“So, what is it?” Gina asked her brothers.
The yacht pitched a little under her feet.
“They’ve got a line on some of the money,” Ross said. “They’re following trails in the Caymans, Singapore and Belize.”
“Well, that’s good news.” She didn’t know why they’d have to warn her about that.
“It’s the first significant movement in months,” Asher said. “They’re boxing him in, and they think he might react to it.”
“He could get desperate,” Ross said.
“Then maybe he’ll make a mistake,” she suggested.
“If he thinks the money’s being threatened—”
Asher jumped in. “They think he might switch to blackmail.”
Ross gave Gina a meaningful look, like he wanted her to fill in a blank. “So...”
Astonishment rose within her. “Are you asking if I can be blackmailed?”
“Can you?”
“No. What is this? Are you actually warning me to hide the bodies?”
“We don’t know what you—”
She cut Ross off. “I can’t be blackmailed, guys. There’s nothing.” She gave a little laugh. “No videotapes of me with married men. No hate-filled rants. No tax evasion. No criminal financial transactions.”
“Good,” Asher said.
“I can’t believe you had to ask me.”
“Gina,” Ross said. “Have you been paying attention for the past year? This family has a whole crap-ton of secrets.”
“Well, none of them are mine.” She thought for a second about Rafe, but Billy could hardly blackmail her over him.
She’d admit to the world she was sleeping with Rafe before she’d pay out a dime to Billy or anyone else. She didn’t care who knew about the two of them. For some reason, it had been a secret at the start, but she couldn’t even remember why anymore.
The door opened behind her and Sarabeth appeared. “I’m ready,” she said breathlessly.
Both men immediately smiled.
“You look wonderful, Mom,” Ross said.
“You’ll knock ’em dead, Sarabeth,” Asher added. “I better get up there.” With a wave, he headed down the corridor.
“The bouquets,” Gina remembered. But behind Sarabeth, the hairdresser was already handing them over.
“You look perfect.” She gave her mom a beaming smile. “I can’t wait to see you come down the staircase.” Then she left down the corridor like Asher.
“I guess this is it,” Ross said, stepping back to look at them both. “Let’s go wow the guests.”
* * *
Some guests were seated, the rest clustered more casually around the edges for the short ceremony, filling the bow of the mega-yacht right to the rails. Rafe stood near the back edge of the crowd, making sure his height didn’t block others from seeing the ceremony.
A curving staircase flowed down one side of the deck space. It was elegantly decorated with white roses, greenery and subtle lighting, creating a bridal pathway with the sun setting far across the bay.
The music came up and the crowd quieted as Gina appeared at the top of the staircase. She started gracefully down, a bouquet in her hands, her pale sea-blue dress caressing her thighs. Rafe’s vision tunneled to her, and everything around him disappeared.
She looked happy as she took the crowd in from one end to the other. Then she spotted Rafe, and her gaze stopped moving. Her lips curved into the softest of smiles just for him. At least it felt like it was just for him.
He started to move toward her but stopped himself just in time.
She wasn’t his, even if he wished with all his heart that she was.
She stepped off at the bottom of the stairs, and the music changed. Everyone’s attention moved from Gina back to the top of the staircase where Sarabeth was on Ross’s arm.
Rafe gave the bride a glance, but then looked back at Gina. She was by far the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, full red lips, rosy cheeks, shiny, thick hair that glowed in the waning rays of the sun. Her bare shoulders shone, and he longed to run his hands over them. He couldn’t wait for the dancing to start so he could hold her in his arms.
The ceremony was brief, and then Brett was kissing Sarabeth. The guests responded with whoops and applause and calls of congratulations as the bride and groom made their way down a center aisle toward the ballroom. Gina followed on the arm of Brett’s best man. Rafe knew it was ridiculous to be jealous. They were simply fulfilling their roles in the wedding. But he couldn’t help himself.
Ross, Charlotte, Asher and Lani fell in behind, and the rest of the guests rose and began to move in a swell from the ceremony to the hall.
Rafe lingered. He knew Gina would have official duties, photographs first, then dining at the head table, maybe making a toast. He planned to wander up to the cocktail bar on the top deck where it was a little quieter and wait his way through the next hour or so. He’d join his brothers for dinner, which he was sure would be off-the-charts delicious, but all he really wanted was to dance with Gina.
As expected, a sensational staff served a cheese-and-candied-nuts starter, followed by a crisp melon salad, a seafood cocktail, and grilled wild salmon with mushroom risotto and baby vegetables, all followed by a tray of delicate mini chocolate truffles with gold filigree. Everything was accompanied by the perfect wine pairings.
Finally, the guests migrated to the lower deck, and it was time for the first dance. A grinning Brett led Sarabeth onto the dance floor. She was radiant and clearly waltzing on air. Rafe couldn’t help but smile at their obvious happiness and the oohs and aahs of the watchers.
Gina joined in then in the best man’s arms. Rafe gritted his teeth, but it was only for the obligatory dance, and partway through other couples took to the floor. He made his move then, easing his way to the edge of the dance floor, successfully timing his arrival to when the song changed and Gina separated from her partner.
