Oh dear!
‘The same aunt,’ Brynne told Antonia happily as she held out her hand. ‘Brynne Sullivan. Are you joining us for lunch, Miss Roig?’ she prompted lightly as the other woman met the gesture with the slightest brush of her slender, scarlet-tipped fingers.
The pouting red mouth tightened slightly. ‘I would have, but unfortunately I have another engagement in Palma early this afternoon,’ Antonia snapped dismissively. ‘You have not forgotten that you are expected for dinner this evening, Alejandro?’ she added tartly.
Oh, dear, dear, dear, Brynne mused as she sat down in the seat the other woman had just vacated; poor Alejandro looked as if he might have some explaining to do later!
‘Of course I have not forgotten,’ he confirmed, a little impatiently, Brynne thought as he brushed his lips lightly against the other woman’s cheek in parting.
‘What a pity Miss Roig couldn’t join us,’ Brynne remarked dryly once Antonia had left.
Alejandro turned from watching Antonia’s abrupt departure to scowl down at Brynne’s bent head as she perused the menu with marked deliberation. ‘Yes, a pity,’ he bit out tersely as he resumed his seat at the table, knowing by the way Brynne returned his gaze with wide-eyed innocence that she was enjoying what she no doubt sensed was his slight discomfort.
But what could he have done otherwise? To press Antonia to join them would, with Brynne in this mischievously troublemaking mood, only have resulted in even more embarrassment, he was sure. No, he had done the right thing; he would have plenty of time to explain, and placate Antonia later tonight.
‘It all looks delicious. What do you recommend?’ Brynne asked as she closed the menu to look at him enquiringly, the mischief still dancing in those deep blue eyes.
She didn’t look much older than Miguel with that innocent expression, her face bare of make-up, and her hair pulled back into a green band that matched the colour of her top.
Except that expression was too innocent!
‘Everything,’ he dismissed impatiently before turning his attention to helping Miguel select his food.
Surprisingly Brynne enjoyed the leisurely lunch. She and Alejandro spent most of the time ignoring each other—which had to be a definite plus as far as her digestion was concerned!—but Michael was starting to relax in his father’s company and the food was excellent. The wine Alejandro ordered complemented their lunch perfectly, and the view was spectacular from where they sat high up on one of the terraces that looked down the valley to the sea.
In fact, by the time they left to drive back to the villa she was the most relaxed since arriving in Majorca.
Michael was quite happy to return to the pool in the afternoon, leaving Brynne to laze on one of the loungers as she pondered the merits of the local siesta; she could quite cheerfully have fallen asleep for an hour or so after that lovely meal and wine.
Although Alejandro’s presence on the lounger beside her own pretty much assured her that she would never be able to relax enough to do that!
‘So you’re going out again this evening?’ she prompted conversationally as she sat up to rub oil onto her tanning arms and legs.
‘Again…?’ Alejandro echoed softly as he turned to watch her movements, her fingers long and supple as she smoothed the oil into her shoulders and throat.
Brynne didn’t even glance at him as she bent to rub oil on the long length of her legs. ‘I saw you go out yesterday evening.’ She shrugged.
But she obviously hadn’t seen, or heard, him come back again two hours later…
His departure alone had obviously been enough for her to draw her own conclusions. And meeting Antonia today would certainly not have belied that conclusion.
Although why this woman should think she had any right to comment on what he did in his private life was beyond him!
He found his attention caught and held as Brynne pushed her halter-top up to just below her breasts as she now put oil onto her bare midriff. A completely flat midriff, with soft and creamy skin, and just a tanatalizing glimpse of the thrusting swell of her breasts beneath the green top—
What was he doing?
This woman was Miguel’s aunt by marriage, his nuisance of an aunt by marriage, not someone whose attractions Alejandro should find in the least arousing.
His mouth tightened. ‘You have a comment you wish to make about my dinner engagement?’ he rasped hastily, all the time knowing that impatience was aimed at himself more than at Brynne.
