reached forward for her glass of wine and noticed that she was once again the focus of Theo’s gaze.
‘Should I be offended that I’m being so comprehensively ignored?’ he asked.
‘It’s not a state you’re used to, I expect?’ With her surroundings once more in focus, she noticed the looks he was getting from women on other tables. She didn’t delude herself that any of them were interested in his views on politics or world peace. No, each and every one of them would vie for much more personal, much more physical contact with the lean, broad-shouldered man next to her, whose hands casually caressed his wine glass stem in a way that made her think indecent thoughts.
She noticed the young famous actress on the next table where Theo should have been sitting gazing over at him, and again felt the sharp edge of an unknown emotion pierce her insides.
His smile grew hard. ‘You’d be surprised.’
Curiosity brought her gaze back to his. ‘Would I? How?’
‘That question makes me think you’ve formed an opinion of me.’
‘And that answer convinces me that you’re very good at deflecting. You may fool others, but you do not fool me.’
He stared at her for a moment before one corner of his mouth lifted. Abruptly, he stood and held out his hand. ‘Dance with me, anjo, and enlighten me further as to what you think you know about me.’
The demand was silky and yet implacable. In full view of the other guests, her refusal would be extremely discourteous.
Her heart hammered as she slowly slid her hand into his and let him draw her to her feet.
Emotions she was trying and failing to suppress flared up at the warmth and firmness of his grip. Fervently, she prayed for time to speed up, for the evening to end so she could be free of this man. Her reaction to him was puzzling in the extreme and the notion that she was being toyed with unsettled her more with each passing second.
As they skirted the table to head for the dance floor, her gaze met her father’s. Expecting approval for accommodating the man whose business he was so obviously keen to garner, she was taken aback when she saw his icy disapproval.
Through the elite Rio grapevine she knew Alfonso Delgado’s net worth and knew he couldn’t afford to acquire a controlling share of Da Costa Holdings. So why did her father disapprove of a man who was clearly superior in monetary worth to Alfonso?
‘You really have to do better with your social skills than this. Or I’ll have to do something drastic to retain your attention.’ The hard bite to Theo’s voice slashed through her thoughts. ‘Or were you really that into Delgado?’
‘No, I wasn’t.’
Her immediate denial seemed to pacify him. ‘Then tell me what’s on your mind.’
Inez found herself speaking before she could snap at him not to issue orders. ‘Have you ever found yourself in a position where everything you do turns out wrong, no matter how hard you try?’
‘There have been a few instances.’ He pulled her close and slid an arm around her back. Heat transmitted to her skin via the soft material of her dress and flooded through her body. This close, his scent washed over her. Strong but not overpowering, masculine and heady in a way that made her want to draw even closer, touch her mouth to the bronze skin just above his collar.
Deus!
‘You think this is one of those occasions for you?’
‘I don’t think; I know.’
‘Why?’
Her laugh grated its way up her throat. ‘Because I have a perfectly functioning brain.’
‘You’re worried because your father and brother are displeased with you?’
‘Everything else this evening has gone according to plan except…’
‘Delgado. You’re worried that your father offered you up on a silver platter because he seems to think you’re a prize worth winning and now he’ll demand to know what you did wrong.’
Her eyes snapped to his, the insult surprisingly painful. ‘What do you mean by seems to think? What do you know about my father? Or about me, for that matter?’
Theo forced himself not to tense at the question. Or let the fact that her body seemed to fit so perfectly in his arms impact on his thinking abilities. ‘Enough.’
‘Do you always go around making unfounded remarks about someone you’ve just met?’
He let a small smile play over his mouth. ‘Enlighten me, then. Are you a prize worth winning?’
‘There’s no point enlightening you because it will serve no useful purpose. After tonight you and I will never meet again.’
She took a firm step back. Attempted to prise herself out of his arms. He held her easily, willing back the thrum of anger and bitterness that rose like bile in his throat.
‘Never say never, anjo.’
Her fiery brown eyes glared at him. ‘Don’t.’
He feigned innocence. ‘Don’t what?’
‘Don’t keep calling me that.’
‘You don’t like it?’
‘You have no right to slap a pet name on someone you just met.’
The hand holding hers tightened. ‘Calm down—’
‘No, I won’t calm down. I’m not an angel. I’m certainly not your angel.’
‘Inez.’ A warning, subtle but effective.
Inez’s pulse stalled, then thundered wildly through her veins.
‘Don’t,’ she whispered again. Only this time she wasn’t sure what she pleaded for.
He leaned closer until his mouth was an inch from her ear. When he breathed out, warmth teased her earlobe. ‘Don’t use your given name? It’s either that or anjo. All the other words are only appropriate for the bedroom.’
Heat flamed through her belly as indecent thoughts of rumpled sheets, sweaty bodies and incandescent pleasure reeled through her mind.
She shook her head to dispel the images and heard his low laugh.
When she stared up at him, his eyes blazed down at her with a hunger that smashed through her body. Her nipples slowly hardened and the fire raged higher as his lips parted on another heart-stopping smile. Unable to help herself, her eyes dropped to the sensual curve of his mouth.
‘I think it’s my turn to say don’t. Not if you don’t want to be thrown over my shoulder and raced to the nearest cave.’
She forced a laugh despite the sensations rushing through her. ‘This is the twenty-first century,
