She smiled despite herself. The long marble island was set with flaky pastries, perfectly sliced melon, berries, avocado toast, and mimosas already poured into chilled crystal flutes.
“Figured you’d need something real after all that wine and restraint last night.”
Kylee’s cheeks warmed, but she didn’t respond. She simply slid into the seat he pulled out for her.As she took her first bite, Rio leaned against the counter, sipping his mimosa and watching her.
“No regrets?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him over the rim of her glass.
So many answers stirred inside her.
She chose the safest one.
“Not about breakfast.
Kylee took another bite of the buttery croissant and groaned softly.
“Okay… this might actually be the best breakfast I’ve had in years.”
Rio smirked from across the island, eyes glinting with mischief. “High praise from the queen of restraint.”
She shook her head, laughing. “I’m just not used to this. I’m usually the one making breakfast. Packing lunch. Cleaning syrup off the counter. Arguing over cereal choices.”
“You’re telling me no one brings you pastries and pours your mimosa?”
She gave him a playful glare. “Shockingly, no. And if someone brought me a mimosa at 8 a.m. back home, I’d probably be accused of going off the rails.”
Rio leaned in on his elbows, eyes focused entirely on her. “Then maybe it’s time you went off the rails a little.”
Kylee’s stomach fluttered. She tried to smile, but there was something about the way he said it like he was daring her to come undone.
“You know, you’re dangerous,” she murmured, popping a raspberry between her lips.
“You keep saying that,” he said smoothly. “But you’re the one who got on that plane. You came here. To me.”
She swallowed hard, setting her fork down with purpose. “You don’t make it easy to behave.”
“I’m not trying to.” His voice dropped, low and warm like melted chocolate. “I like watching you wrestle with it. You’ve got this whole good-girl thing, but I saw what was under the surface last night.”
Her breath caught.He didn’t move closer, just sipped his drink and let the air hum between them.
She shifted in her seat. “You always flirt this hard before noon?”
He grinned. “Only when I’m hungry for more than breakfast.”
Kylee’s cheeks flushed. She picked up her mimosa, taking a slow sip, trying to steady herself. For the first time in years, she felt seen.Not as a mom. Not as Jake’s wife. Not as the one who had to hold everything together.
As they finished breakfast, Kylee stood and began clearing the plates. Rio snatched the last one from her hands with a smirk.
“Leave that. You’re not here to play house,” he said. “You’re here to live a little, I have a maid.”
She raised a brow. “And what exactly does living look like to you?”
His eyes twinkled with mischief. “You’ll see. Go throw on something tight… and maybe a little dangerous. We’re going on an adventure.”
Hours later, somewhere above the California coast Kylee stood in the open cabin of a private skydiving plane, her heart hammering in her ears. Her jumpsuit clung to her like a second skin, and the wind whipped through the open door as the instructor strapped her in for tandem.
“This is insane!” she shouted over the noise.
