by Maya Blake
Something hard tugged in his chest. ‘Which one do you prefer?’
‘Are you joking? The person you are now, of course.’
He froze as the tug tightened its hold on him. His breath came in short pants as he closed the distance between them. ‘I thought we weren’t going to delve into our issues today.’
‘You asked me what was on my mind.’
He nodded. ‘I guess I did.’ He stared into the pure, make-up-free perfection of her face and something very close to regret rose in his gut.
‘Now it’s my turn to ask you what’s on your mind, Theo,’ she murmured thoughtfully.
‘It’s completely pointless, of course, but I’m wishing we’d met under different circumstances.’
Her mouth dropped open. ‘You are?’
The urge to touch grew, and he finally gave in. He traced his thumb over her lips and felt them pucker slightly under his touch. ‘As I said, it’s pointless.’
‘Because you would’ve been done with me within a week?’ she ventured.
‘No. I would’ve kept you for much longer, anjo. Perhaps even for ever.’
He forced himself to step away. Once again she’d slid so effortlessly under his skin, opened him up to wishes and possibilities he’d forced himself never to entertain after what their respective fathers and his mother had done to him. She was making him believe in impossible dreams, feelings he had no business experiencing.
He strode quickly towards the pool. A cold dip would wash away the fiery need and alien emotions tearing his insides to shreds. He hoped.
He emerged twenty minutes later to find her polishing off the last of her scrambled eggs and coffee. Over the past fortnight he’d noticed that she ate with a gusto that triggered his own appetite. Or appetites.
As he poured his coffee and helped himself to fruit, she reached for the ever-present duffel bag and pulled out her sketchpad.
‘Have you thought of doing something with your talent?’ he asked.
A shadow passed over her face before she tried to smile through it, but he guessed the reason behind it. Her father. ‘I will once I resume my education. I put pursuing my degree on hiatus for a while.’
He didn’t need to ask why. ‘Until when?’
She shrugged and searched for a fresh page in her pad. ‘I haven’t decided yet.’
Theo tried not to let his anger show. They’d called a truce for twenty-four hours.
‘What will you study when you return?’
‘I love buildings and boats. I may go into architecture or boat design.’
He glanced from her face to the pad. ‘Boat design, huh?’
She nodded.
He picked up his coffee and regarded her over the rim. ‘Why don’t you design me one?’
‘You want me to design a boat for you?’
‘Yes. I’m sure your research showed you what sort of designs we specialise in. It has to be up to the Pantelides standard. But use your own template. Make it state-of-the-art, of course.’
‘Of course,’ she murmured but he could see the gleam of interest in her eyes as she stared down at her pad.
Her pencil flew across the paper as he devoured his breakfast. She didn’t look up as he rose and rounded the table to where she sat. He didn’t glance down at her drawing; he was too absorbed with the sheer joy on her face as she became immersed in her task.
Even when his finger drifted down her cheek to the corner of her mouth she barely glanced up at him. But her breath hitched and she jerked a tiny bit towards his touch before he withdrew his hand.
As he walked away, Theo marvelled at how light-hearted he felt.
CHAPTER NINE
THEY DROPPED ANCHOR about a mile away from Copacabana Beach and took a launch ashore.
Inez looked to where Theo stood, legs braced, at the wheel of the launch. The wind rushed through his dark hair, whipping it across his forehead. Stupid that she should be jealous of the wind but she clenched her fingers in her lap as they tingled with the need to touch him.
I would’ve kept you for much longer, anjo. Perhaps even for ever.
Try as she had for the last few hours, she couldn’t get his words out of her head. They struck her straight to the heart in unguarded moments, made her breath catch in ways that made her dizzy. Every time she pushed the feeling away. But, inevitably, it returned.
She was in serious trouble here…
A shout from nearby sunbathers drew her attention to the fact that they were not alone any more.
She watched the surge of people and the noise of tourists enjoying a Sunday stroll along the beach roads and suddenly felt as if she was losing the tenuous connection she’d made with Theo last night and this morning. Which was silly. There was no connection. Just a precarious truce.
And an exciting task designing a Pantelides boat, which had made joy bubble beneath her skin all day.
He brought the launch to a smooth stop at the pier and turned off the engine. Jumping out with lithe grace, he held out his hand to her, the smile on his face making her breath stutter in her chest as she slipped her hand into his.
‘I’m in the mood for some traditional food and I know just the place for it. You happy to trust me?’
Safely on solid ground, she glanced up and found herself nodding. ‘Yes.’
His eyes darkened. ‘It’s a bit of a walk.’ He glanced at her high-heeled wedges with a cocked eyebrow.
‘Don’t worry about me. I was born in heels.’
‘Then I pity your poor mãe.’
She laughed and saw his answering smile.
Gradually they fell silent and his gaze drifted over her face, resting on her mouth for a few seconds before he tugged on her hand. ‘Come on, anjo.’
He led her along the pier and towards the streets. Ten minutes later, she stared in surprise when they stopped outside a door with a faded sign and a single light bulb above it.
‘I hear they serve the best feijoadas in Rio,’ he said, his gaze probing her every expression.