She was a constant thorn in his side, an irritant he couldn’t wait to be rid of, so what did it matter if she had a lithely beautiful body and that her skin looked like silk? Even the freckles that covered the whole of her body added to her sensuousness as he imagined discovering, and kissing, every single one of them…
‘Not at all.’ Brynne looked surprised by his question. ‘I was just making conversation, Alejandro,’ she dismissed lightly.
Like hell she was!
But he was not involved with Antonia in the way that Brynne seemed to think he was. Deliberately so. Flattering and charming Antonia was one thing, but he never, ever mixed business with the sort of pleasure he had been thinking of with Brynne herself a few minutes ago.
Although that slight possessiveness Antonia seemed to be developing where he was concerned told him that he might not have been his usual careful self where relationships were concerned during his distraction over the custody of Miguel. Both Antonia and her father might be expecting something more from the interest he had shown Antonia.
But he had no intention of ever going through the painful process of marrying again. And now that he had an heir in Miguel, he had no need to do so.
But there was still the problem of Felipe Roig’s elusiveness…
He stood up quickly. ‘I have some calls to make.’
‘My, what a busy man you are, Alejandro,’ Brynne looked up to taunt, her chin resting on her bent knee.
His gaze was cold as he looked down at her. ‘I have business commitments, yes,’ he replied coolly.
Brynne raised her eyebrows. ‘How pleasant for you when the business is as beautiful as Antonia Roig.’
Alejandro’s jaw clenched. ‘Not that it is any of your concern, but my only connection with Antonia is business with her father, Felipe.’
‘Really?’ Brynne derided. ‘That wasn’t the impression I got!’
‘I do not care—’ Alejandro broke off his angry retort, breathing deeply as he looked down his arrogant nose at her. ‘You really do not have the right to question me in this way, Brynne,’ he finally snapped coldly.
‘But the two of you are having dinner together this evening,’ she challenged, not prepared to let him off that easily. After all, if he was considering making Antonia his wife, and consequently Michael’s stepmother, then she did consider it her business!
‘I am one of several guests invited for dinner this evening at the home of Antonia’s father, yes,’ he bit out impatiently.
‘Ah…’ she murmured speculatively, enjoying seeing this usually perfectly controlled man at a disadvantage for a change.
Alejandro scowled darkly. ‘You really are the most—unsettling, of women!’
Brynne smiled. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘I would not,’ he snarled, his accent becoming more pronounced in his obvious displeasure. ‘So far I have not found being with you a restful experience!’
Her smile turned to a chuckle. ‘I believe that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Alejandro!’
She was infuriating, Alejandro acknowledged, not for the first time. Infuriating, outspoken, and far too familiar.
But at the same time he also knew that he had never found a moment’s boredom in this woman’s company, either…
For a man who had been soured towards love years ago, his relationships since that time only having ever been on a physical level, it wasn’t just unsettling to realize this, it was extremely disturbing!
He shook his head
. ‘I really do have to go and make some calls. What now?’ he questioned in frustration as he saw Brynne’s disapproving expression.
She shrugged. ‘I was merely wondering if you ever intended to spend any time with Michael?’
Alejandro’s frown darkened to a scowl. ‘I have just finished having lunch with both of you.’
‘Eating together and actually spending time together are two totally different things,’ Brynne dismissed evenly.
He drew in a controlling breath. No one, absolutely no one, ever questioned him in this way!
‘Tell me, Brynne,’ he said tersely, ‘have you ever been present at the taming of a wild stallion?’
Brynne gave him a puzzled glance. ‘I can’t say that I have.’
He nodded abruptly. ‘Then if you had you would know that it takes patience. That first you have to let the stallion slowly become accustomed to your presence, to the sound of your voice. Once you have done that, you can begin to touch the stallion as you talk to it. Again this takes time. But once he accepts these things it is time to put on the saddle and bit. Only to put it on, you understand. It will take many more days before you can actually attempt to get up into the saddle. If you try to go too fast, to force these things, then you will break the animal rather than tame it.’
