AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If he sensed her fresh agitation, he didn’t give an indication of it. By the time he joined her at the lift, his impeccable clothes were in place.
‘The tests will be expedited. We should have the preliminary ones by this evening although I’m not expecting any surprises.’
Or anything to stand in his way.
She chose not to touch the unvoiced words.
They emerged into sunlight and the awaiting limo. Half an hour later, they were at the airport. This time she didn’t need prompting to get out of the car. The tension of yesterday underlined newer, even riskier tension. The kind that made her stomach flutter wildly each time Ramon so much as glanced her way.
Something he seemed to do often, despite the long phone call he was engaged in for most of the journey.
As for that beautifully lilted Spanish that fell so smoothly from his lips?
Dear heaven, she was losing it.
It didn’t help that she was robbed of further breath the moment she stepped into his private jet. Every corner of the plane was decked out with unapologetic comfort and luxury in mind. Silky leather suede in soft accents covered all three separate groupings of sofas and armchairs. Light-coloured marble lined the table tops and flat-screen TVs broadcasted the latest financial and world news from two different screens. The two attendants and pilots who greeted them wore the same Acosta Hotels logo on their uniforms that she’d seen previously, and the English they greeted her with was impeccable.
Feeling more than a little out of place in her simple dress and sandals, Suki slowed as she reached the middle of the plane. The touch of a firm, warm hand at her waist made her jump, her senses screeching as Ramon turned her to face him.
‘You need to take a seat so we can take off.’
Nodding stiffly, she started to move towards an armchair. The hand at her waist checked her progress and steered her towards a two-seater sofa. Pressing her into it, he buckled her in and sat down next to her, bringing one lean, powerful thigh much too close to her own. Under the pretext of crossing her legs, she shifted away.
A quick glance at him showed he’d caught the movement. And wasn’t terribly impressed with it.
‘Ramon...’ She wasn’t exactly sure what she’d hoped to say but one attendant approached them with drinks. She accepted a fruit punch, took a sip of the refreshing drink while Ramon chose a mineral water.
He waited until they were alone again to slice her with a dark look. ‘It would be good if you didn’t jump like a startled rabbit when I touch you in public.’
‘I wasn’t aware that we would be doing public outings together,’ she replied.
His mouth twisted. ‘Did you think I was going to hide you away for the next nine months?’
She hadn’t thought of that. To be honest, the swiftly ticking clock, racing towards what would happen tonight, hadn’t given her much thinking room since she woke up this morning. ‘But aren’t you worried that it’ll send out a certain impression?’ she asked, a little bubble of bemusement taking root inside.
‘What sort of impression?’
She licked nervous lips. ‘Well...people are going to think we’re together.’
He shrugged, eyeing her with a steady look. ‘I don’t have a problem with that. Do you?’
No. Yes. She shook her head in confusion. ‘But we’re not. I don’t like people assuming something that isn’t true.’
‘What would you suggest? That we take out an ad in the paper stating that we’re having sex simply to have a child together?’
She glared at him. ‘No, of course not.’
‘You and I know the truth. That’s all that matters.’ The words held a ring of intractable finality.
Suki was reeling long after their plane had launched itself into the sky. For better or worse, her life was tied to Ramon’s for the foreseeable future.
CHAPTER EIGHT
HE WASN’T GOING to demand to know what was going on in her head. Nor was he going to demand conversation. And the need to reach out and free her thick caramel-blonde hair from the ponytail was certainly one he wouldn’t be indulging.
He had achieved his purpose where Suki was concerned. Or as near enough to it without having performed the act itself.
She’d subsided into near silence after their conversation on the plane, only acknowledging him when he deposited her in his private suite at Acosta Hotel Miami and left for his meeting. By then he’d concluded that talking was no longer necessary, or even a pleasurable experience with her. Half the time she argued with him. The other half she offered sympathy or touched on subjects that he found difficult. All the time his attention was absorbed by her animation, the little gestures with her hand she probably wasn’t aware she was making.