Inez forced the lump in her throat down as she stared at the sign that had been very much part of a long ago, happier childhood. ‘It’s true. I…how do you know about this place?’
The hand he’d captured since they alighted from the boat meshed with hers, causing her heart to flutter wildly as he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. ‘I made it my business to find out.’
Again tears choked her and she couldn’t speak for several moments. ‘Thank you.’
He nodded. ‘My pleasure.’
They stopped in the doorway to allow their eyes to adjust to the candlelit interior.
‘Pequena estrela!’ A matronly woman in her late forties approached, her face lit up with a smile.
After exchanging hugs, Inez turned to introduce Theo.
‘Camila and my mother were best friends. I used to have supper here many times after school when I was a kid.’
Theo responded to the introduction in smooth, charming Portuguese that had the older woman blushing before she led them to a table in the middle of the room.
‘You want the usual?’ Camila asked after she’d brought over a basket of bread and taken their wine order.
Inez glanced at Theo. ‘Will you let me choose?’
He sat back in his chair, his gaze brushing her face. ‘It’s your show, anjo.’
She rattled off the order and added a few more dishes that had Camila nodding in approval before she bustled off.
Alone with Theo, she tried to calm her giddy senses. Not read too much into why he’d brought her here of all places. But her emotions refused to be calmed.
He was making her feel things she had no business feeling, considering their circumstances. Her heart was very much in danger of being devastated. And this time the danger signs were not disguised as they’d been with Constantine. She was walking into this with her heart and eyes wide open…
‘You’re frowning too hard, querida.’
Plucking a piece of bre
ad from the basket, she fought to focus on not ruining their truce. ‘I think I may have ordered too much food.’
‘You have a healthy appetite. Nothing wrong with that.’
‘It’s that healthy appetite that keeps me on the wrong side of chubby.’
‘You’re not chubby. You’re perfect.’
Her hand stilled on the way to her mouth. In the ambient light, she witnessed the potent, knee-weakening look of appreciation on his face. The look slowly grew until hunger became deeply etched into his every feature.
Desire pounded through her, sending radial pulses of heat through her body to concentrate on that needy place between her legs. ‘Obrigado,’ she murmured hoarsely.
He nodded slowly, leant forward and took the piece of bread from her hand. Tearing off a piece, he held it against her mouth. When she opened it, he placed it on her tongue and watched her chew.
Then he sat back and ate the remaining piece.
She eventually managed to swallow and cast around for a safe topic of conversation that didn’t involve her father or the dangerous emotions arcing between them.
Whether he noticed her floundering or not, she smiled gratefully when he asked, ‘Did your mother grow up around here?’
‘No, both she and Camila grew up near the Serra Geral, although she spent part of her childhood in Arizona where my grandmother was from. Their fathers were ranch-owning gauchos and neighbours but after they both married they moved to Rio and stayed in touch. Camila is like a second mother to me…’
‘Da Costa Holdings isn’t a cattle business, though,’ he replied, then stiffened slightly.
She smiled quickly, wanting to hold onto the animosity-free atmosphere they’d found. ‘No, after my grandfather died, my mother sold the ranch and let my father expand the company instead.’ She breathed in relief when Camila returned with their wine and first course.
The older woman’s warm smile and effusive manner further lightened the mood. By the time she took her first sip of the bold red wine the slightly chilly interlude had passed.
Theo complimented her on the food choice and tucked into the grilled fish starter. The conversation returned to safer topics and eventually turned to his previous career as a championship-winning rower.
‘Why did you stop competing?’
He shrugged. ‘I tried a few partners after Ari and Sakis retired. The chemistry was lacking. In a sport like that chemistry is key.’ He topped up her wine and took a sip of his own.
‘You’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to do something you loved,’ she replied wistfully.
His smile looked a little taut around the edges. ‘Luck is a luxury that normally comes along as a result of hard work.’
She glanced down into her wine. ‘But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, fate has other ideas for you.’
His eyes narrowed into sharp laser-like beams. ‘Yes. But the answer is to turn it to your advantage.’
‘Or you can walk away. Find a different option?’
One corner of his mouth lifted. ‘Walking away has never been my style.’
She slowly nodded. ‘You wouldn’t have won championships if you were a man who walked away.’
His expression morphed into something that resembled gratitude. She couldn’t claim she understood all his motives but she was beginning to grasp what made Theo tick. As long as he could see a problem in any area of his life, he would not walk away until it was resolved. It was why he was the troubleshooter for Pantelides Inc.
She’d watched footage of him rowing. His grit and determination had held her enthralled throughout the feature and she would be lying now if she didn’t admit it was a huge turn-on.
‘But there’s also strength in walking away. You walked away from rowing rather than risk partnering up with the wrong person.’
He stiffened. ‘Inez…’
She fought the urge to back down. ‘I don’t want to mess up our truce but I want you to just think about it. There’s no shame in forgiving. No shame in letting the past stay in the past.’
His eyes grew dark and haunted. ‘What about my demons?’
‘Do you have a cast-iron guarantee that they will be vanquished by the path you’ve chosen?’
