The Spaniard's Woman - Contemporary Romance (16 page)

Rhianna felt torn. There were a lot of questions that she wanted to ask about Ana, questions she didn’t feel she could ask Gabriel but at the same time it felt wrong to quiz his sister. ‘Gabriel said that Ana died in a car accident,’ Rhianna said carefully, feeling guilty for probing this way but unable to stop herself. Gabriel had volunteered nothing about his past. Except for those two, bitter references to his wife, he behaved as if Ana had never existed. ‘He must have been devastated, being widowed so soon.’

Liani sighed. ‘In a way, yes. Ana was pregnant when she died. So you will understand that finding that he had a son has made my brother very happy.’

A wave of shock rippled through Rhianna. Ana had been
pregnant
when she died? ‘He never said anything to me about that.’

‘He wouldn’t,’ Liani replied briefly. ‘It hurt him deeply. He was not the same afterwards.’

Rhianna stared at Dylan. No wonder Gabriel had been so passionate about discovering that he had a son. She couldn’t imagine the pain he’d endured, not only losing his wife but his unborn child as well. Rhianna squeezed Liana’s arm. ‘I’m sorry we’re not staying longer this time but I’m sure you’ll be seeing a great deal of Dylan in the future.’

‘Oh please, yes. And next time, we will make sure Tierra will be here. Dylan can meet his two cousins.’

‘Hey mister,’ Rhianna called to her son, ‘I think it’s time we got you a drink, don’t you?’ He should have had a nap an hour ago but his routine was so out of kilter that it was unlikely Dylan would settle down to a sleep.

He was reluctant to leave his wonderful find. ‘Want to play some more.’

‘I know and we can come back after you’ve had a snack but it’s hot and you look awfully thirsty.’

‘Perhaps there is a little boy who would like a swim in the pool to cool down, yes?’ Liani said temptingly.

Dylan was immediately interested. ‘A pool?’

‘Si
, a pool. Perfect for hot little
muchachos
! And your mama can join us. We shall be three dolphins together.’

Dylan promptly fell in love with the idea and the three of them walked back to the house. Rhianna’s heart sank when she saw Gabriel and his mother by the front door. They seemed to be in the middle of a heated exchange.

‘Ugh!’ Liani muttered. ‘Perhaps I will go to Girona tomorrow. Mama is going to be like a bear with the headache.’

Rhianna presumed she meant that Senora Ortega would be like a bear with a sore head but the girl was undoubtedly right. Gabriel and Isobel Ortega were firing off words in rapid Spanish and it was perfectly clear that they were both furious. Rhianna bent down to pick her son up, unwilling to have him alarmed by raised voices.

‘What’s wrong? Why is Papa loud?’ he whispered.

‘He and his mommy are having a disagreement.’ Rhianna gave her son a reassuring squeeze. ‘People do that sometimes when they’re upset. It’s okay. They fight and then they’re friends again.’ At least, that was the theory, she reflected grimly.

Gabriel broke off what he was saying when he caught sight of them. He muttered something to his mother, before coming quickly down the steps. Senora Ortega spun on her heel and stormed inside. Gabriel smiled at his son, ruffling his hair. ‘And what have you been up to now
mi hijo
?’

‘Playing. Now we’re going to the pool. Mommy as well.’ Dylan explained. ‘We’re going to be dolphins.’

‘That sounds like an excellent plan. We can begin our swimming lessons.’

Liani was eyeing her brother grimly. ‘Mama is being ridiculous...’

Gabriel gave her a warning glance. ‘We will discuss it later. Come, Liani. It is time to swim.’ His sister rolled her eyes but she said nothing more.

The pool was in a long building that was open to the air so it caught the cool breeze coming off the ocean. The pool itself was enormous, made out of a mosaic of brilliantly colored blue and yellow tiles. Gabriel taught his son the basics of freestyle but mostly they paddled in the shallow end while Dylan played. Rhianna had thought her black one-piece swimsuit was the last gasp in lycra modesty until she dropped her towel and had looked up to find Gabriel devouring her with his eyes. Suddenly she had been conscious of how much skin she was revealing and she’d hurried up to the deep end and had dived into the water, disconcerted by what she had seen on Gabriel’s face. She hadn’t been at all surprised when she’d felt hands slide over her body as she slipped through the clear green water but there was only so much that he could do, considering their surroundings.

