Читать книгу Latin Lovers Untamed: In Dante's Debt / Captive in His Bed / Brazilian Boss, Virgin Housekeeper - Jane Porter - Страница 13

DANTE followed her, chasing her to her bedroom. “I’m not finished.”

“I am,” she retorted, reaching for the door. Her wounded pride had had it. “Move. Before I slam the door on your head.”

He stuck his foot in the door. “You’re strong, Daisy, but you’re not that strong.”

“I don’t need this. You left me in charge—”

“Correction, Daisy, I didn’t leave you in charge. I left you here to watch over my sister, but watching over her is different from driving her about the country providing her with opportunities for disaster.”

“Nothing happened.” No? she silently mocked herself. Something did happen, only you’re too much a coward to tell him.

“You’re lucky then. Because Anabella has an amazing ability to sneak off and create utter chaos, and trust me, Ana doesn’t need more chaos. She needs structure, order, discipline.”

“I was with her—”

“That’s not the point. You weren’t supposed to be out. You weren’t supposed to take the car.”

“Stop talking to me like I’m fifteen.”

“Then start acting like a grown-up!”

Her hands clenched, and she lifted one fist.

“Are you going to hit me again? Is this your way of dealing with problems?”

He was right. She was acting like a child.

Daisy dropped her hand, retreated into her room, her heart racing. She couldn’t handle this, couldn’t articulate how much his words hurt her. She wished she didn’t care what he thought, wished she didn’t care at all about him or his wretched arrogant opinion, but she did care. Cared deeply.

He’d destroyed her independence ages ago, but she didn’t want to admit it. From their very first kiss she’d wanted more from him than she’d ever wanted from anyone. With one kiss she’d taken more chances, opened herself to more hurt, than she’d ever felt comfortable doing before.

And look where it had gotten her.

“I don’t want to fight.”

“Good, because you’d lose, and frankly, I don’t have the time or energy to get into another arm-wrestling match. As smart as you are, and as independent as you like to think you are, you don’t always know what’s best.”

Even as he spoke, he continued walking toward her, a slow, deliberate march that made the fine hair on her neck rise and her muscles tense.

Daisy backed up a step and then silently criticized herself for being a coward, but it was all she could do to hold her position when he stopped in front of her, less than a foot away. She could feel the heat of his body, and the width of his shoulders reduced her to something small and fragile.

“Tell me just one thing, and be honest.”

She stiffened. “What?”

He reached out, lifted a long gold strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Were you with Anabella every minute this afternoon? Did she leave you at any point? Disappear for awhile? Fifteen minutes? Twenty?”

Daisy held her breath. She felt his gaze search hers. She couldn’t lie to him and she couldn’t tear her gaze from his intensely erotic eyes. He looked so beautiful and he kissed like the devil and everything she felt had to be wrong. “I did lose her,” she whispered. “In the market square this afternoon.”

“How long was she gone?”

“Two hours. Give or take twenty minutes.”

“You didn’t suspect she’d sneak away?”

Daisy colored. “No.” He was making her feel very stupid. “I generally don’t mistrust people.”

“But you continue to mistrust me.” He reached out again, slipped a hand through her hair, letting the long, silvery strands drape across his fingers.

Her lips parted, but she couldn’t really argue that point. He was right. She didn’t trust him. Or maybe she didn’t trust herself.

He tugged her hair and lifted her face to his. His smoldering gaze traveled her face, focusing first on her eyes and then her mouth. “You weren’t going to tell me that you lost Anabella in town, were you?”

Her throat constricted. She couldn’t speak and just shook her head.

“Why not? You didn’t think I ought to know she’s up to her old tricks? That she’s sneaking behind my back, meeting her boyfriend again?” There was an edge to his voice.

“It’s not as if you can change what’s happened at this point.”

“I can’t change what happened this afternoon, but I can ensure it doesn’t happen again. Her boyfriend is bad news. Very bad news, and Ana doesn’t need to be exposed to more pain.”

“Your intentions are good, Dante, but you can’t possibly control her. You can give her guidance and support. You can offer encouragement, but in the end Anabella is responsible for Anabella.”

“No. You don’t understand—”

“I do, better than you think.”

“I can’t discuss this right now,” he said curtly, his expression dark, frustration rolling off him in waves.

“You mean you won’t.”

“Exactly.” He drew her against him, and his head suddenly dipped, his mouth covering hers.

As his lips touched hers, Daisy felt a wall of heat slam into her. It was huge, tangible, physical. Something happened when they touched, and it was bigger than either of them, stronger, more powerful.

He kissed her deeply, parting her lips with his, his tongue tasting her mouth before teasing her tongue in a slow, erotic dance. He was awakening every nerve and sense, creating a fierce hunger that could only, would only, be consummated by him.