She looked up, seeming surprised to see him so close.
“Dance?” he drawled.
“Where have you been?” she asked as she moved into his arms.
The song the band started was thankfully slow, and he drew her close. “Waiting for you.”
“I was looking for you at dinner. I was afraid you might have left.”
He was surprised to hear her say that. “Never. You look stunning, you know.” He chuckled. “You have a mirror, so I guess you know.”
“You like the dress?” she asked.
“I like you in it.”
She drew back and pouted a little.
“And I like the dress.”
“I had to try on about thirty of them.”
“You made a great choice. Sarabeth looks very happy.”
Gina turned to look at her mother. “She is. She so deserves it. They both do.”
Rafe tucked Gina’s head into the crook of his shoulder, lightly feathering his fingers where her upper back was left bare by the strapless dress. “I missed you,” he whispered.
“I missed you, too,” she said. “It’s been a busy week...”
“I’m glad it’s over.” He didn’t know what came next for them, but he desperately wanted it to be something.
“Tonight may go on for a while,” she warned.
“That’s okay. You’re free now. That’s all I care about.”
She tipped back her head and smiled. “I have to help with the cake-cutting later.”
“I suppose I can give you up for that long.” He put on a mock earnest expression. “I mean, I hear tell it’s a really great cake.”
She laughed and bopped him in the arm at the same time.
“Vanilla lemon curd with white chocolate buttercream,” he said.
“You remembered.”
“I remember everything you say to me, Gina. Everyth
ing.”
The song ended and Ross appeared at Rafe’s elbow. “Gina?” he asked, offering his hand.
Rafe’s grip subconsciously tightened, but he knew she could hardly say no to her brother.
He forced himself to let her go and stepped back.
Ross shot him a challenging look that might have made another man back off. But there was no way Rafe was backing off from Gina. Not a chance in hell.
He moved out of the way, but only temporarily, standing a little way back from the dance floor, as Ross and Gina seemed to have a fairly intense conversation.
Lorenzo appeared at his side and handed him a drink that looked like bourbon. “How’s it going?”
“Great.” Rafe didn’t even try to camouflage the frustration in his tone as he tossed the drink back.
His brother nodded in Gina’s direction. “It’s not just business between you two, is it?”
“It’s not just business,” Rafe admitted.
“So, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” That was the truth.
“Are you sleeping with her?”
“Yes.” Rafe was through keeping his feelings for Gina a secret.
“Does her brother know that?”
“Nope.”
“Think he’s guessed by the way you look at her?”
“Maybe.” Rafe had to admit it was a possibility.
“Never thought I’d see that day.” There was a thread of humor in Lorenzo’s voice.
“What day is that?”
“A romance between our two families.”
“You think they’re too good for us?” Rafe asked a question that had been in the back of his mind since that first night with Gina.
“No. I think we’re too good for them.” Lorenzo gave Rafe a clap on the back. “Be careful around her.”
Valencia arrived next to Lorenzo. “Honey?”
Lorenzo immediately wrapped his arm around her waist. His tone went soft. “You want to dance?”
She smiled and nodded.
Rafe took Lorenzo’s empty glass to free him up for the dance floor, then deposited both glasses on a nearby tray. As the band switched songs again, Rafe looked for Gina, only to discover she was dancing with Asher. He settled back to cool his heels, swooping in again just as soon as the song ended.
It was a relief to have her back. He didn’t talk, didn’t ask about either of her brothers, not wanting to break the sensual spell of being in each other’s arms.
The song ended. He was determined not to give her up again. But the MC stepped up to the microphone, and with a flourish he announced the throwing of the bridal bouquet. Claps and cheers came up, and the crowd parted on the dance floor, making space for the single women.
Rafe had no choice but to step to the side with Gina as a cluster of mostly young women moved into the center of the hall, chatting and laughing at the time-honored tradition. Someone came by and grabbed Gina’s hand. She resisted, but another young woman stopped as well, coaxing her to the join the growing crowd.
Rafe backed off to stay out of the way, watching Gina take a position at a far corner of the group. The drummer gave a dramatic roll on his snare drum. Turning her back to the ladies, Sarabeth laughed. Then she tossed the bouquet high in the air.
As it arced in slow motion, Gina’s eyes went wide. She took a step back, almost as if she was trying to get out of the way. But the bouquet landed square in her chest and she seemed to reflexively trap it with her hands.
Rafe couldn’t help but smile at her look of bewilderment.
A figure loomed up beside him—Ross.
“It took me a while,” Ross said as the women clustered around Gina oohing and aahing and congratulating her.
She still looked disconcerted.
Rafe wasn’t going to take the bait. He stayed silent, letting Ross say whatever it was he was here to say.
“To work out why you wouldn’t take the money,” Ross said.
“Didn’t need it,” Rafe responded.
“That’s a lie.”
Rafe shrugged. “Think whatever you like.”
“I am. I do. Why take the scraps when you can latch onto the mother lode?”