Brynne stared at him incredulously. ‘Are you trying to tell me that you’re treating getting to know Michael the same as taming a wild stallion?’ she gasped disbelievingly.
He shrugged those broad shoulders. ‘It is a tried and tested method.’
‘You—you—’ Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright with temper as she stood up to face him. ‘Is that how you tame a woman too, Alejandro?’ she challenged in disgust. ‘Do you talk softly to them? Touch them? Caress them? Before taking them to your bed?’ She was breathing hard in her agitation.
His jaw was tightly clenched, his pale grey eyes cold with anger as he glared down at her. ‘You have no right—’
‘I have every right if that’s really the way you think you’re going to get close to Michael!’ she replied. ‘You’re incredible, do you know that?’ She gave a disbelieving shake of her head. ‘Absolutely incredible, if you think you can treat the emotions of a vulnerable little boy as lightly as you would the taming of a wild stallion!’
A nerve pulsed in that tightly clenched jaw. ‘And you, Brynne, have never even tried to understand how difficult this situation is for me—’
‘Forgive me, Alejandro,’ she came back sarcastically. ‘But you really aren’t my first priority!’
‘As well as Miguel,’ Alejandro finished angrily. ‘In fact, I believe you take delight in thinking the worst of me!’ he snapped.
‘I would think badly of any man who evaded his responsibilities for six years!’ she retorted.
His eyes narrowed dangerously. ‘So now we come to the true reason for your obvious contempt for me!’
‘I’ve never even tried to pretend I feel anything else!’ Brynne scorned.
He looked at her icily. ‘You have no knowledge of what happened between Joanna and myself seven years ago!’
‘I know enough,’ Brynne assured him scathingly. ‘Joanna didn’t even trust you enough to tell you of her pregnancy, let alone try to include you in it!’
Alejandro’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to control his own temper, and tell himself that Brynne spoke out of ignorance rather than fact. She judged him on what she thought she knew rather than on what had actually happened seven years ago.
It didn’t work, his anger not abating in the slightest. ‘I advise you not to make judgements on something you do not understand,’ he told her coldly.
‘Oh, I understand you only too well, Alejandro,’ Brynne assured him with a disgusted toss of her head, blue eyes glittering. ‘You’re cold. You’re aloof. And your all-knowing arrogance is just unbelievable!’
He continued to look at her in frustration for several long seconds, his jaw clamped tightly together as he debated whether he wanted to verbally tear Brynne apart, or just pull her into his arms and kiss her until she was senseless.
The latter emotion won!
He reached out to pull her slender body into his and felt the softness of her skin against his own as he held her tightly against him and took possession of the sensuous curve of her lips.
The kiss was so unexpected, so fiercely hot, that Brynne had no chance to do anything other than respond.
It was like drowning! Every part of her seemed to melt into Alejandro, her hands moving up as she clung to the broad width of his shoulders.
And then Alejandro was pushing her away from him, a nerve pulsing in his tightly clenched jaw when he turned back from ensuring that Michael hadn’t seen the exchange. He hadn’t.
‘I have to go,’ he finally muttered determinedly before turning on his heel and striding purposefully back to the villa, his back and shoulders rigid.
Brynne watched him go, very much aware of the fact that, instead of repulsing Alejandro’s kisses, the ache in her body told her she actually regretted that they had ended so soon…!
CHAPTER SIX
BRYNNE shifted on the bed as she tried to find a comfortable position in which to fall asleep.
Something she had been trying to do for the last hour, feeling too restless to settle down to read the book she had brought away with her, and Alejandro not having returned from his evening out yet.
She had been so angry with him this afternoon, then so surprised and aroused as he had kissed her.
In fact, she had been so distracted, so disturbed, that she had felt relieved when Maria had come out and offered to take Michael for a walk to the village with her.
