Page 25 of The Bride's Billionaire

She decided this time to stand with her back to the window, facing down and watching where they’d been. Perhaps focusing on the clouds would take her mind off of how high they were. She shivered. Thinking about something else on the way up really had helped. It took the edge off at least. Otherwise, she might have curled into a ball on the floor and cried.

The car swayed, rocked, and seemed to hang precariously. Tyler stood at her side, facing the descent, his arm touching hers. That was enough to help her remind herself that they were safe.

About halfway down, he murmured, “Still want to swim in the dark?”

She snorted. “No way. I can only do one of these sorts of excursions per trip.”

He chuckled. “So, swimming in the dark next time we come?”

Rogerio approached. “What did you think of our beautiful Pao de Acucar? Linda, nao e?” (Beautiful wasn’t it?)

“Sim. So beautiful.” Kayla hoped her voice was convincing.

Tyler nodded. “I am amazed. A highlight I will remember for a long time, of course.”

Rogerio leaned closer to them both. “Our bottlers, they need to appreciate Brazil, and its culture and people.”

Mr. de Santos approached. “Yes, meetings might be delayed sometimes, work might stall, people have lives and families and have to live.”

Kayla nodded. “I totally understand this. My cousin, who runs things down here, married a brasileiro. He’s been living here for seven years.”

They frowned. “Will you not be involved?” Mr. de Santos eyed her with some disappointment.

She hurried to try easing it. “I will be super involved. Especially at first, but certainly after too, and I will plan frequent visits to Brazil.”

Mr. de Santos nodded, but he didn’t seem relieved. Oh dear. She had thought the mention of her cousin’s involvement would be a positive. “If things progress, we can arrange for swift and frequent meetings with my cousin. He is close. It will be easier for him to meet with you more often…”

Mr. de Santos nodded, seeming to feel a bit better. She gripped the bar behind her, trying to remember how a normal person, not someone who was totally petrified, would converse. Thankfully, Tyler stepped in. “I’ll be your go-to person through it all. No middle men. Just me. What you see is what you get.”

Her irritation simmered. She tried to soothe it, but the stress of her precarious situation so high in the air and her unsure standing with Antar rushed through her. She had just opened her mouth to respond when the whole car jerked to a stop and swung back and forth. What came out of her mouth was more like a strangled scream than anything else. She clutched at Tyler and then let go in anger before grabbing him again, the fear too great.

Mr. de Santos came forward. “No, menina. It’s all right. Sometimes this happens.” He patted her hand. His kind eyes and his soothing voice brought some reassurance. She didn’t look at Tyler but she didn’t let go either. She nodded. “Thank you, Mr. de Santos.”

Rogerio started shifting his weight. “This is nothing to worry about, see. It’s like an American ride on a roller coaster.”

The car started to sway, and the rocking momentum picked up with each lunge he took on either side of the car. Kayla’s heart went to her throat. “No…”

Then the car started moving again, and the swaying decreased. She exhaled slowly.In. Two. Three. Out. Two. Three.

“See, I fixed it!” Rogerio laughed.

It took everything in her not to respond. She bit her tongue until it hurt. Her eyes flitted up to Tyler’s face, and he was visibly trying not to laugh. What a cretin. Nothing about this whole situation was funny: not him, not her competition with the man at her side, not Rogerio’s goofing around. She was ready to be done with the whole mess.

The car reached the ground with a jerk, and she was grateful that the men let her exit first. She fought the wobbly feeling in her legs, counting slowly in her mind so that she didn’t say anything to give away her fear.

They entered the waiting limo, Rogerio and Tyler talking about the Brazilian soccer teams. Mr. de Santos came to sit beside her. “I’m sorry for your experience. You were frightened, no?”

She nodded, fighting the lump in her throat. The man’s sudden kindness might be her undoing. She would not cry. She could not cry. “I struggle with heights.”

His eyes filled with sympathy. “But it was beautiful, too?” His hope that she had enjoyed something about their outing filled her with a warmth that helped douse her earlier anger.

“It was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen.”

He leaned back, visibly relieved. “It is, isn’t it?”

She thought they would be going to the hotel, but instead they stopped in from of the Antar office building.

Rogerio gestured they exit. “We will hear your pitches now.”

---