different, because Rafe was different from anyone else she had ever known, their conversation this evening showing her he wasn’t just the playboy he wanted everyone else to think that he was.
But she could see now that it wasn’t going to work. That although he had no intention of sucking up to her father and ignoring what Nina wanted, as those other men had, her attraction to Rafe was pulling her in another direction completely, and one that she knew would ultimately cause her father further heartache. And that was something Nina absolutely refused to do; her father had suffered enough.
And going to Rafe’s apartment with him wasn’t going to change any of that. No matter how volatile she knew her physical reaction to him was...
CHAPTER SIX
‘F EELING BETTER ?’
‘Yes, thank you,’ Nina confirmed huskily as she looked up at Rafe after taking a sip of the brandy he had insisted on pouring for both of them once they reached his apartment.
In the end, Nina hadn’t been able to resist accompanying him there; if this was to be their one and only date, as it probably would be, then she intended making the most of it.
The modern décor of Rafe’s apartment had come as something of a surprise to her, even a disappointment, with its colour scheme of black, silver and white. The walls in the sitting room were white, as was the carpet, with a black leather sofa and chairs, and a glass coffee table, only the original artwork on the walls and the fantastic view of New York outside the huge windows to prevent it from appearing utilitarian.
It certainly reflected none of the sensuality or larger than life personality of the man who occupied it.
‘It’s a family-owned apartment,’ Rafe dismissed as he saw her curiosity. ‘Whichever of the brothers is in New York at the time uses it.’
She blinked. ‘Do you change locations a lot, then?’
‘Every two months or so, sometimes more often.’ Rafe shrugged. ‘Depends what’s happening at the time. We have an exhibition coming up in Paris next month, and, with Gabriel away on his honeymoon, Michael decided to take over in Paris for a while. He’ll be flying over here on Friday for the gala opening on Saturday, of course.’
Nina knew they were both just talking for the sake of it, that Rafe was trying to put her at her ease. ‘My father will appreciate that.’ She nodded.
‘Michael wouldn’t think of not being there.’
And yet Michael had no reservations in leaving Rafe in charge of her father’s exhibition. Further proof that Nina really shouldn’t believe all that she read about Rafe in the newspapers, that, as she had realised this evening, he really wasn’t just the playboy the press had made him out to be.
Rafe placed his glass down on the coffee table before coming down on his haunches beside the chair where Nina sat. He took her free hand in his. ‘I really am sorry about earlier. For making you cry,’ he told her gruffly. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard.’
‘It isn’t your fault.’ Her hand shook slightly inside his as she gave a shake of her head. ‘You can’t possibly understand, and I can’t explain, either,’ she added emotionally.
Those golden eyes narrowed. ‘Why can’t you?’
‘It isn’t possible.’
His jaw tightened. ‘I repeat, why not?’
‘Because it isn’t my story to tell.’
Rafe had already guessed as much, just as he now believed this story had something to do with whatever had happened to the Palitov family nineteen years ago. When Nina’s mother had died, and Dmitri Palitov had been involved in the car accident that had resulted in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
The timing of those two events, just weeks apart, and Nina’s refusal to talk about them, made Rafe wonder if they might actually be linked by more than just Dmitri’s distraction at the loss of his wife.
And it mattered to him, Rafe realised. Knowing, what kept the beautiful and talented Nina hidden away from
But she could see now that it wasn’t going to work. That although he had no intention of sucking up to her father and ignoring what Nina wanted, as those other men had, her attraction to Rafe was pulling her in another direction completely, and one that she knew would ultimately cause her father further heartache. And that was something Nina absolutely refused to do; her father had suffered enough.
And going to Rafe’s apartment with him wasn’t going to change any of that. No matter how volatile she knew her physical reaction to him was...
CHAPTER SIX
‘F EELING BETTER ?’
‘Yes, thank you,’ Nina confirmed huskily as she looked up at Rafe after taking a sip of the brandy he had insisted on pouring for both of them once they reached his apartment.
In the end, Nina hadn’t been able to resist accompanying him there; if this was to be their one and only date, as it probably would be, then she intended making the most of it.
The modern décor of Rafe’s apartment had come as something of a surprise to her, even a disappointment, with its colour scheme of black, silver and white. The walls in the sitting room were white, as was the carpet, with a black leather sofa and chairs, and a glass coffee table, only the original artwork on the walls and the fantastic view of New York outside the huge windows to prevent it from appearing utilitarian.
It certainly reflected none of the sensuality or larger than life personality of the man who occupied it.
‘It’s a family-owned apartment,’ Rafe dismissed as he saw her curiosity. ‘Whichever of the brothers is in New York at the time uses it.’
She blinked. ‘Do you change locations a lot, then?’
‘Every two months or so, sometimes more often.’ Rafe shrugged. ‘Depends what’s happening at the time. We have an exhibition coming up in Paris next month, and, with Gabriel away on his honeymoon, Michael decided to take over in Paris for a while. He’ll be flying over here on Friday for the gala opening on Saturday, of course.’
Nina knew they were both just talking for the sake of it, that Rafe was trying to put her at her ease. ‘My father will appreciate that.’ She nodded.
‘Michael wouldn’t think of not being there.’
And yet Michael had no reservations in leaving Rafe in charge of her father’s exhibition. Further proof that Nina really shouldn’t believe all that she read about Rafe in the newspapers, that, as she had realised this evening, he really wasn’t just the playboy the press had made him out to be.
Rafe placed his glass down on the coffee table before coming down on his haunches beside the chair where Nina sat. He took her free hand in his. ‘I really am sorry about earlier. For making you cry,’ he told her gruffly. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard.’
‘It isn’t your fault.’ Her hand shook slightly inside his as she gave a shake of her head. ‘You can’t possibly understand, and I can’t explain, either,’ she added emotionally.
Those golden eyes narrowed. ‘Why can’t you?’
‘It isn’t possible.’
His jaw tightened. ‘I repeat, why not?’
‘Because it isn’t my story to tell.’
Rafe had already guessed as much, just as he now believed this story had something to do with whatever had happened to the Palitov family nineteen years ago. When Nina’s mother had died, and Dmitri Palitov had been involved in the car accident that had resulted in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
The timing of those two events, just weeks apart, and Nina’s refusal to talk about them, made Rafe wonder if they might actually be linked by more than just Dmitri’s distraction at the loss of his wife.
And it mattered to him, Rafe realised. Knowing, what kept the beautiful and talented Nina hidden away from
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