Rhianna knew that she should be formulating some kind of strategy to deal with Gabriel later on when there wasn’t the convenient protection of their families.
I need to think about what I want
, she thought as she struck out through the deliciously cool water,
and the last thing I want is to be anywhere near Gabriel when he decides the time has come for him to marry again.
Which meant avoiding Gabriel’s lovemaking, not something she’d proved to be particularly good at in the past two weeks. She’d glanced around and a sudden yearning unfurled within her. It looked like the perfect family picture. Watching Gabriel playing with their son, she felt a wistful sense longing. This was how a family
should
look, she reflected and her heart clenched with sudden pain at the thought of some other woman doing the same thing in this place, with this man, in the years to come.

She’d turned away, rolling onto her back and floating, staring up at the ceiling above her while she tried to push all thoughts of the future away. There would be plenty of time in the days and weeks and months to come to dwell on just where her life was heading.

She had just emerged from the shower, having first given Dylan a quick bath when Gabriel walked in. He leaned against the door of the bathroom and surveyed her, eyes resting on the towel that she was wrapped in.

Rhianna eyed him warily. ‘I’m glad you’re here.’

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. ‘You amaze me. Usually you are trying to run in the other direction.’

She gave a faint smile. ‘Dylan refuses to get dressed,’ she told him sweetly. ‘And unless you want a naked little boy running around the dinner table, perhaps you could do the fatherly thing and convince him that clothing is not optional.’

He shook his head, expression wry. ‘You are very good at distractions,
mi
Rhianna. I wonder what you will do when there are none to hide behind?’

Fortunately, her excellent distraction ran into the room at that point to grin cheekily at his father. ‘Look Papa! I got no clothes on.’

‘So I see,’ Gabriel observed in amusement. ‘But now we must get dressed. Some people have come to have dinner and to meet you. I do not think they want to meet quite so much of you, hey?’

Rhianna looked at him questioningly. ‘People?’

‘The Corvas,’ he told her dryly. ‘Their curiosity seems to have got the better of them and they have decided not to wait for an official invitation.’

‘Great,’ she muttered. ‘Actually, I was wondering if I shouldn’t eat in my room tonight.’ The prospect of meeting Senora Ortega again was far from appealing and now that guests had arrived she really preferred to remain upstairs.

Gabriel shook his head. Leaning forward, he tilted her face up and kissed her lightly, grazing her soft mouth with his own. ‘Not an option. You will not hide away from my mother Rhianna,’ he murmured, his lips still touching her own. ‘You will come down and sit beside me.’

Rhianna opened her eyes. Pulling back a little, she stared up at him. ‘Is that an order?’

‘Ordering you is a dangerous business,’ he observed. ‘It brings out the devil in you. So yes,
mi
Rhianna. It is an order. You can take it out of my flesh later.’

She quivered at the note of his voice, seductively sexy, suggesting a bedroom rendezvous she would not forget. Every part of her body suddenly seemed to be preternaturally aware of him and she had an urge to reach out and undo the buttons on his white shirt so she could slide her hand against the smooth, warm skin beneath. The urge was so strong that she ached with it.

He was watching her face, his eyes intent. ‘Soon, my sweet Rhianna. Tonight I will satisfy both of us, I promise you.’

When Gabriel had left the bathroom, Rhianna turned to stare at her reflection. Her green eyes had darkened to jade, pale skin flushed to a warm pink while her mouth looked swollen, despite the fact that he had barely kissed her. It was the face of a woman aroused...

Damn it. Turning away, Rhianna pulled the towel off her head and began rubbing her hair vigorously. Searching through her clothing, she selected an outfit that should be suitable for the evening ahead; a simple sleeveless cream top which buttoned up the back which she teamed with a softly flaring black skirt, elegant but unpretentious. After drying her mane of silver blonde hair for the second time that day, she applied some light make-up and slipped her feet into open toed black espadrilles, a relic of her previous time in Spain. A final spray of perfume completed her efforts. Now all she needed were Dylan and Gabriel.

They were out on the terrace and Rhianna was relieved to see that her son had decided not to go au-natural. Gabriel looked up and smiled, a smile that managed to heat her all the way through. As they went downstairs together, Gabriel’s hand firmly on her elbow, Rhianna wondered how she would survive the night with her fine resolutions intact, especially when her body seemed eager to betray her.

