‘How is Xena?’ He moved a little closer, convincing Rio he knew she was still attracted to him.
‘She has gone for a lie-down.’ Rio let out a slow breath of relief as he walked away from her, giving her some much-needed physical distance between them.
‘Has she remembered anything yet?’
Rio shook her head. ‘Nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ She heard the despair in his voice. Despair that matched her own.
‘She sounded so frustrated when we talked on the phone,’ he said as he walked towards the baby grand piano. Did he have to bring it so starkly to her attention?
‘It is frustrating for her.’ Rio watched Lysandros, the man who still held her heart if only she was brave enough to give it to him, as he turned and frowned at her.
‘I understand that.’ He spoke again, snagging her attention back to him. ‘But it’s just as frustrating for me to know how much this is worrying her.’
‘This is a big ordeal for Xena,’ Rio said, watching Lysandros as he stood by the piano looking out towards the sparkling sea beyond the garden of the villa. He resembled a predatory wild cat, intent on luring its prey ever closer. Or was she imagining him drawing her in? ‘She’s lost some of her memory, maybe even her career, and she can’t even pick up her violin and seek solace in playing.’
‘Xena tells me you don’t play either, even though you claimed daily practice was essential.’ The sound of waves rushing onto the soft sand beyond the villa punctured the silence as she met the suspicion in his eyes. He was throwing her reason for not wanting to leave London back at her.
As he looked at her the hot sultry air suddenly crackled with undeniable tension between them. That strong attraction she had to ignore but was finding it ever more difficult to. He knew it too. He was far too astute, far too in control to be easily fooled.
‘It’s true. I should be practising every day.’ She paused as she thought of Hans, of what he’d believed she’d wanted. Hans had been so adamant she had been leading him on, giving him the come-on. She hadn’t been able to touch the keys, let alone play, since then. The piano and that moment were far too painfully linked. Even though she knew she’d done nothing to encourage him, she couldn’t bring herself to sit at the piano, let alone play it.
Neither was she ready to tell Lysandros why she’d stood him up, why she’d coldly ended their relationship when it had been so good, so right. Xena didn’t recall how she’d consoled Rio, how she’d tried to persuade her to tell Lysandros, and right now that suited Rio. She needed to avoid that painful conversation for as long as possible.
‘So why are you not practising, Rio? Xena loves to hear you play. As do I.’ He began to walk towards her, stopping when she backed away.
‘I... I...’ she faltered, not knowing what to say without telling him exactly why she didn’t want to go near the piano.
‘At least you can still physically play the piano—if you choose to.’
His accusation hit home and she dragged in a breath. Did he have to make her feel worse? Play on the guilt she felt about the night of the accident? About him? Them?
‘This isn’t about me. This is about Xena.’ Desperately she pushed back her pain, her raw emotions, trying to bring the conversation back to Xena.
He took another step towards her, bringing him so close she could smell the citrus tang of his aftershave, and it made the memory of their last kiss collide with the guilt for all Xena was going through, as well as her own fear. She tried not to recall how light-headed Lysandros had made her feel when he’d smiled at her, reminding herself he was well versed in the art of charming women.
Yet he’d been prepared to take things slowly with her. At first, she’d thought it was simply because of her friendship with Xena, but soon she’d wondered if it was more than that. He’d respected her. He’d showed patience and kindness totally in contrast to the playboy past Xena had told her about. He’d treated her as if she was special.
‘Is it, Rio?’ His voice had deepened, become so sensually soft he could be seducing her.
‘Of course it is. I’m here for Xena, not myself—or us. Not that there is an us any more.’
‘What happened after the recital, Rio? What are you keeping from me?’ His question hung in the air and she hated the way he made her feel, the way she wanted to confide in him, tell him what had happened. But she couldn’t. It was over between them and there was no point in going over that night now. She was here only for Xena.
‘There is nothing to tell,’ she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t keep asking, be able to tell she had been doing exactly that.
‘Let’s take a walk on the beach while Xena is resting.’ He changed the subject so fast Rio felt dazed.
‘Xena and I are due to visit your mother today.’ She grasped at that. ‘Maybe we should wake Xena now.’
‘As I am the one charged with the task of getting you both there, we can spend a while walking on the beach first.’ He paused and looked at her, the intensity in his eyes changing, making her pulse leap with awareness she wasn’t sure she was ready to acknowledge yet.
‘I ought to leave Xena a note. In case she wakes.’ Rio began to write a quick note and Lysandros stood over her, so close her body began to tremble, not with fear, as she’d expected, but with anticipation. Need. For him.
‘Make sure you mention you and I are together.’ His voice had dropped to almost a whisper and was so sexy she had to close her eyes against the tingle that rushed up her spine.
She put the pen down and turned, her gaze locking with his, holding it.
* * *
Lysandros knew Rio was keeping something from him. He’d known it since he’d first arrived at the hospital after the accident. He’d seen it in her eyes. Sensed nervousness in every move she’d made. Now that Rio was here with Xena, he was going to get to the bottom of what had happened the night she’d left him waiting alone at a romantic and secluded table for two.
The sunshine was gaining in strength as he stepped out of the villa, across the terrace and onto the sand. Beside him Rio adjusted her hat, and while he accepted it was necessary to protect her pale complexion from the sun, he sensed it was much more about erecting a physical barrier between them. He put on his shades. If the way his body was reacting to her nearness was anything to go by, the more barriers between them the better. For now at least.
‘What really happened the night of the accident?’ He plunged right in as swiftly as if he’d just dived into the cool waters from his yacht.
‘I told you. A car ran a red light and hit Xena’s.’ The defensive tone of those short, sharp sentences gave so much away, but that wasn’t what he wanted to know.
‘I know the details of the accident itself.’ He couldn’t keep the impatience from his voice. He had to know just why his sister had been driving around London alone so late at night.
‘So why ask?’ He sensed her looking at him, but he kept his focus ahead, sure that if he didn’t put her under the spotlight she would tell him the finer details of that treacherous night.
‘Because I’m Xena’s brother and I want to know what happened before the accident.’
Her pace faltered and she stopped, forcing him to do the same, but she didn’t look at him. Instead she stared out to sea. Yet another avoidance tactic. ‘There is nothing more to tell.’
‘Are you sure, Rio?’ The question caught her attention and she turned to face him. He wished she didn’t have her sunglasses on, wished he could see the expression and emotion in her soft caramel-brown eyes.
She sighed and he watched the smooth, pale skin of her throat move as she swallowed. At least he could