Page 26 of Rio

“Why, hello there,Judge.”I drop a nod, and try hard not to fixate on her lips, or her smoky eyes—charcoal liner blended with warm bronze.Damn if she doesn’t look irresistibly seductive.My heart thumps inside my rib cage, and my nerves begin to fray, a feeling as unfamiliar as failure.My cocksure charm and easy banter abandons me and I’m uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

Luckily, Dex comes to my rescue.“Can I get you a drink, brother?”

“Thanks, but no.I was having drinks with the guys from the meeting, across the road.”I vaguely wave in the direction of the street.

“You had a meeting here, in Miami, the same time that Dex and Dani are here, on a weekend?”Raquel’s champagne flute still dangles from her hands.I keep an eye on it, in case she wants to throw it at me, such is the hatred flowing out of her gaze.

“You think I’m making this up?”I chuckle, running a hand across my beard.I catch the way she stares, the way she examines my face.Inch.By.Inch.

She’s missing me.I know it.“Oh, princesa.”I whip out a business card from my pocket.“Andre Berloni.The guy I had a meeting with.He and a few others are still there.Call him.”

I venture a glance at Dex, who looks wide-eyed.I bet he’s thinking, “What the fuck?”

“Sit down, Rio.Don’t be a stranger.”Dani seems to have bought my ruse, but Raquel snatches the card from my fingers, whips out her cell phone, and calls the number.I ease into the booth, next to Dex, watching her directly opposite me.

I know this woman.So well.

She gives me a let’s-see-how-you-wrangle-your-way out-of this look.“Andre?”

I smile.

Her gaze fixes on me.“This is going to sound insanely crazy, but, did you have drinks with someone just now?A business meeting?”She’s clever.She doesn’t give him the name.

Dex looks like he’s seen a ghost.Dani looks perplexed.I casually adjust the sleeves of my jacket, biding my time.I know Raquel.I know she doesn’t trust or believe.I came prepared.

“You did?Uh-huh.Oh.It was?Thank you.”She hangs up, resentment oozing off her.“Andre sends his regards.”

I chuckle.“You had to check, huh, princesa?”

Dani laughs.“Raquel, give the man a break.”

Dex is silent, but his eyes fill with a million questions.

That was the best use of a hundred dollars ever.

“I left the guys early, and figured I’d swing by and toast the happy couple, again.”I glance at Dex who is still silent, but he lifts one brow, probably wondering what trick I’ll come up with next.

Raquel picks up her glass, murmurs, “How convenient,” and drains it dry.Her voice is satin and silk.Smooth as honey, sweet as molasses.The looks she’s giving me though, are anything but.

“You look well,” I say, giving her an easy smile.

“And you look ...the same.Still allergic to reading the room, I see.”

I’m loving this.I miss the way we spark and converse with each other.“Ouch.No warm welcome?”

Those lips I adore press into a tight line.

“I’m glad to see that you’re well,” I say carefully.“I got worried, especially when you didn’t text back all those times.”

“I did text you,” she retorts.“To tell you how right I was to stay away from you.”

“I was thrilled to hear from you at long last, despite sending you million messages and getting cold-shouldered.”I lean towards her slightly, see her eyes flash, and her mouth twitch.She’s trying not to get riled up, but the fact that I can rile her up, feels good.

I yearn for another night of strip poker.

Dani cuts in.“This champagne really hits, huh?”

Dex clears his throat.“We, uh...should probably give you two a moment.”