Somehow, she doubted that there was enough resolution in all the world to resist the tall, magnetic Spaniard beside her. Try as she might to fortify the battlements, she knew they would be frighteningly inadequate if Gabriel decided to storm the castle tonight.

Chapter Twelve

Dinner with the Corvas proved to be quite an ordeal. Jorge and Marita hadn’t come alone, but had brought their two children, Pilar and Alesander. Tall, tanned and gorgeous, they exuded the kind of relaxed charm those born into money and privilege seemed to radiate so effortlessly. As soon as she saw him, Pilar immediately made a beeline for Gabriel, greeting him with an enthusiastic kiss on each cheek.

‘Gabriel darling, how wonderful to see you!’ she gushed.

‘Pilar. Have you decided to give the Costa Brava a rest?’ Gabriel observed ironically. ‘I’m surprised to see you in this quiet backwater.’

Pilar’s laughter was as sultry as the night outside. ‘I needed a break; too many parties, too much fun. So what could I do but come home to my
madre
?’ she replied playfully.

Rhianna watched the girl smile up at Gabriel, her look warmly flirtatious. Pilar Corvas was practically devouring him with her eyes. Was this one of the ‘suitable brides’ that Isobel Ortega had in mind? From what Gabriel had told her earlier, the Corvas and the Ortegas shared adjoining land. Isobel probably thought a union between her son and Pilar would be a match made in heaven. Turning, Gabriel drew Rhianna and Dylan forward.

‘Pilar, this is Rhianna. And this is our son Dylan.’

The shock on Pilar’s face was hidden quickly but there was no doubt that she was stunned by the discovery that Gabriel had a child. She fixed a smile in place immediately but the look she shot Rhianna was one of unfriendly speculation, an echo of Isobel Otega’s.

‘Rhianna,’ Pilar’s inclined her head. ‘How lovely to meet you.’

Both women knew it was a lie but at least the social amenities were being observed. Pilar was far more friendly with Dylan who she made much of, a sensible tactic if she wanted to make any headway with Gabriel, Rhianna acknowledged and her arms tightened protectively around her son at the thought of this woman one day taking the position of his step-mother. Beautiful and expensive, it was obvious to Rhianna that the woman was entirely self-obsessed. Hardly the kind of person she wanted to have the care of Dylan, no matter how briefly.

Alesander was far more eager to meet Rhianna than his sister had been and he stepped forward as soon as Gabriel began the introductions. He took her hand immediately, raising it to his lips where they lingered while his deep brown eyes frankly admired her. ‘How very delightful to meet you,’ he murmured in heavily accented English.

Rhianna gave him a smile and fought for the return of her hand, gently pulling it from him. She caught a dark, dangerous look from Gabriel and mentally rolled her eyes. Oh yes, this was going to be a
wonderful
evening!

The only consolation was that Isobel Ortega acted as if their earlier conversation had never taken place. She was polite, almost courteous, much to Rhianna’s surprise and Rhianna could do no more than be polite right back at her. It was bizarre but Rhianna was grateful that she didn’t have to deal with the woman’s open animosity because she was having enough trouble dealing with Jorge and Marita Corvas, who asked her endless questions, obviously determined to know where, exactly, she fitted into the scheme of things.

In deference to Dylan’s age, they dined early. By eight-thirty Dylan was falling asleep in her lap and Rhianna was grateful for the opportunity to escape upstairs, away from conversation and the questions, sick to death of fielding the ardent glances of Alesander Corvas or the hostile ones of his sister. When she told Gabriel where she was going, he rose to his feet but she shook her head.

‘I can manage. You stay and talk with your friends.’

He seemed intent on accompanying her anyway but was hijacked by Pilar and her mother who insisted he stay and discuss several of their mutual friends. Rhianna and Dylan made their way upstairs and, as she was in no hurry to go back down again, she took her time with his bedtime preparations. After his pajamas and pre-bedtime wash, she settled Dylan into bed and read him two bedtime stories. Before the second one was finished, the boy was fast asleep and she lay next to him for some moments, watching his round cherubic face.

I’ll never leave you
, she promised him silently,
no matter what happens.
I’ll always be here
...

