cared, you would’ve stuck around. Or at least been honest about why you left.”
Darius grimaced. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again.
Figures.
“It doesn’t really matter now, does it?” It hurt that he wouldn’t even put in the effort to make a good excuse. Or, heaven forbid, finally tell her the truth. “Good night, Darius.”
She stepped out of the car and shut the door much harder than she’d intended to.
Darius climbed out of the car, too. He removed the blanket from her leather seats and folded it.
“Despite how the day ended, I enjoyed working with you today, Audra.”
“Same,” she murmured begrudgingly.
He handed the blanket to her. “Thanks for the ride. Good night.”
Darius walked out of the garage and across the lawn that separated their driveways.
Audra punched the button and watched as the garage door lowered, her eyes burning with tears.
* * *
Lulu opened the door of her hotel room at the Bellamy and looked either way. The hallway was clear of her costars, the camera crew and the numerous people who worked behind the scenes of the show.
She slipped out of the door, closing it behind her and hurrying to the elevator, relieved to make it to the lobby without encountering any of the show’s staff.
She headed away from the main entrance, toward an obscure side entrance where her ride service was waiting.
Lulu adjusted her shades and tugged the sloppy beanie hat further down on her head as she slipped into the back seat of the car.
When the car dropped her off at the requested address, she got out, propped her leather backpack on her shoulder and tipped the man generously. When he drove away, she walked a few doors down to her actual destination.
Lulu climbed the stairs to the front door of the brick home painted beige. The fabric awning, shutters and wide front door were dark green, complementing the greenery in the landscaping.
Lulu sucked in a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
The door opened and Kace stood there staring at her. One side of his mouth curled in a sexy grin that made her want to climb him like a five-foot-eleven tree and have her way with him.
“About time you showed up.” He swung the door open wider, allowing her to step inside.
“Don’t get cocky, cowboy. Just because I’m here, it doesn’t mean I’ll stay.” She stood along the wall, her arms folded as she surveyed the space. She’d been there before, but at the time she’d been too preoccupied with tearing off Kace’s clothes to pay attention to the wallpaper and drapes.
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a sly grin.
“And you did not know I’d come here.”
He didn’t acknowledge her objection. “The lasagna will be done shortly. I was just about to heat up the dinner rolls.”
He led her through the house into the formal dining room where he had two places set.
“You did expect me.” Lulu turned to him in amazement.
“I certainly hoped you’d come.” He shrugged, an almost sheepish smile on his handsome face as he raked his hands through his brown mop of curls, still damp from the shower. “Belief can be a powerful thing.”
“My grandmother used to say that.” She smiled faintly.
“A wise woman,” Kace said as he took her backpack and jacket. He placed them in one chair and pulled out another for her.
“I’d prefer to help in the kitchen, if you don’t mind.” She inhaled the fresh, clean scent of his soap.
He led the way to the kitchen, and they chatted while she cut up vegetables for their salad.
“This is such a beautiful, charming old home.” She glanced around the space. “When was it built?”
“Back in 1925. It belonged to my grandparents. My grandmother left it to me. I’m the only child of their only child,” he said, “so the competition wasn’t very stiff.”
She laughed. “Did they do all of this updating to the place, too?”
The house was filled with character and original features like the marble fireplace hearth, hardwood floors and beautiful French doors. But it had lots of modern conveniences, too, like a beautiful kitchen island with seating and stainless steel appliances.
“No, that was all me. I started with the kitchen and I’ve been doing one room at a time until I’m finished.”
“It’s beautiful, and it’s nothing at all like I would’ve expected your place to be. But for that matter, you’re nothing at all like I would’ve expected, either.”
He slipped one arm around her waist and cradled her cheek with the other hand. “Neither are you, Lulu Shepard.” He pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her mouth.
Lulu wrapped her arms around his back, still slightly damp through his soft cotton T-shirt. She lifted onto her toes, trying to close the remaining gap between their heights in her three-inch heels.
There was something in Kace’s kiss that sparked a fire within her and sent shivers down her spine. Her body instantly reacted to his touch. Her nipples beaded and she ached for him.
Kace backed her against a wall, his hands roaming over her curves as his kiss grew more demanding. Her heart thumped harder and her pulse raced as his tongue glided against hers and he gripped her bottom, pulling her body tighter against his hardened length.
