Rider's Kiss

Victoria had no sense of how long she’d been asleep. Only that it was light out and she felt better than she had in years. A draft of cold air had her looking down and realizing she was totally nude—then she remembered how she’d gotten that way. The tendrils of delight floating through her were a new sensation entirely. She stood and pulled on Rider’s T-shirt. She needed to find him and bring him back to bed. Maybe for the rest of the day, she thought with a grin.

When she approached the doorway leading to the small living room, Victoria heard Rider talking to someone. As she entered the room, she saw them standing at the hotel room door. A tall

, dark-haired woman spoke in hushed tones, and Rider appeared anything but happy to see her. The woman had a regal bearing, as if she’d rather die than be caught dead inside a Walmart. She heard Rider curse, and the woman rolled her eyes. A horrible feeling crept up her spine when the woman touched Rider’s arm in an all too intimate way. Victoria cleared her throat, and the pair swung their gazes toward her. Rider stepped forward, cutting off Victoria’s view of the woman. The frown on his face worried her. “Did we wake you?”

“No,” she answered as she strode across the room, compelled by the need to find out who on earth the gorgeous woman was and why Rider seemed to want her gone. “Care to introduce me?”

The woman pushed around Rider and announced, “Cassandra Santini. Rider’s fiancée.” She shrugged. “Most people call me Cassie. And you are?”

Victoria couldn’t possibly have heard the woman correctly. “W-what?”

She smiled and arched a perfectly manicured brow. “I take it Rider didn’t tell you about me.” Cassie punched Rider playfully on the arm, then said, “He does like to keep his cards close, doesn’t he?”

“Enough, Cass,” he bit out. Rider once again stepped in front of the other woman, his voice filled with concern. “I can explain, Vic. It’s not what you think.”

Victoria was shaken to the core. She’d just spent the most glorious weekend with the man of her dreams, and he was engaged to another woman? Maybe this was the female friend who’d been ringing his cell phone the past few days. Did she really have that sort of bad luck? She couldn’t speak, could barely stay on her feet. The world tilted a little, and she was terribly afraid she was a heartbeat away from fainting. God, please don’t let me look that pathetic.

Apparently, Cassie was not so easily pushed aside. “Rider, we have things to discuss. Important things.” She gestured to Victoria and said, “Surely this can wait?” When she leaned toward Rider and kissed his cheek lightly, lovingly, bile rose in Victoria’s throat.

She’d definitely seen enough. Victoria turned and headed for the bathroom. No way in hell would she throw up in front of them. She had some pride left after all.

“Wait, please,” Rider said as he caught up to her and took hold of her arm. She turned and was momentarily struck by the apology in his blue eyes. He seemed genuinely wounded. “I need to explain.”

She glared at him, anger replacing the hurt that filled her. “Explain that you’re engaged? I’m curious, what was this weekend for you?” Victoria bit her lip, afraid to hear the answer. Afraid it was all just one big joke.

He went silent for a moment. “I’m not sure how to answer that, Victoria.”

As if a dam broke, tears spilled over and streamed down her cheeks as Rider so easily ripped her heart to shreds. “That’s sort of what I thought you’d say.”

“You don’t want to leave it this way. I know you don’t,” he gritted out as he moved toward her, caging her between his body and the wall at her back.

Victoria shook her head and yanked away from him, then went back into the bedroom. Between the stabbing pain in her stomach and Rider at her back pleading with her to stay, it was all she could do to get dressed and head toward the living room. He stood in the doorway, blocking her escape. Damn him. She didn’t want to feel used and broken. She wanted to go home and give in to a good, long cry.

“I actually thought you cared.” The words tumbled out before Victoria could stop them. She mentally chastised herself. Hell if she needed him to know how much their time together had meant to her. She didn’t want him to realize he had the power to hurt her.

“I do care about you. You have to know that,” he replied, his voice soft and understanding. “It’s just… I need time to straighten a few things out, that’s all.”

His ashen face gave her pause, but she quickly tamped down the urge to go to him, and ruthlessly ignored the need in his eyes. “I want to leave,” she bit out. “Don’t try to stop me. The games are over. You’ve had your fun with the pathetic wallflower.” God, was that her emotionless voice? She barely recognized herself.

He held his hands out at his sides and stepped out of the way. “Give me a chance here. Give us a chance.”

“You had plenty of chances to explain.” Victoria darted around him and headed straight for the front door before turning a pointed look at Cassie. She deliberately ignored the other woman’s devastated expression. “Besides, you sort of have your hands full right now.”

“Damn it, Vic,” he grumbled as he ran a hand over his face.

As far as she was concerned, there wasn’t anything else to discuss. She grabbed her purse off the counter and opened the door. By the time she hit the elevator, her entire body shook as she bawled her eyes out. When she reached the lobby, she had herself under control and her cell phone out.

Her friend answered on the second ring. “Reena, I need a ride.” Then the tears started up again. She never should’ve taken this ridiculous journey. Life didn’t deal the frumpy women of the world a fair hand. And men like Rider sure as hell didn’t fall for them. They fell for sophisticated ladies like Cassie. Lesson learned.

He stared at the door, willing Victoria to come back. It didn’t happen. And did he blame her?

“My timing sucks,” Cassie said from behind him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were with someone. I know you said to wait until you called, but I started to panic like usual and jumped on the first flight out here.”

He turned and crossed the room. As he placed a hand on her shoulder, Cassie smiled a little. “Yes, you do have shitty timing,” he said gently. “I should’ve been up front with Victoria from the beginning. I just wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with me sharing your secret with anyone.”

Her chin wobbled as if she were about to cry, and she clasped her hands together in front of her. “God, you must hate me right now. I’m so damn self-absorbed.”

“Shh,” he whispered. “It’s okay. We’ll get this worked out.”