Quietly, she rose and left the room, then stood for some moments, willing herself to go back downstairs. She
really
didn’t want to. She felt far too tired to keep socializing with a group of strangers who made no effort to hide their curiosity or, in the case of Pilar, their dislike. Rhianna sighed. Would any of them really miss her if she decided to call it a night? The problem was, she knew it would be rude if she didn’t excuse herself and the last thing she felt inclined to do was to give Isobel Ortega any more ammunition against her. ‘I’ll just go down and say goodnight,’ she decided.

It wasn’t as if she would be missed. Most of the conversation had revolved around people and places that Rhianna had never heard of. If the Corvas purpose in visiting had been to make her feel like an outsider, they had done an admirable job. Rhianna was well aware how far beyond their illustrious social circle she stood.

When an arm reached out to encircle her waist at the foot of the stairs, pulling her backwards she thought it was Gabriel, but only for an instant. Although the man behind her was tall, he was not nearly as solidly built as Gabriel. Rhianna turned her head and found herself staring into the wickedly dancing eyes of Alesander Corvas. ‘Hello, beautiful Rhianna,’ he smiled. ‘I was wondering where you had gotten to.’

Rhianna stiffened immediately. ‘Let me go,’ she said quietly, fighting the urge to struggle wildly, although ever instinct told her to. But the last thing she wanted was anybody to see her in an ungainly tussle with Alesander.

‘But of course I will let you go.’ She could smell the pungent odor of wine on his breath. Alesander obviously didn’t know how to hold his liquor. ‘Just one kiss and you shall be free.’

One kiss
? ‘I don’t think so.’ Rhianna snapped, and brought the heel of her espadrille down on his instep. It wasn’t sharp but the straw wedge of the platform was solid and he gasped. Instead of letting her go, however, his arms tightened painfully.

‘That,’ he said through clenched teeth, ‘will cost you more a lot more than a kiss pretty lady!’

Rhianna knew she was in trouble. Alesander Corvas was drunk and he was twice as strong as she was. Unless she could convince him that he was behaving like an idiot then she’d have to create a scene and both of them would look extremely foolish. ‘Please... let me go Alesander!’ she gasped, ‘I want to go back into the party.’

‘We can have our
own
party.’ he slurred. ‘You and me. Let’s go somewhere quiet and have a good time together,
si
?’

‘No
.’ Rhianna rasped through clenched teeth, seizing Alesander’s wrist when his hand wandered up to fondle her breast. ‘I mean it Alesander! Let go of me right now.’

Alesander laughed beneath his breath. ‘We will just have a little bit of fun,’ he bent his head, nuzzling her ear, ‘the same kind of fun you have with Ortega, hmm?’

Rhianna flinched and struggled harder, resigning herself to the inevitability of discovery because, short of screaming or breaking the furniture, there seemed to be no other way she was going to dislodge him. She was too intent on escaping to hear the angry exclamation in Spanish from the doorway of the living room. All Rhianna knew is that, one moment she was wrestling with a very determined young Spaniard and the next, he had abruptly released her and she was free. Looking around dazedly, she saw Alesander sprawled across the stairs, nursing his jaw and staring up at Gabriel who stood over him like a dark, avenging angel, his face wearing a look of murderous fury.

‘You hit me,’ Alesander sounded incredulous, ‘I think... I think you have broken my jaw!’

‘Be thankful it wasn’t your neck,’ Gabriel replied in a voice sheathed in ice. ‘Now get up and get out before I really hurt you. And if you ever dare to lay a hand on Rhianna again, you will realize just how fortunate you have been tonight. I have not given you the beating you deserve out of consideration to your mother but you will not find me so lenient if I ever catch you within one hundred feet of anything of mine again. Do you understand me?’

Alesander was too drunk for his own good. He lifted his lip in a sneer. ‘What is this? She is nothing more than your
pequena puta
. Why should you care if -’ Gabriel didn’t give him the opportunity to finish his sentence. Reaching down, he grabbed hold of the lapels of Alesander’s jacket and marched him to the front door. In moments Alesander Corvas was on his back again, groaning softly.

‘You are no longer welcome here,’ Gabriel informed him curtly.

The commotion had brought the Corvas and Isobel out of the sitting room. Everybody crowded around to see what was going on and Marita gasped at the sight of her son. ‘Alesander!’

‘Gabriel,’ Isobel was clearly bewildered. ‘What have you done?’

