Page 42 of Dare to Love

Riley turned on her cell phone as they exited the plane, and Dylan did the same. At the baggage carousel, they waited for their luggage and, like most passengers, studied their phones and missed messages. Riley texted Melissa, letting her know she’d landed. She did the same for Alex.

There was no message from Ian, and she told herself not to be disappointed. But she was.

They were greeted at the hotel by the night manager, who assured them the owner would be there to meet with them the next morning. He led them to separate suites on the same floor, and Riley said good-night before letting herself into the room.

She stepped into a room filled with flowers. Bright, colorful bouquets of various blooms. She released the breath she hadn’t been aware of holding, but clearly she had—ever since she’d run out of Olivia’s office and hadn’t heard from Ian at all.

She picked up the envelope on the table and read the small card enclosed.MISS ME.

“Oh, I will,” she murmured.

Though it was earlier in Arizona, it was still too late to call. She didn’t want to wake him. But a text for him to receive when he woke in the morning would be okay.

Will miss you, but thanks for the flowers, I’ll think of you often.

Then she pulled out her toiletry bag and headed to the bathroom and washed up. She put away a few items she didn’t want to wrinkle and climbed into bed, exhausted.

As she plugged her phone in to charge overnight, the beep of a text sounded.

That’s the point. Sleep well, sweetness.

She let out a sigh that sounded too much like contentment for her liking and fell asleep thinking about Ian.

She met Dylan early the next morning at the breakfast restaurant in the hotel. “Good morning,” she said.

“Not so sure,” the other man said.

Riley narrowed her gaze. He wasn’t the cheerful, upbeat man she’d flown here with. “Not a morning person?” she asked.

“That’s not it.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

He studied her, as if unsure whether to speak.

She wondered what had happened overnight. “Whatever it is, just say it.”

“I hired you for this position because you jumped right in with enthusiasm, and I thought you’d be an asset.”

“And suddenly I’m not?” She stiffened at the implication that things had changed.

“Not if it means having the president of the organization breathing down my neck.”

Oh, no. No, no, no.Riley curled her hands around the handle of her oversized bag. “What did he say?”

Dylan’s gaze assessed her. “I didn’t realize you two had a personal relationship.”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “That has nothing to do with my job.”

“You’re right. It shouldn’t. And there’s no company policy against it either. But Ian called me this morning. He made it perfectly clear I’m to keep things strictly business between us. In fact, I believe his words were, ‘hands off.’”

She clenched her jaw until she saw stars. “I’m going to kill him.”

“I worked hard for the opportunity to step into this position, and I don’t want it jeopardized because the boss’s girlfriend is my assistant.”

She fought back the tears that threatened. “I can assure you that Ian won’t be an issue.” If she had to break up with him to ensure her job had nothing to do with her personal life, she would.

In fact, right now, she had no intention of speaking to the controlling son of a bitch ever again.

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