again in the very near future.’
Rhianna stared at him narrowly. ‘I thought you wanted breakfast?’
‘There are many things I want. For the moment some of them will have to wait,’ he shrugged. ‘So hurry up and change before I forget my good intentions.’
The breath whistled out from between Rhianna’s teeth. Giving him a dark look, she turned and began searching through the pile of clothing on the bed that was waiting to go into suitcases, pulling out a pair of black cargo pants and a thin cashmere jumper which was the exact same jade green as her eyes. She walked into the en-suite and shut the door behind her, shooting the lock with a decisive click. Irritated by the exchange that had just taken place between them, she pulled on the pants and jumper, then turned to glare at her reflection. His casual assumption that he could make himself free in her bedroom - or anywhere else, by the sound of it - was infuriating and made all the more so by the knowledge that he knew she would succumb whenever he chose to touch her. If she didn’t make a stand very soon then her entire life seemed destined to be ruled by an arrogant Spaniard who believed he had some God given right to treat her as he pleased.
Green eyes glittered back at her in the mirror as she ran a moisturizing cloth over her face to remove any residual grime. She contemplated applying makeup for approximately ten seconds before rejected the idea. Why in the world would she want to make herself more appealing to Gabriel Ortega? He already seemed to think he owned her, body and soul.
Gabriel was waiting for her, sitting on the edge of her bed holding the book that she had been reading before going to sleep at night. He glanced up as the door of the en-suite opened, his eyes glinting at the sight of her. Replacing the book, he rose to his feet and walked across to her. Before she had any idea what he was up to, Gabriel reached around to pull out her hair tie and her lush hair tumbled in a silvery cascade down around her shoulders.
‘Damn it Gabriel!’ she exclaimed indignantly.
‘I like it down,’ he explained and his fingers trailed through the silky strands, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.
‘It’s not practical to have it down when I have things to do,’ she replied, turning away abruptly.
‘You do not need to be practical when you are with me. I will take care of you and our son. Your job is to please me.’
‘Like a good Spanish woman?’ she asked, eyes flashing. ‘But I’m not Spanish, am I? That was always the problem.’
It was a provocative statement. He had left her because she had not been Spanish, with a proper past or a noble heritage. ‘Spanish or not, you are still my woman,’ he told her coolly. ‘And you will do what I wish.’
Rhianna shook her head stubbornly. ‘Not this time Gabriel. You might make me return to Spain with you but I’m not some starry eyed idiot any more.’
‘We shall see,’ he murmured, taking her arm. ‘Come. I am hungry.’
Rhianna was surprised; she had expected an argument but he had been surprisingly calm. She wasn’t foolish enough to think she had heard the last of that particular issue, however.
He took her to a small, intimate cafe on the edge of the harbor. At ten-thirty the place was full of mothers with lattes and businessmen who’d opted for a coffee meeting but Gabriel had no problem securing a table in front of the window. A light rain was falling, small drops misting the glass and obscuring the view of the slate gray water of Sydney harbor. Glancing at the menu, Rhianna immediately saw why Gabriel had brought her here. Cafe Bonita specialized in Spanish food and she gave a wry smile.
‘I thought I would remind you of how much my country has to offer.’ Gabriel murmured. He really did appear to be trying to promote harmony between them. Rhianna wasn’t sure what to make of it.
‘Speaking of Spain,’ It was time to ask some questions. She had the right to
Rhianna stared at him narrowly. ‘I thought you wanted breakfast?’
‘There are many things I want. For the moment some of them will have to wait,’ he shrugged. ‘So hurry up and change before I forget my good intentions.’
The breath whistled out from between Rhianna’s teeth. Giving him a dark look, she turned and began searching through the pile of clothing on the bed that was waiting to go into suitcases, pulling out a pair of black cargo pants and a thin cashmere jumper which was the exact same jade green as her eyes. She walked into the en-suite and shut the door behind her, shooting the lock with a decisive click. Irritated by the exchange that had just taken place between them, she pulled on the pants and jumper, then turned to glare at her reflection. His casual assumption that he could make himself free in her bedroom - or anywhere else, by the sound of it - was infuriating and made all the more so by the knowledge that he knew she would succumb whenever he chose to touch her. If she didn’t make a stand very soon then her entire life seemed destined to be ruled by an arrogant Spaniard who believed he had some God given right to treat her as he pleased.
Green eyes glittered back at her in the mirror as she ran a moisturizing cloth over her face to remove any residual grime. She contemplated applying makeup for approximately ten seconds before rejected the idea. Why in the world would she want to make herself more appealing to Gabriel Ortega? He already seemed to think he owned her, body and soul.
Gabriel was waiting for her, sitting on the edge of her bed holding the book that she had been reading before going to sleep at night. He glanced up as the door of the en-suite opened, his eyes glinting at the sight of her. Replacing the book, he rose to his feet and walked across to her. Before she had any idea what he was up to, Gabriel reached around to pull out her hair tie and her lush hair tumbled in a silvery cascade down around her shoulders.
‘Damn it Gabriel!’ she exclaimed indignantly.
‘I like it down,’ he explained and his fingers trailed through the silky strands, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.
‘It’s not practical to have it down when I have things to do,’ she replied, turning away abruptly.
‘You do not need to be practical when you are with me. I will take care of you and our son. Your job is to please me.’
‘Like a good Spanish woman?’ she asked, eyes flashing. ‘But I’m not Spanish, am I? That was always the problem.’
It was a provocative statement. He had left her because she had not been Spanish, with a proper past or a noble heritage. ‘Spanish or not, you are still my woman,’ he told her coolly. ‘And you will do what I wish.’
Rhianna shook her head stubbornly. ‘Not this time Gabriel. You might make me return to Spain with you but I’m not some starry eyed idiot any more.’
‘We shall see,’ he murmured, taking her arm. ‘Come. I am hungry.’
Rhianna was surprised; she had expected an argument but he had been surprisingly calm. She wasn’t foolish enough to think she had heard the last of that particular issue, however.
He took her to a small, intimate cafe on the edge of the harbor. At ten-thirty the place was full of mothers with lattes and businessmen who’d opted for a coffee meeting but Gabriel had no problem securing a table in front of the window. A light rain was falling, small drops misting the glass and obscuring the view of the slate gray water of Sydney harbor. Glancing at the menu, Rhianna immediately saw why Gabriel had brought her here. Cafe Bonita specialized in Spanish food and she gave a wry smile.
‘I thought I would remind you of how much my country has to offer.’ Gabriel murmured. He really did appear to be trying to promote harmony between them. Rhianna wasn’t sure what to make of it.
‘Speaking of Spain,’ It was time to ask some questions. She had the right to
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