Rio by Georgina Gentry Read Free Book Online

cruel joke on me. I finally find a girl who intrigues me and she’s related to one of my family’s bitter enemies.”
    She moved away from him. “I don’t even know what the feud is about.”
    “Mostly I don’t either,” he admitted, standing next to her, leaning against the veranda railing. “I think it’s been going on for three generations. I know there was conflict over business dealings between the grandfathers, and then what happened between my father and the old Don Durango.” He sighed. “I was hardly more than a child when that occurred. I wish there were a way to end this feud so I might call on you.”
    She whirled, looking up at him. He was so tall and handsome, although his chin was a bit weak, but his eyes seemed so sincere. “We hardly know each other.”
    “I know, but just looking at you, it seems like you’re the missing piece of the puzzle—why I have waited so long to marry. Will you be staying in Austin a few days?”
    She nodded. “Uncle Trace is doing some business or something. We’re at the Cattlemen’s Hotel.”
    He took her hands in both of his. “Then perhaps we can see each other again. It’s warm out here. Would you like some punch?”
    “Please.” She nodded and he turned and went back in, the music floating out to the veranda through the doors. Turquoise looked out over the manicured lawn, breathless with excitement.
    Then she noticed a figure standing in the shadows of nearby bushes and started. “Who’s there?”
    “It’s me, Rio Kelly.” She caught the accent and the deep voice as he stepped out into the moonlight and she remembered how virile and masculine he was. He wore a short Mexican jacket adorned with silver conchos. He made a striking figure, although his jacket looked a bit threadbare.
    “What are you doing here?”
    He shrugged and motioned for her to come down the steps. She hesitated, then came down.
    “You asked if I were coming, remember?”
    “Well, I didn’t think—”
    “Of course I had to sneak over the back fence, but I wanted to see how you looked and how the other half lived.”
    “You’re trespassing? You’d better leave or there’ll be trouble.”
    He grinned at her and reached out and caught her hand with his strong right one. She noticed again the shamrock tattoo. “It might be worth it to dance with you once. You look beautiful.”
    “I’m dressed very inappropriately.” She felt herself flush with humiliation.
    “Oh? Says who? I think you look like the most beautiful girl in the world. I’ll wager you made the other girls look pale and ugly.”
    The music started again and drifted faintly on the breeze.
    “You’d better leave before Senator Forester returns.”
    “Ah.” He grinned and raised one eyebrow in a mocking fashion. “So you have scored high,
si?
You may end up as the queen of Austin society yet, although he has a reputation in this town as a womanizer.”
    “I’m sure that’s not true. Now you leave before he comes back and calls the guards.”
    “One dance and I’ll leave.” He took her in his arms and he was so much bigger and more masculine than Edwin.
    “You promise?”
    “I promise, senorita.” He pulled her closer, holding her much too tightly to be respectable and dancing her slowly around the patio. His mouth was close to her ear and she could feel his warm breath and the hard muscle of him all the way down her body.
    “This is too close,” she objected but he paid no heed. She tried to pull away, but he held her closer still.
    “Miss Sanchez?”
    She heard the call from the veranda and looked back. Senator Forester stood there, silhouetted against the light from the ballroom with two punch cups in his hands.
    “I—I’m coming.” She tried to pull away from Rio but he took her hand and kissed it.
    “Miss Sanchez, who is that out there with you?”
    She could see Edwin peering into the darkness but the light behind him kept him from seeing clearly. “Let go of me,” she muttered