that he wouldn’t be returning, that the best bet would be for her to hand in her notice and save herself the embarrassment of fingers pointing, because the whole messy business would hit the public domain sooner or later and she’d be kicked out.
Sofia had grown up with a mother who had traded her looks for promises of love, always searching for what she had lost and believing that she could recapture it. Loving the wrong guy had made her vulnerable. It was an excellent lesson when it came to choosing right.
‘Because you have romantic dreams about what a marriage should be?’ he questioned, expression unreadable.
Sofia stiffened and looked at him. She’d always thought herself far too practical to get swept up in the whole starry-eyed business of romance. She’d never wanted to be vulnerable the way her mother had been. Her head was firmly screwed on, and she liked it that way, but when she considered the past few days she had to admit to herself that silly romantic feelings had crept to the surface, altering the way she behaved, turning her into someone she didn’t recognise.
All that for a guy who had been sent over to do a job and had probably figured that turning on the charm would be the most efficient way of succeeding in his task.
It was humiliating but she had to concede that a very wealthy, drop-dead sexy guy could have his pick of women and, even though she knew what it was like to turn heads, she was certainly not the most beautiful woman in the world.
‘You could have anyone...’ she heard herself say out loud and then blushed furiously at the lapse in concentration.
Rafael slowly smiled and tilted his head to one side. ‘I could...’ he agreed softly, without an ounce of false modesty. ‘But I find that the price tag attached to getting too involved with a woman is one I’m not prepared to pay. My godfather is fully aware of my views on marriage, which is why he never thought twice about the offer he made. You may not want to get to know your father,’ he continued, voice hardening, ‘but, believe me, it would be very much worth your while.’
‘I’m not a pawn on a chessboard to be pushed and manipulated.’ She tilted her chin at a mutinous angle. He was so still, so focused, so beautiful.
It was an effort not to take a few steps closer, just to breathe him in and wallow in the impact on her senses.
It was insane. She had no idea how he had managed to have that effect on her, but he had, and she hated her own weakness, especially now that she was finding out just what he was all about.
‘Proud words,’ Rafael murmured, moving towards her, taking his time, eyes darkening in unwitting appreciation. He was powerfully drawn to her even as his head warned against muddying the waters with unnecessary complications. ‘I admire that, but you should really think about what’s on offer here.’
‘I’ve thought.’
‘No, Sofia, you really haven’t.’ He looked around him, taking in the handsome proportions of the room, and then focused his fabulous eyes on her.
The effect was to render her breathless and confused.
‘You see this as your future?’
‘Of course I don’t! I told you... I’m in the process of doing my accountancy exams...’
‘Which won’t be completed for...how long? Six months? A year? Longer? And in the meantime you remain here, working for some guy who wants to get his hands on you?’
‘I never said anything of the sort!’
‘You didn’t have to.’ He walked away from her, headed towards the window ledge, against which he perched with a magnificent sense of complete authority. ‘Like I told you, I’m an expert when it comes to working out what’s not being told.’
Addled and furious, Sofia thought of James and that way he had of looking at her, undressing her with his eyes. He would never do anything, because he was fearful of consequences, but he certainly didn’t make life comfortable for her...and who knew? A little drink and she might wake one night to find him standing in her room...
‘You could always leave the job,’ Rafael continued thoughtfully. ‘But, without any qualifications, how easy would it be for you to get a well-paid job to replace this? One that allowed you sufficient time to continue your studies? I’ve looked around here and the economy’s good but there’s heavy competition out there...lots of people with degrees pounding on office doors.’ He paused, giving her time for his words to sink in. ‘Your father would like to get to know you. If you had been in any way the sort of woman I thought would hurt him, I would not be standing here having this conversation with you. He...wants to get to know you and I, in turn, want to facilitate that.’
‘Should I be flattered?’ Sofia flung at him. ‘It seems that lots of thought has gone into how my father would benefit from the arrangement, and how you would, but hey, what about me?’
‘Oh, but I feel you should take time out to consider the advantages of accepting what’s on offer, and the greatest of them is your freedom. Freedom from all of this. Think about it, Sofia. No having to do as you’re told, with your free time whittled down to when it suits your employers. Take this deal and I will immediately begin transferring a healthy sum of money into your account. Whatever you want, you will be able to have. Shares in the company would go to me but, as compensation, you would receive a vast amount of money. No more scrimping and saving.’
‘I could never marry you,’ Sofia said weakly. She thought of her cousin, with all his problems, and her aunt who struggled daily to make ends meet. The little she handed over meant so much to them. How much more would she be able to do if money was no object? Expert physiotherapy for Miguel? An operation, perhaps? There were many cutting-edge treatments out there... More than that, she could move them to somewhere nicer, a house with a garden out in the suburbs where her aunt wouldn’t feel scared if she happened to be walking home at night. There was so much she could do and the limitless possibilities hovered over her head, dazzling and seductive. ‘You lied to me. You pretended to be someone you weren’t. How could I ever marry someone I didn’t even like?’
Rafael hesitated but only momentarily. ‘This is a business deal. Marry me and in return you become a wealthy woman. As for the nature of our relationship...you will be free to do your own thing, as I will, within reason and with absolute discretion.’ He lowered his eyes, shielding his expression, guarding his thoughts, doing what came naturally to a man as intensely private as he was.
For some reason, Rafael’s cool, detached logic stung like heck. So he didn’t fancy her and he never had. She’d been mistaken. Was she so full of herself that she’d actually thought that he’d been interested? Giving off all the right signals? Getting under her skin because he lusted after her the way she foolishly lusted after him?
‘So what you’re offering is...’ Her voice was glacial.
‘Yes.’ Rafael met her eyes and held her gaze. ‘The ultimate marriage of convenience.’
WITH HIS BACK to the coffee shop, and a paper cup of over-stewed coffee in one hand, Rafael scanned the faces of the people emerging from Customs out into the waiting crowds. A few were optimistically peering to find loved ones. Most looked frazzled and weary.
Under