“I don’t think I have to tell you how much I want you,” he whispered against her skin as he trailed kisses down her neck.
He grabbed the edge of her short knit dress and inched the hem up over her hips.
Suddenly, the oven’s buzzer sounded.
Kace blew out a frustrated breath an
d pressed another kiss to her lips. “We’ll finish this later.”
Lulu could only manage a nod. She lowered the hem of her dress, her heart still racing and her chest heaving as she caught her breath.
Kace took the lasagna and rolls out of the oven and took them to the table. She followed with the salad and bottle of wine.
They actually managed to make it through the meal—laughing, chatting and shamelessly flirting—before he took her to bed and made love to her.
They lay together in the dark, her cheek pressed to his chest and her leg entwined with his. She was in heaven. And she’d like nothing better than to lie in his arms all night. But it was late, and she needed to get back to the hotel before someone came looking for her.
Lu lifted her head and placed a kiss on his stubbled chin. “I’d better go.”
“Don’t leave. Please. Stay.” He cradled her cheek.
“You know why I need to leave.” She ran her fingers through his soft, damp hair. “The last thing either of us wants is for the cameras to capture my ‘walk of shame’ in the morning.”
“I’m not ashamed of what we have together, Lu. Are you?”
“No, of course not. I just didn’t think you wanted everyone to know your business.”
“I don’t.” He shrugged. “But I do want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Kace raked her hair to one side so he could get a clear view of her face in the light coming from a bedside lamp. He pressed another kiss to her mouth as he glided his hands up her bare back.
“Does that mean you want...are you asking me—”
“I’m completely enamored with you, Lu. I want to be with you. Just you. And the thought of another man touching you this way drives me insane.” His intense gaze met hers. “I don’t want to creep around town, pretending we can barely stand each other. I want to take you out for a night on the town. Because that’s what you deserve.”
He kissed her again, and she could swear she was melting into a puddle of goo.
“Why?” She pulled back from his kiss, her eyes searching his. “Why do you want to be with me, Kace?”
His eyes widened, as if he was shocked that she needed to ask. “Because I see you, Lulu. All of you. You’re strong and kind and brave. You’re compassionate. You’ve got an incredibly big heart. There’s so much more wit and depth than you show people on TV each week. I wish everyone could see you the way I do.”
Tears welled in her eyes, her vision blurring. She couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Her heart felt as if it were swelling inside her chest.
Lulu pressed her mouth to his.
For the first time in a long time, she felt truly seen by a man. Kace could see through all the pretense and bullshit. He appreciated and wanted the woman she was when they were alone, and the hot lights and cameras were turned off. Without the makeup and all of the trappings of the Secret Lives lifestyle.
He just wanted her. And she wanted him, too.
She had no intention of leaving this bed tonight. Maybe ever.
Ten
Darius had spent the entire morning on one video conference or phone call after another. They’d tweaked the fall line, decided on which garments would be worn together and in which colors. Now they were deciding which of the models engaged for the show should wear each outfit.
The doorbell rang and the delivery person handed him the package he knew contained the prototypes of the swimsuits he’d designed for the show.
He tossed the package on his desk and kept working. He was always a little nervous to see his creations come to life for the first time. There was something amazing about holding a garment in his hand that he’d conceived from beginning to end. If it hit the mark, it was an incredible rush. If it didn’t, it was a mentally exhausting letdown. Right now, he couldn’t afford either. He needed to stay focused on the job at hand.
Two hours later, he and the team had decided which model would wear each look and the order in which the models would appear. They’d given the swimsuit designs tentative placement in the lineup, until he had the chance to examine each garment and determine if they met the Thr3d standards—both functionally and aesthetically.
Shortly after the conference call, his cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Darius, hi. It’s Sophie. I got your number from Kellan. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not.” He looked up from his laptop where he’d been scrolling through a list of potential music for the runway show. “What can I do for you, Sophie?”
“I don’t know how long you plan to be in town, so I wanted to squeeze in some time for us to get to know each other.”
“Sure,” he said absently. “I’d like that, too.”
“I’m going horseback riding at my friend’s ranch on the edge of town tomorrow afternoon. Have you ever been horseback riding?”