‘Not nearly as much as he deserves,’ Gabriel replied tersely. ‘This... man is no longer welcome in my home. See that you abide by my wishes.’ And turning, he strode back towards Rhianna who had watched the entire scene with shocked green eyes. He took her arm in his and began leading her up the stairs but Isobel’s voice made him pause.

‘Gabriel!’ her voice was shaking. ‘How dare you behave in such a way. These are our friends.’

‘Alesander Corvas is no friend of mine,’ his voice still held that icy edge, cold as winter. ‘We leave in the morning
Madre
.’

‘Wait!’ Isobel stared up at them, her face white, ‘I cannot believe you would be so foolish. Gabriel,
think
. This woman is not worth such a ridiculous display. Be sensible and make peace with our neighbors.’

‘Do not try my patience,’ Gabriel said softly. ‘I have said all I intend to.’ His fingers on Rhianna’s arm were inflexible, holding her just a little too hard for comfort. Everything seemed to have happened so fast that she was still nonplused the whole episode. Even though Alesander’s behavior had nothing to do with her, she felt guilty, as if what had happened was her fault in some way.

Once inside the bedroom, Gabriel closed the door carefully behind him. His body was rigid, while his face could have been carved out of stone. Rhianna watched him uncertainly, wondering if there was anything she could say. She had never seen Gabriel so angry; she had certainly never seen a look on his face like the one he had worn when he had looked down at Alesander Corvas. It spoke volumes for his self-control that he had managed to stop at a single blow. ‘Gabriel, I -’

‘No.’ That single word silenced her.

Reaching for her, he pulled her tight against him so that her face was buried in his chest. The arms that held her were just as unyielding as Alesander’s had been but there was a world of difference in the embrace. For a long moment he did nothing but hold her. Then he spoke, his voice harsh. ‘I will never allow anyone to hurt you in such a way again. That is a promise, Rhianna.’

‘It wasn’t your fault.’

‘Never the less.’ He tilted her face to his and stared at her for a long moment before he kissed her, a hard, demanding kiss that was bruising in its intensity. Rhianna kissed him back and for once there was no hesitation, no holding back. Desire caught fire between them, sweeping them up and Rhianna felt his fingers fumbling on the back of her top, unbuttoning her blouse so that he could touch her, his hands hot against her as he stroked the smooth skin. Rhianna pulled at his shirt, desperate to touch that hard, muscled chest, to be rid of anything that stood between her body and his, eager to experience the exquisite relief of skin against skin again. Despite the fact that he had only made love to her that morning she felt like a woman who had been deprived of something she desperately needed for a long, long time.

While they rid each other of their clothing, they moved back towards the bed where they fell in a tangle of limbs. Lifting himself off her, Gabriel’s head dipped down to snake a line of searing kisses across her stomach, his tongue leaving a wet trail as he moved upwards and Rhianna gasped as a wave of pleasure took her, building towards a peak that shattered when his mouth slipped over her nipple, tongue teasing it mercilessly. She gasped, fingers burying themselves in his hair while sensation eddied in shock waves, subsiding momentarily before it began again as he skillfully manipulated her body. While his mouth moved from one breast to the other, tongue gliding, teeth grazing the sensitive buds, his hand slipped down to stroke between her legs, touching her with gentle precision, fingers caressing her so that the breath caught in her throat, groaning softly when one long finger slid up into the moist warmth, and a second climax shook her, chasing after the echoes of the first. She shuddered and writhed beneath each sweet explosion, body arching against him helplessly.

But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She wanted Gabriel inside her...

Opening her eyes, she braced herself and rolled on the bed, taking Gabriel with her. He stared up at her, dark eyes made even darker with the raw need that gripped him and Rhianna straddled him, pinning him beneath her. She held herself still, poised over him, watching the same desperate need that griped her play across his face and an unfamiliar sense of power flooded through her. Sinking down, she gasped and threw back her head back as he filled her completely, melding them together in the ultimate embrace. Gabriel gave a low, animal growl, hands clamping on her hips and suddenly she was no longer in control because he was guiding her, controlling her, balancing her on the brink for the last time before they both fell together in an explosive culmination. Rhianna felt herself falling but Gabriel was there to catch her, holding her, keeping her close while the delirium took them both, sweeping them away to a dark and distant shore.