another engagement in Palma early this afternoon,’ Antonia snapped dismissively. ‘You have not forgotten that you are expected for dinner this evening, Alejandro?’ she added tartly.
Oh, dear, dear, dear, Brynne mused as she sat down in the seat the other woman had just vacated; poor Alejandro looked as if he might have some explaining to do later!
‘Of course I have not forgotten,’ he confirmed, a little impatiently, Brynne thought as he brushed his lips lightly against the other woman’s cheek in parting.
‘What a pity Miss Roig couldn’t join us,’ Brynne remarked dryly once Antonia had left.
Alejandro turned from watching Antonia’s abrupt departure to scowl down at Brynne’s bent head as she perused the menu with marked deliberation. ‘Yes, a pity,’ he bit out tersely as he resumed his seat at the table, knowing by the way Brynne returned his gaze with wide-eyed innocence that she was enjoying what she no doubt sensed was his slight discomfort.
But what could he have done otherwise? To press Antonia to join them would, with Brynne in this mischievously troublemaking mood, only have resulted in even more embarrassment, he was sure. No, he had done the right thing; he would have plenty of time to explain, and placate Antonia later tonight.
‘It all looks delicious. What do you recommend?’ Brynne asked as she closed the menu to look at him enquiringly, the mischief still dancing in those deep blue eyes.
She didn’t look much older than Miguel with that innocent expression, her face bare of make-up, and her hair pulled back into a green band that matched the colour of her top.
Except that expression was too innocent!
‘Everything,’ he dismissed impatiently before turning his attention to helping Miguel select his food.
Surprisingly Brynne enjoyed the leisurely lunch. She and Alejandro spent most of the time ignoring each other—which had to be a definite plus as far as her digestion was concerned!—but Michael was starting to relax in his father’s company and the food was excellent. The wine Alejandro ordered complemented their lunch perfectly, and the view was spectacular from where they sat high up on one of the terraces that looked down the valley to the sea.
In fact, by the time they left to drive back to the villa she was the most relaxed since arriving in Majorca.
Michael was quite happy to return to the pool in the afternoon, leaving Brynne to laze on one of the loungers as she pondered the merits of the local siesta; she could quite cheerfully have fallen asleep for an hour or so after that lovely meal and wine.
Although Alejandro’s presence on the lounger beside her own pretty much assured her that she would never be able to relax enough to do that!
‘So you’re going out again this evening?’ she prompted conversationally as she sat up to rub oil onto her tanning arms and legs.
‘Again …?’ Alejandro echoed softly as he turned to watch her movements, her fingers long and supple as she smoothed the oil into her shoulders and throat.
Brynne didn’t even glance at him as she bent to rub oil on the long length of her legs. ‘I saw you go out yesterday evening.’ She shrugged.
But she obviously hadn’t seen, or heard, him come back again two hours later …
His departure alone had obviously been enough for her to draw her own conclusions. And meeting Antonia today would certainly not have belied that conclusion.
Although why this woman should think she had any right to comment on what he did in his private life was beyond him!
He found his attention caught and held as Brynne pushed her halter-top up to just below her breasts as she now put oil onto her bare midriff. A completely flat midriff, with soft and creamy skin, and just a tanatalizing glimpse of the thrusting swell of her breasts beneath the green top—
What was he doing?
This woman was Miguel’s aunt by marriage, his nuisance of an aunt by marriage, not someone whose attractions Alejandro should find in the least arousing.
His mouth tightened. ‘You have a comment you wish to make about my dinner engagement?’ he rasped hastily, all the time knowing that impatience was aimed at himself more than at Brynne.
She was a constant thorn in his side, an irritant he couldn’t wait to be rid of, so what did it matter if she had a lithely beautiful body and that her skin looked like silk? Even the freckles that covered the whole of her body added to her sensuousness as he imagined discovering, and kissing, every single one of them …
‘Not at all.’ Brynne looked surprised by his question. ‘I was just making conversation, Alejandro,’ she dismissed lightly.
Like hell she was!
But he was not involved with Antonia in the way that Brynne seemed to think he was. Deliberately so. Flattering and charming Antonia was one thing, but he never, ever mixed business with the sort of pleasure he had been thinking of with Brynne herself a few minutes ago.
Although that slight possessiveness Antonia seemed to be developing where he was concerned told him that he might not have been his usual careful self where relationships were concerned during his distraction over the custody of Miguel. Both Antonia and her father might be expecting something more from the interest he had shown Antonia.
But he had no intention of ever going through the painful process of marrying again. And now that he had an heir in Miguel, he had no need to do so.
But there was still the problem of Felipe Roig’s elusiveness …
He stood up quickly. ‘I have some calls to make.’
‘My, what a busy man you are, Alejandro,’ Brynne looked up to taunt, her chin resting on her bent knee.
His gaze was cold as he looked down at her. ‘I have business commitments, yes,’ he replied coolly.
Brynne raised her eyebrows. ‘How pleasant for you when the business is as beautiful as Antonia Roig.’
Alejandro’s jaw clenched. ‘Not that it is any of your concern, but my only connection with Antonia is business with her father, Felipe.’
‘Really?’ Brynne derided. ‘That wasn’t the impression I got!’
‘I do not care—’ Alejandro broke off his angry retort, breathing deeply as he looked down his arrogant nose at her. ‘You really do not have the right to question me in this way, Brynne,’ he finally snapped coldly.
‘But the two of you are having dinner together this evening,’ she challenged, not prepared to let him off that easily. After all, if he was considering making Antonia his wife, and consequently Michael’s stepmother, then she did consider it her business!
‘I am one of several guests invited for dinner this evening at the home of Antonia’s father, yes,’ he bit out impatiently.
‘Ah …’ she murmured speculatively, enjoying seeing this usually perfectly controlled man at a disadvantage for a change.
Alejandro scowled darkly. ‘You really are the most—unsettling, of women!’
Brynne smiled. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘I would not,’ he snarled, his accent becoming more pronounced in his obvious displeasure. ‘So far I have not found being with you a restful experience!’
Her smile turned to a chuckle. ‘I believe that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Alejandro!’
She was infuriating, Alejandro acknowledged, not for the first time. Infuriating, outspoken, and far too familiar.
But at the same time he also knew that he had never found a moment’s boredom in this woman’s company, either …
For a man who had been soured towards love years ago, his relationships since that time only having ever been on a physical level, it wasn’t