“No, Sophie,” he said patiently with a small chuckle. “It’s not a popular activity in Central LA, where I grew up.”
“Right.” Sophie laughed nervously. “Well, I know you’ve probably been working like crazy. But I was hoping you could spare a couple of hours to go riding with me.”
“I don’t know, Soph.” The nickname came out without thought. It felt natural. “Tomorrow, I’m simulating a run-through of the entire runway show. I’m not sure I’ll be done by early afternoon. My team is a couple of hours behind me in LA.”
“When we were volunteering on Saturday, you said yourself that everything is pretty much set for the show. That you’re just making yourself crazy by going over every single detail again and again,” she reminded him.
He had said that. Note to self: learn to keep your big mouth shut.
“C’mon, Darius, it’ll be fun. I promise,” she continued when he didn’t respond. “And it’ll give you a chance to explore Royal a bit more. You can’t spend your entire stay here locked away in that house. Besides, a little fresh air and brisk activity is good for the creative process. It always spurs new ideas for me or helps me find a solution to whatever design issue I’m trying to tackle.”
So this is what it’s like to have a little sister.
He could just imagine how Sophie had worked the sad voice and big puppy dog eyes when she was a kid. No wonder Kellan said she had him and Vaughn wrapped around her pinkie finger.
“All right, Sophie. You’ve convinced me.” He leaned back in his chair and glided a hand over his stubbly head. He made a mental note to run a razor over it in the morning. “I’ll be there. Just text me the time and location.”
“I’ll send you a text message shortly.”
He could practically hear the victory grin in Sophie’s voice when they said their goodbyes.
Darius stood and stretched, walking around the desk. He pressed the heel of his palms to his eyes. Honestly, he could probably use the time away from his computer. He was beginning to go cross-eyed and his brain was in a fog.
Perfect time to shift gears.
Darius opened the package with the four swimsuits. He held each garment up to the light and examined it carefully, testing whether the material was opaque enough. Then he took each individual suit and stretched the material in all four directions.
Everything looks good.
He heard a splash and walked over to the window. It was Audra’s first swim since their argument.
He was glad she’d resumed her swimming. Audra had been on her high school and college swim teams and she loved the water. She was practically a mermaid. He hated being the reason she stopped doing something she loved so much.
For her, swimming was moving meditation. She worked her problems out as her hands and feet sliced through the water.
Darius couldn’t tear himself from the window. He’d always found watching Audra swim hypnotic and calming. In some small
way, she was part of his life again. At least for as long as they were both in Royal.
* * *
Darius climbed into his newly rented SUV and drove to Magnolia Acres, as Sophie had directed. Apparently, a longtime friend of his siblings’ mother owned the ranch, located on the edge of town.
He’d almost canceled their appointment when Sophie mentioned that Dixie Musgraves—the owner of both the ranch and the home Audra was renting—had been her late mother’s best friend. Wouldn’t the woman resent him—the product of an affair Buckley Blackwood had behind her best friend’s back?
Sophie assured Darius that Dixie didn’t blame him for their father’s indiscretions. None of them did.
He hadn’t been completely convinced, but Sophie was persistent. And there was something about her that made him hate the idea of disappointing her.
So here he was.
Darius parked and climbed out of the black luxury SUV. Unsure what constituted appropriate horse-riding gear, he’d worn his broken-in jeans, a plaid shirt layered over a performance T-shirt and a pair of Thr3d hiking boots. It was a beautiful afternoon; sunny and temperate for March.
He approached the open stables, but no one seemed to be around. “Sophie!” he called.
A couple of the horses looked at him, while the rest seemed unimpressed by his arrival. He couldn’t help stopping to stare at them. He’d never been this close to a horse before.
They were beautiful, majestic animals. And much larger than he’d imagined. Even at his height of six-two, the horses’ heads towered over his.
After fifteen minutes, he checked his watch. It was ten minutes past the time he and Sophie had agreed to meet.
He’d rearranged his day, started early and gotten nearly everything completed before leaving the house just so he could be here. But if Sophie was just blowing him off, there were tons of things he could be doing instead.
“I’m sorry I’m late, but I was out by the creek on the other end of the ranch doing some sketching and lost track of...” Audra hurried into the stable, breathless, then caught sight of him. “Darius? What are you doing here?”