But the result was that Brynne had been so worn out from puzzling over that kiss, her head so full of the things she should have said to Alejandro and hadn’t, that she had eventually fallen into a deep sleep as she had continued to lay on the lounger beside the pool.
Only to wake up an hour later to find her back sunburnt because she had been too agitated earlier to remember to put any oil on it before falling asleep.
Brynne got impatiently out of the bed, the after-sun she had managed to put on her shoulders earlier, and partway up her back, doing absolutely nothing to alleviate the heat or the stinging sensation that continued to keep her from sleeping.
She opened the French doors to stroll out onto the balcony, hearing the distant clanging of a bell around the neck of a goat or sheep, and the clicking sound of the cicadas.
The island really was beautiful, with the brightly coloured bougainvillea that grew in such abundance, the orange and lemon trees that grew on the terraced hillsides and the tiny villages with their wondrous smells of cooking, old-fashioned shops and cafés. Plus it was all surrounded by the most magnificently coloured sea Brynne had ever seen.
But it was all ruined for Brynne by the presence of Alejandro.
What had happened between the two of them earlier today?
She wasn’t quite sure…
The conversation had started out so innocently. And ended in that fiercely heated kiss, a kiss that had left such tension and disharmony between them that Brynne had felt restless and disturbed ever since.
Because she was still angry with him, she had told herself after he had left her. It was only when she had come up to bed, and sleep had continued to elude her, that she had allowed her thoughts to become less angry, to try to understand why their conversation had deteriorated in the way that it had, with the result that Alejandro had actually kissed her.
Her conclusion, at least as far as she was concerned, was not a pleasant one!
There had been such intensity between them during that heated exchange, so that when he had kissed her so suddenly her body had given her no choice but to respond. At which point she had been totally aware of the heat of him, of the broadness of his shoulders, of the hard power—and pleasure—that hardness promised—
No!
Brynne closed her eyes to shut out the memo
ry. It would be extremely stupid on her part to allow her sexual awareness of Alejandro to get any deeper than it already was.
But what if it was something she had no control over?
She could hear the sound of a car coming down the narrow, winding road to the villa, and knew it had to be Alejandro returning from his evening out.
There was something slightly undignified about the possibility that Alejandro might see her standing out on the balcony and think she had been waiting here for him to come home.
She hadn’t, had she…?
It didn’t matter whether she had or not, she decided as she moved quickly back into her bedroom and shut the door behind her; Alejandro wasn’t going to see her and jump to any conclusion, erroneous or otherwise.
Sounds carried in the silence of the night, and she heard Alejandro park the car in the garage, then the scrape of his shoes on the terrace as he walked to the villa and let himself in.
Her nerves tensed as she waited for him to ascend the stairs and walk down the hallway as he went to bed.
The light knock on her bedroom door startled her so much she almost knocked over the vase of lilies that stood on her dressing table.
Alejandro had come to her bedroom, not his own!
Because of that kiss they had shared this afternoon? Had Alejandro realized that part of her anger towards him had been because she had been inexplicably roused by the exchange?
You’re being stupid now, Brynne, she instantly rebuked her panicked thoughts. As far as Alejandro was concerned she had told him how much she didn’t like him this afternoon.
‘Yes?’ she called out, lacing her fingers together to stop them from trembling.
The door opened slowly, and Alejandro came quietly into the room. ‘I saw the light was still on in your bedroom and wondered if there was a problem…?’ He arched his dark brows.
Yes, there was a problem, Brynne realized achingly as she felt her nipples harden beneath her silky pyjamas from just looking at him in his evening suit, the warmth of her body centred between her thighs now.
The darkness of his hair was slightly ruffled by the evening breeze, and the top button of his shirt was undone to reveal the beginning of the dark hair that no doubt covered his chest and went down to his—
The Mediterranean Millionaire's Reluctant Mistress Page 5