Don't Dare a Diamond (Must Love Diamonds 5)

Biting back the snark, she said, “Sure. Thanks.” Then she sat dumbfounded after he left, wondering what the hell had happened in the past thirty seconds?

Life had made a seismic shift last night and then settled into a new reality this morning. But maybe it had only been for her. Maybe he hadn’t felt the same connection when they made love, and she was the only one who wanted to use the rest of her stay to figure out how they could have a future together.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she pulled on her panties, grabbed her bra and now dry jeans, and headed for the bathroom right next door to his bedroom. She shot Reyes a quick look in the kitchen. He had his back to her, his hands braced on the counter in front of the sink, his shoulders hunched as he stared out the window overlooking the white-fenced pastures. As if the weight of the world was suddenly resting on those broad shoulders.

She wanted to ask what was wrong, but chickened out and turned back toward the bathroom—until she spotted her top from the night before draped over one of the island stools to dry. Probably better to wear that across the lawn, just in case any of her cousins arrived early and saw her crossing from the barn to the guest house.

She was halfway across the living room to retrieve the shirt when footsteps pounded up the stairs from the barn. She jerked to a halt as a loud knock rattled the door.

“Rey? You in there?”

He spun around from the sink at the same time the door swung open. His brother pulled up short when he saw the both of them.

“Geezus, Dev, you could wait for me to get the door,” Reyes grumbled as he came around to the other side of the counter.

“We were looking for Raine,” he shot back, his gaze swinging from one to the other.

Heat seared her face as he clearly took in the whole picture with Reyes in just jeans, and her in just his shirt.

“You two really should answer your damn phones.”

Hers sat on the island counter, completely forgotten after their trip down to check the horses. “My battery died.”

“Mine, too,” Reyes said.

“You should’ve charged them as soon as the power came back on,” his brother advised. He shifted his attention back to her as more footsteps sounded on the stairs. “Shelby’s been trying to call you since last night, and your father is looking for you.”

Her stomach dropped out from under her at the same moment her dad appeared in the doorway. When had he gotten here?

Relief etched his features as he entered the apartment. “Thank God you’re okay, honey. No one could reach you after the storm, and I didn’t know what to think when you weren’t at the guest—”

He stopped and broke off abruptly, his gaze sweeping down to where Reyes’ shirt ended at mid-thigh as she clutched the rest of her clothes in her hands. Heat prickled along the back of her neck as her dad’s expression darkened.

Reyes had moved to stand in front of the counter, and her dad pivoted to glower at him. “What the hell is going on here?”

Raine took a step forward. “Dad—”

He cut her off with a jerk of his hand. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

Her eyes widened at his furious tone. She went from feeling the need to explain to being royally pissed off. “Well you should be,” she retorted.

Dev backed toward the door. “I’m just going to go let Shelby and her parents know you’re okay.”

Her dad’s glare didn’t waver from Reyes. “You sonofabitch. I paid you to be my daughter’s trainer, not sleep with her.”

Reyes stood stiff as a board. “With all due respect, sir, you haven’t paid me a dime.”

“Is that supposed to make this better?”

“No, but—”

“I’ll have your job for this.”

Raine’s heart lurched as she took a quick step forward. “Knock it off, Daddy. Reyes didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He took advantage of the situation.”

“He certainly did not.” She shot a glance at Reyes to see his jaw clenched as tight as his fists. “I am a grown woman. I make my own choices.”