Chapter 4 #8
Before Kylee could respond, Kelly’s voice rang out behind them, playful and loud. “Are y’all hooking up or what? We’re ordering drinks!”
Kylee flushed and stepped out from behind the column quickly, shaking her head, pretending to laugh.
Rio followed, slower, his eyes never leaving her.
The lounge was dim and sultry, tucked away behind heavy velvet curtains and lit with amber-toned sconces that cast a low golden glow. Plush leather couches lined the room, and a small jazz trio played in the corner, their music soft and seductive, adding a dreamy haze to the air.
Kylee walked in behind Rio, her heart still pounding from their moment outside.
Kelly had already claimed a spot on one of the couches next to Mason, laughing loudly at something he’d said. She had a drink in one hand and her heels dangling from the other, completely at ease.
Rio turned to Kylee and motioned toward the bar. “Let me get you something. What’s your poison?”
“Surprise me,” she said, her voice a little huskier than usual.
He grinned. “Dangerous words.”
While he ordered, Kylee slid into an open spot on the long couch, feeling her dress ride slightly higher on her thighs. She didn’t adjust it. Let it be so he can crave her more.
Rio returned with two drinks, handing hers over with a wink. She took a sip and blinked. It was sweet, with a strong undercurrent of rum and something spicy. Just like him.
“What is this?” she asked, licking a bit off her bottom lip.
“Dark Desire,” he said with a smirk, sitting beside her. Their knees touched.
Across the room, Kelly was now practically in Mason’s lap, the two whispering and laughing, lost in their own little bubble of heat.
Rio leaned his head a little closer. “Come dance with me.”
She turned to him, raising a brow. “To jazz?”
He laughed softly. “Don’t knock it till you’ve felt my rhythm.”
Kylee’s laugh bubbled up unexpectedly. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Only a little,” he said, standing and offering his hand.
Despite the voices in her head screaming caution, she let her fingers curl into his. He led her to the floor, close enough to the musicians to feel the warmth of the upright bass and the sultry hum of the saxophone.
Rio pulled her gently into him, one hand at the small of her back, the other resting over her hand as they began to sway.
It wasn’t a flashy dance, no wild spins or showy moves.
It was slow. Intimate. His thumb brushed lazy circles against the bare skin of her lower back.
Her chest brushed his with every sway. She could smell his cologne, feel the way his muscles shifted beneath the fabric of his shirt.
The way he looked at her like she wasn’t just a girl escaping her reality for a weekend, but the center of his whole damn world.
As the last notes of the jazz trio faded and the lounge began to fill with new faces, Rio leaned in close to Kylee again, his voice low and deliberate. “Come with me.”
Kylee blinked up at him. “Where?”
“Dinner. Just us.” His lips curled into that smirk again cocky, but somehow still charming. “I’ve had enough of sharing you.”
Before she could talk herself out of it, she found herself nodding. “Let me tell Kelly”
“Mason already knows,” he cut in smoothly. “They won’t miss us.”
With that, he took her hand, weaving her through the crowd and out into the warm, night-soaked streets of New Orleans.
The sounds of Bourbon Street buzzed around them laughter, distant horns, the scent of fried food and something sweet in the air.
But it all faded behind the beating of Kylee’s heart as Rio led her down a quieter side street, where the energy softened and the world felt like theirs alone.
They stopped outside a wrought-iron gate wrapped in ivy, the glow from inside warm and golden.
A discreet host opened it without a word and led them through a courtyard to a secluded corner table tucked beneath a string of lights.
The table was already waiting, candles flickering, wine poured, and the whole thing somehow already too perfect.
Kylee looked around, eyebrows raised. “Did you plan this?”
Rio grinned. “I always have a Plan B in case Plan A gets too crowded.”
She gave him a look. “So… seduction over seafood was the backup?”
“No,” he said, his eyes dancing. “This is the main event. I’ve just been patient.”
They sat across from each other, and the air between them stretched tight like a wire strung between two lit matches. She swirled the wine in her glass, her leg crossing slowly under the table. He watched every move she made, like she was the only thing worth looking at in the entire damn city.
“You’re quiet,” he said finally, leaning back and running a finger along the rim of his glass. “Regret coming?”
She met his gaze and for once, didn’t flinch. “No. I’m just trying not to forget any of it.”