Long minutes later, when he finally lifted his head, Daisy clung to him, dizzy, legs utterly boneless.

His breathing was labored, and he lifted her face, his savage gaze inspecting her languid expression and swollen lips.

“I want you, Daisy, and maybe there’s a way we can make this work, but it won’t happen if you fight me regarding Anabella.”

Her heart continued to thud hard, her pulse racing. She wanted him desperately but she wouldn’t play games with him. She had a mind, she had her own opinions, and he had to be willing to listen to her opinions. “I’m not going to fight with you about your sister but I don’t have to agree with your point of view, either.”

He gently but firmly pushed her away so that she felt only cool air surrounding her. “You’re better off biting your tongue.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then maybe it’s time you went home.”

Daisy felt the blood drain from her face. She went cold all over, fingers, toes, legs. “Maybe it is.” Unconsciously she lifted her chin, not about to crumble even though she was shocked. She’d never expected those words out of him.

Dante’s gaze met hers, eyes narrowed, amber irises stormy. “We’ll talk about this later. I don’t have the time now. I have guests arriving at the airstrip within the hour.”

“You have guests flying in?” For some reason her brain felt slow, her emotions clouding her thoughts. She should be pleased she could go home. She should be pleased she’d be back on her farm taking some control over her life again.

“A group of clients and business associates,” he answered tautly, turning and looking toward the door. His jaw was tight, his lips compressed. “I thought things were going well here or I wouldn’t have invited them for a long weekend. I frequently use the estancia to entertain and planned a traditional barbecue for tonight.”

“I’ll try to stay out of your way.”

“That’s not what I want.” He shot her a swift glance, his eyes narrowed. “I wanted my guests to meet you. I thought you’d enjoy the party.” His jaw softened somewhat. “I still think you would. I’ll expect to see you and Anabella dressed by seven.”

“I don’t want to go, not the way I feel right now.”

“They know you’re here. It would be an embarrassment if you didn’t show. I expect you dressed by seven. Si?”

Daisy felt trapped between Anabella’s deceit and Dante’s demands. For the first time since she arrived in Argentina she truly felt like an outsider and realized she might not be able to handle juggling responsibilities along with these new emotional demands.

Unable to find peace in her bedroom, Daisy changed into her jeans, boots and a light cotton pullover. She knew Dante expected her at the party but she was in no mood to help entertain his guests. If he wanted to host a party, let him host it.

Daisy had a horse saddled and brought to her, a young thoroughbred appropriately named Nino, or Baby. But Nino wasn’t timid. She loved to run, and once they’d left the gates of the estate, Daisy leaned forward in the saddle and let the mare go.

Cantering across the pampas, hair streaming loose behind her, knees gripping the mare’s sides, Daisy wouldn’t let herself think of anything but the open land and the cooling evening breeze. She’d forget Anabella, forget Dante, forget the debt, her father’s health, forget everything but the rare luxury of time alone.

In the lavender and silver twilight, her senses felt unusually heightened. She could smell the soil and the tender shoots of grass. The sky looked like pewter, and the distant line of trees darkened to purple.

Riding hard on an approaching fence, Daisy rose in the stirrups and encouraged Nino to jump. The mare obliged, and they sailed over the fence. Daisy hugged Nino’s neck and they cantered on.

But an hour later the sun had completely disappeared. And she had no choice but turn back. Daisy took a different route home, following an old dirt road. About a mile from the house she approached another rider. He wore traditional pants and boots. He must be one of the estancia’s hired gauchos.

“Buenos noches,” she said on reaching the cowboy.

He nodded. He was young, couldn’t be much older than twenty-two or twenty-three, but he was tall and looked strong, as though he’d already spent a lifetime in the saddle. Yet he turned away from her smile, his heavy brows furrowing as though he didn’t welcome the attention.

Perhaps he wasn’t one of the hired hands after all. Maybe he was one of those renegade gauchos Dante had told her about.

Daisy urged Nino faster and galloped the rest of the way home. Heart pounding, hands trembling, she stripped off Nino’s saddle as soon as they reached the stable. She shouldn’t have gone out so late in the day. No harm had come to her, but it was foolish to take unnecessary risks. She couldn’t afford to take unnecessary risks, not when Zoe and her dad depended on her so much.

She’d mention the gaucho to Dante, let him know what she’d seen. Just in case, he ought to know.

As she left the stable, she heard music coming from the manicured lawn on the other side of the house and remembered Dante’s get-together. From the sound of the laughter, the party was in full swing. Daisy moved quietly through the house and carefully opened her door, reaching into her room to snap on the light.

Dante’s voice thundered from the shadows. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

She quickly flicked the light on. His piercing gaze traveled the length of her, grimly studying her damp, disheveled appearance. “Where have you been?”