Jacqueline Baird - Mediterranean Tycoons - Dark & Demanding

‘As it comes.’

Lifting one cup, she turned slightly, her hand stilling. Nick was lounging back against the cushions, one long arm flung along the back, his jacket hanging open and his shirt pulled tight across his muscular chest, she could see the slight shading of body hair and swallowed hard.

He gave her a long, sardonic look. ‘Are you going to give me the coffee, or simply hold it?’

Blushing at her stupidity—she was eyeing the man like the dumb teenager she had once been—she thrust the cup at him, a little of the liquid spilling, and his long fingers curved around hers.

‘Steady, Liza. I want to drink it, not drown in it,’ he drawled mockingly.

The touch of his hand sent a warmth shimmering through her, and quickly she snatched her hand back, and, grasping her own cup of coffee, forced herself to sit back against the sofa, and lift the cup to her mouth. She took one sip and almost burnt her tongue. Her lips tightened and she just prevented a yelp escaping.

She had to get over her panic; hadn’t she decided in the hotel earlier to take a chance? Nick was just a man like any other. But that was the trouble, he was not like any other man she had ever known, she thought ruefully, casting him a sidelong glance from beneath the thick screen of her lashes. How was it, she mused, that as a young girl she had had a crush on him and was brutally cured of the illusion by the man himself? For years she thought she hated him and yet now one day in his company and all she saw was a dominant, attractive male who turned her bones to jelly.

Feeling vulnerable in a man’s presence for the first time in years, she was not sure she trusted the feeling, and common sense told her to thank Nick for the meal and leave. With that in mind she drained her coffee-cup and replaced it on the table, and, turning slightly, she glanced at his face. He was looking down at her, his mouth a hard, taut line, and for a moment Liza felt a slight shiver of fear, or was it a shiver of sensual anticipation? She was not sure which, and quickly fixed her gaze somewhere over his left shoulder and before she could weaken.

‘Thank you for a lovely evening, Nick. But I think it is time I got back to my hotel.’ She made to rise, only to find a large restraining hand on her forearm.

‘Please join me in a brandy at least,’ Nick said softly, and placed his cup on the table, his dark gaze holding her own, and his thumb caressing the underside of her arm to devastating effect.

Liza was in two minds when the arrival of Paul solved the problem for her.

‘Your mother is on the line.’ He addressed Nick, a cordless telephone in his hand.

Saved by the bell! Nick thought, a huge smile lighting his handsome features, and took the telephone. ‘Hi, Mamma.’ He listened with delight as she harangued him about leaving her a note, and flying off to Lanzarote when she had been expecting him at home.

‘You were supposed to join your uncle and family tonight for dinner, and you’d better get yourself back here quick for the celebratory lunch and the party tomorrow night.’

‘Yes, I will be there, I promise. In fact I will leave tonight, to make absolutely sure, don’t worry.’

Listening to the one-sided conversation, Liza berated herself for her stupid fear five minutes ago, and her clumsy attempt to leave. Nick had plans for the rest of the weekend and the dinner was just as he had said. Two old friends catching up with each other. Then she heard the rest…

‘But you will never guess who I bumped into today.’ Nick shot Liza a brief grin and added, ‘Liza, Liza Summers; she is on holiday here, and we’ve just had dinner together.’

As Nick knew she would, his mother responded, ‘Oh, I haven’t seen Liza in years. Perhaps you can bring Liza back with you for the party. I would love to meet her again.’

‘Well, why don’t you ask her yourself, Mamma?’ Nick relaxed back against the cushions, ignoring Liza’s frantic shaking of her head, and held out the telephone to her while tightening his grip on her arm. ‘Mother would like to speak to you, Liza.’

Reluctantly Liza accepted the telephone. Anna Menendez was a very persuasive woman, as her son knew fine well, Liza thought balefully.

‘Well, of course I would love to see you again, and it is very kind to invite me, but I really couldn’t put Nick to the trouble of flying me to Spain and then back to Lanzarote again.’ Five minutes later when she handed the telephone back to Nick she was committed to going to Spain with him.

‘I don’t believe it.’ Liza jumped to her feet. ‘Why on earth did you tell your mother I was here?’ She glanced down at Nick as he placed the telephone on the table. Call over.

‘Because you were,’ he said with a shrug of his wide shoulders, and a devilish grin in her direction. Thanks to his mother his problem was solved. Nick had set out this morning with the intention of seducing Liza into giving him the information he wanted, but as the day progressed it was he who had been seduced by Liza’s beauty, her warmth, her genuine enthusiasm for life. He would ask her outright about the diamonds in case she had any more information. But he didn’t give a damn if she was guilty or not, he was keeping her with him for a few more days and that was all he cared about.

‘But you must have known that she’d feel obliged to ask me to her party?’

Rising to his feet, he studied her from beneath lowered lids, the soft, silky skin and the generous curve of her mouth, but at the moment she was bristling with indignation. She knew she had been manipulated—she wasn’t stupid. Nick hesitated, a hint of wariness flickering through his eyes.

The mood she was in, if he asked her about the theft of the diamonds, and she was innocent, he could kiss goodbye any chance of getting her into his bed. She would probably never speak to him again, and not surprisingly he found he did not like that idea one bit. He dismissed the thought of challenging her about the diamonds—that could wait. He could sense she was moments away from changing her mind, and he had to do something fast.

‘I never thought, but it seems like a good idea.’ He reached for her shoulders, and held her gently. ‘My mother is not getting any younger and she has been quite down lately; seeing you again is just the tonic she needs to cheer her up—she always had a soft spot for you.’ It wasn’t a lie; his mother had been down, but a course of antibiotics for a mild chest infection had put her right again, and he saw no need to tell Liza that. Emotional blackmail, sensual persuasion…he utilised all his skills. ‘And I am very reluctant to part with you so soon after meeting you again, Liza.’ A gentle pressure with his fingers, and a shiver arced down her spine. ‘Will it be such a hardship to spend a few days’ holiday in Spain and make an old woman happy?’

Hardship, no, but it was likely to cause her enormous pain, resurrecting old memories. Captivated by the sincerity in Nick’s dark eyes, she could feel her resentment at his high-handiness weakening. He loved his mother, of that she had no doubt.

‘I suppose not.’ He sounded perfectly reasonable, and put like that he was right. But she stiffened in his hold, mortified by her helpless response to his touch. She hated to admit it, but she had read such a lot into her meeting with Nick, the day out and everything, and it was humiliating to realise he hadn’t been bowled over by her looks or her personality; in fact, he probably still thought of her as the no-good little tramp of years ago. Nothing had changed…

Nick watched myriad expressions flutter over her exquisite features, and knew she was still not totally convinced, so bending his dark head, he brushed her lips with his own. ‘You think too much, Liza.’