Rafe knew from his research was the second-floor suite of bedrooms; above that was Landau’s private office on the upper level.
He took a closer look at the crowd. A popular TV–talk show host, three state senators, a couple of sports personalities from the greater Chicago area, and a horde of nerds who could only be the scholarly types. “Our Landau’s a popular guy.” Glass in hand, he gestured to a salt-and-pepper-haired man across the room. “Who’s that?”
“Governor of Illinois. Up for reelection this year, I think.”
“Really popular guy,” he muttered.
“I don’t believe it.”
They both turned toward the male voice. The man striding in their direction had Lisa in his line of vision. He was tall, dressed in a tux like every other guy in the place, with slightly too long auburn hair and a wide grin. When he reached them, he grasped Lisa’s hands and took a long sweep of her body from head to toe.
Rafe’s back tingled.
“Now that’s a dress,” the man said. “I almost didn’t believe my eyes when I saw you wander in.”
A grin tugged at Lisa’s mouth, and a blush crept across her cheeks. “What are you doing here, Riley?”
“I could ask you the same question. I haven’t seen you since Tahiti. And oh, sweetheart”—his eyes hovered over her breasts, slid slowly up to her face—“I don’t remember you wearing anything as succulent as this.”
Rafe cleared his throat.
Lisa glanced his way. “Oh, I’m sorry. Cole Riley, this is a colleague of mine, Rafael—”
“Garcia,” Rafe cut in. Her curious gaze darted his way, but he ignored it. No sense sharing vital information. She might be well-known here, but that didn’t mean he had to be.
“Nice to meet you.” The man spared him a quick glance before refocusing on Lisa again as if Rafe weren’t even there. “I had no clue you’d be here.”
“Last-minute decision. I happened to be in town.”
He smiled. “Just my luck. God, I missed you.”
Deep, sexy laughter slipped from Lisa’s lips. She didn’t make any attempt to pull her hands back.
Holy shit.
Rafe’s eyes narrowed as he looked between the two. They’d been lovers. It was written all over the guy’s I’ve-had-a-piece-of-this face.
Riley’s gaze darted to the small bandage on her upper arm. He shook his head and clucked his tongue. “You been playing Indiana Jones again, honey?”
Lisa grinned but didn’t answer.
Riley took the champagne from her hand and pushed it at Rafe, then tugged Lisa toward the dance floor. “Come on and tell me all about what you’ve been up to the last few months since you broke my heart.”
“Um…” Lisa darted a glance at Rafe.
“He won’t mind. Will you?” Riley winked at Rafe, didn’t wait for him to answer and pulled Lisa behind him.
Rafe clenched his jaw and watched as the obnoxious redhead twirled Lisa around on the dance floor. She laughed, and her skirt swayed and flared, giving him a glimpse of bare thigh.
Mierda. He tipped her half-empty glass to his lips and downed the contents. This wasn’t part of the plan, although he should have expected she’d run into people she knew. The woman obviously hadn’t been listening when he’d told her to stick close. More frustrated by the minute, he lifted his own glass and drank that, too. When a waiter passed with a tray, he deposited the empties and grabbed another flute.
He turned away so he didn’t have to watch her flirting with some other guy. Why the hell was it bugging him? They weren’t a couple, weren’t involved at all, aside from their business arrangement. Just because she’d almost rocked his world in Italy, just because he was still fantasizing about stripping her naked, didn’t mean she wanted him. Aside from their brief moment in Shane’s kitchen last night—which he was sure now had been all about adrenaline—she’d made it pretty clear she wasn’t interested at all.
So pull your head out and focus on the real reason you’re here, man.
Head clearer, he wove through the crowd away from Lisa and took a closer look at all the players. He mingled, made small talk and listened in as guests speculated about the unveiling expected later, but didn’t learn anything he didn’t already know.
When the music changed, Lisa slid into the crowd with her friend. Every now and then Rafe caught a glimpse of her through the masses, talking with other guests, laughing, flirting. And each time he did, his blood pressure shot up.
He managed a few short conversations and kept an eye out for Landau. When Lisa finally rejoined