to the nearest source of security—Del Toro's arms.
He held her tightly, gazing down with an expression of mocking amusement. "Is this how we keep our arrangement 'impersonal'? Not too bad!"
JoNell was so startled and disconcerted by her fear of the earthquake tremor that she didn't pull away, and the next thing she realized, his lips crushed down on hers. For a giddy instant, she felt that same unwanted emotional response she had felt that day on the deserted beach, a physical awakening of her body, pressing harder against his, a fire springing to life deep inside her, threatening to turn into raging desire.
But instantly, she came to her senses and jerked back from him. "That's not part of our deal!" she flared.
"You came to me," he reminded her.
"The earthquake frightened me, and you took advantage of it. You don't have any scruples at all where a woman is concerned, do you?"
JoNell felt rage in Del Toro's stare as he raked his eyes over her. For a moment the air in the room fairly sizzled with the clash of their emotions. But gradually, the anger in Del Toro's eyes drained away and logic took its place. Or was it cool calculation, as he weighed his fury against her importance to his safety? She thought that he had been near the point of telling her to forget their business deal and sending her packing on the first commercial flight home—but then had thought better of it.
He rammed his hand into the pocket of his snug-fitting trousers. In spite of herself, JoNell couldn't help but notice, with an unwanted tingle, how smoothly the rich brown fabric hugged the powerful muscles of his thighs.
"Here!" Del Toro thrust his hand angrily at her. He was holding a small, velvet covered box.
"What is it?"
"Open it and find out."
She lifted the cover. Her breath caught in her throat. Nestled in a black velvet cushion was an enormous solitary diamond in a simple gold ring setting. The diamond flashed blue-white fire with each movement of the box.
"It's your engagement ring," Del Toro said. "Why don't you put it on? Or better yet, let me put it on your finger."
JoNell got her breath back. She held the box out to him. "I can't accept this," she gasped. "You can't be serious."
"Of course I am serious. One doesn't buy a diamond like this for a joke! And you will accept it. You are the fiancée of Jorge Del Toro, and you will wear an appropriate ring."
Again she felt the impotent rage of being backed into an emotional corner. "I will not be beholden to you," she insisted, raising her chin. "I want it clearly understood that the day the marriage is ended, the ring goes back to you."
"You're a stubborn little fool!" Del Toro stormed. "Do you know how many women would jump at the chance to marry Jorge Del Toro even for one year? But you find excuses to riddle our marriage with hatred. Can't you relax and enjoy yourself once in a while? A year is a long time to hate someone you're going to have to live with."
JoNell glared at him. "I am different from all those other women in one important respect."
"And what is that?"
"You weren't able to mesmerize me with your so-called Latin flattery and charm the way you were the others. I know you for what you are!"
Dark green eyes clashed with large brown ones. Then the dark green eyes began to crinkle around the corners, and Del Toro threw back his head and laughed heartily.
"You are insufferable!" JoNell cried.
"So insufferable that you refuse to marry me—so insufferable that you would let your father lose his business rather than spend a year as my wife?"
JoNell's eyes filled with angry tears. "I knew you were totally without scruples, seňor," she said in measured tones. "But I had no idea you were also sadistic. Does it amuse you to taunt me?"
"Not so much as it pleases me to tell you when and where our wedding will take place."
JoNell gulped a chunk of air that felt sharp and pointed. She steeled herself to hear details which she had not wanted to think about. Until now,
He held her tightly, gazing down with an expression of mocking amusement. "Is this how we keep our arrangement 'impersonal'? Not too bad!"
JoNell was so startled and disconcerted by her fear of the earthquake tremor that she didn't pull away, and the next thing she realized, his lips crushed down on hers. For a giddy instant, she felt that same unwanted emotional response she had felt that day on the deserted beach, a physical awakening of her body, pressing harder against his, a fire springing to life deep inside her, threatening to turn into raging desire.
But instantly, she came to her senses and jerked back from him. "That's not part of our deal!" she flared.
"You came to me," he reminded her.
"The earthquake frightened me, and you took advantage of it. You don't have any scruples at all where a woman is concerned, do you?"
JoNell felt rage in Del Toro's stare as he raked his eyes over her. For a moment the air in the room fairly sizzled with the clash of their emotions. But gradually, the anger in Del Toro's eyes drained away and logic took its place. Or was it cool calculation, as he weighed his fury against her importance to his safety? She thought that he had been near the point of telling her to forget their business deal and sending her packing on the first commercial flight home—but then had thought better of it.
He rammed his hand into the pocket of his snug-fitting trousers. In spite of herself, JoNell couldn't help but notice, with an unwanted tingle, how smoothly the rich brown fabric hugged the powerful muscles of his thighs.
"Here!" Del Toro thrust his hand angrily at her. He was holding a small, velvet covered box.
"What is it?"
"Open it and find out."
She lifted the cover. Her breath caught in her throat. Nestled in a black velvet cushion was an enormous solitary diamond in a simple gold ring setting. The diamond flashed blue-white fire with each movement of the box.
"It's your engagement ring," Del Toro said. "Why don't you put it on? Or better yet, let me put it on your finger."
JoNell got her breath back. She held the box out to him. "I can't accept this," she gasped. "You can't be serious."
"Of course I am serious. One doesn't buy a diamond like this for a joke! And you will accept it. You are the fiancée of Jorge Del Toro, and you will wear an appropriate ring."
Again she felt the impotent rage of being backed into an emotional corner. "I will not be beholden to you," she insisted, raising her chin. "I want it clearly understood that the day the marriage is ended, the ring goes back to you."
"You're a stubborn little fool!" Del Toro stormed. "Do you know how many women would jump at the chance to marry Jorge Del Toro even for one year? But you find excuses to riddle our marriage with hatred. Can't you relax and enjoy yourself once in a while? A year is a long time to hate someone you're going to have to live with."
JoNell glared at him. "I am different from all those other women in one important respect."
"And what is that?"
"You weren't able to mesmerize me with your so-called Latin flattery and charm the way you were the others. I know you for what you are!"
Dark green eyes clashed with large brown ones. Then the dark green eyes began to crinkle around the corners, and Del Toro threw back his head and laughed heartily.
"You are insufferable!" JoNell cried.
"So insufferable that you refuse to marry me—so insufferable that you would let your father lose his business rather than spend a year as my wife?"
JoNell's eyes filled with angry tears. "I knew you were totally without scruples, seňor," she said in measured tones. "But I had no idea you were also sadistic. Does it amuse you to taunt me?"
"Not so much as it pleases me to tell you when and where our wedding will take place."
JoNell gulped a chunk of air that felt sharp and pointed. She steeled herself to hear details which she had not wanted to think about. Until now,
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