He frowned for several seconds before his eyes narrowed. ‘You’re right. Let’s not mess up the truce, shall we?’
‘Theo…’
‘Anjo. Enough. Have some more wine.’ He smiled.
And, just like that, her pulse surged faster. Hell, everything he did made her pulse race. She took a sip and licked her lips as the languorous effect of the wine and the captivating man sitting opposite her took hold.
She really needed to stop drinking so much. She pulled her gaze from the rugged perfection of his face as Camila returned to offer them coffee.
Inez declined and looked over to see his eyes riveted on her.
‘I think we need to get you back to the boat.’
Laughter that seemed to be coming easier around him escaped her throat. ‘You make me sound as if I’ve been naughty,’ she said after Camila collected their empty plates and left.
‘Trust me, I would tell you if you’d been.’
‘Well, the night is still young and I’m not ruling anything out.’ She laughed again.
His mouth curved in one of those devastating smiles as he reached for his wallet and extracted several crisp notes.
‘I say it’s definitely time to get you back and into bed.’
Her breath caught. He didn’t mean what she thought he meant. Of course he didn’t. But images suddenly bombarded her brain that had her blushing.
As she said goodbye to Camila and headed outside, she prayed he wouldn’t see her reaction to his words.
‘Hey, slow down, you’ll break your ankle rushing in those heels.’ He caught up with her outside and slid a hand around her waist.
The warmth of his body was suddenly too much to bear. ‘It’s okay, I’m fine.’ Her voice emerged a touch too forceful and he glanced sharply at her.
‘What’s wrong?’
She raked an exasperated hand through her hair and tried to stem the words forming at the back of her mind. They came out anyway. ‘You’re supposed to be my enemy. And yet you brought me to one of my favourite places in the world. You’re being so kind and attentive and I can’t help…I…I want you.’
The transformation that occurred sent her senses reeling. From the charming, desirous dinner companion, Theo turned into a hungry predatory beast in the space of a heartbeat.
He pulled her into a dark alley between two high-rises. Her heart hammered as he held her against the wall and leaned in close.
‘You don’t want to say things like that to me right now, Inez,’ he grated harshly.
His mouth was so tantalising close, she shut her eyes to avoid closing the gap between them and experiencing another potent kiss. ‘I don’t want to be saying them either. I can’t seem to stop myself because it’s the truth.’
‘That’s just the wine talking,’ he replied.
She nodded then groaned when he leaned in closer. Heat from his body burned hers and his breath washed over her face. When his stubbled jaw brushed her cheek, she bit hard on her lower lip to stop another groan from escaping.
‘Open your eyes, Inez.’
She shook her head. ‘Nao…por favor…’
‘What are you begging me for?’ he whispered in her ear.
A deep shudder coursed down her spine. ‘I don’t know…’ She stopped and sucked in a desperate breath. ‘Kiss me,’ she pleaded.
With a dark moan, he touched his mouth to the corner of hers. Fleeting. Feather-light. Barely enough.
Her hands gripped his waist and held on tight. ‘Please,’ she whispered.
‘Anjo, if I start I won’t be able to stop. And neither of us wants to spend the night in jail for lewd behaviour.’
She finally opened her eyes. He stood, tall, dark, devastatingly good-looking and tense, with a hunger she’d never se
en in a man’s eyes. That it was directed at her made her pulse race that much harder.
‘Theo.’ Her fingers crept up to his face, dying to touch his warm olive skin. ‘Let it go. Whatever my father did, revenge would only bring you fleeting satisfaction.’
His jaw tightened but he didn’t look as forbidding as he’d looked before. ‘It’s the only thing I’ve dreamed about for the last twelve years.’
Her hand crept up to settle over his heart. ‘Have you stopped to think that obsessing about it may just be feeding the demons?’
One large hand settled over hers and he stared fiercely down at her. ‘Are you offering me another way to quiet them, anjo?’
‘Maybe.’
He captured her hand and planted a kiss in her palm. When he glanced down at her, a feverish light burned in his molten eyes. ‘He doesn’t deserve to have you as a daughter.’
‘I can say the same about your parents but we play the hand that is dealt us the best way we can. And when it gets really bad I try to remember a happier time. Surely you must have some happy memories with your mother? And was your father really all bad?’
His mouth tightened. Then, slowly, he shook his head. ‘No. It wasn’t always bad.’
‘Tell me.’
He frowned slightly. ‘They thought Sakis would be their last child. I came as a surprise, or so my mother tells me. She used to call me her special boy. My father…he took me everywhere with him. He had a sports car—an Aston Martin—that I loved riding in. We’d take long drives along the coast…’ He stopped and his eyes glazed over.
She kept silent, letting him relive the memories, hoping that he would find a way to soften the hard ache inside him. But when his eyes refocused, she saw the raw pain reflected in them.
‘I’m not a father, and I probably never will be. But even I know those things are easy to do when life’s a smooth sail. The true test comes when things get rough. I find it hard to believe that my brothers and I were ever in any way special to our parents when they turned their backs on us when we needed them most. He could’ve saved me, Inez—’ He stopped abruptly and her heart clenched with pain for him.
