Training Amber by Desiree Holt Page B

stood on the patio just off the spacious great room, sipping a delicious glass of chardonnay and hoping no one would notice she’d slipped out of the crowd milling around inside. Molly and Nick had bullied her into putting on a pair of slacks and a silk blouse, piling her hair on top of her head and applying soft tones of makeup.
    “I could give in and let you hide in your room,” Molly told her, surveying the finished results, “but I have a feeling I’d only be an enabler. Just come out for an hour. Meet the guests. Pretend you’re rejoining the human race. Then if it’s too difficult you can shut yourself away and I won’t say a word.”
    “I’ll hold you to that,” Amber warned.
    “Fair enough.”
    So she’d let Molly introduce her to people, made polite conversation and beaten a retreat to the patio at the first opportunity. The heat of the day had subsided and a soft breeze ruffled the leaves of the ancient oak trees that stood like sentinels guarding the property. A half-moon hung in a clear velvet sky dotted with the crystal sharpness of stars. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a sky like this in New York.
    Amber inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly.
    “The Hill Country is very beautiful, is it not?”
    The voice behind her was deep, with a rich resonance that vibrated through her body. The sound startled her and she whirled, wine sloshing over the edge of her glass.
    “Forgive me. I’ve startled you. “
    Amber ignored the wine dripping from her hand, unable to do anything but stare at the man in front of her. He was as tall and lean as Nick, but his complexion was darker and his hair a midnight black. Thick lashes fringed even blacker eyes and deep grooves scored his cheeks and bracketed his mouth. Amber’s mouth immediately went dry.
    The walking sex god gently took her glass from her fingers, dabbed at her hand with a clean handkerchief and set her glass on the table.
    “I should at least introduce myself. Cesario Negron. My friends call me Rio.” He lifted her hand and brushed a kiss over her fingers, sending shivers down her spine. “I hope you will be one of my friends, Señorita .”
    She finally found her voice. “Amber McCloud.”
    His smile was enough to melt her panties. “I know. I insisted Molly tell me where she found the lovely vision who seemed so uncomfortable in the crowd.”
    Lovely vision? Me?
    “I’m really not much of a party person these days,” she told him. “I’m being polite to my hostess by putting in an appearance tonight but I think I’m ready to retreat to my room.”
    “Already?” He lifted an eyebrow. “But we’ve hardly had a chance to get to know one another.”
    Amber gave a short laugh. “I don’t think you’d find me very interesting.”
    He caressed her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. “I think that’s for me to decide, don’t you? Besides, when my old college roommate told me he had a gorgeous woman coming to visit I have to say my interested was piqued.” He placed his palm against her skin. “And I wasn’t disappointed. Just looking at you makes me want to do things with you that are probably illegal in at least three states.”
    But Amber could only focus on one thing. “C-college roommate?” Hell. That made him ten years younger than her. Suddenly she felt as if her entire body had collapsed into a pile of wrinkled flesh.
    Rio looked at her, concerned. “Did I say something wrong? You just got the strangest look on your face. I was only saying what was in my mind. I’m sorry if I offended you but, Dios! You’re a dream come true.”
    Again his words washed over her, her mind lasering in on the one important fact. She picked up her wineglass and took a healthy sip. Liquid courage. “That makes you the same age he is, right?”
    “Yes.” He frowned, obviously puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
    “Rio, Molly and I were college roommates. That makes me the same age she is. I’m ten years older