Rafe turned to Ross, his eyes narrowing. “Is that supposed to be some kind of a joke?”
Ross nodded to Gina. “You’ve cleverly wormed your way into her life. She even caught the bouquet. You must think it’s going to be smooth sailing to the altar.” Ross’s scowl deepened. “It won’t be smooth. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Back the hell off,” Rafe ground out. He couldn’t believe Ross would accuse him of romancing Gina for her money.
“Sucks to get caught.”
“Leave,” Rafe said. “Now.”
A smug expression on his face, Ross strode away.
“The family’s been through a lot.” It was Asher’s voice on Rafe’s other side.
He twisted his neck, shocked and annoyed to see Gina’s other brother eyeing him up with the same suspicion.
“She’s been through a lot,” Asher continued. “You might want to keep that in mind when you’re messing with her trust.”
“I’m not—” Rafe started to defend himself but clamped his jaw instead. He could protest until he was blue in the face and the Edmond brothers would never listen. They thought they had him pegged.
Rafe glanced around the room, wondering what judgmental thoughts were behind the other smiling faces of the who’s who of Royal.
His gaze came to Gina, and he felt a little better. The cluster of women around her had trickled to three, none that he recognized, so he started her way.
“You never know,” one of the women said to her.
“Your turn next,” another said.
“No, really, there’s nobody, nobody at all,” Gina responded.
“Tradition is tradition.”
“That’s superstition,” Gina countered, then she saw Rafe standing close and guilt flashed across her face.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude that he was the nobody. His chest suddenly felt like lead.
The women spotted him. “Ah, here’s a likely candidate now,” one of them sang out.
Gina’s face flushed a little, and she stammered as she spoke. “He’s...that’s...just...Rafe.”
“Business associate,” Rafe offered to the curious women. He tried to give Gina a smile, but he couldn’t quite pull it off. “Nice catch.” His voice came out cold. “See you later.” He turned away.
“Rafe!” she called behind him.
He didn’t turn back, sped up instead, efficiently crossing the big room as the crowd closed behind him. Then he came out on the deck and headed straight for the closest gangplank, getting off the yacht to make his way down the dock.
He couldn’t believe he’d been so blind. He and Gina were good together, sure. But it was a lark for her, a temporary, fun fling that wasn’t leading anywhere near where he’d wanted it to go.
He might have had an epiphany watching her walk down that staircase with a bouquet in her hands, but that was his take, not hers. At best, she was skipping blithely through their relationship with no thought to the future. At worst, she thought the same thing as her brothers—that he had an interest in her wealth.
It was only a few blocks to the hotel, but he didn’t want to go back there. Rafe didn’t particularly want to be anywhere right now. He shucked his jacket and undid his tie, turning from the parking lot to the boardwalk and the yellow lights spilling out from the row of tourist shops and cafés.
* * *
Gina had rushed after Rafe, regretting her words and hating the way they had sounded. She’d made it sound like he was nothing special, that he wasn’t the most amazing man in the world and that she wouldn’t leap at an offer to spend the rest of her life with him
.
Catching the bouquet had rocked her to her toes. As a young girl, she’d dreamed of catching the bouquet, of the big white wedding that was sure to follow. She’d fantasized of dressing up like a fairy princess and gliding down the aisle of a huge cathedral to meet her waiting groom. In her dreams, the groom had been faceless, a tall, dark man in a fine tux who would whisk her away on a fairy tale.
But the groom had a face now. It was Rafe. And it was the rest of the fantasy that had fallen away. She didn’t care about the gorgeous dress, the flowers or the five-tiered cake. She didn’t care about the crowds of people in the pews wishing them well or about jetting off on a fabulous honeymoon. She wanted Rafe, only Rafe, but she had no idea if he felt the same way.
Gina had been embarrassed by the inference that he might be her future groom, worried he’d feel pushed and prodded into something he wasn’t anywhere near ready to even think about. She’d been so worried that he’d be uncomfortable that she’d stumbled all over herself, protesting far too much.
And now he was gone, obviously gone since she’d checked the entire ship and couldn’t find a single sign of him. Even his brothers didn’t know where he was.
“Gina.” Sarabeth called her name from where she was standing with Brett near the bandstand.
Gina looked over and her mother motioned her forward, pointing at the cake that was being wheeled out on a tray by two waiters. The MC was getting ready to announce the cake-cutting.
“No,” Gina whispered to herself. It would take forever to help hand out cake to all these guests, and she needed to find Rafe.
Her mother motioned her again, looking puzzled by Gina’s lack of response.
With a last look around, she started forward as the MC made the pronouncement and the photographer got into position. She told herself this was her last official act of the night. Next, Sarabeth and Brett would wave goodbye to their guests and leave by private jet on their honeymoon to the Florida Keys.
Still glancing around for Rafe, Gina stood back while the official ceremonial cut was made. Then she moved in and smiled for some pictures. At Sarabeth’s insistence, Ross moved into the frame, then Asher as well, followed by their fianceés. Gina felt like the photos would never end.
Bidding on a Texan Page 16
