“Me? Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do, Emerald. You knew I was pregnant, and it’s my guess that your team of private investigators discovered who the father was and where he lived.” She sighed. “Why didn’t you just tell me instead of buying the preschool his nephew attends and waiting for us to run into each other?”
To her credit, Emerald didn’t deny that she’d been behind the setup. “I didn’t want to meddle, darling.”
“You’re absolutely priceless.” Arielle rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I’ve already heard the stories of my half brothers and their spouses being brought together by your matchmaking efforts.”
“That worked out quite well.” Emerald didn’t sound the least bit repentant. “Caleb, Nick and Hunter are all very happy now and have since thanked me for intervening.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” Arielle asked. “Do you think that bringing Zach and me back together is going to result in another of your heirs finding their soul mate?”
“There is that possibility, Arielle.”
Deciding it would be futile to get her grandmother to admit to any wrongdoing, she took a deep breath. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to trust him.”
“Oh, darling, I know it has to be difficult after what happened in Aspen,” Emerald concluded, her voice genuinely sympathetic. “But give the man a chance. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for his disappearance.” She paused before adding, “Your and Zachary’s situation is nothing like your mother and father’s.”
“You knew why he left that morning, too, didn’t you?” Arielle was certain Emerald had uncovered everything about Zach, including why he’d deserted her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I have to go now, dear,” Emerald declared suddenly. “Please give me a call to let me know how everything goes with you and your young man.”
Before Arielle said another word, Emerald ended the connection, leaving Arielle frustrated and wondering how much more her grandmother knew about her life. And why was everyone so sure that she should give Zach another chance?
First her brothers and now Emerald had encouraged her to give him the opportunity to prove himself. But they’d forgotten one extremely important factor. They weren’t the ones in danger of getting their hearts broken all over again.
“What’s wrong, Arielle?” Zach asked, walking into the room wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his trim waist.
The sight of all that bare, masculine skin stole her breath. Zach was without a shadow of doubt the sexiest man she’d ever had the pleasure of meeting.
“N-nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?”
“You’ve got a frown that tells me otherwise, darlin’.”
“I was just thinking about something,” she mused, hoping he’d let the matter drop.
Zach walked over to stand in front of her and an excited little thrill raced up her spine knowing that he was naked under the towel. “Was there a problem getting someone to cover for you at the school?”
She shook her head as she tried to forget how wonderful his nude body had felt against hers. “No problem at all. Marylou was quite willing to take over in my absence.”
“Good.” He reached down to hold her hands and pulled her to her feet. “There’s something I want us to do today and it doesn’t include either of us going anywhere near work.”
When he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, she braced her hands on his bare chest. “What did you have in mind, Zach?”
“You’ll see,” he promised.
He nipped at her lower lip a moment before he traced it with his tongue. His actions quickly had her feeling as if she might melt into a puddle. But when he dipped his tongue inside her mouth, she couldn’t stop her frustrated moan from escaping when he stopped and stepped back.
Taking a deep breath, he shook his head as if trying to clear it. “Go get dressed while I call my driver and have him bring me a change of clothes. Otherwise, we’ll end up making love all day and miss out on what I have planned.”
While he called his chauffeur, she tried to remember why she had to be cautious. The more he held her, kissed her, touched her, the easier it would be to forget all about the past and the danger he still posed to her heart. But that was something she just couldn’t afford to do. No matter how many family members told her to give him a second chance, there were no assurances that their situation wouldn’t parallel her parents’.
When Zach’s private jet landed at the San Antonio airport, he released his seat belt, then reached over to unfasten Arielle’s. He would remind her how much they’d enjoyed each other’s company in Aspen. He wanted to make her forget all about the doubts she still had about him.
He stood and held out his hand to help her to her feet. “Are you ready to have some fun?” he asked, grinning.
Giving him a cautious smile, she placed her hand in his. “I’ve never been to San Antonio.”
She gazed up at him and he thought she looked absolutely radiant. She wore a mint-green sundress that complimented her hazel eyes and peaches-and-cream complexion, and she’d drawn her hair into a sleek ponytail, exposing her slender shoulders and delicate neck.
He swallowed hard against his suddenly dry throat. It was going to take everything he had in him not to spend the day in a perpetual state of arousal. All he wanted, all he could think about, was exploring every inch of her satiny skin and spending the day making love with her.
“I thought we’d have lunch along the River Walk and visit a few of the shops, then maybe take a carriage ride,” he relayed, bringing his wayward thoughts back under control. He’d considered renting a boat and taking her for a ride down the river, but decided against it. The boat might have swayed and caused her to take a fall. And that was one risk he wasn’t willing to take.
“That sounds nice.”
He preceded her to the exit of the plane, then reached up to place his hands on her waist to steady her for the descent down the jet’s small steps. “After that we’ll have to get back to Dallas to change for dinner.”
“I was hoping to see the Alamo,” she mentioned as they crossed the tarmac to a waiting limo. “I’ve heard it’s a must-see.”
Zach nodded. “I wouldn’t think of bringing you to San Antonio without taking you to visit the Alamo. That would be downright sacrilegious.”