myself on knowing what goes on, on being astute. It turns out I knew nothing.’
He had said enough. More than enough for one night.
‘So, in answer to your question—yes. I have a brother.’
He shrugged naked shoulders and her fingers balled into her palms in an effort not to rest her hand on them.
‘Unlike you, I care nothing for mine.’
‘You might if you knew him.’
‘That’s not going to happen.’
She felt a small shiver, put it down to the night air. But his voice was so black with loathing it could have been that. ‘I’m going to go in.’
‘Please don’t.’
Estelle had to get back—back to the safety of Gordon—yet she did not want to walk away from him.
She had to.
‘Goodnight, Raúl…’
‘Stay.’
She shook her head, grateful for the ringing of his phone—for the diversion it offered. But as she went to open the door she heard a woman’s frantic voice coming down the corridor.
‘Pick up Raúl. Where the hell are you?’
He had lightning reflexes. Quickly Raúl turned his phone off and pulled Estelle into the shadows.
‘I need a favour.’
Before she knew what was happening she was in his arms, his tongue prising her lips open, his hand at her pyjama top. Estelle struggled against him before realising what was happening. She could hear Araminta calling out to Raúl, and if she saw the balcony any moment now she would come out.
But Araminta didn’t. She stumbled past the balcony, the couple on it unseen.
He could stop now, Estelle thought. Except her pyjama top was completely open, her breasts splayed against his naked chest.
We should stop now, she thought as his tongue chased hers.
He made a low moan into her mouth; it was the sexiest thing she had ever heard or felt. He slid one hand over her bottom and his tongue was hot and moist.
Suddenly sending a message to Araminta was the last thing on Raúl’s mind.
Estelle wanted his kiss to end, and yet she yearned for it to go on—like a forbidden path she was running down, wanting to get to the end, to glimpse again the woman he made her. It was a kiss that should not be happening, but it was one she did not want to end.
‘Don’t go back to him…’ Raúl’s mouth barely left hers as he voiced his command.
He had intended to speak with her at a later point, perhaps get her phone number, but having tasted her, having kissed her, he could not stand the thought of her in Gordon’s bed. He would reveal his plan right now.
He peeled his mouth off hers, his breath coming hard on her lips. ‘Come now with me.’
It was then that she fully realised her predicament. Raúl assumed this was the norm for her, that she readily gave her body.
As he moved in to kiss her again she slapped him. It was the only way she knew how to end this.
‘You pay more, do you?’ She was disgusted with his thought processes.
‘I did not mean it like that.’ Raúl felt the sting on his cheek and knew that it was merited—knew how his suggestion must have come across. But business had been the last thing on his mind. He had simply not wanted her going back to another man. ‘I meant—’
‘I know exactly what you meant.’
‘Bastard!’
They both turned at the sight of a tear-streaked Araminta. ‘You said you were tired, that you were in bed.’
‘Can I suggest that you go back to your bed?’ Raúl snapped to Araminta, clearly not welcoming the intrusion.
Estelle saw again just how brutal this man could be when he chose.
‘How much clearer can I make it that I have absolutely no interest in you?’
He turned and came to help a mortified Estelle with her buttons, but her hand slapped him off.
‘Don’t touch me!’
She flew from the balcony and back to her room, stepped quietly in and slipped into bed, listened to the whirring of Gordon’s machine, trying to forget the feel of Raúl’s hands, his mouth.
Trying to deny that she lay there for the first time truly wanting.
‘ESTELLE…’
Gordon was lovely when she told him what had happened. Well, not all of it. She didn’t tell him about her conversation with Raúl, just that he had been trying to avoid a woman and had kissed her…
It was a terribly awkward conversation, but Gordon was writing her a cheque, so as not to embarrass her in front of his driver, and Estelle simply couldn’t accept it and had to tell him why.
‘Frank and I have three free passes.’
Estelle blinked as Gordon smiled and held out the cheque.
‘We have three people each who, should something happen, wouldn’t be construed as cheating with.’ He gave her a smile. ‘It’s just a game, of course, and it’s mainly movie stars, but Raúl could very easily make it to my list. No one can resist him when he sets his sights on them—especially someone as darling and innocent as you.’
‘I feel awful.’
‘Don’t.’ Gordon closed her hand around the cheque. ‘My being in competition with Raúl Sanchez Fuente could only do wonders for my reputation, if word were ever to get out. It might even be the reason for our breaking up and me realising just how much I care for Virginia.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be,’ Gordon said, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. ‘Just be careful.’
‘I’ll never see him again,’ Estelle said. ‘He doesn’t know anything about me.’
‘Mere details to a man like Raúl—and he takes care of them easily.’
Estelle felt the hairs on her arms stand up as she remembered that she had given him her name.
‘Just do your hair and put on a ton of make-up and we’ll head down for breakfast,’ Gordon told her. ‘If anyone says anything about last night just laugh and shrug it off.’
It was a relief to hide her blushes behind thick make-up. Estelle put on a skirt that was too short and some high wedges, and tied her hair in a high ponytail and then teased it with a comb and sprayed it.
‘I feel like a clown,’ she said to Gordon as she checked her reflection in the mirror.
‘Well, you make me smile.’
Raúl had gone, and all Estelle had to endure were some daggers being thrown in her direction by Araminta as they ate a full Scottish breakfast. She was relieved not to see him, yet there was a curious disappointment at his absence which Estelle chose not to examine.
Finally they were on their way, but it was late afternoon before Gordon dropped her at her home.
‘Think about what I said,’ Gordon reminded Estelle as she climbed out.
‘I think I’ve had my excitement for the year,’ Estelle admitted as she farewelled him.
She let herself step into familiar surrounds and released a breath before calling out to Ginny that she was home.
‘How