The Spaniard's Woman - Contemporary Romance by Kat Davidson Read Free Book Online

poured them both coffee, noting as she did so that her hand was shaking a little. She put the coffee pot down abruptly. Half of her was listening for the sound of small footsteps, something to indicate that her son was awake; the other half of her was very much in the room. ‘I don’t think you need to prove anything.’
    ‘What is it?’ he demanded.
    Startled, Rhianna stared at him, green eyes wide. ‘W-what?’
    ‘Something is troubling you. You’re as skittish as a foal.’ He was studying her, trying to work out what was wrong and her heart fluttered with panic.
    Desperately her mind searched for something, some answer that would satisfy him. She could barely concentrate, waiting for Dylan to burst into the room at any moment. Inspiration came to her in a flash. ‘It’s Grady,’ she told him in a rush. ‘He’s due back soon.’
    Gabriel arched an eyebrow. ‘So?’
    ‘So I don’t want him to find you here. He... he gets jealous when other men flirt with me.’ Rhianna apologized silently to the absent Grady, although she knew him well enough to know that he would find the idea of him being jealous amusing. ‘If he finds you here he’ll be furious.’
    Gabriel appeared anything but alarmed by the prospect of Grady’s return. ‘I promise not to hit him.’
    Rhianna flinched, visions of Grady and Gabriel fighting over her too appalling to contemplate. ‘Of course you can’t hit him.’
    Gabriel looked at her, face intent. ‘I am sorry for intruding into your relationship with another man,’ he told her quietly. ‘But I cannot believe that he can fully satisfy you, certainly not in the way I can.’
    ‘You think a great deal of yourself,’ Rhianna snapped, unnerved, ‘Besides, I hardly think your opinion of Grady justifies infidelity. For either of us.’
    ‘When I saw you the other night I realized that I made a mistake, sending you away. I thought that you would be too much of a distraction from my forthcoming marriage.’ Something touched his face, a strange bleakness, ‘I did not understand then what I was sacrificing. Now, I want you back.’
    ‘And whatever Gabriel Ortega wants, he gets, isn’t that right?’ Rhianna demanded tightly.
    ‘In this instance, yes. Stand up, mi Rhianna.’
    Rhianna stared at him warily. ‘What?’
    ‘Stand up.’ He rose, over six feet of powerful, sexual male.
    Rhianna realized she must appear as if she were cowering back in her chair. He stood over her, a hungry predator, commanding her obedience. ‘No.’
    ‘I think you will find that things will go more smoothly between us when you learn to do as I say,’ he murmured. With the smooth grace of a panther he moved, bending to scoop her into his arms in one fluid action. Before Rhianna could gather her thoughts she was pressed against him, held easily as if she weighed nothing.
    ‘Put me down!’
    Gabriel laughed and dropped one arm, allowing her to slide into a standing position. He did not release her, however and she found herself held firmly against him, his face inches from her own. ‘Well, pequeno ?’ he whispered, ‘what shall we do now?’
    Her body knew exactly what it wanted to do. The intimacy of his embrace set it ablaze and she arched closer unconsciously, reveling in the hardness of him, the heady sensuality of being held in Gabriel’s arms. ‘Just as I thought,’ he murmured, mouth moving closer. ‘Your lips is an irresistible invitation, Rhianna hermoso ...’
    And the world disappeared beneath the demanding onslaught of his mouth.

Chapter Four

    His lips were like fire against her own, commanding her to respond. For long moments, Rhianna resisted, standing rigid within his embrace but it was like trying to hold back the tide; his urgency was irresistible. A sweet, slow ache began deep within her, sweeping her up, infusing her with desire so intense that her resistance crumbled. Rhianna made an inarticulate noise against the mouth that had trapped her own, her body becoming pliant