He leaned in slightly. “Then let me give you something worth remembering.”
Kylee's breath caught. She could feel the electricity between them crackling like a storm building. But even now, she couldn’t tell if she wanted him to strike or if she was the one lighting the fuse.
Their food came, rich and indulgent blackened shrimp, buttery oysters, warm bread soaked in garlic and wine.
They talked about everything and nothing, and every time she laughed, Rio’s eyes softened just enough to make her feel like the most fascinating woman on the planet.
Between bites, he reached across the table, brushing her wrist with his fingers. “I know you said you're married,” he murmured, voice low. “But I can’t help thinking… if you weren’t you’d already be mine.”
Kylee didn’t answer right away. The candlelight danced between them, flickering across his jawline, shadowing the heat in his eyes. She swore she could feel his touch even when he wasn’t touching her.
Finally, she whispered, “Another life sounds awfully tempting.”
The night air was thick with humidity and jazz as they walked slowly back from the restaurant, the glow of street lamps casting long shadows across the cobblestone. Rio’s hand brushed lightly against Kylee’s as they moved, fingers almost grazing, the electricity between them undeniable.
“This is our last night together,” Rio said softly, voice low enough that it felt like a secret meant only for her.
He stopped, turning to face her fully, his eyes burning with something fierce and tender all at once.
“What if I could extend your trip? I have a break before my next tour stop. I’d love to spend that time with you. ”
She bit her lip, hesitating. “I can't, I have to get back to Idaho, my kids go back to school, I have to get back to mom life.”
He stepped closer, his voice dropping another octave, almost a whisper. “That’s… sexy as hell, you know?
The way you care for them. I’ve never wanted children myself. But seeing you… it makes me think maybe I missed something.”
Her pulse raced at the admission, the raw honesty. She looked up, meeting his gaze dark, open, intense.
“Maybe,” she said softly, He brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek.
The world around them seemed to blur, leaving only the two of them standing on that warm New Orleans Street, caught in a moment stretched tight with possibility and all the things neither of them dared say aloud.
The SUV glided through the quiet New Orleans streets, headlights casting soft gold against the old brick and iron balconies. Inside the cabin, it was dim, cocooned in silence but for the hum of the tires against the road and the faint jazz drifting from the radio.
Rio’s hand reached across the leather seat, finding Kylee’s without asking.
She let him take it. His grip was warm and firm, fingers lacing through hers like they’d done it a hundred times before.
She stared out the window, heart thudding with that familiar blend of guilt and longing, her thumb absently stroking the side of his hand.
Kylee gave a small smile, but didn’t speak. It was getting harder to pretend her body wasn’t screaming at her to stay.
Rio’s thumb brushed over her knuckles as he added, voice softer now, “I hope you change your mind.”
“I hope you stay longer, even just one more night.” He said simply
Her breath caught. His eyes searched hers, not with pressure or demands, just quiet, honest hope.
“I wish I could,” she whispered.
He nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. “You can. You just won’t.”
Kylee’s heart twisted. She looked back out the window again, not pulling her hand away.
Not yet.
As the hotel came into view, the car slowed to a stop under the glowing entrance. The valet opened the door, but neither of them moved at first.
Rio leaned in, his forehead brushing lightly against hers, his voice rough with restraint. “If this is the last night I get with you… I’m not wasting it.”
He kissed her forehead and gave her a very sexy seductive smile.
Kylee stepped out of the car on shaking legs, her body at war with her head. One more night…Could change everything replayed over and over in her head.
Kylee stepped out of the elevator, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she made her way down the quiet hotel hallway.
Her heart still raced from the car ride, from Rio’s touch, from everything this weekend had stirred inside her.
The key card clicked, and she opened the door to their suite.
Kelly was already there, sprawled across the bed in one of the hotel’s fluffy white robes, her hair damp from a recent shower and a daiquiri in hand like it was still mid-party.
“Finally,” Kelly said, sitting up. “So? What happened? Don’t leave me hanging.”
Kylee closed the door and let out a breath as she leaned against it. “This whole trip has been insane. Kylee laughed, finally kicking off her shoes. “Rio wants me to stay longer. He said he has a break before the next stop and he wants to spend it with me.”
Kelly’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay, what? That’s huge. And amazing.”