Nikki Logan - Her Amazing Boss! - The Daredevil Tycoon

He lowered them and looked at her. “Storm clouds on the horizon. That bad weather front they talked about might be coming.”

Amalia held out her hand in silent request for the binoculars. When she lifted them to her eyes and trained them on the distant horizon, she could see clouds. They didn’t look particularly threatening and were right at the edge of the horizon. How long before they’d catch up? Wouldn’t the air current they were on keep them moving ahead of the storms?

She asked Rafael.

“They will to some extent, but it depends on if the storm front is moving faster than this current.”

Rafael contacted the ground crew. They had refilled the propane tanks and were heading in his direction. Rafael gave their GPS coordinates and told them to contact him when they were below him, which Manuel said should be soon.

“Now what?” she asked.

“Now we see where to land to exchange tanks. And if we can outrun the storm,” he said.

AMALIA relinquished the controls and went to stand on the side facing the clouds. Staying an arm’s distance from the side, she watched as the sky gradually grew more and more cloudy, some fluffy white puffs, others long and dark. She could scarcely see Vicente’s balloon, and shortly before lunch, she lost sight of it altogether.

“Are we stopping soon?” she asked.

“No. The temperature is cooling, we can stay up longer. We have propane, we’ll go as far as we can.”

She caught a glimpse of a town. Holding on to the side, she looked at it.

“There’s a town down there.”

“We’ll push on a bit farther.”

“Good grief, don’t put down in the mountains. The chase team would never find us.”

“Sure they would. But that’s not my intent. If we can get another few dozen miles, there is an entire valley that would be perfect to set down in. And there’s a nice-size town at the head of the valley. We could have a hot bath and comfortable bed tonight.”

“That gets my vote,” she said.

Turning, Amalia watched Rafael as he stood opposite her, leaning casually against the side. She no longer feared he’d fall out. In fact, thinking back over the last day or two, she realized she wasn’t nearly as fearful as when they started, unless she looked directly down.

“Now what’s going on in your mind?” he asked.

“Just thinking that maybe, maybe mind you, this isn’t the worst that could happen to me.”

He laughed. “It’s exhilarating.”

“I still can’t look down, but I’ve stopped panicking every time the basket sways a little.”

“We can make a ballooner out of you yet.”

“I doubt that. Tomorrow will be the halfway day. After that, it’s all downhill.”

“Do you regret coming?” he asked.

“Not as much as I did,” she replied.

He nodded. “I knew I could count on you to be honest about it.”

She looked away. She hadn’t been honest about her feelings for that kiss. If he wanted the truth, she’d be hardpressed to comply. Some things were too personal to share.

“Amalia, would you go out with me when we return to Barcelona?”

She turned back at that, stunned he’d ask.

“Where?” was the only thought that sprang to mind.

“Ballet, reception, dinner for two, dancing. Wherever you want.”

For one breathless moment she wanted to say yes. Then she shook her head. “I’m so not your type.”

“And what is my type?”

He had to ask? Lounging comfortably against the side, he personified gorgeous male. His body was trim and muscular, his skin tanned from so much time in the sun. His hair was thick and dark. Her fingers actually itched to brush through it, feel the texture, savor the right to do just that.

“From what I saw of Teresa Valesquez, about the opposite of me.”

“Ah, a new dress, some strappy high heels and a diamond or two and you’d rival Teresa. Actually, your conversation far surpasses hers. She’s more concerned with being seen in all the right places.”

“You don’t believe she cares for you?” she asked, startled at his comment. She knew she didn’t measure up, but she didn’t need him suggesting she get new clothes and jewelry. Which she wouldn’t do, even if she had the money.

“She cares for me because of my money. If I were a cabana boy, she wouldn’t even give me the time of day.”

She blinked, wondering if Rafael had ever worked on the beaches around Barcelona. She’d love to see him in a swim-suit, all glorious tanned skin and sleek muscles.

“There is an even larger gap between me and you. What makes you think I wouldn’t date you for your money?”

“So far you seem singularly unimpressed by it. When faced with fifty thousand Euros, you wanted it to go to charity and you asked for nothing for yourself. Think how that money could help Jose in university.”

“We can manage on our own,” she said. She was not some gold digger. If that was the type of woman he was used to, she felt even more sorry for him. But she was not joining the ranks of women he dated and discarded.

“So I buy you a pretty dress or two, a few baubles, and we go out,” he said.

“No. Thank you for the invitation, but I buy my own clothes and I don’t go out with you.”

He tilted his head slightly. “Why not?” he asked softly.

She shook her head, not wanting to have to say anything more.

“Just no? There has to be a reason,” he pressed.

“Just no.”

He crossed the short distance and stood beside her, lifting her face to his with a finger beneath her chin. “Why?”

His gaze seemed to bore right into her mind. Fortunately, he couldn’t see the jumble of emotions swirling around in there—exacerbated by his touch. She licked her lips and his eyes caught the movement.

“You’re too dangerous,” she said at last.

“Because?”

“Come off it, Rafael, you’re just bored. You don’t really want to date me—you’ve already made me over into a Teresa clone in your mind. If you wanted to take me someplace, you’d take me as I am, not try to make me into someone else.”

He studied her for a few moments, then nodded and released her.

Amalia took in a deep breath. She clenched her fists and tried to casually turn away, lest she forget all reason and jump into his arms.

The balloon spun around, fast enough to catch their attention. The gondola swayed a bit with the sudden motion.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, grabbing on to the side.

He leaned back to look at the envelope. Then, looking around, Rafael went to the burners and turned them on full blast.

Amalia turned and saw the clouds were closer—a lot closer. She cautiously made her way to where he was standing.

“I think we’ve hit the leading edge of the storm front.”

The sky was growing gray behind them. Obviously the wind, which one couldn’t see, had outpaced the clouds. It was more turbulent than any they’d experienced before.

It wouldn’t take long for the sun to get behind the clouds. She looked for the other balloon, but couldn’t find it.

“Do you think Stefano already put down?”

“Highly likely. Whatever else he is, he isn’t a fool. Take the controls and keep the jets going until you reach the temperature.” He picked up the radio to contact the ground crew. Manuel responded, but once again there was static on the connection. Rafael asked for an update to the weather, in which direction the wind would be blowing and how long before the storm mass would become critical.

The response wasn’t reassuring. The front was moving faster than originally anticipated. But the leading winds should keep the balloon away from the rain and lightning for a while. His advice was for them to put down as soon as Rafael found a safe haven.