Free Renegade Millionaire by Kristi Gold

much stock in dreams before he’d met Joanna Blake, before she had begun to disturb his own dreams. Surreal dreams. Sexual dreams.
    Maybe his mother had been right to give him the onen. Joanna had come into his life, foreign to him, with a deeply engrained love for her child and a strong conviction in her work ethic. The consummate mother. A woman who deserved a considerate man to attend to her needs. Some of those needs Rio would have no problem tending, others he wasn’t so sure.
    Suddenly he wondered if this was the woman his mother had told him about, the stranger who would change his life for the better. A nice thing to consider, if he really believed in all that mystical stuff. Maybe he was just too jaded to believe in forever-after or love. He sure as hell didn’t intend to settle down, conform to what society considered fitting—a marriage license and the average two kids.
    Joanna remained silent with her elbows propped on the table, palms forming a resting place for her cheeks. She stared off into space as if she’d left him mentally, if not physically. He had a good idea where her thoughts had taken her.
    â€œYou’re thinking about your son,” he stated.
    Joanna looked up, startled. “As a matter of fact, I was.”
    â€œWhen was the last time you talked to him?”
    She straightened and fidgeted with a corner of the cloth place mat. “Two days ago, when I told my mom I was moving.”
    â€œI bet it’s tough on him, being without you.”
    She smiled a sad mother’s smile. “It is. Tough on us both. But he’s a strong little boy. He’s had to be.”
    Rio wanted to know more about her, what made her tick. What made her sad other than the absence of her son. “Tough divorce?”
    â€œIn some ways, yes. Especially on Joseph, not that he had a great relationship with his father.”
    â€œSo his father’s totally out of the picture?”
    â€œVery much so. I don’t even know where he is. Not that I want to know.”
    Sorry bastard. “Does Joseph ask about him?”
    â€œSometimes, but like you, he was too young to remember much about his dad. Joseph’s the best thing that came out of my marriage. He’s always been my strength.”
    The unshed tears glistening in Joanna’s blue eyes caused something deep inside Rio to hurt for her, made him want to take away that pain he saw all too clearly, even though she tried to hide it with a weak smile.
    â€œCall him now, Joanna.”
    She looked surprised and thankful. “Are you sure?”
    â€œYeah, I’m sure.”
    â€œI’d like that. But I insist on paying you for the—”
    â€œForget it. Just call your son.” He nodded toward the phone hanging on the wall.
    She quickly rose from the chair and strode to the phone. Rio thought he should probably leave, give hersome privacy, but for some reason he stayed, maybe to provide some comfort if she needed it. He doubted she’d ask, though, or easily accept his consolation.
    â€œJoseph, it’s Mommy.” Her face immediately brightened. “You’re playing with your train? I’m so glad you like it, sweetie. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more Christmas presents, but maybe next year.”
    A long pause suspended the conversation until Joanna finally said, “I’ll have to see about that bike. But you have to have training wheels until you learn to ride it.”
    Rio watched Joanna from the corner of his eye while he cleared the plates from the table. She twisted the cord round and round her finger, swiped at her face now and then, raised her chin and covered her mouth on occasion. He could tell she was trying hard not to cry. If only he could do something to rid her of those tears, at least temporarily. Get her mind off her troubles. Maybe he could.
    After she hung up, he held out his hand to her. “Come here. I want to show you